Tears of the Gifted

Chapter XII: Sanctuary

As the teacher entered the room, Sora hadn't even noticed. She was too absorbed into her book. Reading had become a love of hers. Her small book self was completely filled with books. Her eyes traced along the lines, embracing every sentence and word of the story. The world around her began to fade and the world forging within his mind started to take shape…

'The wind blew gently across lands of Seranar. The noble's daughter stood upon the balcony, her hair dancing in the passing breeze. She wiped the golden locks from her face to the shadowed corners behind her ear and looked out over the grassy plains…'

"Sora Takenouchi…Sora Takenouchi…" a voice cried. But the elf eared light Gifted didn't hear it. All she heard was the gentle sound of her mind's voice reading book, until Tai's voice interfered.

"Hey Sora!" he whispered sharply.

His voice snapped her out of trance and she found herself staring into the eyes of a middle-aged female in the same uniform as her except that it didn't have a red sash, and had skirt that went no high than her knees and was wearing black stockings and back high heeled shoes. The woman her self looked to be fresh out of her college, somewhere in her mid twenties, had strawberry blonde hair in pony tail, and brown eyes.

"I'm glad you could rejoin Ms. Takenouchi. I like that your into reading, but not when it' distracts you from class. Please put the book away for the reminder of class. If you take it out again I will confiscate it and any other non-class associated reading you have on you understand," Sora quickly took her put it in her bag. The teacher stood up straight. "While you're at it remove your hood. Wearing it inside the school building is prohibited."

At that Sora frozen, remove her hood, she could never do that. Not with so many people around looking at her. "I'm waiting, Ms. Takenouchi." the teacher said crossing her arms and taping her foot.

Sora frozen as the teacher stood over staring her in eyes waiting for the young girl to do as she was told, when finally a calm voice eased her fears.

"Sora has special circumstances Ms. Anko," Tai said suddenly.

"Hum, what do mean?" Ms. Anko asked.

"Sora, show her the doctors note from Dr. Kaito," Tai said.

The voice of her childhood friend calmed her and Sora reached into her book bag and pulled out a folded up piece of a piece of paper and gave it to the teacher. The teacher unfolded it, read it over and then smiled with a nod.

She then walked to the front of the class and started t explain how things were going to be done in the class room. She explained to that she would not favor Gifted over Naturals or visa-versa, nor would she tolerant prejudices in her class. She also explained much to the Gifted's dismay that no Gifted would be permitted to join any of the clubs because of their enhanced abilities. She said that this may change sometime in the year but she couldn't say when. She explained the rules of the school and of her class. She explained to that the students would take turns handing the various class chores, such as wiping the blackboard, clean up the floors and desks and putting up the chairs. Tai and Sora, however would be excused from such actives due to Tai having responsibilities to his family as the financial provider and Mr. and Mrs. Takenouchi wanting their daughter home as soon as possible once school is done. When she was done she gave the class a warning that any student who is found to be a covert member of Pure Blood or any other Anti-Gifted organization would be expelled from the school and handed over to the police for questioning.

This announcement caused the faces of a few Naturals to sour. Tai made a note to himself to keep an eye those particular students. Ms. Anko also explained that she would be their teacher for most of their subjects expect for science and math. This arrangement was due to the restrictions placed on all schools when hiring teachers. The restrictions were designed to filter out Anti-Gifted teachers.

When she was through explaining the rules she had the class undergo a little activity and had each member of the class say a little about themselves. Each student took their turn saying what they liked, disliked, their favorite pass time, what they were grateful for and what their goal in life was. When Tai's turn came he stood and glanced around the room. Some of the naturals faces expressed a high disliking of them. He ignored their gazes and then in serious tone.

"Many of you, or should I say all of you know me, I am Tai Kamiya the father of Firestorm. I like the martial arts and people who aren't afraid to stand up and do what's right. What I dislike is people who take pleasure out of making others feel smaller than them. What I am most grateful for is the friends I'm made in my life who helped my family and helped me gain a second chance at living. My goal in life is uncertain at the moment, but for now I have made it my desire to protect my friends and family and do whatever I can to keep them from coming to harm." Everyone was silent as they looked at the determination on his face. Karina herself smiled slyly at him. He wasn't just fulfilling the requirements for the assignment he was giving all anti-gifted in the room a warning to leave his friends and family alone.

