"That's the choice. I love him, with all that, because of all that. On purpose. I love him on purpose."- Red, White and Royal Blue

T/W: Mentioning of death.

The representative of the Psykick member grinned at them, his vicious smile dripping with arrogance and pride. Pride, supposedly, because of them getting 'trapped' here with him.

"Look at the divine presence I stumbled across yet again," he said, glancing from Kai to her.

Katyusha gave him an annoyed look, "More like looking at the holy presences, I trapped. But hello to you too, unholy presence."

He took a step forward with a scowl, "Did anyone ever tell you how bad your sense of humour is?"

Katyusha waved her hand, "Yup, occasionally. But I go with the motto 'if you can't blow someone away with your facts, shoo them away with your nonsense.' Works usually, so doesn't really matter in the long run, does it?"

"I hate to admit it, but that's some dope quote you've got there queen," he agreed. When he didn't get a reaction from her, a frown covered his face, "You seem to have gotten used to your title faster than I expected."

"You are desperately trying to get a rise out of me, aren't you? For your information, I had this title for more than half of my life so it ain't really new." Katyusha countered, nodding as she explained.

"Getting a raise by opening about your actual identity, you mean," he said, pointedly ignoring her. "Those fighting skills did not give away your anti-demon persona. Sad."

"'Anti-demon persona'. You excel at making unnatural things sound even weirder and complex than they are." She didn't miss out on the fact that this dude had already seen her fight before. This piece of information could change the game.

Ignoring her comment yet again, he started towards Kai. Without wasting a single beat, Katyusha shoved her way between the approaching threat and Kai.

"What's the deal with this dude?" He asked. " Hello, you see me?"

"He is usually bored with things, and you aren't helping his case." Pointing at Kai's face, which was received with a glare, she said, "He looks more drowsy now, thanks to you. And trust me, he might play death games to entertain himself if he needs to."

The psykick dude risked his life as he pushed past Katyusha and stood right in front of Kai.

"Okay then. I assume you want fun and adventure."

"No," Katyusha said, from Kai's side. The guy just stood there blankly staring at her, as if trying to place her in the right part of his 'Top 5 People who Annoyed Me Today' list. Or perhaps even 'The one I Will Kill' list. His expression surely matched the latter.

"I remember him talking the last time I was assigned with you guys. Can you just let him speak?"

"Nope," she gave out a simple reply. "Anyway, do you really want to deal with him? What do you need from him?"

"'Deal' is a nice choice of wording. I like it, you're way better than the old hag commanding me."

The guy hit the jackpot Katyusha didn't even imagine he would. Katyusha now gave him her full attention. The guy seemed to notice her undivided focus on him. Curiosity and the need to understand the situation was practically leaking through her. Fortunately, he was good at reading her. Or maybe she just looked desperate enough to make a compromise of any kind for the piece of information he could provide them with.

Or better yet, she could just break his bones until he gave her an answer she could work with.

"You look like you are contemplating how to get information out of me? And- Wow, murder, huh?" The guy frowned at her and then raised a brow at Kai.

Katyusha jotted back. This guy had serious talent. Did he read minds? Or maybe she just spoke her mind out loud and didn't notice? Either option was risky enough.

Katyusha said, "Well since you seem to be so well attuned with my internal thinking process, why not give the answer considering it will be a lot better if it comes out without problems. And honestly speaking, I have run out of energy," she said, folding her hands across her chest, hiding away every part of her vulnerability. He eyed her for a split second before looking back at her. "And unlike you," she continued, "I can't read minds, so yeah."

The Psykick ally sighed, "Whatever, it's not like I came searching for the both of you without any cause."

"I don't expect you to"

"Yeah well, I am done with this cooperation and their shady past, and seemingly an equally shady future. I got what I needed, now I can easily walk away from this company. So before getting out, why not make some friends?"

"What are you talking about?" Kai seemed to have caught up with them.

"Oh wow, if I had known you would talk like this then I might have started it beforehand."

"Why not do us a favour and finish the topic you brought up?" Katyusha added in, concerned that he would change the topic. Again.

Glaring at her, he said, "So what do you wanna know?"

