I'm back with another chapter! And I will be back for a whole two hours! XD Just so you all are aware, I'm going to be completely gone until March 30th. I'm going out of country :O South America! I'm super excited but also a bit freaked out... (Also, malaria pills...*shudders* grossest thing ever).

I hope you enjoy the chapter :) Thanks for all the reviews guys, love you all.

Chapter 10: My Broken Reflection

Date Unknown

I ran as fast as I could, my feet hitting the ground at an alarming speed. My heart pounds a mile a minute, and I can feel my blood flowing through my body. Sweat drips down my forehead towards my eyes. I wipe it away and pick up my pace. My breathing is labored and unsteady. Wind blows my hair around my face, and I shiver bit before continuing.

I can't believe all that is happening. Abigail's depressed, Christy's a bitch, and Lindsey's... I can't even think the word. I want to, but that word, that single word... That word that seems so simple and ordinary. It can hold no weight, or it could hold a world of it. Someday I'm going to have to accept the truth...but now...? There's no way. I'll keep denying it until someone gives me proof. Actual, physical evidence. And then...I'll track down every last person who hurt her, and I'll make them pay.

I skid to halt and duck into a shadowy alley. I wait for a long moment, sucking in oxygen to my starving lungs. Only then do I get a good look at my surroundings. The alleyway is not what I expected. Crates are stacked in semi-neat piles, foul language scribbled on them in oddly familiar handwriting. Old food wrappers were in a corner, along with empty cans of Coke. I squat down, seeing a piece of paper in the dust.

"What do you think your doing, crossing into my turf?" a threatening voice says. "Everyone knows that this place is off-limits to everyone but me." I stand up, looking at the speaker, but she is shrouded by the shadows, making it impossible to see her face. However, the kitchen knife glinting the faint light she holds in front of them helps me decide what response to give.

"What do I think I'm doing?" I ask her. "Maybe you should be asking yourself that question. Pointing a dull knife at random strangers is not the smartest thing you could do. What if I had a weapon myself, huh? What would you do then?"

The girl starts. "Who are you?" she asks, lowering the knife. I frown. Now that she isn't trying to be scary, her voice sounds familiar.

"Why does that matter to you?" I retort.

"Well, I kind of live here," she responds harshly. "Wouldn't you be angry if someone barged into your home?"

"You live here?" I ask. "You an orphan or something?"

"No," she snaps. "I ran away from home because my parents don't give a shit."

"Neither do mine," I admit.

"Why the hell am I telling you this?" she asks herself angrily.

"Maybe because I seem familiar?" I reply. She starts.

"Yeah, you do seem familiar... In fact, your voice..."

"Sounds like mine," we say together. I take a step backward, light shining in my eyes. I hear the other girl gasp as she finally gets a good look at my face. I hear a clattering sound as the knife drops from her hand to the ground.

"No way..." she says. At first, she sounds completely awestruck, but it soon changes to anger. "What are you trying to pull? If you're just here to play a stupid prank on me, I'll kick your ass into next week."

"Show me your face," I demand, stepping forward again. "I want to know who I'll be beating to a pulp."

She slowly takes a step forward, the light shining down on her face. Her hazel eyes are fierce, and her choppy red-orange hair falls over her forehead.

"No...way..." I whisper, sounding just like she did a moment ago. "You're...me..."

"And you're me," she replies. Suddenly, she has a knife at my throat. I have no idea where she got it from, but it looks sharper and cleaner. "Look, I don't take any funny business, alright? So tell me what the hell is going on here."

"You know, it's so weird getting threatened by myself," I tell her. "I'm not as intimidating as I thought."

"Shut the f*ck up," she snarls. "What is going on?"

"I'm wondering the same thing," I reply, looking at my double in full. She looks exactly like me, only dirtier and gruffer. She is wearing a black shirt with a white skull on it. The sleeves in the shirt are cut in a thick striped pattern, where every other stripe is a cut-out showing her shoulders. She is wearing black jeans with huge rips down the front. On her left wrist is a small purple spiky bracelet. She also wears tall black lace-up boots. Her hair is choppier, as if it was done in a hurry. A tiny scar stands out right below her chin on the left.

She looks back at me uncertainly, watching my face. "No sudden movements..."

"I'm going to tell you something before you slit my throat," I tell her, putting a no-nonsense tone into my voice. "I was sent here by Serpentine. In this world, everything is different. All my friends are like completely different people... I don't know why I'm here, or what the point was, but I need to find a way to get back."

"Serpentine?" Other Anna looks at me in disbelief. "But...the Ninja beat them long ago..."

"Not in my world," I reply.

Other Anna studies my face, then speaks again. "...Fine. I'll help you figure this out. On only one condition, though."

"What's that?" I ask her.

"You must never say a word to anybody about me being here," she says. "And you don't you go telling any of your friends in the other world about me, either."

"It's a promise," I respond, and I hold out my hand to shake. She slaps it away, and I laugh. "Yup. You're definitely me, no doubt about it." Other Anna is seething.

"Why you little-" I laugh, cutting into her sentence. This may be chaotic, but it certainly is going to be the most interesting thing I've done in a while. And that's saying something.