After Tai came Sora's turn but she still wasn't in much of a talking mood and the Ms. Anko was kind enough to allow her to go last. Matt's turned came next and he stood and spoke.

"I'm Matt Yamato. I like music and Martial Arts; I dislike brunt cooking, and my goal currently is to join the space program."

The teacher nodded her head and then moved on. When everyone had there turn. It was back to Sora.

"Alright Ms. Takenouchi it's your turn," Ms. Anko said. Sora was silent, she lowered her head and pulled on the sides of her hood. "If you don't want you don't have to stand up, but you have follow the rest of activity."

Sora was silent she pulled cloak further on her hood, when she felt a gentle hand cover her own. She gripped the hand gently and looked up to find Tai smiling at her and his hand gently held her own. Sora looked into the eyes of her friend and squeezed his hand a bit tighter in her soft hands. Then in a gentle voice she spoke, "M...My name is Sora Takenouchi. I...I am one…who is broken. I…I have not decided on my goal in life. But…what I desire most is to be to feel safe. To be able to walk without having to be afraid," she squeezed Tai's hand, "And what I am most grateful for, is…having Tai Kamiya, as a friend. A close…dear friend that I…" she sniffled a little and small tears slowly began to drip from her eyes, "that I...never want lose again…never again!" she squeezed Tai's hand even tighter and closer to her trying to assure her self that he was still there with her.

Matt watched from behind and tried to reach out to touch her but just pulled his hand back and looked away from the screen.

'What's wrong with me? I just promised I'd protect her, yet, why…can't I touch her. Why I can't I comfort her like Tai can. Just what the hell am I doing wrong?' he looked forward at his girlfriend again she continued to hold the hand of her childhood friend rubbing the side of her face against.

The digidestined's first day was spent in the class leaving only once to playing fields were their physical education would take place. Ms. Anko quizzed them on each of the subject she would be teaching to find out how much each student already knew, what they should know and what she may have to review in order to get everyone on the same level. It wasn't until lunch that the students left the room a second time. While most of the Naturals remained in the class to eat their home-made lunches and others to the cafeteria. All the Gifted went else where…

They left classrooms to their Natural counter parts and proceeded to the small building with stairs leading down several feet. At the bottom were two large ivy covered wooden doors of elfish design. And beyond them lay a place that the Gifted embraced and loved at first sight. This place was as a large as grand ballroom and looked capable of holding up to at least three hundred people. It was completely beneath the school and its ceiling was completely unreachable without a letter teller than a ten person human letter. Its ground was completely cover lush grass with trees and patches of flowers here and there like a meadow. In one section a man-made forest stood with verity of trees. Racing down middle from north east to south west a wending stream so real in sound and mask that it almost seemed absurd to think it was artificial. The walls were painted to continue the landscape that it entrapped and make it look like both the land and the river starched on forever beyond a horizon of its own. A dusty but well placed animal trail journeyed from the entrance to a bridge hovering over the stream, to two of the walls, to second bridge ten to twenty feet away from the first and back to the end entrance. The most Astonishing of all was the artificial blue sky flouting above them with its ever moving clouds riding the gentle breeze that flew through the room.

It was magical and very mysterious place. When the gifted first laid eyes upon it they were stunned in awe and wonder. Some fell to there knees and others shad tears of joy at the site of what they saw. And once more, it was theirs, theirs and theirs alone. No natural could enter unless accompanied by a willing Gifted.

It was in that wondrous man-made screen of nature that digidestined and all other Gifted at the school ate their lunch. While some finished quickly so could explore this magnificent work of living art others ate slowly basking joyously in the light of the artificial sun. The digidestined themselves sat firmly underneath a tree at the edge of the forest savoring the beauty around.

"I can't believe this is man-made," Yolei side as she looked up word at sky above.

"Or that it was made so quickly. Ken said. "You'd think something like this would take at least a year or more to build."

