Two years later, June, and Crystal has been letting her emotions get the better of her. Karai started noticing and Crystals appearance has seemed to change along with her slightly foul aura. Crystal is still seemingly pleasant but just a tad passive aggressive for the past six months. Crystal has slight dark circles around her eyes and seems to have a different body shape as if travelling more often but Karai assumed she’s been going to the docs more

often. Perhaps something’s bothering her.

Karai decided to address Crystal the night before the monthly birthday gathering. “Hey Karai, I know I’ve been a bit off. I’ve just been dealing with things and well I thought that perhaps we could go to the docs Sunday so I could talk to you about it? I’m postponing due to the fact that I want you to enjoy your birthday gathering with everyone tomorrow. Karai hugged Crystal and nodded.

Saturday the gathering was being prepared throughout the day and Ryuu walked up to Karai and put his hand on her lower back. He gestured for her to follow him and she walked alongside him. He decided to surprise her beforehand and took her to his dorms and show her an empty spacious room. She seemed confused at first but when he smiled faintly and nodded she knew this was to be her new room. She smiled from ear to ear and jumped up against him and hugged him tightly before dusting herself off and bowing before him.

He then came closer and kissed her on the cheek. She pulled back in shock, gently touched her cheek and blushed.

The evening of the gathering everyone was called up front again to receive their gifts and Kashikoi announced that Karai finally got her dorm besides the masters and is to move in as soon as possible. Karai will also be present in grading all future students.

Karai has shown remarkable talent and ambition and everyone couldn’t be more proud of her. Everyone aspired to be like her and looked up to her as their new head master.

Early the next morning, Crystal woke up Karai to start their trip. Karai got up without hesitation, packed her bag and headed off with Crystal.

Crystal finally decided to open up about the lair and lured Karai all the way up. As Karai entered her jaw dropped in awe to see such a remarkable sight. She never knew something so advanced could be in a place so natural.

Crystal then took her up to the balcony. Karai’s breath was taken away at the sight of all the colours of the clouds so high up.

“You see, I’ve been keeping a lot of emotions locked away. Regarding you-“ Karai turned around and faced Crystal. “I’ve been jealous, that you grew in fame, you seem to have stolen Ryuu’s heart. You’ve now been allocated a dorm besides them!” Crystals voice got louder as she was pasing back and forth. Karai felt a knot in her throat as she couldn’t believe that she’s about to lose another person she grew to love. As she approached Crystal to calm her down she felt a sharp prick in her neck. It was a dart. Karai removed it and saw Crystal rush towards her. They spent the next few minutes in hand to hand combat. Karai took most of the blows due to the sedative coursing through her veins. “Soon your lights will be out, don’t stress, it’s not going to kill you. It’s just a natural sedative of Valerian Root mixed with Kava-Kava. I’ll be the one to have the honours of ridding you from this planet. And once I get rid of you, I will gladly take your place.” Crystal said axe kicking Karai to the ground.

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A shadow appeared on the wall. Karai followed the shadow only to face a man’s silhouette walking towards her.

Crystal stood back to have him take a good look at her. Karai looked up at him from the ground, barely enough energy to kick him away but she tried to stay put thinking of an escape plan as the sedative fogged up her mind. “She’s a remarkable specimen, I can see why my brother is infatuated with her.” Karai’s eyes widened and filled with fear. “Yes, I am Keiji, Ryuu’s older brother also known as Fukushu.” He said crouching in front of her, lifting her chin tilting her head slightly side to side. “You’ve lasted pretty long with this sedative in your blood stream and you keep on pushing. You’re a mute too, because I haven’t heard you say one word during the confrontation and combat but I don’t see any scars on your neck?” he questioned with a grin. “It must be by choice then?” He asked. Karais eyes turned away from him and he knew that was a yes. Without hesitation, he drew his kunai from his side “Let’s not give you a choice then. He grabbed Karai’s long black hair and nudged her head back, plucked the bell off her neck and threw it aside. Right as it clinged when hitting the ground Karai gasped & Keiji slashed her throat just like he did his brother. Karai felt numb, apart from the sedative, it was like a paper cut, just with a thicker texture and warm, clearly as the blood started seeping out. Karai fought to get back on her feet grasping her throat as she tried looking for an escape.