(Zane's POV)

I cannot forget the look of utter disappoint and worry on Sensei's face. I sit here in silence, trying to meditate in peace, only to have his words echo in my head. I still cannot believe it... Kai and Anna are gone... I know this isn't one of Jay's jokes... I can sense his genuine feelings of regret and worry every time I'm in the same room as him. That, and he cried when he told us. Through his tears he apologized over and over again for his mistake, his words coming straight from his heart.

A light knock sounds on the door, short and kind. I do not hesitate to reply, "Come in."

"Zane...?" Lindsey's soft voice says. I feel the heavy sorrow in her chest, radiating outwards. I cannot bear to see the look of pain on her face, so my eyes remain shut. I hear her sit down beside me, and feel her arm gently wrap around me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm alright, love," I reply softly. "I'm sad, of course, having just lost a brother and a sister..."

"You see us as family?" Lindsey replies, surprised.

"Of course." I can feel a bit of warmth spread through her body at this statement, obviously comforted at the thought.

"I...I've never felt so...accepted before," Lindsey admits.

"You are always welcome here," I reply. "No matter what, my home is your home." A comfortable silence follows, and I slip into meditation. Very soon, however, Lindsey's gentle voice pulls me out.

"Zane?"

"Yes?"

"What are you doing?" she questions, intrigued.

"Meditating," I tell her. "It helps me clear my mind and possibly see things that are to come."

"Sixth Sense," she breathes. "Zane, maybe we could see something about Anna and Kai!"

"Possible," I smile slightly. "Do you know how to meditate?"

"No," she replies almost shyly.

"Sit like I am with your legs in a lotus position," I tell her. "Rest your hands upon your knees, your forefinger and thumb creating a circle. Close your eyes. Breathe in through your nose and out your mouth. Keep it slow and steady. Lower your heart rate to a controlled tempo. Reach out with your Sixth Sense as you clear your mind..."

I hear Lindsey shiver beside me. "It's...it's c-cold..."

"My apologies," I say softly. "My elemental power comes out a bit when I am at peace. It is a great way to get in-tune with your powers."

Lindsey doesn't reply, so I believe that she has finally found her point of peace. Again I try to focus, squeezing my eyes even tighter shut. When that doesn't help, I relax my eyelids. Still nothing. My mind is too full to slip away...

I open my eyes to glance at the girl beside me. Her eyes are shut, and her expression is neutral. Her body is very calm and relaxed, sitting with good posture. Her pose is not perfect, but she is a beginner. Perfection is not expected.

Suddenly, in the faint candlelight, I swear I see silver sparkles surround Lindsey's face. They are small in size and few in numbers, but they are definitely there. I blink, wondering if my opticals are dusty. But the sparkles still remain. What is the meaning of this? Could my earlier deductions be correct? Could Lindsey really be...?

"Zane!" shouts a voice from outside the room. "Have you seen Lindsey?!"

"I'm here, Christy!" Lindsey replies, her eyes opening.

"There's someone on the phone who wants to talk to you," Christy opens the door and walks inside. "Said that her name's Olivia."

Lindsey's eyes light up like I've never seen them before. She jumps up from her position and eagerly takes the phone from Christy. "Olive?" Christy smiles at me, then leaves the room. A loving smile spreads across my face when Lindsey starts laughing and crying at the same time. Joy is painted all over her features, bright and cheerful. The only other times I've seen her like this was on her birthday and when I confessed to her... Her and Olivia must be really close.

"I'm so happy, Olive..." Lindsey was saying. "I mean, the bullying hasn't stopped and neither has...that other thing...but I have friends now... And a boyfriend!" She laughs slightly. "I know, right?! Who would've-" She stops, waiting for Olivia to finish speaking. "Yes! I'm learning how to fight, it's so hard. But it's all worth it." She pauses again, then smiles with pride. "Really? Maria's mom is awesome, Liv. Maybe you can come over here sometime and show me! Hmm? Okay, I'll hold." She lowers the phone from her ear and looks at me.

"A friend?" I ask with a smile.

"My little sister," she corrects me. "She's learning karate. I'm so happy to hear from her... It's been forever...maybe six months now..."

"Half a year is too long," I tell her sadly. "She should come over here. By the way, where did she get our number?"

"I sent her a letter a few months ago," Lindsey explains.

"I thought you said you had not talked to her in a long time?" I frown, confused.

"My...my father destroys her letters..." Lindsey admits sadly. "He...burns them...or puts them in the blender..." She breathes in deeply, trying hard not to cry. "Why, Zane...? Why is he cruel to me...?"

I stand up and approach her. I gently take her into my arms, holding her close. "Someday," I promise her soothingly, "we will find out the answer to that question... I will talk to your father, Lindsey, man to man... I will tell him that what he is doing is wrong... Someday...you will be free..."

Lindsey nods, slowly lifting her head off my chest. "Just...be careful..."

"You don't need to worry about that now, love," I reassure her. "Kai and Anna need our help, and your sister is still on the phone. Live in the now..."

"Right," she replies. "We've got to break this depression."

I smile. "That's the spirit."

(I know that the Bounty's phone has a chord, but maybe they got a new phone when they rebuilt it. :P)

Thanks for reading, all! This chapter was loads of fun to write! Quite a plot twist in the beginning, huh? And Lindsey got to talk with her sister again! :D I can't wait to introduce her to you guys: it'll probably be next book, but who knows.

Please vote on my poll, guys, it may be important!

See you all when I return!

~ForeverDreamer12, signing out! :D