"Just another marvel of human technology," Izzy said, his short violet hair swaying in the breeze. "The sky and the sun are being generated by a special holographic computer and the breeze by a special air-conditioning system both made from the latest technology in computer engineering. The trees were themselves were dug up and brought in by hand from various locations across Japan and replanted one by one to make a forest and the grass was from some of the finest soil that worked into the dirt during the building process of the school."

"My dad and Professor Takenouchi both committed much of their studies into helping build this place," Joe said pushing up on his glasses. "Studies show that we Gifted feel more at ease and secure in outdoor environments practically ones that are natural to nature."

"Well I'd say their studies are correct," TK said, "The rest of the Gifted seemed to have mellowed out a bit. Up until now everyone's been really tense and nervous."

"Well you can't blame them," Mimi said. She took on a serious expression. "I may be jumping the gun here, but think every Gifted's worse fear is losing control of their powers. I sure know it's mine. Especially after firestorm."

"I know, Firestorm's an example of just how destructive our powers can be. It changed the lives of so many people and took just as many," Davis said calmly but sadly. He then noticed the somewhat sad look on Kari's face. "Oh sorry Kari I didn't…"

"It's alright Davis, I know you didn't. I still haven't forgotten what I saw that day," she replied with her hand to her heart. She turned to Davis, "But thanks to you the memories stopped hunting me long ago."

"I'm glad," Davis replied looking into her eyes lovingly.

"Me too," Kari said looking passionately back into his eyes.

"Hey! Do you two mind? Some of us are trying to eat here?" TK said sourly as he took a bit in a rice ball.

Kari and Davis snapped out of their trance, "Oh sorry, it's just that…" Kari began when she noticed some of their friends were missing. "Hey where'd Tai and Sora go?"

"And Matt, he's gone to," TK said suddenly noticing that his brother was also gone.

"They went into the forest a short while ago," Karina said. "I'll go look for them." the Darkness Gifted than set out into the man built forest.

Tai had left the group at Sora's request and Matt followed them. The three of them went to the forest following the stream until they came to a small clearing bathing in rays of light from the artificial sun. There Sora sat against a tree next to the water, removed her hood and started to read her book. Tai and Matt stood guard nearby until Tai suddenly left after assuring Sora he'd be nearby. Left to guard his girlfriend alone Matt stood quietly and watched her as she read. Like other Light Gifted she too had changed. Her hair and eyes held the beauty and majesty of a golden meadow and her skin the pale radiance of the sun. The black and red uniform she wore did nothing but deplore her heavenly form. Her elfish ears in full show, Matt felt like he was looking at living portrait of the myth and lore.

'Sora you're so beautiful and innocent,' he thought, 'how could I have ever hurt you.' He continued to gaze at her falling slowly into a fixed trance.

"Amazing, she so unbelievably beautiful," a voice said suddenly.

"Yeah she is…" Matt said still enchanted.

"It's a shame everyone can't know how beautiful she is."

"Yeah..."

"But that's not what she wants,"

"Yeah…"

"But with such an incompetent bodyguard like you her secret could be out at any moment."

"Yeah…HEY!" Matt said finally snapping about of his gaze. He heard a seductively sly giggle and looked to his right to find Karina starring at him. "What, WHERE did you com from?" he yelled. His loud voice snapped a traced Sora out of concentration and over to him. She froze as her eyes set on Karina.

The Darkness Gifted smiled gently and kindly at her completely different from her usual seductively sly expression. Sora looked back at her she looked around for Tai but couldn't find him anywhere. She looked back Karina who returned her gaze and smiled a kind and friendly again then whispered, "I don't expect you to trust me right away, but know that you have friend a in me and I promised keep you most precious secret. I hope that someday I'll be to earn your trust as I have earned Tai's."

Sora then calmed herself, and the tension that surrounded her vanished slowly. She looked a Matt for a bit and looked away sadly and then returned to her book.

Karina sighed and then turned to Matt with a serious expression that sent a chill down his spin, "If you really want her to trust you I suggest that you not let yourself get so easily distracted again. I could have been a complete stranger and blow her most precious of secrets. You may be her boyfriend but considering what happened in class earlier today I'd say she trusts Tai more than you."

"But it's been three months since Tai's return and we've been back together that entire time."

"Well apparently you didn't do to good of a job in protecting her. That are someone else was around helping you."

