His face hurt, his arms hurt, and he might have a broken finger on his right hand, but everything just hurt in so many different places he wasn't too sure. He laid in the grass of the courtyard, as still as he possibly could, looking up at the blue sky and white clouds that had come back after he brought a storm along during his battle. Tyson and Max laid sprawled out beside him, Max's stitches had opened up and blood had pooled down his face where it dried in long streaks. Tyson had lost his hat, having been blown away with a tornado he had conjured up. They all had just been lucky the school was still standing after everything, along with the other boys that came to watch being able to walk away without a scratch on them.

The only three that were still standing, looking as though they hadn't been in an all-out brawl were Bryan, Tala, and Kai. Bryan had stayed back, as per Ray's instructions, where Tala had battled Ozuma in their Bit forms till he froze the black leopard in a block of ice. Kai hadn't done much it seemed to Ray, he was there fighting alongside the others but more of a body guard for them. If Kai saw something was going wrong he had stepped in, either to push Tyson or Max out of the way of something.

Ray blinked a few times, his body still hurt but at least now the fighting was over. He had stood up for himself, his friends had stood beside him and a faint smile crossed his lips as he laid there. His long black hair had come out of it's binding, his clothes were slightly torn and ripped, but at least he was alive. He couldn't stop the chuckle that passed his lips, Tyson pushed his head from the ground and gave him a questioning look.

"Hey Ray, you alright there man?"

"Yeah, sorry Ty." Ray nodded, sending jolts of pain through his neck and back as he did so.

"Well I don't see how any of this is funny." Dickenson said as he loomed over the neko-jin, his mouth set into a deep frown. "You all know the rules of this school, all of you!" He spat out, his beady eyes scanning the teens across the field.

"Yeah, but they started it." Tyson said as he pushed his body out of the grass, his legs wobbling under him as he stood a bit straighter.

"I do not care who started this Tyson, it's the fact that it started in the first place." Dickenson yelled back, though with the sound of his voice it sounded more like a shrill.

"Yeah… But." Tyson went to continue when Kai stepped up and placed a hand on his shoulder, effectively shutting the other teen off.

"Wyatt threatened to call the Capitol and have Ray killed." He said smoothly, his eyes daring Dickenson to protest their fight once more.

Dickenson's face fell slightly, he blinked a few times as he allowed Kai's words to sink in till he turned his attention on the other pair of teens laying unconscious across the field.

"Yes… Well, I will see to it he is punished accordingly. As for you five, you will all serve clean up duties with Bryan now." Dickenson said, motioning to the staff that had been waiting patiently behind him towards the others.

The nurses ran over, picking up the other boys and placing them on the stretches before whisking them away to the emergency room. Dickenson shook his bald head slightly, a deep sigh escaping his lips.

"I do apologize Ray my boy, I will see to it that Wyatt's threat will never make it to the Capitol. You are safe here, I swear to you."

Ray just smiled, seeing that was all he could do without having pain surge through his body. "Actually, could I go to the emergency ward to? I can't feel anything but pain right now, and I think I have a broken finger."

"Yes, of course." Dickenson said, calling over the last staff member who placed Ray on the stretcher.

The other boys and Dickenson watched as he was rolled away, till they could no longer see him past the corridors. He turned back to the others, his smile wavering as he looked at them all.

"I am still deeply disappointed in you all, but what's done is done. From now on, I can only hope you all stick to the rules. Am I clear?" He asked, his tone stern.

"Crystal." Tyson mumbled through a slight pout, he didn't care for being scorned for his actions. The others had attacked first after all, and he was trying to do what Dickenson said by sticking to Ray's side.

"Good then, I'll see you boys around then." Dickenson said with a small smile, shifting to leave when Max sat up from his spot in the grass.

"Sir?" He called out, Dickenson paused and looked over his shoulder at the sunny blonde boy.

"What is it Max?"

"About Bryan's promised position, could you try and work around that? It's pretty clear now why this has all happened, it won't happen again, but please try to help him." Max said, his big blue eyes looking up pleadingly.

Dickenson breathed again, closing his eyes momentarily and opened them when he began to speak. "My hands are tied Max, but I will see what I can do."

Max and the others nodded to his words, that was the best answer they could get and even Kai felt slightly elated to know Bryan's future could be turned around now. Tyson turned to Max, holding his hand out and helped pull the blonde boy to his feet.

"Should get your stitches put back in." Tyson said, eyeing Max's cheek where the blood had dried down his face.

"Yeah, good idea. I didn't even notice." Max said, touching his cheek tenderly. "I'll see you guys back at the dorm, I'll see how Ray is while I'm there." He waved to the others as he already started a light jog away from them, disappearing under the bridge of the second-floor corridor till he was out of sight.

