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GOB: GOMEN GOMEN GOMEN!!!!!!!!! I am so sorry for not updating sooner, but I have a very good reason. I DIDN'T HAVE A COMPUTER!!!!!!!!! My sister destroyed our old one, and we only recently got a new one! Please forgive me!

Akira: So now you're doing a birthday update?

GOB: YES!!! My birthday is May 12, I am turning 15, go me!

Kai: Done?

GOB: NO!!! I just realized that I need to tell you all something important... I NEED SOME MORE NEW IDEAS!!! Thanks.

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Review Replies

Hiwatari-gurl – Glad you liked that! I wasn't sure if Akira was being too sad or not.

MasterFranny – Urgh, my chapters take forever to write. But they do come out!

Kazeilla – Hehe, I'm glad you can't wait!

Phoenix the 1st – Kai was wrong!!! MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!!!

Blackblaze – Lost? Well don't worry, so am I! Not a good thing, ne?

Syaoran-lover – Lol, Derrick and Cally were the 2 ex-members of the Elementals. I based them on 2 people I absolutely hate.

Shea – Yay, glad you liked it!

Lefty – This fic is getting so long!!! But I still have a lot more to put up.

Blackenedphoenix-feather – Yeah! You like my fic!!! JOY!!!

Daaku – Battles aren't my strong point, but I'll make an effort (for once)!

Lychee Fairy – As always, you write the long reviews! But, I'm not telling you anything! Nyah nyah!

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GOB: I know you'll all hate me for this, but this is a short chapter, probably only containing Kai's talk with Akira and a Tael P.O.V. Sorry, but I also have to write the new chapter of Bladebreakers On Strike, and Depth. And I also have a great idea for a oneshot I want to post up. So much to do, so little time...

Anyways, on with the chapter!

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Tael's P.O.V.

I am the shadow of fire, but even I cannot ignore the pains and agonies felt by the one of water. This is a very difficult, and unique, occasion. I feel the pains of everyone, yet I am to ignore all but his.

So why is it that feel intense hurt is as water is dries up, losing all faith, hope, and sincerity. She cannot give in, for is she does, the others will follow. None of them can stand strong without the other.

Earth requires water to live, fire to renew, and air to breathe.

Air requires fire to disperse, water to hold, and earth to protect.

Water requires air to be held, earth to care for, and fire to connect.

Fire requires much more, but much less.

Flames can never be set straight, always burning what stands in his path, yet never reaching what he so earnestly strives for. Always failing in his goal. Never forgetting that which brings him so much pain, yet forces him to move on.

Sometimes, I too wonder why I was chosen to come to this world, and protect fire. Why not did the old ones choose someone more suited to this task? I am not the most intelligent, kind or worthy spirits yet it was I who was given this mission...

Amusing...

I seem to have picked up the human feeling of unworthiness...

But I think, no, I KNOW that this is my mission, no one else's. I will complete my mission, whether I am worthy or not.

I will survive... and so will they.

We all will.

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(12:00am – Midnight – Kai)

Kai sighed and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was midnight, yet he couldn't bring himself to fall asleep. He couldn't stop thinking about all the problems that had arisen as of late. He also couldn't stop thinking about the pain he felt, keeping what happened in Russia secret from almost everyone. No one knew all that happened, not even Tala, Bryan, Spencer, or Ian knew all that had truly happened at the World Championships. There was just too much pain, too much hurt, to let anyone else know.

Black Dranzer had left a permanent mark on him. Kai remembered the lost, crushing feeling he felt when he was forced to hand over Dranzer to Tyson. He had to, for it was the only way to ensure that none of the Bladebreakers, or anyone else for that matter, tried to get into the abbey again. It was much too dangerous. He also gave up his beloved bitbeast for her own protection. He knew that Boris and Voltaire would make him feed Dranzer to Black Dranzer, something that Kai would never do. Not if he had to give up his own life to prevent it. Dranzer meant the world to Kai, but there were things Kai would give her up for...

