Demi: This chapter has gained the Phoenix Seal Of Approval ©.

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"What… do you mean?" Tala hissed, teeth clenched.

"I was a simple, Quebecker girl. Then Master came along and gave me power. My life was better than it had been. But an experiment to merge me with Black Dranzer went wrong-" She gave a harsh tug on his hair. "And I died."

"That's not possible…" Tala rasped. "How come you're… ah, alive?"

"It is possible… but he took my DNA and created you - a male version of me, exact down to the personality and ability to control the sacred white wolf. From what I've gathered, you lived as Tala, but with no idea of your past. You lost - you foolishly lost your match against the wind dragon. Master knew it was the end, but he had one more hope - me.

"According to the records in the lab I woke up in, my body was kept cryogenically frozen in an underground laboratory in Arkhangelsk. Master was obviously able to revive me – notes weren't there about how, but I'm the only proof it worked. He didn't think he'd succeeded at first, so he fled, leaving me to come round myself… I was given no direction in life – no purpose.

"But now I'm back with my master and he gave me a purpose… killing you. And my master will rule the world. If only you had joined – I wouldn't have to kill you and you would be powerful…" She let go of his hair, slamming his head against the ground hard. Unclasping the silver bracelet around her wrist and pushing the glinting sapphire, a sharp knife clicked out of the end. Grabbing his hair once more, she placed the blade against his arched throat, placing pressure upon the skin. "I'm being kind, you know. Bleeding to death is just like falling asleep; it's slow and painless – I should know… that's how I died."

"But it's not how he shall die." A voice said.

The girl's head shot to the side to see someone standing not two feet away. The first thing she noticed were the blood red eyes – was it Hiwatari?

No, it couldn't be.

This male was dark skinned – from the little amount she could see. His hair and lower half of his face was hidden under a sand-coloured Arabic turban and face cover, and he was clad sandy tunic, trousers and sash. The clothing was ended by the same coloured linen strips that wrapped around his wrists, hands, fingers and ankles, which hid the top of his boots.

"Who are you?" She asked, letting go of Tala and rising, dagger in hand, the other drifting to the gun holster on her thigh.

"Don't you recognise me?" He asked.

"Can't say I do." She drawled. "Now leave, before I have to kill you too."

His eyes smirked. "I'd like to see you try."

She snarled and rushed forward, knife drawn. He bent his knees, drawing into a defensive stance.

The sharp blade swished the air where his face would have been – if he hadn't moved. He took another step back, dropping into a frog-like position and swinging one of his legs around, knocking her feet out from under her. She fell to the ground with a small cry.

She growled and grabbed his ankle, tugging viciously and making him fall down too. She leapt on him, straddling his waist and holding his wrists beside his head, the dagger lying on the ground where she had fallen.

"Nekaiia."

"What?"

He took deep breaths. "Nekaiia. My name – don't you recognise it?"

She paused. "Why would I?"

"Think!" He hissed. "Think back!"

Sirens blared down the streets and she cursed, leaping off him and retrieving her bracelet-dagger, before vaulting over the fence.

The male – obviously Nekaiia – leapt to his feet and rushed over to Tala. Blood red eyes connected with icy blues.

"Tala," He said, "you must get all the other teams to safety. After she deals with you, Falcon and Phoenix, the other teams will be in danger – within logic. Stay safe, my friend."

And that's all he remembered.

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He heard faint humming… slightly echo-y but all the same sweet and soothing. It sounded like a lullaby - obviously sung by a female…

His head was on something smooth, lying on his front on an equally cushy surface, and soft fingers were running through his red hair.

Icy blues slowly flickered open, blinking every so often. Familiar pale orbs suddenly came into his line of vision, and Tala couldn't help by sigh in relief.

"Bry… you're okay."

"Better than you." Bryan replied. "I managed to get some of the glass shards out, but… you'll have to wait for a medical team to look at you."

"No."

"But-"

"But Uncle Tala!" A cutesy voice said above him. It was obviously Bryony combing his hair and humming the lullaby before. "You could get sick and-and get cooties and DIE!"

"Thanks, chick." Tala murmured with a small smile.

"Mr Dickenson's been notified about the attack - the chopper was dispatched before I could say 'send'."

Tala chuckled and opened his eyes once more, studying the Falcon. "What happened to your cheek?"

"She slapped me and her nails caught me." He said, running a finger along one of the long, convex lines. "She's a fucking whore, I tell you. Must be a clone."

"What?" Tala asked quickly, stomach twisting.

Bryan blinked. "She must be a clone of you - your female side. God help me if you were born a girl…"

Tala shuddered as it all came rushing back - her story… was she lying just to watch him writhe?

Because it sure as hell was working…

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Demi: pleeeeeease review! The KaixTala will be coming soon, i promise! -cowers-

(Can i ask y'all something? Within your review, could you say whether the line-breakers work for you, cos they don't like me!)