Matt was quiet for a while, lowered his and narrowed his eyes, "Mimi…she was almost always there. The only time she relies me so far is when I'm the only around to escort her that's only when she goes to the bookstore to get a new book or to the cemetery to pay respects to Tai's dad and Yuki."

"Tai likely left the two of you alone to give you a chance to earn back her trust," Karina seriously. "I don't know what you did to lose, but it must have been something pretty big. Just to let you the point of standing guard for you some is to make that no comes by not gawk at the person you're protecting."

"I know it's that…" he looked at the girl loved with eyes of longing, "I don't understand why she has to hide. I mean she's beautiful. When I look at her I feel like looking a goddess."

Looking forward at Sora and then closing her eyes, Karina answered, "Just because something looks beautiful in one person's eyes doesn't mean it's beautiful in everyone's eyes. You'd do well to keep that in mind," she opened her eyes and looked at Sora. She then sighed and said. "In any case I didn't really come here to lecture you. Where's Tai?"

"He headed that way towards the back,"

"Thanks, now you keep your eyes open alright," she then left Matt to his job.

Karina wondered in the direction Matt directed her towards and shortly after she found Tai sitting in a shadowed clearing on his knees, with hands on his hips and smooth rays of fiery red light circling his body. She smiled slyly at him and then went up and sat on her own knees with her hands folded in her lap, her back to his and smooth rays of blood red light and strips of pitch-black shadows circling her body. She closed her eyes and the world around her vanished into a void of shadow and fire…

Standing in the center of this void was Tai as he worked out a gentle but complex demonstration of his master martial arts style in a dance like pattern. Karina appeared slowly from the shadows of the void and smiled at him.

"Pretty risky don't you think?" she said her voice echoing with every word.

Tai stopped his little work out and turned to face her, "This place makes feel so calm and secure I just couldn't pass up the chance to mediate. It reminds me of Master's home in the forest.

"Yeah I know what you mean," Karina said, "But still you should be careful our power strings don't exactly flow like everyone else's and I'm sure you don't want to have to explain why to anyone. Karina said kindly.

"Your right I don't," Tai said, "Master's already made it quiet clear that he want take on another student."

"While can't you blame him, he's old and getting older. One student is all he can really handle. Before you came I was that one student."

"I know, sorry about that."

"Hey no sweat it, you need this training more than me. Besides I still to pick up what I can from watching you two. Besides most of non-power related staff he's been teaching you. I've already learned so most of its basic review for me."

He smiled friends at her and blinked slowly. "I'd challenge you to a sparring match but I don't think you can move in that dress too while."

"I could take it off," Karina said walking up very close to him to where her body was almost touching his and giving him a seductively sly smile.

"Wha! Ah no…on second thought I think we'd best get back to the others," he said blushing deep red and backing away.

Karina just giggle, "Hey, don't worry I was kidding, but you're right we should get back before someone comes along and sees our bodies." He frowned sourly at her, "What?"

"What do you enjoy toying me?" he asked dryly.

"Because you look so cute when you're embarrassed," she replied gently caressing the side of his side of his face and looking him seductively in the eye. She then backed way, smiled and said, "Well see you back in reality." She then vanished from sight. Tai followed shortly after…

Back in the clearing the two of them opened there eyes and stood up. Karina straightened out her dress and Tai his own cloths. The two then returned to where Matt and Sora were, but found the couple gone. Hoping they went back to the others they left the forest only to find a large crowd gathered by the door.

"What's going on over there?" Karina asked.

"My guess would be trouble, come on," Tai said.

The two of them rushed over to the crowd where they found Matt and Sora standing on the outskirts of the gathering.

"Matt, Sora," Tai called as he and Karina ran up to them.

"Tai! Right on time as always," Matt said turning around Sora sticking closely behind him.

"What's going on?" asked Karina.

"Don't know Sora's ears picked up the racket and we came running to see what was going up," Matt said. "From what we heard Anti-gifted naturals came barging in here and started ragging on Gifted and saying how it was completely unfair that we got this place when we were so undeserving of it. They picked out the grass and through at Gifted, spit on them and tried to do everything they could to make them feel bad. Finally some of our kind snapped and attacked. Davis and the others rushed over just in time to stop from doing any real harm and have been trying to calm them down, but so far it's a no go."