Another worry of late was Victoria and Jace. Now that they were out of the picture, Derrick and Cally could bring in two more of Gideon's goons into the picture. He knew those two were dangerous, Derrick especially. He didn't know what Derrick was up to, but his strange obsession with Akira could prove to be.... Dangerous. Kai refused to put anyone in danger, but he couldn't help but feel enraged at the thought of what Derrick would do to her if he got his hands on her. She had gone out with Derrick for a short time; before he tried to, well, rape her. That was one of the major reason he was thrown off the team. Kai remembered coming across Derrick and Akira when the deed was almost done. He knew he had flown off the handle, but the look on her face, so... helpless, it enraged him to see her determination so broken like that.

Kai's eyes wandered over to his sister, who was currently asleep. Ever since he found out that she was the first target, he had carefully been keeping an eye on her. Of course, he made sure she didn't notice him. Keisuke, on the other hand, was continuously following her, making no effort to hide himself. Tea had finally gotten fed up with this constant shadowing, and had threatened him. She didn't seem to understand the intense danger she was in. And those dreams.... Kai had woken during the past few weeks in a cold sweat, after a horrible nightmare... but he had a feeling that it wasn't a pointless dream, but something more...

Those horrible visions... all Kai could remember, when he woke, was that there was blood, and lots of it... it also seemed to be some sort of warning... he remembered a body, covered in blood, the color of his own, deep, eyes. He couldn't recognize the face, but it seemed to be so familiar...

Kai suddenly froze. He quickly looked around. He had heard a soft noise, but couldn't tell where it was coming from. He closed his eyes, and concentrated on the sound.

Kai's eyes darkened when he finally realized what the sound was. Sobbing. And it was coming from the next room. A room belonging to a young girl. A room belonging to the holder of Water. A room belonging to Akira.

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(12:00am – Midnight – Akira)

Akira gazed out the window, tears spilling out her eyes, and onto the cover of the window seat, which she was sitting on. Her knees were brought up and her head rested on them.

She didn't know what to do. She was just so... confused. She couldn't stop thinking about what had happened before... and her dreams weren't helping much either. She couldn't remember what was so horrible about them, just that they made her feel like killing herself right then and there. Nothing could be worse than what was happening in front of her.

The one thing she was glad of was the fact that the nightmare was so terrible, she couldn't scream. She didn't want anyone to come and question her about her nightmares... or at least, that was what she was trying to convince herself of.

Key word: trying.

As much as she tried to, she couldn't help but wish that there were somebody with whom she could confide in. she hated having to go through anything alone. She always wished she were stronger.

Like Kai.

He NEVER doubted himself. He was always so confident and sure of everything he did, and if something did go wrong, he always had an amazing backup plan to set things straight. He hated weak people. She guessed that that was the reason he hated her so much.

After all, he did hate her. She knew he did. She was always getting in his way. After what happened in the Explosion, she was surprised he had ever spoken to her again. He had nearly lost Dranzer and Black Dranzer, just because she, Akira, couldn't protect herself.

She sobbed softly; she just couldn't take the hurt anymore. She couldn't take being numb to anything on the outside; she couldn't take not knowing where all this pain came from. She couldn't take it...

She couldn't take it.

She slowly made her way to her suitcase. Her eyes were dull and lifeless. Void of any emotion, void of anything that would be called human. She was lost. Losing a fight with something she was much to scared to face.

She searched her black suitcase until she unearthed a small, blue box. She carefully brought it back to the window seat and slowly undid the golden latch on the box. She pulled back the lid and gazed at it.

It was decorated beautifully and skillfully wrought. The blade shone silver, sharp enough to split a strand of hair. The handle was decorated in delicate stars made of gold and a moon made of an exceptionally lovely opal. The handle was made of the darkest obsidian, darker than the night sky itself.

For she was the dark side. Bren had always been the lighthearted, happy one. He had a similar dagger; only his was dull and decorated with a gold sun on a light blue handle, made of agate. The blade was dull because he had never used it.

But she had. And she had the countless scars to prove it.