"How do you feel Tala?" Bryan asked, coming to stand before the red-head.

"Fine." Tala said, his voice normal sounding as he ran his fingers through his bangs. "I'm getting better at this, so I'm fine." He turned to Kai, standing on his right. "They'll probably need you to thaw Ozuma though." Kai simply nodded, leaving the others.

"You guys hungry?" Tyson asked once Kai was gone, looking between the two with a grin on his face.

Bryan and Tala just sighed out, long and deep. "Sure Tyson, lets get something to eat before they close it down." Tala said, starting off for the closest set of stairs under the bridge.

"Alright!" Tyson cheered, following after the older teens.


"Thank you again." Max said to the nurse as she pulled away from his face, having finished his stitches along his cheek.

"Just be more careful next time." The nurse said, her voice stern but also had an angelic ring to it.

Max nodded, jumping off the bed he had been sitting upon. He gave a cheeky smile to her, then to Ray who was laid up on the bed across from him. Ray had been watching the entire time, as more guilt settled into his stomach.

"Don't worry about it Ray, I already told you I've had worse." Max said, watching the way the neko-jin had been eyeing him and could see the apology on the other's tongue.

Ray simply nodded, and flinched as his finger was pulled and then replaced. He bit his bottom lip, biting back all the foul words that wanted to escape to the nurse who had reset his broken finger. Max giggled behind his hand, having watched the way Ray's face had scrunched up in pain.

"I'll let the others know you'll be in here for a bit longer, I'll see you back at the dorm." Max said, biting off his giggles and waved to the neko-jin on the bed.

"Alright Max." Ray breathed out, sitting up on his bed as he watched the blonde run out of the emergency ward.

"Oh, hey Kai." Max said, by-passing said teen through the door as he left, and Kai walked in.

Kai ignored Ray on the bed, walking right up to Dickenson who was on the other side of the room looking over the unconscious boys laid up on their own beds across the room from Ray's.

"Oh, good you're here. Can you?" Dickenson asked, noticing Kai standing beside him and motioned towards the ice block that still held Ozuma's black leopard.

Ray lent forward a bit, trying to look past the backs of the other nurses that stood around the end of the bed the ice block had been laid upon. He watched on with curiosity as Kai stepped up, placing his hands upon the ice block. All he did was breathe in and out a few times, the sound had gone unnoticed by the others around the room, but Ray heard every inhale and exhale from the other teen. It was calm, almost soothing sounding to him as Kai breathed.

Slowly, with each breath the ice under Kai's hands began to melt. Steam rose from under his palm, until the ice melted altogether, leaving a puddle of water on the floor under their feet. The black leopard, now free from his icy prison, changed back into the small teen with black and red hair. Kai backed away, letting his hands come to his side.

"Thank you, Kai." Dickenson said cheerfully, placing a hand upon the teens shoulder. "If you can come with me now, I have something to talk to you about." Kai didn't say anything, just nodded and followed the round old man out of the emergency ward.

Ray fell back into his bed, a bit upset that Kai hadn't even once looked his way to see if he was alright. He opened his ears a bit, trying to hear the other two's conversation, but it was like he could hear everything outside of the school but upstairs where he knew they had gone. He closed off his hearing, not really caring to hear what the other boys around the school were saying about their fight that had transpired moments ago.

"You should be good to go here in a few more minutes, the pain medication we gave you should help. And don't stress that finger out too much, let it heal." The nurse beside him instructed, and he nodded.

"Sounds good, I'm going to nap for a bit. I'm a bit tired all of a sudden." He yawned, and rolled over on his side.

"That could be because of the medication, or you using your powers right after receiving them. We'll come wake you if you don't get up in an hour." She said while patting his head, then leaving his side to help the other nurses with the other boys across the room.

Ray didn't have time to say anything back as his eyes slipped closed, and he was already fast asleep. His body absorbing the medication, and the pain he had been feeling throughout dulled letting him sleep peacefully.


Dickenson motioned to one of the black couches against the walls that outlined his door, Kai sat down on the right one while Dickenson took his place behind his desk across the room. Behind him was a large window, where it faced the front of the school. Outside it was already getting darker out, the street lamps turning on while the sun disappeared down the horizon.

Against the walls, on each side of the large window, were two sets of black bookshelves cluttered with books and tomes. Dickenson's desk sat almost in the middle of the room, facing the door and to the desk's right was another wooden door that was closed. The walls of the room were painted in a dark hazelnut brown, where the floor was a bright red plush carpet.

There were only a few paintings, ones that were dated and old from age, that hung around the room. Almost giving a testament of how old Dickenson truly was, and two plotted pants were in each corner of the room beside the couches. Upon Dickenson's desk, in the right corner, was a grey and blue owl perched on a branch. The owl's eyes had snapped open the second the door was opened, and he had trained his eyes on the teen sitting in the room.