"Do you what type they were?"

"I think they're two Darkness, an Earth and one Lightening," Matt said.

"The Lightening Gifted shouldn't do too much harm but the Earth and two Darkness…" Karina said.

"Yeah I know," Tai agreed, "Matt get Sora away from here. Karina and I will go and help the others."

"Gotcha!" Matt said. "And be careful."

Tai and Karina entered the crowd and worked their way towards the entrance to sanctuary. While at the entrance, TK, Davis, Joe and Ken were trying their best to keep the enraged Gifted from attacking the Anti-Gifted Naturals headed by a red haired boy of fifteen with brown eyes, a freshly made bleeding scare on his left cheek, and an anger filled expression. Behind him was a girl no older than Mimi with black hair, blue nervousness filled eyes and red hair band on her head. Standing in front of the red haired boy was Mimi in fighting stance surrounded by a small gang of four other Anti-Gifted Naturals. Behind her were Kari and Yolei doing their best to help Davis and the others calm down the angry Gifted.

"Man! This girl's good," said one of the Anti-Gifted.

"No kidding! Her powers aren't even reacting what's the deal."

"The deal is she's not as helpless as that bunch of cowards behind her and her friends," the scarred boy said.

"WHY YOU NATURAL RAT! JUST WHAT TILL I GET M HAND ON YOU THEN WE'LL WHOSE COWARD!" one of the enraged Gifted cried.

"Hey! Calm…uh…down will yah!" Davis said struggling to keep the Darkness Gifted he was holding back from getting loose.

"Getting angry is what they what they want you to do," Kari said seriously.

"Kari's right…uh…if you give into their taunts you're only...uh...giving them what want," TK said doing his best to hold onto his Gifted.

"Remember as Gifted our goal above all us is to be accepted by Naturals and prove to them that we can live amongst them safely and peaceful." Yolei said.

"And…uh…attacking them just because we're insulted with words...ah...will work against that," Ken said.

"Endurance...ah and...restraint our best weapons against Anti-Gifted fanatics like them," Izzy said help Joe restrain the Earth Gifted.

"Remember...uh...our powers are tied to...uh...emotion if you let them get the best of you you'll...uh...what little control you have over," Joe said wisely as he struggle to restrain the Earth Gifted he was holding. "Is that really what you want?"

"No, but they…" the Earth Gifted replied starting to calm down.

"…did it all just tick us off. Remember the laws don't protect us if were gloated by words. We need practice restraint now so more than ever that school has started," Mimi said turning towards them.

The four enraged Gifted calmed down and their power strings settles. Davis and the others released.

"Good, now go we'll take care of things here," Mimi said.

The four Gifted who were enraged left and entered the crowd.

"What's wrong freaks? Afraid to back up you're words?" the scarred boy taunted. The four Gifted ignored him and continued walking doing their best not give into the anti-Gifted's taunts and insults. "Yah, that's what thought! Even with all you'll powers you'll nothing but cowards!"

Mimi returned her attention to the Naturals she was fighting before with a sharp glare in her eye, "Only cowards would consider restraint cowardly," she said strings of pure blue water and ice singling body.

"Huh, whatever," the scarred boy said. He touched the side of face and looked at the blood stained on his hand, "You're gonna pay for you're icicle did to me you damn witch."

"I'd like to see you try," Mimi dared.

"Gladly!" the scarred boy cried and with a wave of gasps from the crowd the scarred boy pulled pocket knife from back pocket.

Mimi frowned with a worry as she laid eyes on the knife, 'Blast, there's no way I can I keep my powers from reacting to that if he throws it everything should be ok, but if attacks me straight on…' she thought.

"Mimi! Watch out!" Yolei cried.

Shaped out of her trail of thought, Mimi, turned to her right just in time to a catch a second knife from one of other Anti-Gifted hurling towards her. In less than second a swirling wall of water and ice appeared and intercepted the knife freezing solid on impact. The knife fell to the ground and shattered like glass on a stone floor. Mimi sighed with relief but just her barrier receded the scarred boy took his knife and tossed at her!