She out her last pain filled sob, and slowly sliced her thin wrist open. As the blood poured down, it mixed with her tears, creating a thing of immense beauty. Or at least, beautiful to her.

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(12:30am - Kai)

Kai stealthily made his way out f his sister's room, and towards Akira's room. Kai carefully turned the handle, and was surprised that the door had been unlocked. He had told them all to always make sure their doors were locked; besides, Akira always locked her doors anyway. A habit she had, unfortunately, picked up during the events of the past.

As Kai opened the door he froze. His eyes darkened beyond belief, his anger reached an ultimate high, and his guilt over passed even his anger, but his rage, rage of anger and guilt, surpassed both.

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( All right people, just a note, but thank Hiwatari Gurl & Kazeilla the two romance scenes )

(12:35am – Kai & Akira)

Kai stood there frozen for a moment, before angrily racing towards the pained girl.

He swiftly tore the dagger out of her hand and flung it onto the bed. He then spun Akira around so she was facing him, and then... he began to yell;

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING???"

Akira gasped at the sight of Kai, then whimpered as she gazed into his angry, hate-filled eyes.

"ANSWER ME!!!" Kai thundered, while holding Akira almost painfully by the shoulders. Akira was scared, she knew Kai hated her, she could see the hate in his eyes...

Kai's anger was reaching the breaking point, when he gazed into Akira's eyes. He nearly cried when he saw into them. He could see the fear, and it shocked him that she was scared of him.

His eyes immediately filled with concern, sorrow, and guilt, and he let go of her shoulders slightly, but still holding her close to him. He took a deep breath and started over.

"Akira, I'm so sorry... I wasn't thinking. I didn't mean to yell at you, or hurt you in any way, but what the heck is going on?"

Akira looked away, and then back at Kai. He saw her eyes clear slightly, then darken, as she pulled away and said, coldly,

"None of your god damn business Kai Hiwatari. Like you care!"

Kai's eyes convulsed with anger. He spoke shortly, his voice deadly calm... a calm before the storm.

"Is that what you think. Is that what you really think?"

Akira answered bitterly, raising hr voice with every syllable,

"Of course! You never talk to me anymore; you never spend time with me or anyone else! You're always hiding something from us! You act as if you couldn't care any less! You act like you hate us! You... You act like we don't mean anything to you, not a bi(" (bit!)

Akira couldn't finish her last word. She couldn't finish it because, at the moment, her lips, and Kai's, were locked together...

Kai had cut her off with a hot, angry, surprising kiss.

As Kai pulled her away, all she could think about was their kiss. Their second kiss, but their first real one. Even if it was over quickly...

As Kai pulled away, leaving Akira speechless, he whispered in a cold, dark voice, right into her ear,

"I care more than you could ever know. You mean more to me than anything else. I could never hate any of you. Even if you tried to kill me, I could never hate you."

Akira was left speechless, as Kai sat her down firmly on her bed and went to get a cloth and some bandages to fix her wounds. Kai didn't say a word for the rest of the time they spent together.

Neither of them did.

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(HEHE! That was fun to write!)

(5:30am – Kai & Akira)

Akira muttered softly under her breath as she got up, and leaned on the bed frame.. She suddenly realized she wasn't leaning, but the chest of a certain crimson-eyed boy who was currently sleeping while leaning against the bed frame.

Akira's face heated up as she remembered the events of that early morning. She knew Kai wasn't done talking with her yet.

She suddenly smiled as she remembered the last words he had said to her,

'I care more than you could ever know. You mean more to me than anything else. I could never hate any of you. Even if you tried to kill me, I could never hate you.'

He said that she meant more to him than anyone else, that he could never hate her. Not 'any of you' but just 'you'.

She smiled softly as she got up and made her way to her bathroom. She suddenly stopped, turned around, and softly kissed the sleeping Kai on the lips, before turning red, and quickly making her way to the bathroom.

Once the door closed, a single crimson-eye opened.

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GOB: Done! You read, now review!