"Seriously?"

Melanie stopped combing her long black hair when a familiar voice echoed in the room. She lifted her gaze and saw Yumi's intense stare. Melanie avoided eye contact and looked at her from head to toe, and checked if there were even signs of their previous encounter. As far as she could remember, she stabbed Yumi in the stomach and the damage that she inflicted was deep and brutal, but the girl showed no signs of being stabbed at all. In fact, she looked like she was ready to kill Melanie again.

Yumi stomped on the floor and sliced her thumb's skin. Blood fell on the floor, and they started to wiggle towards her victim. Melanie choked her squeal then gripped the blanket tightly and threw it on her body, blindly hoping that the tiny piece of fabric would protect her from the blow that was coming. Before she could even close her lilac eyes, Axel's body blocked the attack by her sword and then she slammed Yumi on the wall.

Yumi gritted her teeth and pointed towards Melanie. "Are you blind? Your toy can harm us! She almost killed me!"

"And?" grunted Axel. "Are you in the position to tell me what to do?"

"Don't act cocky," retorted Yumi and grabbed Axel by her collar, "Demerise could not even control her! What makes you think you can?"

Yumi gasped when Axel cupped her chin and instantly dug her finger in her cheek.

"Watch me," said Axel and lips curled into a smirk. Yumi glared at her and pushed her away with full force. She glanced at Melanie one more time and went straight to her bed without saying a word.

They talk like I am not here, thought Melanie.

Melanie set the blanket aside and heaved a sigh. She reached out for the comb and finished grooming herself while her mind was busy wandering. Ever since Tamonjie and Adi brought her there last night, Axel never glanced at her--not even once.

To make things worse, Ace was not there, and it just so happened that Yumi had to be her roommate too. Melanie got no one to talk to and although she desired not to be involved with those people anymore, what choice does she have if she needed to go outside the four red walls?

Melanie is afraid of Axel, but her fear for stepping outside that dorm room alone is much greater. Her mind even played tricks on her and displayed all kinds of possible tortures and harassment she could get the moment she walked out that door. Her hunch was only proven right when Yumi laid her eyes on her earlier and instantly attacked her with no hesitation.

Yumi and her friends took her lightly because they knew that she was from the Sanctified race.

What would happen if more people knew this truth?

"Axel might be a handful, but when it comes down to it, she has the means to protect you."

The President's words resonated inside Melanie's head.

She sighed.

Will Axel really protect her, or will she be the one who will break her first?

"Hey, how long are you gonna play dress up?"

Melanie blinked when she heard that familiar deep voice. She turned her head towards the sound and was welcomed with a pair of eyes looking like an endless abyss. Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed how close their faces were. She immediately leaned back to give them some distance.

Melanie averted her eyes, "I-I'm done now."

"Then what are you waiting for? Get your pretty ass here right now, " Axel replied.

Melanie nodded and did what she was told to do. She looked back at Axel and saw her frowning really hard. She gulped and took a step back because of the sight, but Axel was quick enough to wrap her arms around her waist and bring her closer. Melanie inhaled a cool scent of mint coming from the other girl's lips. Their gazes met and she slightly pushed Axel away, but the latter did not budge.

Axel bit her lower lip but quickly let go of it, "Be honest with me."

Now it was Melanie's turn to frown, "W-what are you talking about?"

"Pres told me you will never see me because I am in this form."

Melanie flinched. "W-what?"

Axel stared at her for a moment then she hissed. She drew back her hands and turned her back to her. She walked out the door and paused. She stood at the side and kept the door open for Melanie to pass by.

"Let's go to the Criterion."

Melanie was taken aback. Even if they were walking side by side, there was nothing to fill the aching silence. She clenched her fists, concealing it under the plaids of her skirt. She simply bit her lower lip and thought of Axel's confrontation just minutes ago.

Of course, Melanie knew what Axel was talking about. She is completely aware that the other girl is drawn to her. She was not dense enough to not figure out that Axel was trying to hit on her and keep her by her side even though people claim repeatedly that she was just a toy.

Melanie knows the feeling of being drawn to a person. She once desired to see someone every minute of the day, yearn for their warmth against her skin, and dream of the future they could have together if things did not go on the darker side of the road. That was the reason why Melanie was completely aware that unrequited love is intensely painful. However, giving false hope to someone and leading them to something that could never be true is much worse than that.

It was like handing someone a nicely wrapped gift but there was really nothing inside but a void that tempts people to trip and fall without anything to catch them.

Aside from the fact that The City strongly defied that kind of relationship, Melanie is certain that she will never see Axel the way she sees her.

