I do not own Kaijudo or anything associated with it. Sadly, that's Hasbro's rights. :( If I did own it, however, it wouldn't have ended so abruptly. Shush. I'm not bitter.
Please keep in mind that I do not tolerate rude comments or hateful messages. (Which are synonyms, but whatever.) Authors write on their own time. If you don't like a story, press the back button. DON'T write a mean review. (Ooh, another synonym.) That said... hope you enjoy!
A large, dark glowing circle appeared out of nowhere in Tokyo on December 25th, 2018. A girl walked out, a black and purple glove on her pale hand. Not a single bit of makeup was smudged, not a hair out of place.
It was a Tuesday. On that Tuesday, a teenaged girl had gotten off of a plane and into a sleek black car. The girl in question looked very odd compared to anyone else at the airport.
This should not have been the face of a teenager, but someone who had seen many hardships. Someone much older. Her eyes were narrowed, her expression otherwise unfeeling. She was, simply put, stoic and emotionless. Chin in her hand, she looked out at the rapidly passing snowy scenery with an almost… imperturbable look on her face.
Her clothes looked fancy, and were all of the same shade. A short black dress to her knees with dropped shoulders, black leggings, black ankle boots, and a single black fingerless glove on her right hand. The visible parts of her body were all littered with healed-over scars. Her white-blonde hair was shorn to her collarbone, her bang covering the left size of her face. Her visible eye was such a pale blue that it almost looked as if they were the color of a sky that had been almost entirely clouded over.
"How much farther?" she asked in a surprisingly quiet and patient voice.
"Not far, Ms. Frost," came the answer. "But may I inquire as to why you want to proceed towards that place? There have been many incidents there as of late."
"You may," she replied evenly. "I might not answer."
"Could you deign to at my request?"
She sighed. "I have unfinished business there."
"I see. And as to what that may be…?"
"Confidential." She replied, and that was the end of it. "That being said…" she paused, seemingly unresolved. "That being said, we… must make haste."
"Of course."
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Once she had reached her destination, a man got out of the front of the car and opened her door, holding out a hand for her to take.
"Thank you." She said, firmly grasping his offered hand as he helped her out.
"Are you sure that this is it?" he asked once she had gotten out, pointing at the building.
"But of course," she said, smiling for the first time in a long time, if only slightly. "This is where I work."
"You work at a martial arts studio, Ms. Frost?" he asked with a confused look on his face.
Her smile grew wider, and she attempted to hide it behind her hand. "Of course!" she stifled a giggle. "It's a very logical choice, all things considered."
She gazed upon the studio with a small bit of warmth in her eyes before turning cold again. "After all, the Five Paths is much more than a martial arts studio."
And with that, she walked in, leaving her bewildered driver outside.
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Walking to the mirror in the back, she smiled softly before pressing the button and walking down the stairs, the mirror sliding closed once more behind her as she made her way through the Temple of the Kaijudo Masters.
As she walked in, she stumbled, and a tall woman with pink hair and cerulean eyes looked at her in surprise.
"Master Nadia." She said softly.
"Specialist S-I mean... Frost, isn't it, now?" the woman asked in surprise with a Russian accent before chuckling.
The girl seemed to let a weight off of her shoulders, and breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Y'know, you look more grown up."
"Says you. It's been awhile, hasn't it?"
"A long while." Aria agreed, her face becoming tired. "We have an issue."
"Like what? If I remember correctly, you were stationed in-"
"-my home. The Darkness Realm."
"That isn't your home anymore." Nadia said quietly.
"Isn't it?" Ari responded with a sad smile. "I was born and raised there. Tell me. What happened to... her? There has been... disturbing news in the Darkness Realm."
"Presumed dead." Nadia said stiffly.
"I see."
"She chose her fate."
Aria turned. "That doesn't make me feel any better." She unzipped the single bag that she had brought in. "I need to return these to the Monarchs."
She held out the large duffle, revealing the five items (and cat) within.
A red and golden sword, a shield with a tree embossed upon it, a blue helmet, a shadowy cloak, a shining gold heart made of metal, and a black kitten with green eyes.
"Serafina!" Ari squeaked, pulling out the cat, who jumped and placed herself at the girl's feet.
"You didn't..." Nadia's eyes widened.
"-I did. I found the Artifacts." She looked away, blushing. "You know that I have to return them; it's only right. And I... the Creature Realm... it's my home. Even if I live here, a part of me... it'll always be where I grew up."
"I see." Nadia nodded. "Loyal as ever."
"Master Nadia? There's a certain air of... brutality missing. Where's Master Brightmore?"
"Nigel betrayed the temple about a month after you left."
"What? Why?"
"Because of three adepts. And the only reason he did it when he did is most likely because you had already left."
"Three adepts?! How-?!"
"Because they used your methods. They touched the creatures."
Her eyes went wide. "They... they what?! Can I-"
"-before you hear anything about them, you should know-"
"-her... methods?" a male voice said from behind them. Aria's eyes widened quickly, and she composed herself before turning to see a boy about her age standing there with a confused expression on his face. He had black hair with red tips, and his skin was tanned.
"Who is this?" his eyes widened, and then narrowed. He quickly pulled out a black glove-a dueling gauntlet- and activated it. "Is she working for-"
"-I'm not working for the Choten." She rolled her eyes.
He blinked, before deactivating the gauntlet. "The Choten? No… he's… he's dead. He's been dead for a year."