(St. Vladimir's Academy)

When we got back to St. Vladimir's Academy around midnight, Dimitri pulled into the parking lot, and the van pulled up next to the Mustang. Everyone gets out of the Mustang and van. Jasmine grabbed her backpack and keys from Dimitri.

Jasmine and Dimitri turn at the same time to see Vasilissa, Christian, Adrian, Eddie, and Tasha standing next to the parking lot. Jasmine growled. Dimitri looked at Jasmine to see her eyes had changed from light brown to gold. Dimitri leans close to Jasmine to stay calm and keep control. Jasmine just looked at Dimitri and didn't say a word. Dimitri knew Jasmine would not play any games right now. Dimitri knew Tasha was walking a thin wire with Jasmine right now. Dimitri put his hand on Jasmine's small of her back just in case something happened. Jasmine said, "I need a glass of delicate tea when we get to the tower." Dimitri said, "I brew a tall glass of special tea when getting to the tower."

Vasilisa said, "Welcome Home, Everyone." Tasha was so happy to see her Dimka and voice it. Jasmine started feeling the burning feeling in her chest. Rose looked at Vasilissa and missed her. Adrian looked at Jasmine, could see the aura, could feel depressed, saddest, hurt, and a few more unique feelings mixed together. He knew it came from glancing at Tasha. Adrian wants to see what might happen when Jasmine arrives.

As Rose, Damon, Dimitri, and Jasmine walked up to their friends and Tasha, Rose said, "Vasilisa." It is good to see you again. Give her a big hug. " Everyone started talking to Rose and not Jasmine. Damon came up beside Jasmine. Say, honey, everything is alright? Jasmine turned and looked at Damon. Damon could see that Jasmine's eyes were gold and not the normal, light brown.

When Tasha came up to Dimitri and said, "Good to see you again." Dimitri turned his head and looked at Tasha. "Why did you come here and don't see that bringing anything for Jasmine?" Dimitri asked. Tasha said, "I would talk to you with anyone around." Dimitri said, "This isn't a good time." Tasha pulled Dimitri away from Damon and Jasmine to the side and asked something important.

Tasha said, "Would you like to become my full-time guardian?" Dimitri said, "I'm sorry, Tasha." I'm assigned to Vasilissa, and I just can't leave Rose and Jasmine in the middle of training them." Tasha said, "It's okay Dimka, think about it for now and give me your eventual response later." There's no rush. " Dimitri said, "I'm thinking about it." Dimitri turned back and could see Damon and Jasmine standing there looking at everyone.

Damon realized that none of the so-called friends had said anything to Jasmine at all. Jasmine said, "This is bullshit!" I'm going home. I can tell that I do not want to be here. " Damon reached over and kissed Jasmine's cheek. Jasmine turned around and walked away from all of them, heading back to the tower. Dimitri didn't like how Damon kiss Jasmine cheek and touch her.


(Week later)

Dimitri was walking the grounds of the academy. When passing by the gym, he found the lights were on. "Thinking to himself, odd this time of day, that lights would be on in the gym." A few hours before anyone would normally be in the gym. He opened the door, and walked inside to find the backside of a teenage girl wearing black athletic leggings and a long sleeve top with French braids pulled in a ponytail. Soon, realizing it was a baby girl, she let music play. When Dimitri realized the name of the song playing was Aerosmith - Crazy.

Dimitri stood back and crossed his arms. Start watching Jasmine to make sure she is not making a mistake. He looked down at his watch and saw that he still had a few hours before getting watched as Jasmine had a practice dummy in front of her, started kicking the practice dummy in the side four times to the side, and gave one blow to the dummy's head. Dimitri found Jasmine's form was clean and fast. Jasmine hit her mark each time. Then, she changed to her right leg and started kicking.

Janine opened the door and walked into the gym. She looks around you to find Guardian Belikov watching and her daughter, Jasmine, working out on a practice dummy. Janine walked over to Dimitri and said, "Guardian Belikov." Dimitri turns his head to find Guardian Hathaway standing there and says, "Guardian Hathaway." Janine said, "How long are you standing there watching my daughter work out?" Dimitri said, "Not for long. I watch to make sure that I am training correctly and not making mistakes. Jasmine's actions are clean and fast. You should be so proud of her that fighting is so different from Rose. "

Janine turned from Guardian Belikov and walked over to her daughter, Jasmine. Janine reached out and tapped Jasmine on the right shoulder. She stopped, turned to the right to face her mother, dropped her hands by her side, and started listening to her mother. Dimitri thought it was kind of odd that Guardian Hathaway wasn't yelling at a baby girl for being out of bed at this time of the day. She would be all over Roza's ass. Jasmine turns away from her mother, walks over to the radio, and turns it off. Put the mp3 player and speaker inside her backpack.