She can't and she won't.

"Does the floor look interesting to you?"

"Ah, um..." Melanie looked up and cleared her throat. "No, " she replied awkwardly.

Axel shook her head in disapproval and gestured something ahead. "You don't wanna miss this. I won't be with you all the time so your pretty head must remember how to enter this passage alone."

Melanie looked ahead and her eyes were glued to the sight. A hanging bridge surrounded by rotating galaxies occupied the area in front of her. The entire passage was pitch black and only little sparks of colors and dust filled up the place. Melanie stepped forward but a gentle tug on her arm stopped her from entering it.

"Silly," said Axel and walked ahead of Melanie. She finally pulled her hand back and gestured to the space behind her, "I will walk in first then you follow me. Is that clear?"

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"Crystal," replied Melanie.

Axel smirked then casually sauntered to the hanging bridge. On the other hand, opposite to what she was portraying, Melanie staggered back the moment she entered the path. Her consciousness overflowed with mist and haze then her lilac eyes dilated, and everything began to look like swirling colors. She gripped the ropes tightly like her life was on the line just to stop herself from collapsing on the creaking wooden floor.

"A-axel, I-I..." she stuttered and almost puked.

Axel turned towards Melanie when she heard her cracking voice. She tilted her head to the side and walked slowly to her. She halted and her shoes reverberated with a thud.

Her dark eyes gazed at Melanie blankly. "Fight it, " she said.

Melanie opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She groaned and she felt her guts churning inside her. The feeling was getting worse and worse the longer she stayed in that place.

"You got no one to help you with that, Melanie. You only got yourself."

Melanie chewed her lower lip and tears started to fall from her eyes. She could not stop herself from looking so pathetic in front of the girl she fears. Everything she endured so far had only bandaged the hole inside of her soul, but it did not really replace anything that she was missing. She knows for a fact that the hole would only grow bigger and deeper in the course of time, and it would not take too long until it devours everything that molded her to what she was and what she would be.

Was struggling to reach the light really worth it?

Or it would just be better for her to embrace the darkness instead?

Melanie has the answer.

Although her fragile body tends to approach the most play-safe option, her will had a better proposal.

She finally let go of the rope and stood straighter with her shaking knees. She gasped for air and hastily wiped the tears from her cheeks. She looked up and met Axel's gaze. The latter smirked upon the sight.

"Looks like you're ready."

"I know I will never be..." Melanie quickly replied and took another step with her clenched fists, "but I must move forward."

Axel chuckled and stared at Melanie with pure interest. "That's my girl."

Melanie felt relieved when the burning sensation inside her chest finally ceased. She clutched her blouse and let out a sigh, "It's gone."

"This passage has a spell that wavers even people with the strongest will in the universe. It is actually lethal for the Sanctified race because of their shallow understanding that was firmly based on their ridiculous morals. I didn't really get their shit before, but meeting you tells me a lot of things, " said Axel.

"And what are those things?"

Axel stuck out her tongue. "Never telling you."

Melanie shook her head and stepped near the side of the bridge. She looked down and saw her own reflection staring back at her. She did not notice it before, but there were soft vibrating sounds coming from below.

The ocean is too calm and dark. There are no signs of life in it at all.

"What happens when you fall in that water? Aside from drowning, of course." Melanie voiced her thoughts.

Alex giggled and said with a mocking tone, "You really think that's water?"

Melanie's forehead furrowed and then she looked at Axel. But before she could even say another word, Axel was already standing across from her with a smug face. "Why don't you try?"

Melanie screamed when Axel pushed her at the edge of the bridge. Her body arched back, and her sight turned upside down. She did not know if it was only her imagination, but she saw something huge moved on the water.

The thing detected her.

An enormous mouth with millions of huge razor-sharp teeth emerged from the black waters. Its roar made the surroundings tremble then it dispatched its long smooth and slippery purple tongue at Melanie's direction.

"No!"' Melanie shouted from top of her lungs. At closer look, the tongue had black spikes on it and once it tore her flesh, it would be difficult for her to remove them by sheer strength.

"Just kidding!"

Right before Melanie sank into that disaster, a force pulled her from behind and managed to steal her from the near death experience. Melanie caught her breath when she landed on the bridge and gasped frantically while her eyes were wide open in horror.

"How was it?"

Melanie glared at Axel for asking a dumb question. Her knees wobbled but she managed to lunge towards Axel and did the same gimmick that the latter pulled off. Unfortunately, Melanie's sudden forward thrust did not even make it to Axel. Her arms were caught mid-air.