While Dickenson sat in his leather chair behind his desk, he reached out and scratched the owl's head, though it did nothing in return but keep Kai in it's sights. Dickenson let out a soft chuckle, watching how his owl was acting towards the teen and retracted his hand and placed them over the top of his desk.

"Thank you for coming up here with me Kai." Dickenson began, quickly dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief he pulled out from his coat pocket.

Kai nodded, keeping himself on the edge of the couch he had occupied. His shoulders were lax, and his arms rested on the tops of his legs where he cupped his hands together between them. His relaxed position did nothing to calm Dickenson's nerves, the old man was more comfortable around the teen when he was tense and glaring at everyone. Now that he was relaxed, Dickenson was unsure how to approach the subject without the teen turning tense and biting his head off.

"I am happy to see you and the others are getting along with Ray so well." The old man started again, trying to ease the conversation to where he needed it to go. "As you already know, when the scouts come he is not to attend. I also think it best none of you go." He said, his trembling voice hinting at tryin to become stronger as he talked. Kai simply arched a brow at the old man, but remained quiet all the same.

"I don't feel it best to leave him underground alone, so it would be better for him that he has his friends there with him. Just to keep him more comfortable, you understand." Kai nodded, watching Dickenson wipe his forehead once more.

Call it a sixth sense, or just that Kai was good at reading the emotions of others, but he could tell the old man was stalling around why he had actually been brought here. Even though Kai knew this, he kept his mouth shut as he waited patiently for the old man to continue.

"I'd like to also say that I am very pleased to see you opening up to the boy, how you've grown close to him these past few days. He can use someone like you around, someone he can look up to who can guide him." Kai suppressed the snort and eyeroll he wanted to perform, letting the old man continue with his speech even if Kai was slowly starting to become aggravated from the stalling.

"I knew placing him with you five was a good choice, so please let the others know I greatly appreciate it."

"Sir." Kai spoke up, his voice cold and it snapped Dickenson from his ramblings. "I feel we're getting off track, aren't we? You gave me a job, that's all I'm doing." His back was now tense, and he leaned into the back of the couch, crossing his right leg over his right as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Just tell me why you asked to talk to me, the real reason."

"Yes… Of course." Dickenson said, blinking a few times and wiping his brow once more. His straightened his back in his chair, leaning over his desk as he set his arms across the top and folded his hands together before him. He cleared his throat, making eye contact with the teen across the room from him.

"He is on the move now." His voice carried around the room, strong and more put together than it had been previously. Hinting at the severity of what he was saying, watching Kai closely noticing that his jaw clenched, and his eyes narrowed.

"We don't know where he is at this moment, but we have received word that he is indeed on the move. You know, and you are the only one to know of why Ray was truly brought here, and I trust that you keep this between you and I." Kai simply nodded, as his hands tightened around his upper arms under their folds.

"I fear he may know that Ray is here… Of course, if he does find out that Ray is here, that can only mean we must be prepared. The security wards I have placed will protect us, unless I fall. So please, stay close to the boy, to your friends and help me continue protecting this school at all costs. There is the chance he may come for you once more as well, and we can not have that." Dickenson said, the entire time keeping his eyes locked with Kai's.

"Train them, train them to the best of your abilities Kai. You may let Bryan and Tala know of Voltaire's movements, but beyond that please do not say anything else to them."

"You want them to walk around blind?" Kai asked through clenched teeth. "If he is after Ray then Ray should know, you want me to train him when he has just merged! Throw him further into this hell than he already thinks he is, he just learned of everything in the span of two days! He hasn't had a break once since he's been here, and now this?!" He yelled, keeping his heat from expanding out from around his body.

"I understand why you feel he should know his life is in danger, more so from a different source than just the Capitol, but if he were to know of this as well…. He may run off, which will just put him in more danger and you know that Kai. That is why I have forbidden you to tell him, if I must I will put another silencing ward upon you. Do not make me do that." Dickenson said crossly, narrowing his eyes to match Kai's pointed stare.

A moment of silence passed over them, Dickenson's face softened slightly. "I am trusting you Kai, so please." He asked, almost pleading with the teen.

"Fine." Kai bit out, though his glare stayed on the man. "I'll do what you've asked, but the others should know at some point." He said, fluidly pushing himself from the couch.

"Yes, of course they will know when the time is right. Thank you, Kai." Dickenson said as he stood and held his hand out across his desk, Kai looked at the hand then back at the old man before turning on his heel and leaving the room. The door slamming shut behind him, leaving Dickenson wiping his brow once more from the sweat that had accumulated on his skin.

"Cheery fellow… As always." Dickenson breathed out, slumping down into his leather chair behind his desk once more.


