Marissa paced towards the source of the stream, her fair hair wiping her shoulders and down back and forth in a playful manner. She followed Rick and Lance, watching them as they walked side by side. Sounds of running water filled the incoming afternoon. The stench of wet swords of grass zigzagged everywhere as they lightly caressed Marissa's feet. The sky was brightly lit to a cerulean blue as overweight clouds swam through the azure universe they called their own.

Trees to the right and the running stream to the left, Marissa watched the backs of the two boys, feeling miniscule compared to them. She kept her hands at her chest insecurely as she nervously peered back and forth. Paranoia filled her sapphire eyes as she stayed alert, meticulous of her surroundings. A wretched expression lay over her face like a mask on Halloween.

Startling her, a sudden groan of shooting pain came from her direction. She gasped as she pulled backward, jumping off her feet. She brought horrified nails to her straight, white teeth as she noticed Lance stumble on his feet. He was the one who had cried out in pain. Rick pulled backward as well, peering slightly to the right as he read his teammate like a book. Lance brought his hands to his side and groaned once more, wincing in pain. His legs suddenly grew weak and began to tremble. "Lance-san!" Marissa gasped in an inhaled voice as she watched Rick come to his side.

With long, tanned fingers, Rick brought Lance to his unsteady feet, his strong hands bringing him up by the arm. Everyone froze in place as the delay began. The coolness of the air was comforting, yet ignored as the three focused on the scene at hand. "No," Lance muttered weakly, opening one eye barely. His eyelid shook as his silver-painted eye seemed unsteady. He gritted his teeth, trying to hold the skewering pain back. "You're injured," Lance reminded Rick as he brought Marissa's attention to one of Rick's hands. He was right, Marissa realized. Rick had his left hand covered in band-aids except for the fingertips. He looked like he was about to be mummified by the hands as Rick refused Lance's request.

"That won't affect me," Rick muttered with a narrow stare. His golden eyes showed that he wasn't going to stop helping Lance. "Come on!" the Lightning Minor demanded. His fingers wrapped tighter around Lance's arm, as if trying to hurt him more. The Metal Minor's sleeves creased more.

"Fine," Lance quietly muttered, reluctantly, "but I can help myself." With a powerful grunt, Rick brought Lance's arm around his shoulders to support him. Now, Lance hung at Rick's right side like an ornament on a Christmas tree. Tired features still showed on his face in a tight lock, as if he had been diseased with a fever and cold at the same time. "The cure didn't completely finish killing that poison yet," Lance said, finding it hard to speak now. Rick didn't answer. The two just continued walking.

When she finally realized that she was going to be left behind, Marissa stumbled forward, shaking away from her thoughts. She took a light breath to bring her back to reality. They always try so hard, Marissa realized as she watched the backs of the two boys so close to each other. Their speed had been slowed, which Marissa found convenient for her. They fought against that blue-armored guy by themselves, Marissa told herself. While I did nothing. Rick…

"Don't worry. It'll be fine. Don't cry," Rick had softly whispered into her ear in the Inner World. His arms had wrapped around her like snakes – comforting snakes. The warmth of his skin wiped the tears away and his soft touch stopped the trembling.

Then, Marissa suddenly remembered watching from half opened eyes, trying to bring herself to consciousness. She had still been constricted by that large, metallic hand. The grayish steel was cold against her skin, and almost to a point where it was freezing. Her eyes opened to not even an accepted point as she watched, half in darkness and half seeing Rick's glowing arms like a hope through the forest. She remembered the prickly feeling of the tree's trunk against the back of her skin. She remembered Rick's hand's eerie glow as he made a promise to protect his friends. "No one gets to my friends without killing me first," he had confidently told off. He was so brave… so strong… and at that moment; Marissa couldn't keep herself up anymore. Her eyes forced themselves shut, and she fell back into the darkness of unconsciousness.

Why? Marissa thought. Why am I always the one that never does anything? Marissa remembered her and Lance's first conversation.

"I hate it when people think they're the topic of everything, it's completely conceited and useless to everyone else that's with you at the time," Lance had said with narrow eyes. His large, silver gaze glimmered in the flickering light like steel in sun.

"I think this picture is done," Lance had said, showing her the perfect portrait of Marissa's appearance – except that there was a large "LOSER" written across her crinkled forehead.

