Katyusha turned around to face her former companion, "How did you know about the plan the Psykicks made?"

It had been a merely curious question from Katyusha's side, but the guilt crossing his brought her to a stop. She eyed him in suspicious.

Now looking at the conditions around her, the attack had started the day they got involved in it. Was it all a coincidence?Katyusha never wondered about the possibility of the connection between the two events. She had assumed that the arrival would have something to do with the upcoming tournament.

Still deep in her thoughts, Katyusha asked," When was the last time you guys came to this city?"

Therese squinted his eyes, deep in his thoughts, " As you know, Jake came recently but for its been a long while now since we came back to this...world?" He said. "Around five years ago?"

Katyusha doubled over in shock. It's nothing new for them to go years without them visiting the human realm but it's usually only when they sense some issue with the realm. The last time they had stayed for years until five years ago when they all left after Katyusha went with Mr Dickenson. She had forced them to stay with her when Kai and Katyusha had first parted ways after Kai had accidentally blasted the Russian camp set up by his grandfather. It had been next to intolerable for her to live by herself were the only people she was familiar with were slowly leaving her side. Due to that reasoning, her group had stayed with her until she had come back to her senses. In the meantime, they have participated in many competitions in the native nations and villages, including the previously held Championship League. It was the first time Katyusha had met Mr.D. After that, he practically dragged her everywhere. If it had been upon him, he might have even taken the Black Muses members along but they had excuses ready for such occasions.

That's when the idea came to her. Her previous assumptions hadn't been wrong.

"Therese, is it by chance related to the tournament, which will be coming up in three weeks from now?"

Therese avoided her eyes, fetching the weapons from under his thigh belt. He tossed it to her without even meeting her gaze.

Catching the short knife in her hand, Katyusha picked her pace towards her friend. Gripping his shoulder, Katyusha forced Therese to face her. Her questions weighted between the silence.

"Yeah. That's right." Therese admitted at last.

Katyusha took a big breath before jumping for assumptions, "This is about me this time, isn't it? It doesn't involve the others until it's necessary?"e

"Not until you wish to, of course."

"How did you guys get to know about it?"

"Your sister."

Katyusha's tongue clicked before she could stop herself. If it was her sister who had sensed it, this was a big deal. But till now, all she could say for sure was that whoever was behind this company and tournament wasn't an airhead. They knew what they were doing, and even seem to know the deals of the same. This tournament won't be easy on her.

"We need to find Kai." Katyusha declared, still halfway in her thoughts.

"You see Katyusha. We have come to save you, not the other way around. So you are staying with me and-"

"I was good enough on my own. Not the whole gang needs to come to save a person."

"DON'T EVEN TALK TO ME ABOUT IT. Your Tyson was planning to bring a trope or something to get you."

Katyusha sighed, "Expected."

"Your team is sure of the same kind as you are."

"Well- they might take offence if you had said that to their face."

"Katyusha, with the face you are making right now, the same can be said about you." Therese pointed out for her. without knowledge, she had tensed her expressions. With efforts, she relaxed with conscious efforts. Now it was her time to ignore Therese.

"We need to get to the guys before the Psykicks get to them."

"Your friends were managing well. But why are they called Psykicks again? And you are still coming with me."

Katyusha answered him, ignoring the ending comment altogether. She knew he was worried and has all rights to hold it against her, but when the psykicks have taken it upon themselves to show them her interior, Therese's presence will only slow her down. "I don't know. I never really pondered over a reason to know why they were called Pyskicks. Ask them why Pyskicks are called Pyskicks, I guess? The only time we have had a proper conversation was during the tournament. Amid the final battle. They had an unforgettable reason."

"Hey there, Katyusha. You are comforting with the villain of the storyline you see."

"What's so wrong about sympathizing? Understanding the reasoning behind the purpose is also a major step in any plotline, don't forget Therese." Katyusha smiled as she exited the room.

The sun was down, drowning the hallway in pure darkness. There was not even a single source of light in the hallway. Both ends ended in a similar fate.

"Take my torchlight. I will use my animal vision for now."

"Don't drain your energy for vision, Therese. You don't know who might leap at you. You can't expose the-"

"I am very well aware of the conditions on my power, Kat. You need to stop worrying about such things for now." Therese crossed her, cutting through the space between the door and her. His skin shrunk right in front of her. The legs blurred into white wool, black covering where legs were. The human she was starring at had turned into a sheep. Out of all the things possible, she hadn't been expecting an appearance of a sheep. It's been more than a decade since she had seen a sheep. Well, she never really patted a sheep.

She stepped around the sheep-turned friend of hers. Therese usually loses his ability to talk when he turns into an animal. Seem like he still hasn't gotten the hang of it yet. She patted him on his head, moving ahead. She called back at him to answer what he had asked her off.

"Either way, if this is my story, I am not the main character here, remember." She nodded at her friend.

He looked at her for a brief moment before responding with a nod in agreement. They both knew that the people who they protect are the ones taking control of their life. The life which they are presented with right now is a lie, a mere extension after death. They have chosen this lie for life, to protect someone.

For her, Kai is the main character. All she was a person watching over him. Or so she hopes it stayed, but she feared it for a long time. That what might happen when the extra falls for the main character.

Sadly, all the ending Katyusha had imagined for Kai and her in her mind, had ended at a dead end.

Dear Readers,

Sorry for the shorter chapter this month. Loads of things were on my head to peacefully write and seem like the writer's block is going to persist a bit longer this time. Anyways, I apologize once more.

~Rowena