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Kai

"Has the prisoner revealed any new information?" Kai asked.

His father shook his head. "He seems determined that the only facts we'll get out of him about the Lunars are the ones he's already told us. But that's not a huge loss now that we have 1-0. She's given us more info on the enemy than that soldier ever could."

Kai scowled at the floor, still feeling unsatisfied. At the trials, Kai had feared Wolf, but also pitied him. He could hear the instinctual commands running through the prodigy's conscious, and the horrified thoughts that took their place. He'd thought that, despite almost killing Hunter, Wolf might not be so bad. Just shows how much he knew.

At the questioning, Kai wasn't sure what he was expecting. Regret? Begging? Remorse? Anything but the smug pride that shadowed Wolf's mind. Anything but the triumphant thoughts of how well he'd fooled that Rampions at the trials. They honestly thought I wanted to join them? Ha! That other prodigy would've made a good meal. Shame I couldn't finish him. I wonder if some of those heroes actually bought my whole fleeing in shame act. Surely they couldn't be that stupid!

Ugh, Kai really hated that prodigy.

He looked back at his father. "Have you decided on a suitable punishment yet?"

The Emperor shrugged. "Yes and no. We've formulated something that I believe will not only serve as a punishment for Wolf, but also turn the tides against the Lunars. However, given the fact that the prisoner's prodigy status wasn't obtained in the typical way, we're not sure if it will work or not."

"What will happen if it does work?"

His father smiled apologetically. "Sorry son, that's classified, even for you."

Kai huffed in disappointment. Maybe he could read his father's mind, just discreetly to find out what the punishment was. After all, it should be at the forefront of his thoughts given that they were talking about it… ah, who was he kidding? No way in the skies would his father not be expecting a stunt like that. Still, the thought was tempting. So, very tempting…

Seeing his dismay, the Emperor reached out and gently squeezed Kai's shoulder (which for a normal person is rather firm). "Relax, you'll find out soon. Next week in fact, once we're sure it has been perfected. Until then, you'll just have to be patient."

Kai nodded his head sharply in reply. He didn't trust his own voice not to betray his frustration.

As he left his father's office, Kai checked his watch. Half past twelve. His team would be in the cafeteria, stocking up on food to last them the rest of the day. He wasn't particularly hungry, but maybe a talk with some friends would take his mind off his irritation. Or at least redirect it at Thorne.

He called up an elevator and stepped inside. He leaned against the wall and gazed out of the transparent glass wall. Floors bustling with staff and superheroes alike blurred past. Kai wondered how many of them were in on the "classified" secret. Maybe the scientists down at R&D? His father had definitely implied that the punishment was very experimental. What sucked about that was the scientists were very good at keeping their mouths shut, and had been trained at a length to protect them from mind-readers like Kai. Not that he'd want to go listening to Dr Erland's thoughts anytime soon. He doubted he'd ever recover from the flood of cynicism. So who else could know? The Council, obviously, but Kai would have to be the biggest moron in history to actually believe they wouldn't be prepared for him to question them. They knew all about his abilities, and all about how to defend themselves from them. He didn't think any of the other team leaders would know either, and definitely not the normal-class Rampions. So who else could possibly know?

He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice the tan fingers in front of his face until they snapped, jarring him and jumbling all of his thoughts into a big confused mess.

"Are you okay? You look like your brain wandered out of your skull."

It took a moment for Kai to recognise the voice. Embarrassed, he offered his teammate a sheepish grin. "Sorry, just lost in thought."

Cinder folded her arms and raised an eyebrow at him. ""Lost" is an understatement. Scarlet is the one who's supposed to have her head in the clouds, remember?"

Kai smirked. "The sky's a big place. Surely there's room for two heads?"

"Not when one of them isn't paying attention. What if you get hit be a passing airplane?"

"I could wear a vest of warning lights?"

"All they'll see is a flock of magpies."

He barked with laughter and felt his earlier annoyance blow away. It felt good to have a normal conversation that wasn't about a mysterious impending punishment.

"Are you going down for lunch?" Kai asked.

Cinder shook her head. "I have another check-up. After my fainting spell the other day, the scientists have been even more overprotective."

"Well this is the first time they've designed whole new limbs for a person. It's reasonable that they're worried about the job they did."

"But I've had these things for weeks with no issue!"

"Except for that time you fainted."

"That was because of something I already had built in, so it doesn't count."

The elevator slowed to a halt and, with a cheerful ding, the doors opened. A prodigy with an extra pair of arms and two heads walked in. They were having a quiet, furious argument as the prodigy walked in. Unfortunately, that also meant they don't notice the other two people in the elevator.

In an effort to avoid the arms that were currently making angry and exaggerated gestures, Kai awkwardly inched closer to the far corner. Instead of feeling the hard press of glass when he reached it, he felt a stiff shoulder bump into his and the brush of hair against his cheek.

Heat rushed up to Kai's face and he muttered. "Well. This is awkward."

"You think?" Cinder replied, her voice tense.

Struggling to put some space between him and his teammate, Kai shifted around. And found himself face to face with her.

Somehow, his cheeks found room for more heat. Cinder, somehow, wasn't blushing but her eyes were wide and darting in every direction, looking everywhere but at him.

"Sorry." Kai mumbled. This couldn't possibly get any more awkward.

One of the other prodigies four hands abruptly smacked Kai on the back of the head. He yelped as his head tilted forward from the impact. He felt the bump of Cinder's forehead against his and the brush of her nose. Now, her eyes had no choice but to meet his.

Kai bit back a groan. It just got more awkward.

He opened his mouth to stammer out another apology, or to tell the newcomer that he was taking up all of the space, he hadn't decided yet. Whatever words he was building, they were cut off by Cinder's pained shriek.

He instinctively reached out to catch her as her knees suddenly buckled. She shook uncontrollably in his arms, panting and gasping for air.

Kai tilted her face up to look at him. "Cinder? What's-"

His throat closed up. The face he was looking at, the face that was looking back at him, it was Cinder, but at the same time nothing like Cinder. Her hair, usually filthy and messy, was suddenly sleek and shiny, perfectly framing her face. Her skin was smooth and perfect, her eyes slanted as though her mouth was curled in a smile instead of a pained grimace. Her titanium hand was now human, not just human but flawless.

She was beautiful, the most beautiful creature to ever walk the Earth. And she was terrifying.

A/N: Anyone else getting déjà vu?

So much awkward, and also so many questions. What is the punishment the Council decided on for Wolf? And what happened to Cinder?

Please review!