Marissa had fumed over it and mocked him for it. She then screamed at Rick for not doing anything for her. He was right, Marissa thought. I really did use to think I was the center of everything. I really was a loser, because I actually expected people to do things for me, to spoil me. I just pretended all the time like I didn't see it, like it was never there. Why…? Marissa thought, feeling useless and unwanted as a beady tear ran down her cheek. It left a trail of glimmering wetness as it clung to her chin before falling to its doom. She felt her nose tingle inside as more tears wanted to follow the first. She refused to let them go. She squinted the tears away, shaking her head as she blushed uncontrollably, feeling herself lose power over her body functions. The weak tears gave up soon enough and left her be, giving her some comfort. I want to do something…. Something for them for once. Something that will prove that I'm not useless, and that I can do something good if I want to.

Suddenly, she found the chance. Sensing another presence across the stream, she gasped as she threw a glowing light frantically across the stream. The yellowish light was a trick she used as a Sound Minor that when it was touched twice, it would explode into immense vibrations. The shimmering sphere exploded loudly as blistering sound waves erupted. It shook the stream's currents and turned heads as the banshee's screech filled their ears.

"What happened, Marissa?" Rick demanded frantically, calling her attention. Marissa took a nervous breath as she knew she was in trouble. She swallowed hard, looking for her voice as she looked shamefully downward. She couldn't bear to have Rick's eyes attempt a search into hers. It was too painful to experience.

"I-I thought I heard something," Marissa muttered shyly. She tried hard to hold back the tears this time as she hid her sadness the best she could. Her hair hung limply behind her sadly, as if all the enthusiasm dragged out of it as well. Now, the cool soft breezes that happened ever so often was the only thing that moved them. Her azure eyes hid from Rick's critical gaze.

Rick sighed. "Try not to do something so loud to alert the enemy next time," he suggested as Marissa nodded carefully. "We could get in big trouble in our team's condition right now," Rick warned. Again, Marissa nodded, this time more full of shame. "Don't be so paranoid."

"S-Sorry," Marissa answered unsteadily. She could feel her voice begin to crack into tiny little shards as she caught her breath before it became noticeable. She kept her glare harder on the floor, making sure that not even one with the largest range of sight in the world could see her. She swallowed hard, forcing down the knot in her throat that seemed to tighten and tighten over and over again. Her eyes swelled beneath her eyelid barriers

Lance stirred weakly at Rick's side. "Don't be so hard on her," he muttered in a silent whisper as Rick turned back and continued walking. Rick didn't seem to reply. Marissa began to follow the two boys, keeping her distance now. She kept her hands folded at her waist as she bowed her head down, not wanting to look up anymore. She kept an eye on their feet, though, and resumed following them. I don't want to get in the way anymore, she told herself.

As they continued walking, the location where Marissa had thrown that sound sphere continued to smoke dust and whiteness into the air, hissing like a newly dead fire. All the while, underwater in the azure blue stream came a blackish figure, swimming expertly through it, its feet flinging like chopsticks. It went so fast that you could only catch a glimpse of it as you lost sight of it, leaving a trail of bubbles to follow before they faded away.

PoVS

Teresa, Daniel and Kenneth continued to rush through the trees. Teresa kept their trail, keeping just the right distance away from them. Not too far, yet not too close. The two boys of the team jumped side by side, their closeness never waned. Teresa wished she had that. She had memories of times when she had that closeness – those relations with other people that kept her happy and smiling. But she didn't believe in that anymore. She knew that relations only end up with hurt and pain. That's what she believed… isn't it? She didn't know. She often shook her head, blurring the thoughts away from her as she tried to take her mind off of it. She was afraid that if she stopped believing so, she would get hurt again. And no one likes emotional pain.

The cool air went against them as they rushed past the limbs of trees, as if protesting their path and direction. Lush green heads swayed like olive clouds, leaves rustling here and there like a hidden conversation behind the team's backs. Thick wooden bodies stood in their way with their fingers pointed to every other direction as if telling them to go anywhere else but where they had chosen to. Brightness filtered through the bald spots of the heads, and conceived the only light in the forest.