“Make it quick before I change my mind on keeping her alive.” He said as he walked by Crystal. With tears in her eyes, she ran up to Karai and kicked her off the edge of the balcony.

Ryuu & Chujitsuna arrived at the docs frantically cheching their scouters for any movement. No humans were spotted around the parameter, only seagulls and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. “KARAI!” Chujitsuna yelled out. “The tracker is picking her up but theres no one there?” She pointed to the mountain base. Ryuu looked up as something caught his eye. Without any indication he sped off with his bike. Chujitsuna looked up and saw a strak pull down the mountain clouds when suddenly a black figure was seen falling. “KARAI!” she yelled out again and drove off after Ryuu.

As Ryuu got closer to the mountain he had to think fast. Up ahead there were steel plates leaning up against the cargo containers and Ryuu drove up onto them. With incredible speed he would jump with the bike getting higher and higher. High ahead of him he saw Karai, his heart rate accelerated as he saw her falling lifeless and he hoped that she wasn’t dead. Pulling back on the bike handle speeding forward he drove off a crate and caught Karai mid-air strapping her tight against him before landing and driving off.

Speeding past Chujitsuna she looked up to see the staircase and entered the location on her wrist watch and followed Ryuu.

As soon as Ryuu felt he was far enough he pulled over underneath a tree, got off and removed Karai from his strap. His face clearly expressing concern as he placed down her lifeless body seeing the blood all over her chest from her throat. He checked for a pulse as Chujitsuna grabbed the med kit from her bike seat. His eyes teared up.

“Does she have a pulse?” Chujitsuna asked opening the bandages and plasters. Ryuu nodded and Chujitsuna placed it over the wound wrapping it firmly. Ryuu strapped Karai back to his chest and drove off to the academy.

Upon arrival the medic team was waiting with a stretcher to take Karai to ICU immediately.

“She wasn’t unconscious from blood loss.” Said the nurse. “She had a sedative in her blood stream to weaken her. It’s natural, so we are flushing it from her system. We have stitched up the wound and came to a conclusion that the wound wasn’t made to kill her. This was done deliberately to damage her vocal cords. She’s now permanently mute as well.” The nurse explained to Ryuu placing her hand on his wrist before walking away.

Ryuu spent the following three days by Karai’s bedside while she was recovering. Finally she started moving her hands. Ryuu woke up and grabbed her hand. She looked down at him and smiled faintly. Ryuu couldn’t help himself and jumped up and hugged her tightly. The best karai could do was lift her hand to his waist. In silence they stared at each other with him frequently kissing her hand or holding it to his forehead or placing it under his chin and staring at her some more.

Chujitsuna knocked on the door before entering. “Hey you two, I see you’re awake Karai.” She said smiling placing her hand on the bed. Im just here to do a slight assessment while your memory is still fresh, okay?” Karai nodded. “I’d like to know if you could remember anything from what happened?” Karai thought for a second before nodding. “Do you know what day it is today?” Karai held up one finger indicating, Monday.” Ryuu and Chujitsuna faced each other. “Karai, it’s Wednesday.” Karai tried sitting up straight with astonishment all over her face. Ryuu gestured her to stay calm. “The sedative that was in your blood stream took quite some time to flush out but apart from that, your body went into shock from taking a good beating as well as having your throat slit.” Karai placed her hand on the bandages covering her throat.

Chujitsuna sat beside Karai. “Do you know who did this?” she asked. Karai nodded and and looked straight at Ryuu. Then it hit him. Keiji has returned.