Mimi froze as the knife spun towards her like a buzz saw. Closer and close it drew out of when nowhere a ball of fire incepted and the knife and sent fly to the ground as nothing a hunk of melted metal.

Mimi looked to her left to find Tai with hand held up and strings of fire circling his arm.

"Tai! I am glad to see you!" she rejoiced.

Tai lowered his arm and entered the area with Karina right behind. They walked up and stood between Mimi and the scarred boy. The other Anti-Gifted moved quickly and went to their leader's side.

"Tai examined the group and his eyes locked themselves on the girl behind them who looked back with fear for a moment but then turned her head away. She held a familiar look to her, but he couldn't enough of a look to remember who she was.

"Mimi, are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah thanks you," she replied

"You did pretty good handling these guys by yourself. We'll have to spar sometime," Karina said giving her a wink.

"Karina, focus," Tai said.

"Yeah yeah, I know," Karina replied turning her attention back to the Anti-Gifted before them.

The scarred boy looked them with an undeniable hatred in eyes, "So you're the father of Fire Storm. I finally get to mass-murder face to face," the scarred boy said, "I still can't believe they're allowing you to walk around freely."

"I've made my apologies for Fire Storm and put it behind me. There's nothing to be gain by dwelling on the past. Only by accepting ones actions and the consequences they cause can one move forward," Tai said.

"Oh yah, well I haven't put it behind me," the scarred boy said as he turned and grabbed the arm of black haired girl, "…and neither has she." He pulled the girl forward forcefully.

Tai looked at the girl's face and a flood of memories rush through his mind, "Yuli..." he said with surprise.

"I see you remember her, but why wouldn't you? She was Yuki Yor-yin's best friend!" the scarred boy said.

"Yuki," Tai said calmly and slowly.

"Yeah, you remember Yuki don't you? You're late girlfriend, the one you killed with your own hands!" the scarred boy said.

Tai was silent he closed and lightly gripped his fist. His power strings slowed there peace and be came rougher like streaks of fire on the surface of the sun. Karina saw this and frowned lightly.

'Dammit Tai, don't tell me you're hung up on her,' she thought. She closed her and clinched her teeth, 'Of course you are you were never over her, but who am comment I never knew such things.' She turned to the scarred boy, 'I gotta hand it to this guy he manage to hit Tai weak spot. I better snap him out of it before it's too late.' She then stood with a serious tone said, "That's pretty big overstatement don't yah think?" she said.

"Who asked you?" the scarred boy snapped.

"That's got to be one of the lowest thing I've ever anyone do. You're making sound like he killed her deliberately and on purpose."

"So what I did, it's true!" said one of the Anti-Gifted.

"No it's a stretch of the truth," Karina said, "Tai told me about Yuki. She was victim of his awakening, nothing more. You can't hold him responsible for something he couldn't control."

Tai's eyes widen at hearing Karina's words and his powers regained their smooth flow and calm pace.

"No body asked for your opinion freak," the scarred boy said angrily.

"Yeah, well giving it anyway," Karina replied leaning forward with her hands on her sides, "I don't know what caused you to hate Gifted but you really to wake up and use your head. You're down here trying to get Gifted to attack you and break the law, but apparently you're over looking a couple things."

"Oh yeah, like what?" the scarred boy asked.

"Well for one there aren't just Gifted down here, there's Naturals too. Pro-Gifted Naturals who could easily act as witnesses in the Gifted's defense and second this place is Gifted only. Naturals can only enter if there accompanied by a willing Gifted. Meaning the Gifted whose accompanying them has being doing it of their own free will." She stood up straight and crossed her arms with a sly smile on her face and seductive look in her eye, "And considering how you entered and what you did the only person whose libel to get in trouble with the law here is you."

"Karina's right," Tai said finally. All eyes return to him as he held a smart smile. "Even if you had been able to get Gifted to attack, since you your self are break a rule by being. The Gifted's attacks could be forgiven as an attempt to expel you. So everything you did just now would have been for nothing"

"Shut up," the scarred boy said angrily.

"You would have gotten yourself or your friends hurt or possibly even killed for nothing."