"What is this place? And don't bother giving a vague answer. What is happening here? Who was the 'old hag' you were talking about? Who are the people in charge of the same?"

"Since when did you turn out to be royalty?"

Kai interrupted her, bring up a topic that could have been called outdated since that conversation had already finished a few minutes ago. But when it comes to Kai Hiwatari, now is the only time he knows. And it looked like he ain't taking wait as an answer either.

"Since whenever. I am usually addressed as royalty just because of my position as The General, but well. I really don't want to correct them. It helps when you break laws. Power is something to be lusted over at times of need. "

"How did you become The General at your age?"

"Well for what it's worth, I'm a decoy for a general. My brother is the actual General. I'm more like the General of spies. Age ain't a big matter in the Witchhuntera, since not many stay. So they just take anyone who has a good strategic head." Turning towards him, "I'm a spy, Hiwatari. A spy and an assassin."

"Since when are you so interested in me though?" Katyusha asked, not realizing the Psykick guy waving right in front of her eyes.

"I'm not interested. It's more like I need to know you because you're in this world to save me from whatever witchcraft you're against."

"Witchcraft is way too literal. Witches' work is more like the reality of the situation. And I have been by your side for three-fourth of your life, Hiwatari. The sudden need to understand me should have come sooner. But I guess I am supposed to be pleased that you even took an interest in me."

"Don't get your hopes up. I am more interested in the one behind this. Unlike you, who fights without a strategy and goes against everyone you encounter. Someone has to do the work required to make it out of this hell-hole without killing anyone in the process."

" You guys seriously just get lost in each other, don't you? How come the conversation took such a random term" he said, his hands resting on his hips now, looking a very pissed self. "Whatever, let me ask you what I need to. Then you are free to go back to asking each other universal doubts, I wouldn't care less."

Turning towards Katyusha now, " do you think anyone you saw here is from your world?" The guy asked her.

"I never saw any of the people here before in my life, but again, I doubt my experience with people in witchhuntera or my ability to recognize people from different places is good enough to be acknowledged. But are you telling me that you are willing to work and cooperate with us? Why? For what need?"

The enemy chuckled lightly, "Like you, I have people I want to protect too. But the only thing which differs here is the fact that you know the people you are protecting, and I don't."

"Okay, let me get this straight. You...don't know who you want to protect?" Katyusha asked, feeling more confused as the time passed by. That's when the reality hit her. Maybe this boy in front of her was more than what met the eyes. Maybe...a very maybe chance that is...is that he was a part of her people. That he was a witch chaser like her.

Maybe he was someone beyond the passage of death and life and was left with the decision to protect someone in exchange for their life after death. Someone who had chosen to not die and continue with their journey for life, but with a little twist.

Without another word, the guy moved past her and Kai, towards the other wing of the place.

"You will be late if you stay here for too long. Because you were already here, you must have heard the timing thing which goes off every two hours." Glancing at the watch shining on his wrist, he called out to them, "There is only about half an hour left before it starts to rotate again. It won't be easy to find the exit again if you miss this rotation by any chance."

"Why is that?" Kai asked him.

The guy shrugged, "It's aligned in a straight line right now. The exits lie on that end of the tunnel."

As soon as the words spilt out of his mouth, Katyusha whipped around to face the direction in which he was walking. Due to the dimness of her surroundings, she couldn't see through the dark well. Only if Therese had been around…

Katyusha looked back at the boy standing behind her. She caught Kai's eyes before she looked back at the predator-turned-less-rogue.

"Why are you helping us? Don't run around in circles. If you can speak the truth, say it out."

"You won't understand it," he said, his voice choking on broken hearts. This was the first kind of emotion he had displayed until now. Whatever the reasoning, it was possibly something much deeper than it looked.

"Trust me with the understanding part. I've got a good part of "not understandable" in life, don't you think?"

"Maybe someday I will tell you," He gave her a soft smile, genuineness dripping from his smile.

Shocked at the sudden change in character, Katyusha could only look at him as he walked past her and disappeared into plain darkness. Katyusha noted the lack of a source of light.