Dimitri walked over to Guardian Hathaway and asked, "What is going on?" Janine said, "Captain Alberta needs Jasmine to come to her office." Dimitri said, "I will make sure that Jazz arrives at Captain Alberta's office." Janine said, "That is fine. Besides, you will work with Rose in a few hours, and Jasmine will not attend this training today." Jasmine put on her coat, picking up her backpack and heading to the door of the gym.

Dimitri started walking to catch up with Jasmine.

Jasmine and Dimitri walked in silence, heading to Captain Alberta's office. Dimitri looked over at Jasmine and could see Jasmine lost in deep thought about something. Tasha walked up behind them. Call out to Dinka. Jasmine snapped out of her thoughts, and a small growl came to Tasha's voice. Jasmine and Dimitri stop in their tracks and turn around to face Tasha.

Tasha said, "Dimka." I need to talk to you about something important. " Jasmine said in a clear voice, "Natasha Ozera." "Please understand that Guardian Belikov is under the orders of Captain Alberta to make sure that I arrive safely at her office." You will have found some time to speak to Guardian Belikov.

By calling Natasha Ozera by her full name and not by her nickname. "Guardian Belikov, you know that Captain Alberta doesn't like to keep waiting." Dimitri said, "Yes, Jasmine." Both of them turn away from Tasha and keep walking.

Jasmine and Dimitri arrived at Captain Alberta's office. Dimitri knocked on the door. Alberta's voice called out to the room, saying, "Come in." Dimitri opened the door and walked into Captain Alberta's office with Jasmine. Alberta said, "Thank you, Guardian Belikov, for helping Jasmine find my office." Please return to walking the grounds. " Jasmine giggles at seeing Alberta kicking Dimitri out of her smile and closing the door in Dimitri's face. "Dimitri thought of asking her later what that smile and the business were about."


(Hours later)

Dimitri walked inside the tower and took care of a heavy package for Jasmine. He thought it could be from his grandmother, Yeva, sending Jasmine more special tea. But to find all the lights turned off downstairs. The only light was coming from the second floor of the tower.

Hear the radio playing the song Timbaland - Apologize.

Dimitri, moving upstairs to find Damon and Jasmine, were sitting on the bed together, and Damon was helping Jasmine with her homework. Dimitri didn't like how close Damon was sitting next to Jasmine. Dimitri demanded, "What in the world is going on up here in your bedroom?" Jasmine said, "Calculus homework."

Dimitri said, "break-time." Jasmine said, "Good." I don't understand why this math is stupid." Damon said, "honey! Math isn't stupid. You don't understand it. " Jasmine cocked her head at Damon.

Dimitri walked up the stairs with the package in his hands. Dimitri said, "Baby girl, you have a package." Set the box on the bed in front of Jasmine. Jasmine said, "I didn't order anything. Who is it from? " Dimitri said, "There is no return address." Jasmine reached over the side of the bed and pulled out a knife that she used to cut the ropes on the night' they returned to the academy.

Jasmine started cutting the tape on the box. Then she handed the knife to Dimitri so that he could put it on the nightstand. Jasmine opens the box to find an old envelope on top. Jasmine reached down and picked up the envelope. She flipped the envelope over and saw the wax seal with a mark of a tree. Dimitri grabbed the envelope out of Jasmine's hands. Seeing the wax seal was red, the mark on the tree. Dimitri said, "This tree of life and the balance of the elements." Damon and Jasmine looked at Dimitri. Damon said, "How do you know that?" Dimitri said. "I've seen this mark before, back in Russia."

Jasmine reached up to take the envelope from Dimitri and broke the seal to find the envelope was a letter. Read the letter to herself. Dimitri waited for Jasmine to finish before taking the note. Jasmine hands the letter to Dimitri. Dimitri read the message out loud so that Damon and Jasmine could hear it.