Punctured holes from above showed godly blue. Teresa took a deep breath, noticing something strange. She made a peculiar look as she breathed again, making sure. Her features turned more curious and puzzled. No way… she thought, as the tension released from her face. That scent… she thought as she turned her head backward. She found nothing but trees waving good bye and wishing them luck, shrinking into a blackness hole deep into the forest. Her violet eyes shook unsteadily as she turned forward, making sure Daniel and Kenneth were still there for her own security. She didn't want to be alone. Not with this eerie feeling she had. "Daniel-san," she called to the Minor who fit the title of leader.

Daniel didn't turn back as he replied. "What is it, Teresa-san?" he said, sounding like nothing but business. His red hair was flustered from the denying breezes. He brought a finger to his nose to pick up his glasses. Faint sunlight reflected off the rectangular spectacles. The violet-haired girl had caught Kenneth's attention, too, causing him to peer backward to catch a glimpse of the confused, tensed face of Miroku Teresa.

"I scent something wrong," Teresa told him, taking in another whiff just to make sure. It was definite now. The stench had gotten worse. Her violet hair became bristled by the forcing winds. All of the scenery seemed to go against them, and Teresa had to admit, at this point, she agreed with it.

"What is it?" Kenneth asked the question for his brother. Daniel still didn't turn back. He kept a sharp eye for what laid ahead of them. Kenneth was like his partner at this point. Daniel really changed, Teresa thought. He used to be so weak and silent, and now he takes so much control. Then, Teresa shook her head, knowing that it wasn't the time to be thinking such a thought. She had to focus on the task at hand.

"It… it smells like…" Teresa couldn't find herself to finish the sentence. It was either that, or… she just dind't want to. She smelled it again, making extra sure. She wanted it to not be true. Oh, how she wanted the scent to be so unreal that it was a hallucination of her psychotic life. She could tell Daniel wanted her to hurry up and say it. His features on the back of his neck tensed up. "Blood," Teresa let out in a sigh.

Kenneth's eyes widened as he turned back to watch Teresa. His steps from limb to limb had become more careful and lighter. Even his icy gaze turned frozen. Daniel's steps had become more meticulous as well as he jumped slower from tree to tree. Teresa could tell he was thinking of what to say, hiding his reaction.

With meticulousness, Daniel peered to the left, then the right. His eyes were narrowed as he picked up his glasses again, the faint sunlight pouring off of it once more. All he found was pillars of trees that flew by as they rushed past. Then, he looked behind him, and then up, then down. Still nothing strange. Once more he picked up his glasses, and once more the sunlight reflected. "Teresa," he called the attention of the violet-haired girl.

"What is it?" she asked, watching his back. His clothes fluttered as cold breezes intervened him, knowing no privacy. Teresa wondered what he could have wanted to ask.

"For how long now have you been noticing the scent? What was the condition of it over time?" Daniel asked in a blunt voice. She could tell he wanted a straightforward answer. No explanations. Just tell me what I want to hear, is what Daniel had basically told her.

"For the past ten minutes," Teresa answered respectively. She cleared her throat, wanting to speak louder. Her voice was always so low because she wasn't used to talking. "It's been getting stronger as we've been getting closer to the gate," she told the other part of his question.

"I see," Daniel said finally as he stopped rushing from tree to tree. He landed on the next branch lightly, crouching from the energy he released as soon as his feet touched the wooden limb. Kenneth and Teresa caught his actions. They widened their eyes in alert as they stepped onto respective tree branches as well. They crouched from the energy they released, and watched Daniel for direction. The redhead's face was tight in thought, locked in his own clever thinking. He closed his eyes, taking a sample of the air's scent. The stench of dried blood was so intense it was hard to miss. He couldn't believe he missed that detail. "Okay then," he said finally, having the solution. "We'll stop here for now," he told them. "If it's getting more intense as we get closer and closer to the gate, maybe there's danger ahead. We just got out of a fight so I don't think we're too prepared for another one. At least, I'm not."

Kenneth and Teresa nodded respectively. They traded glances with each other, and placed their attention back to Daniel. "We'll stay down there for a while, and when we come back up, if the smell still hasn't gone away, we'll just head for the gate anyway. Got it?" Daniel said seriously, sounding so clever and smart for the youngest Minor in the group. He was the fourteen year old one, anyway.

