Tala's POV

I hummed happily. The day was just going great. I was surprised at my confession because living like a slave, such thoughts tend to be a rarity. The main reason for my happiness was: Boris is gone.

Nah, not forever. He's just attending a meeting abroad and left me in charge to care of the team until he returns. I'm positive that he has also asked several guards to spy on us. It sort of dimmed the light a bit, but this was way better than total darkness. Even the moodiest guys in the abbey were trying to crack a few jokes and celebrate the director's absence.

With Boris away, we had time off training. We were still expected to practice every morning and evening. BUT. Today we were going to get some time off as normal teens. To make the abbey appear like a proper orphanage, most of the kids had to 'look like' they were attending school. Every child in the Biovolt program had above normal IQ. They were taught advanced things from a very young age, still just to fool society, they had to attend classes. The demolition boys did it too. They had separate tutors. Boris didn't want his perfect weapons mixing with the normies. He always isolated us. That's why we have formed an unbreakable bond among ourselves. Today was one such day when we had to attend school. I was excited to get some normal time with Kai.

"The washroom is free Ivanov"

Think of the Devil and doth he appears.

"Why aren't we on a first-name basis yet, Kaii?"

"There's no need for it, Tala- whine- like -a- baby Ivanov"

"I wouldn't talk like that to my captain. Kai, If you want to call me names, why don't you stick to something better... Like daddy or bae?" I asked with a victorious smile. Annoying Kai was fun. Every time I saw him, I made it my goal to fight (I mean flirt) with him.

Looks like he'd had enough of it. Because he gave me a look that said, 'I'd rather argue with a dead octopus than you.'

He walked past me like I was just vapor. (Really am I that steamy?)

Every time I watched him turn his back on me, I felt a part of me eroding...

Kai's POV

Tala is an idiot

A self-centered overconfident, horny, brainless, annoying, caring, handsome idiot.

Ahh. Where did that last part come from?!

I stopped walking and leaned on the wall. As annoying as Tala was, he wasn't exactly brainless. The boy had excellent blading skills and was undoubtedly a child prodigy. He was known for being a cold, calculated, heartless, ruthless predator, just like his big beast.

But how could he be so smart and foolish at once?

With his less than subtle remarks, he was indicating so many wrong things. If what he feels for me is lust, then it's weird cause he is a guy... that's what I'm supposed to think. But what scares and disgusts me, even more, is the alternative.

What if he actually loves me?

That will be unfortunate. Love. Just thinking about it made me feel weak. Tala of all people should know by now that attaching oneself with another human is just self-sabotage. Who knows what mask your enemy is using? Even if the person is genuine, having a connection is never good. Having someone by your side is dangerous. All they can do is hinder you. If you rely on them for comfort, it just means that you are impotent. Love is just an overrated weakness.

Love is a trap

A voice hissed in my skull. Black Dranzer was active again. But this wasn't her voice... The voice did sound awfully familiar. Now that I thought about it, Why was I so sure that Tala should know all the words that went through my mind now? I have known him for less than a week, and I already feel as though I understand him. It's a ridiculous thought, but every time I think of Tala, I think of him as someone who has been with me. Someone whom I'm supposed to know.

My head was beginning to hurt. The dark phoenix hadn't had enough exercise yet. No big beasts to feed on, since we didn't practice with combat today. This was making her impatient and that didn't help my mood. I suddenly felt claustrophobic. I ran to the upper level which had begun to be an escape route for me. I bunked the classes today. Boris wasn't here so no one except my roommate + captain will question me about it. For all I care, Tala can go fuck himself. I spent some time watching the sky. I would love to spend more time here, but I could feel the kids in the abbey staring at me.

'Isn't that Hiwatari?'

'so it's true. He ditched his team.'

'Is his hair naturally two-toned?'

The whispering was getting under my skin. None of these kids had half a backbone to ask me directly. I turned around and enjoyed the sight of them scurrying away. This was why my other teammates rarely came up. To the kids here, people from the lower levels were like monsters that crawled from the underworld. No one talked about it, but I could feel that none of us were actually happy with this reaction. [Except for Bryan. Ian mentioned that the last time the lilac haired blader came here, things had gone... something that involver surgical blade, a newbie and a cookie. After that it was a universally excepted law that he had to stay down.]

I was on my way back to my room, when suddenly something black crashed into me. I was shoved to the side, but it just kept going. Instinctively, I ran after it. I was faster, so I tackled it to the floor. I froze. It was a girl. She had black choppy hair and green eyes. Aa soon as I lifted my weight from her, she slipped from beneath me and ran so fast that I barely saw her. she jumped off the nearest window.

What was that girl doing here. Wasn't the abbey a boys orphanage?

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Does the girl's description sound familiar? Yup, She's Zia from 'Charred Ice.' I didn't feel like abandoning her. Moreover even before I wrote that story, I thought of her being involved with the blitzkriegs (not exactly a major character since she is an OC) So can any of you guess what her relation with the blitzkriegs are? let me know through reviews ;)

I'll try to update faster. Bye!

Ember 2022