Dimitri said, "This item in the box is as old as time itself." Hold onto the secret that only a choice can unlock. We will arrive soon to show you the path in life. "Damon said, "Who are they and when are they coming here?" Jasmine said, "What am I, a fucking mind reader?" They are peace keepers!" Dimitri smiled to see Jasmine snap at Damon for the stupid question.

Jasmine reached into the box and pulled out an item that had old leather wrapped around it. Jasmine put in a lap and started removing the ropes around the leather. She opened it to find what looked like an old wooden puzzle box. Jasmine put her hands on each side of the box, and her head snapped up. Jasmine's eyes turned white. Seeing the flashes of the other girls that were distinct elements in the same puzzle box threw different periods of time.

Damon called Jasmine a few more times and got no answer. Is there something wrong with Jasmine?" Dimitri bent down, looked at Jasmine's eyes were white, and said, "Everything is alright." She was back in a minute after seeing an echo of the past." Damon said, "You don't look worried?" Dimitri said it has happened a few times. We just need to wait for her return and tell us what she saw.

Damon said. "I got a little sick. You hang around my woman all the time. How would you like if I go after Rose?" Dimitri said, "I would like what would happen. Roze turn you down."

Damon said, "that would be first for them." Dimitri asked, "what do you mean by that?" Damon said, "The last time that her friends speak to Jasmine before she left for her fieldwork. When we arrived back at the academy, they talked to Rose. They didn't speak to Jasmine at all. They acted like she wasn't there at all. Does that sound like good friends?"

"Dimitri stop, thought to himself. The night arrived at the academy we to busy talking to Rose and not to Jasmine." Tasha was in a hurry to pull him away from Jasmine. Now understood why Jasmine seems so down lately. Dimitri said, "Tomorrow, I will speak to them. Damon said, "Good."

Jasmine returned to consciousness. Started blinking her eyes. Dimitri said, "welcome back." Damon asked, what did you see? Jasmine said, I saw hundreds of other girls from the pass touching this puzzle box. The peace keepers will arrive soon. Jasmine yawned. Dimitri said, "it looks like bedtime for you." Damon said, "Need finished her homework." Dimitri said, she finishing in the morning."

Damon reached out to pick up the box. Damon gets shocked, making him pull his hand back away from the box. Damon said, "that puzzle box shocked me." Dimitri said, "Someone was listening again. The note said that Jasmine is the only one who could pick it up." Jasmine put the leather back around the puzzle box and tied the surrounding ropes. Dimitri reached over, picked it up without getting it shocked. Damon found it odd that Dimitri touched the puzzle box and didn't get shocked after the leather was back on it.

Dimitri said, "it worries her out to you some gifts as put the puzzle on the dresser across the room. But right now it's time for Damon to leave so that Jazz could rest before school. Don't worry, I will help her with math homework in the morning."

Jasmine put the math book and notebook back in the backpack. Dimitri took the backpack, and sit on the floor next to the bed. Damon reached over kissed Jasmine cheek in front of Dimitri. Dimitri had eyes on Damon. Dimitri said, "baby girl need get ready for bed. While I show Damon the door.

Jasmine looked tied. Damon and Dimitri walked downstairs to the first floor. Damon walked over to the front door and started to leave when Dimitri pushed Damon out the front door and close the door before Damon could say anything. Dimitri locked the door and checked the windows in the tower. Before coming into Jasmine's bedroom and finding snuggle up to her pony. Dimitri removed his shoes and clothes. Climbing in bed with Jasmine and asked, "are you sleep?" Jasmine said, "Nope!"

Dimitri said, "Move over pony and let a real man show it done?" Jasmine giggled. Jasmine put her head on Dimitri's chest and snuggled up to Dimitri. Dimitri put his arm around Jasmine. Dimitri said, "I have a few questions about what happened this morning?"

Jasmine said, "fire away." Dimitri said, "Why was working two hours before our training?" Jasmine said, When I was an ice skater I would have to get up earlier to work out before stepping on the ice. So I kept up with it." Dimitri said, I could understand why do that. What Captain Alberta wants with you?" Jasmine said, Well, it surprises for guardians and all novices students here at the academy. You will just have to wait and found out just like everyone else."

Dimitri pulled Jasmine closer and said, "You're keeping a secret from me." Dimitri reached the touching side of Jasmine's face with a large hand. Leaning in, giving good night kissed, before pulling away. Jasmine smiled at Dimitri. Jasmine lay her head back on Dimitri's chest and arm around his waist.