Ray was jolted awake from someone hitting his foot, bringing him out of his peaceful slumber he glowered at the person who woke him. Gold met red and he rolled his eyes with, pushing himself against the bed to sit properly.

"You know, you could have just shook my shoulder or something." He ground out gratingly. "What do you want anyways?" He asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Taking you back to the dorm." Kai said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Unless you want to walk back in the dark by yourself." With that he turned on his heel, letting his words sink into the other's head.

"Hold on, I'm coming." Ray sighed out, grabbing his shoes from under his bed and slipping them on while Kai waited against the door.

Kai led the way, not bothering to hold the doors open as they passed through them for the other teen behind him. Once outside and under the second-floor corridor above their heads, Ray came up and walked beside Kai. Taking notice how tense the other seemed to be around him, and realized that every time they had been around each other Kai was tense.

"What is your problem with me?" Ray clamped his hands over his mouth, as if he was trying to shove his words back in.

Kai arched an eyebrow, glancing at Ray beside him. "Who said I had a problem with you?"

Ray uncovered his mouth slowly, blinking a few times. He hadn't really expected a response from the other, and now that he had one he wasn't sure what to say.

"No one has, but every time you're near me you look like you'd rather be elsewhere." Ray mumbled out, kicking at the pavement beneath his feet.

Kai made a grunting noise, pausing in the middle of the intersection of the first-floor corridor. "I'd rather be elsewhere than this school, you shouldn't flatter yourself so much. It has nothing to do with you."

Ray bristled, his cheeks becoming flushed and he clenched his fists at his sides. "That's not what I was implying." He bit out, growling in the back of his throat. "Don't flatter yourself so much."

"Who said I was?" Kai said back, his voice calm and normal and he willed himself not to smirk at how the other teen was becoming so flustered. Why he thought it fun to tease the other teen, he didn't really know.

He couldn't help being tense around the neko-jin, fighting with himself daily about all the prejudice that had been ground into his head since he was child about the inferior race. He had a job, that was all this was to him, but he couldn't truly deny it to himself that he had become closer to the neko-jin more than he wanted. He shared his deepest secret to him, even if it was during a moment of extreme anger, he had opened up to him. Not even Tyson, Max, or Bryan knew of his second Bit within him, and Wyatt was no exception.

He had flown with the neko, even if it was just to make Ray merge with his own Bit, but still, he flew with no one. Already he felt himself getting closer, and he hated himself for doing so. He didn't need anyone close to him, not when the world was fixing to flip upside down on its head. Yet while he lay at night, only three doors down from Ray's own, he couldn't keep the images of those golden eyes from filling his mind, the same ones looking back at him so intensely. How he had fallen for the neko-jin in such a short amount of time, he would never know.

Ray had more grace than the others around them, thanks to the ancient blood that ran through him, he was strikingly beautiful with his tan skin and sharp features. His long black hair, Kai had fought himself daily from reaching out and touching it. It wasn't love, but lust that had been driving him mad since they met, and he scorned himself for it. Even if he wanted to start something with the neko-jin, he knew he couldn't. No matter how badly he wanted to run his fingers through that long black hair, taste those tan lips upon his own, he had to fight himself from trying to make anything out of his infatuation. It was a weakness, something he did not need. Every time he snapped at Ray, he had hoped it'd put the boy off or have him at least more leery around Kai. Those plans never seemed to work, Ray was just too stubborn, or he didn't care that every time they talked it was a fight.

"Why are you so impossible?" Ray said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm tired, lets just go back." He groaned out, turning to walk away.

Kai stayed back, letting a good distance separate them before he started following. If he hadn't taken up Dickenson's offer to train Ray, he would have been able to avoid the teen, now he placed himself closer without wanting to. Inwardly he was fighting himself once more, to either pawn Ray off to one of the others, but he knew that he had more experience and could train Ray the best. In the end, Ray would need all the training in the world for what was to come, now that Kai's grandfather was on the move.


Chapter 12: Fire and Lightning

"If you haven't noticed, I've been holding back my speed. Unless you can somehow bend trees and cause a slipstream behind you when you walk, you won't be able to touch me."

"I beg to differ." Kai snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Won't know unless you try." Ray smirked, his fangs slipping over his lip.

"You're not baiting me into changing."

"Fine then, don't change. But we should change it up, you come after me next." Ray said, standing and dusting the sand from his pants. "I'm ready when you are." He stood straight, not even getting into a defensive position.

"Who said it was your turn to be the trainer here? Last I checked, I was instructed to train you." Kai said coolly as he peeled his back away from the tree, his smirk still on his pale lips.

"So, train me in defense, I've had enough offense for the night." Ray shrugged.

Kai nodded, stepping forward. "You shouldn't be so willing to become my prey."