This guy took his secrets and walked away without looking back at them.

"How did you even become a spy or whatever you are?" Kai asked, breaking the silence which had filled her heart as the guy had walked away with his secrets hidden deep.

She had been really blessed to have someone to protect who had been near her. Even if the acceptance of her true identity as his "saviour" was late coming.

"Beware of your words, Hiwatari. Whatever is responsible for your life." Katyusha countered back.

He glared at her. She chuckled. If he had been any younger than he was, he would have snapped right back at her.

When Kai had first discovered Katyusha's secret, he had despised her with every part of his being, which at the time wasn't much but grew enough till some years ago. Letting go of his own life and being protected and bound together with someone else for the rest of his life had been a curse for him-and her. Bound together was more of a curse than living at some point.

"So where are you off to now?" he asked, breaking her trail of thoughts.

She eyed him suspiciously, "You read my mind? How did you guess that I wasn't going to leave yet? The first question should have been 'when are we leaving?' rather than 'where?'"

Kai took a step closer to her, closing the distance between them yet again.

This guy dared to keep messing with her feelings. And she knew he knew what she was thinking.

Daring him to take a step forward, she went on, "What are you going to do, Hiwatari?"

The slightest movement in the corner of his eyes indicated enough for her; he wasn't leaving her side today.

"You know, if even one of us gets out on time maybe we can have a chance of surviving it." She said,

"Don't you think you should get on with it then?" He countered back.

"Maybe. But try me." Kai's eyes fell on her yet again. They were blazing with need, an unconditional way of expression clouded his face.

She knew without fail that her face mirrored his, if not with more intensity. She knew if he tried to take her, she would have gone with him without uttering a word. She would have followed in his footsteps, letting him lead her to death if needed.

But till then, she would go down fighting until he decides to do otherwise. She would fight till her heartfelt heavy with desire and her hands were sweating from the heat of the moment.

Involuntarily, she took a step back, backing against the wall, putting distance between them. He didn't move a single step, but his eyes followed her with such intensity they prickled on her skin. Goosebumps covered her arms. The bond of feelings intensified, sending sparks through her skin, making her magic erupt.

Katyusha collapsed in agony, ice piercing her skin. The ice stayed invisible but the movement reaching every cell was felt. With the sudden yelp, Kai leapt and started to close the distance.

"DON'T!" Katyusha screamed. He stopped right where he was, his leg stopping as if being commanded. His face, which was covered with hunger, now blazed with something unreadable.

With the help of the wall behind her, she tried to pull herself up. The pain reduced but the look on Kai's face was enough to burn her down again.

Her thoughts spiralled back to when she had wanted him to look at her like this, to feel what she was feeling. How much she had come to hate her own decisions and her own magical blood. How much she had come to hate being related to someone on such an ethereal level. She had forgotten the main reason behind why she had chosen to live once again.

She had been immature and innocent then, not knowing how that would affect either of them or the bond of magic they shared between them. But today, even with the needed knowledge of the problems that could take over, she enjoyed it. She let herself feel what she had tried to suppress for so long.

But Kai's expressionless face made her harshly see why she had hated that look of his face then, and she was forced to see that again. This stone-cold face which she sees every day somehow cut right through her heart even without trying.

Katyusha took a heavy breath. Kai hadn't moved an inch from where he had stopped, nor did he look like he wanted to, but the hands shifting at his side told her otherwise. Sparing him the need to tend to her, she forced her legs to gain back their strength and got up.

Blurriness covered her eyes for more than a few minutes. Swallowing low, her breathing ragged, she flipped open her eyelids.

The darkness behind her eyes resembled the dark dim-lit background around her. A beam of light caught the corner of her eyes. She flinched away from the source of light to see the abandoned lightstick-which had originally been in her hand-on the floor. It must have slipped from her hand when the magic had hit her.

Trying to focus on the mission on hand, she turned to the stone-faced boy beside her, his hands barely stable at his side, eyes hooded, "Kai, we need to hurry. Time is ticking against us."

Without a glance, he asked, "Where to?"

With no energy to go against him, she simply agreed. "To the bit- beast trapped on the other side of the building."