"I said SHUT UP!" the scarred screamed and with all his might he gripped Yuli's arm tightly and threw her at Tai.

Tai caught the girl on impact and looked into her eyes. Shock and surprise filled them mixed with fear and confusion, but a cry of anger and hate shaped them both out of the gaze and as they turned their attention to the scarred boy who charging towards them with a fist held in the air. Before the girl could really comprehend anything that was happening Tai pulled her behind him caught his assailant's fist bended it back, twisted its arm, knocked the arm's beholder off his feet and delivered a harsh crop with his fist onto beholder's back just he released him and sent him dropping to the ground like a rock.

The scarred boy laid flat on the ground at Tai's feet, his face in dirt. Pain echoed through his back as his spit out the test of grass and dirt that occupied his mouth when he landed and the voices of laughing Gifted and their Pro-Gifted Natural friends rang through his ear.

"Sin!" Yuli cried as she rushed to his side and help the scarred boy to his feet.

"You bloody...bastard, you'll pay for that," Sin said.

"I really don't think attacking my friend again would too good for health," Joe said still laughing little.

"Yeah...ha ha...you could sick from eating too much dirt!" Mimi laughed.

Sin frowned and gripped his fist just as the bell rang singling the end of lunch.

"Sin, let's go there's nothing to be gain by staying here, besides lunch is over now. We have to get back to class," Yuli said fearfully still supporting him.

"Ah...let...go of me!" he demanded as he pushed Yuli off his arm and onto the ground. He looked Tai and the all the people behind him and Karina. "What goes around comes around, Kamiya. You'll get yours. You all will."

Then he and his friends left the Sanctuary. Yuli was the last one of them to leave. She got up looked at Tai the then turned away with her hand to heart and left to catch up with Sin and his gang.

Slowly the crowd of students dispersed and headed for their respected classes. After meeting back with Matt and Sora Tai and his friends did the same.

"Man, a waste of good lunch. That Sin guy showing up just ruined the moment," TK said.

"Tell me about it, but seeing Tai making him dirt did make up for it," Yolei said graining. "Talk about funny, Tai completely humiliated him."

"That's what happens when someone to bite off more than can crew," Ken said, "Did you see how fast Tai deck him it amazing."

"What else do you expect? Tai's taken on five guys at once before and won without even breaking a sweat. Men I have got lot catching up to do," Matt said.

"Well then you better start practicing with skills as rusty as yours you have LONG way to go," Mimi said smartly. "Oh by the way, guys, who's Yuki?" The group suddenly came to a stop and a silence fell over them. "Guys…oh…I'm sorry. I didn't know she's a touchy subject."

"It's alright it's just been awhile since we've talk about her," TK

"How long has been now, since you know that day?" Ken asked.

"Over a year a now, she was one of the first victims of an awakening," Izzy said.

Mimi looked at her friends; there was gloominess about them that sent a sharp blade of guilt lunching into heart. "Oh second, forget about it, let's hurry and get to our classes," Mimi said.

The group agreed and continued forward, but Karina stopped when she noticed Tai hadn't moved and a serious look occupied his face. She she'd got to know him well enough to know when something was bothering him.

"Hey, you alright, Tai," she asked. The others stopped again.

"Big brother," Kari said with concern.

"Hum…wha…oh sorry I was just thinking," he replied.

"About her? I know she was important to you but it was so long ago and you can't allow the past nail to you down," Karina reminded him.

"I know that!" Tai replied harshly. He calmed himself, "Look, Yuki was important me, she still is, but it wasn't her that I was thinking about, at least not now.

"What is it?" Matt asked.

"I was thinking…"he started then just shook his head, "Look I don't time to explain. Karina can cover for me I'm going to see to the Principle Yoko."

"Yeah, sure thing, but…" Karina said she moved closer to him so the others couldn't hear, "Just be sure to clue me in later on alright," she whispered.

"Of course, now get going the others are waiting," he whispered back.

With that she returned to the others and hurried them along to the classrooms.

Tai watched them leave with smile and then turned and headed for the main office building but he neared it he spotted three figures behind of the cherry trees. He snuck closer to make them out. Two of them were the men who were following him and his sister to earlier and the other, was Yuli.