KAI

I was woken to my mobile phone ringing on my bedside table. I swore under my breath when I saw it was none other than Voltaire. With great apprehension I answered my mobile taking care to keep the growl out of my voice. "Yes?"

"This is taking a long time to sort out so Mira's grandmother told me to tell you Mira will be staying there for the rest of the week." I sighed. Just when I thought I could spend the rest of the week with Ebony. "Fine."

"How is Mira?" I didn't want to satisfy the old git by giving him the details so I decided to say something else. "Ok." Just as I thought, Voltaire became quiet and I could practically hear his mind thinking over what I've just told him. I waited for about a minute for him to say something before he hung up. 'Hah! I bet you didn't see that coming!' I thought happily before falling asleep.

Mira was better the next day. Whatever plagued her yesterday seemed to have left her. She looked me in the eye and smiled in the way a kid should smile. "No more fear?" She nodded and sat down for breakfast beside me. Mira ate quite a bit for breakfast seeing how she hadn't eaten properly for the past two days. "I got a call last night from Voltaire." Just by saying that name she instantly lost her appetite and pushed her plate away looking very angry. "What did he have to say?"

"You'll be here for the rest of the week, and he asked about you."

"And?" I smirked and sipped my tea. "I told him you were ok." She smiled and had a cheeky look on her face. Mira was definitely bright for her age to get it. "I would've told him to stick it where the sun don't shine."

"Really?" I asked arching an eyebrow at her. Mira didn't seem to care and smiled at the mere thought of doing it. "Want to do it now?" Mira looked at me poised with my mobile in my hand. But then a mysterious look came over her face. "No. Let's play the game. As far as he knows nothing happened and I plan to keep it that way."

"Why?"

"Because if he tries to get me again then you and Ebony can keep an ear out for the sound." For a kid of her age she sure had some brains and a hate for Voltaire. I was beginning to like this girl more and more as the days went by. There was no doubt in my mind she was a Hiwatari all the way.

Later my mobile rang again only to show me Tyson's name instead. I always waited for a while before answering…I just wish I could see the look on his face every time I did it. But he didn't seem to want to give up so I sighed and answered it. "What do you want?" I tuned out Tyson's complaints about how I was so cold and rude. This always happened so I was used to it. "We're all training at the park and we were wondering if you were coming."

"Why?" I heard someone telling Tyson something but couldn't make out what they were saying. "Hilary is worried about Ebony staying in her room all day. But Ebony said she wouldn't come if you don't." Great, a mercy mission for Hilary's nerves. Doesn't that girl ever get a break? "Ok."

"Great, meet us at the park." Just when I thought I could have the day to myself. Mira always stayed out of my way until I called her. There was no way in hell I would be leaving her at the house alone. Voltaire could have ordered some of his men to kidnap her when I wasn't around her. "MIRA!" I called by the gate and as usual she came out of nowhere with that bag of hers. "I'm going to the park for training and I want to keep you in my sites." She understood and nodded in reply.

We arrived ten minutes later and spotted the others training. Ebony was looking as annoyed as I felt whilst Hilary had a big smile on her face. Mira looked a little apprehensive to be here but followed me just the same.

EBONY

I didn't blame Kai for bringing the girl. She needed to be kept in close contact all the time. Kai told me of Voltaire's phone call and I smiled evilly when he told me what he said to the old bastard. "Bet he never expected that." Kai shook his head as we sat beside each other. We both kept our eyes on Mira. The others liked Mira a lot now she wasn't as frightened like before.

Tyson gave her a detailed account of his best battle so far and she pretended to fall asleep. They laughed and even Tyson found the funny side of it…eventually.

Later Max played blind mans bluff with her for a while. She really seemed to like Max and played for hours with him. Until Kai became the cold leader and told Max to get back to training. Max made a face behind Kai and Mira smothered her laughter in her sleeve.

Next Rei decided to meet and greet the little girl. I saw him teaching her how to balance with her eyes closed just a few minutes after his introduction. She kept loosing her balance and Rei was on hand to catch her every time. He seemed to take a liking for this little kid and made him laugh.

Kenny showed Mira his data, which she found interesting. Now that was unusual for a child her age but we didn't think on it. Dizzi made her laugh with a comment about Kenny's exciting life.

Hilary told her about Tyson's faults she found annoying. I'm not sure but I think Mira found this as interesting as looking at a wall of drying paint. She made an excuse and hid up a tree until Hilary focussed her attention on a boy with a baseball cap. (Guess who?)

Then I came over to her and she smiled at me. "Back to your old self then?" She nodded and lay back looking at the sky. Kai kept looking at Mira all through their training. I nodded and he didn't look at us again for a while. Her first impression went well. They just took to her and had fun with the kid in between training sessions.

Eventually she got up and looked over to the boys. They were blading and she looked interested. "Want a game?" She looked at me and quickly shook her head in fear. "Ok." I said looking in to her eyes. Kai came over and kissed me making Mira look away trying hard not to be sick. I didn't blame her; she was only eight years old after all. "You want to go home now?" He asked Mira and she shrugged. "I'm not bothered."

"Good. We'll be here for a couple more hours." She nodded in return and lay back on the grass. She was a bit like Kai in her own way, no mistake they were related.

Mira kept looking over to the boys training in the dish every minute. I could feel her wanting to blade but the fear was still there. However her fear was weakening and she couldn't take it any longer. She turned to me and showed me her blade. "I think I'll take you up on your offer."

"Fine." I said in a blank sort of way following her to an empty dish. We took our positions and got ready to battle, She did the countdown and we launched simultaneously. Mira was very challenging for a kid and nearly knocked me out of the dish a couple of times. We called out our bit beasts as a final try to defeat one another. But I had more experience and a stronger link with my bit beast, no surprise she got thrown out. Her blade flew quite a distance away from the dish and landed on the other side of the playground. "I'll get it." I watched her run over to her blade and pick it up with a smile on her face.

Just then two men in black suits wearing sunglasses and earpieces came running towards her. "MIRA LOOK OUT!" I yelled but it was too late. They grabbed her and she screamed bloody murder. Kai turned to see them dragging her kicking and screaming in to a black van that pulled up beside them.

We all ran towards the van with Mira crying for help as they stuffed her in the van. The van burned rubber and disappeared out of the park. Kai ran further than we did. But stopped and looked at the gates the van passed through standing very still. He realised it was no use running after the van.

For a minute or two we just stayed there staring in the direction of the van. "What are we going to do?" Hilary asked and we snapped back in to reality. Kai turned round and looked at us. "Get her back."