I never told anyone what happened in that cave or why I suddenly disappeared. After finishing my business with Boris, I went back to Cagey and Ian. Cagey was furious at me for leaving like that and without saying goodbye. Ian rolled his eyes but said nothing. Later he confessed that he thought that telling me off for what I did wouldn't have had any effect on me. I guess he was right about that. But now Cagey was safe. So I didn't mind her bickering at me. Nothing could ever hurt her again. And that was the most important thing. I had lost two of my sisters and I would do anything to keep the remaining one. And I had done what I thought was necessary, Boris was dead. He would never lay a finger on Cagey or anyone else for that matter.

Now the only problem in life was Bryan. Or how to learn to live without him. I hadn't heard of Bryan since that day he stormed out of hospital months ago. And I thought I never would hear from him again. There were days I coped pretty well. Days when I tried my damnest to forget about him. And days when I thought I was going to die from the pain that kept ripping my guts. But not a day went by without me wondering where Bryan was and how he was coping.

I kept in touch with Brooklyn. It was nice to have a friend outside all this shit and mess. Brooklyn was really gentle soul who was deeply attached to all creatures, even to the smallest flea. He wasn't much a people's person but he didn't mind my company. Usually we would grab a takeaway coffee and sit in a park. It was nice. But then things turned upside down. When we had been hanging out for six months or so, Brooklyn started to develop feelings towards me. Kind of ones to which I couldn't answer in the way he hoped I would. Whenever he took me by the hand, all I could think about was that how different it felt than what it did when Bryan had done so. As weeks and months passed I could see Brooklyn growing more and more impatient. Finally one day he opened his mouth.

"Chastity", he said, "I don't know what the hell is wrong with me when you keep rejecting me."

"Nothing's wrong with you", I said and decided Brooklyn needed to know the truth about me, "you need to promise me you'll listen carefully what I'm about to say."

Brooklyn nodded.

"What do you know about me and Destiny?", I asked.

"Only that Boris is your father and that he has used genetic engineering on you", Brooklyn said, "why do you ask?"

"You need to know the whole truth, Brooklyn", I said, "only then can you know and understand me."

Brooklyn frowned but nodded anyway. So I began my story from the first memory I had – the weird beeping noises and the dimly lighted room. Brooklyn listened and never once stopped me. When I had finished he looked confused.

"So Boris isn't your father?", he said.

"Not biologically, no. But he created me and gave me life", I explained.

"And this Bryan part?", he spat Bryan's name like it was poison.

"I was created to be perfect partner for him, in every way. If the plan had worked, sometime in the future we would have had so-called next generation bladers, children able to control their bit beasts like no other blader", I said.

"Chastity, I don't know what I should think about all of this", Brooklyn said, "I need to think."

Then he rose and walked away. It felt awful. But not as awful as seeing Bryan walk away. It was easier to accept his decision than Bryan's. Although I felt saddened, it didn't feel like the end of the world. I sighed and rose up myself too and started to walk into the other direction. I glanced back and ran into someone. Looking up I met pale blue orbs that I couldn't mistake for anyone else. Bryan had come back.