Once again, the two teammates nodded and traded glances. With a jump off the branch, Daniel headed straight downward towards the dirt caked ground. Kenneth came second, being the braver. Teresa came last, taking one final look behind her as she felt a presence glide over her, rubbing her like a soft pillow you slept on that was alive. A soft breeze blew by as a reaction, carrying three blackish leaves to their funeral. Teresa swallowed hard once more.

Soon, the three found themselves on the dirt ground, and began walking towards the right. "What do we do now?" Kenneth asked, picking up his speed to catch up with his brother who was smoothly walking towards the more bushy part of the forest. Kenneth caught his brother with a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know," Daniel answered bluntly. Teresa wondered if it was because he was tired that he sounded so lean and difficult. "I have to train and work on my accuracy. I felt it slipping in the last fight," Daniel told the two. "Maybe you two should train as well. It would help to learn a new technique instead of using some random attacks when you're in danger."

Now on cue, the two other teammates nodded and glanced at each other. Kenneth cleared his throat, thinking of an idea. "Oh yeah," Daniel said, finally turning his body to face Teresa and his brother. His greenish glare was the least bit friendly. Blackish bags hung under his eyes like memoirs of sleepless days. "Don't tire yourselves out too much. We don't know what'll come up next."

Of course, the two subordinates just had to nod once more. Teresa looked to the palm of her hand as she began to walk behind the two boys again. Her steps were steady and light across the dirt ground, crunching the half-dead grass blades as she proceeded forward. The lined, blade-like triangle that was embedded in the palm of her hand that lay between her index finger and thumb began to release purple wisps of energy. Hardness escaped those palm lines and grew out of her hand like a horn as the idea in her mind grew and expanded.

PoVS

Eric, Walter, and Mark watched the stone whiffle ball as white smoke continued to hiss out of it like a snake's hungry cry. Mark swallowed hard, nervousness consuming him, eating away at his limbs and body in a torture that wouldn't stop. Walter watched with confidence, ready for just about anything, claming his nerves as he shifted his weight. Eric watched blankly, still amazed at Walter's performance, and in awe at the hissing whiteness.

The holes inside the stone prison now showed nothing but darkness inside. Mark was too afraid to move and check. Walter and Eric chose to wait just in case. They played the smartest move.

A loud rumbling came from the stone sphere, and long, growing cracks began to appear on its shell. Walter let out an exhale from his nose as he changed his stance. Eric clenched his fists tightly, preparing himself. The knot in Mark's throat came back and began to expand.

The cracks made themselves longer and longer until bits of stone began to fall off like broken armor. Then, as if a burst of impatience, a huge explosion erupted from the center of the shell. Black smoke fumed into the air, the same clouds that wanted someone to talk to – anyone. A light redness spilled over leaning bodies of trees, the ebony puffs spreading everywhere in hate and revenge. Eric was the one who swallowed hard now. His fingernails began to dig deep into the palm of his hand, and he had to try really hard considering how he barely had any.

The wind picked up and the smoke was swept away easily and quickly. The green and red eyed opponents stared narrowly at their three opponents, Gaia smiling his entertained, unrestrained smile as Sanshouuo kept his grin closed and impatient, anger fuming between his lips. They were totally unharmed, not even a charred mark on their discolored skin. "Damn it," Sanshouuo grinned, as if he had been through a thirty mile race with a body not fit for it. "These guys have wasted enough of our time," he croaked in an edgy manner.

"Damn it… they got out!" Walter clenched his fists tightly as he narrowed his eyes. His voice was low and somewhat calm. He reeled in his fist, as if getting ready to punch something in closer range.

Gaia seemed to change his expression into a more alert one. He widened his eyes and hung down his mouth in a light gasp as fear began to edge at the sides of his features. "What're you doing just standing around for!?" he cried out swiftly and impatiently to his brother. He tried not to waste any time with his sentences. "Brother! Do it now!" he demanded.

"Yeah, yeah!" Sanshouuo said loudly and hastily, finding no time to think. Suddenly, the two bones brought themselves together and one twitched the other one like sparking a match. Once that tiny little flick was made, the whole area inside and out of where the three Minors stood caught them by surprise in a wide, blasting explosion. The loud crashing noise screamed in a panic into their ears, deafening them as they were overwhelmed by surprise. Dust and smoke blew everywhere as they had no time to think – no time to move or escape. Explosions piled everywhere over and over again, and the swirling, blackish fog took them away… and brought them to a new home.