"Calm down, you're alive. Don't distort your beautiful face like that. You make me want to fix you, " muttered Axel in her deep voice before releasing her Melanie.

Melanie had tears at the corner of her eyes and then she pointed to herself. "You didn't know how scared I was!" she burst out. Axel remained nonchalant and hauled Melanie towards the center.

A splash of water splattered where she had been earlier, and it instantly melted the part where the water had sputtered. Melanie stared at with dread.

"Looks like it really wanted to get you."

"I blame you!"

Axel did not reply and ran towards the end of the bridge while dragging Melanie with her. It only took them seconds to finally exit the path. They both panted and watched the monster swim back to its lair. The black waters became serene again.

"I know how it felt, " said Axel out of nowhere. Melanie glanced at her from the corner of her eyes.

"I also fell down there when I was a kid, " she added.

Before Melanie could even ask a question, Axel turned and approached the huge door on the wall. She placed her palm on the engraved symbol of a hand and her dark eyes glowed red. The door opened and it revealed a corridor from the University of the Damned.

A group of students looked in their direction.

"Isn't that Axel?"

"But who's the new girl?"

"Is that his new toy?"

His? Are they pertaining to Axel? thought Melanie.

"Don't mind them, " Axel entered the area holding Melanie's hand. The huge door automatically closed with a loud thud behind them and blended its appearance with the metallic-grey walls. The students continued to watch them until they disappeared from sight.

"You're famous," commented Melanie and removed her hands from Axel's. The latter shook her head.

"Infamous."

"Oh..."

"We're here, " said Axel and opened the fiber-glass door. Melanie followed inside and she was welcomed by a man wearing a lab coat and thick glasses. She looked around and saw that the walls and floors were all painted white. A mini office set up was on the corner and on the other side was black capsule.

"Hi, Crites, " greeted Axel and gestured to Melanie, "here's the new student."

"Hello, my dear, " the man said and stretched out his hand, "I'm Dr. Critelle Riones. Perhaps you know me as Criterion."

"U-um," Melanie spluttered as she was stunned by the formality of the new guy. She reached out her hand and shook hands with the man, "Melanie."

Oh, so Criterion is a person, not a place. Melanie said inside her head.

"Melanie my dear," mumbled the man and gestured to the capsule with his gloved hands, "you may enter it now so I can run some tests on you to figure out what classes you must take."

Melanie unconsciously looked in Axel's direction and the doctor realized the act. "No, my dear. You cannot take her with you. Don't worry, you're gonna be fine."

Axel patted her shoulders and gently led her to the capsule. Melanie bit her lower lip as she stepped up on the platform and stepped inside it. In cue, the insulation closed and locked from the outside while little blue neon lights shone upon her face. A film made of needles appeared from both sides and it stuck on her skin. Melanie did not feel any pain, but her vision started to blur and darkened. Minutes later and she had already drifted off to sleep.

"Initiate. Test on the subject."

From the outside, Dr. Criterion opened his palm, and a tiny beam of lights came out from it. The doctor smiled at the little fairies he had summoned.

"Will you help me check her, please?" requested the doctor. The fairies replied using their gibberish language and flew to the capsule. They entered through the tiny gaps and did their magic inside.

Dr. Criterion monitored everything on the computer while Axel was just leaning against the wall, crossed arms, and keeping watch. A bunch of codes appeared on the doctor's screen, and he saved them all to his data base. Displays of Melanie's brain waves and signals, along with her internals were displayed on the monitor. While the results of her tests were being processed and contemplated by the system, the A.I voice spoke again.

"Error detected. Subject is not human."

Axel frowned upon hearing the remarks of the A.I. She looked at the doctor who was astonished as she was.

"Error detected. Subject is not human."

"Abort the operation."

Axel and Dr. Criterion covered their ears when the the little fairies inside the capsule screamed using their high-pitched whistling voices. Dr. Criterion ran towards them and placed his palm on the capsule, gesturing them to come back to him, but to his horror, his fairies exploded to dust in front of his very own eyes.

"N-no..."

He staggered back when the capsule started to malfunction. It emitted sparks and resonated an unending whirring sound. The A.I Voice kept speaking in the background.

"Error detected. Subject is not human."

"Abort the operation."

"Error detected. Subject is not human."

"Abort the operation."

Axel quickly approached the capsule and ignored the sparks burning her skin. She gripped the sides of the door and tried to haul it open to get Melanie out of the broken capsule. She gritted her teeth and looked at the doctor, "Crites, what is going on?!"

"The capsule has not acted like this for years." He gulped and looked at Axel.

"She might be one of the Bearers."