One morning, Salima was in the market with Hilary. The girls were looking for maternity clothes for Salima to wear. "What about this one?" Hilary asked, holding out a pink shirt with lilac patterns.
"Too girly." Salima replied.
"OK, what about this?" Hilary suggested, holding a blue shirt with red patterns.
"Too bright." she replied.
"I give up!" Hilary sighed. "We've been through hundreds of tops, and you didn't like a single one in your size." she exclaimed.
Salima suddenly spotted a black top with silver patterns. "I like this one!" she announced, showing it to Hilary.
"It's gorgeous!" Hilary cried.
"OK, I'll pick this and all we need now is another one." Salima announced. Sometime later, they left with two pairs of baggy trousers and two tops.
"We're back!" Hilary called when they returned to Tyson's dojo.
"What're you doing here?" Salima demanded. A man and woman were in the room with the Blade Breakers; her parents.
"Mum? Dad?" Salima cried.
Her mother smiled. "We've just heard that we're going to be grandparents." she replied.
"But we're also disappointed in you." her father added.
"What're you talking about?" their stunned daughter blinked.
"You do realise your 21st birthday is next week?" her mother asked.
"Yeah. So?" Salima replied.
"That's also when you marry Duane." her father announced.
"WHAT?" Salima screamed.
"Don't you remember? You and Duane would marry to unite our families after generations of hatred." her mother sighed.
"How long ago was this deal made?" Salima demanded.
"When you were born, we made a deal with Duane's parents for you to marry him when you turned 21." her father explained.
"Why didn't you tell me until now?" Salima asked.
"We were preparing you for your wedding day for most of your life...that is, until you ran away to join those Pyskick brats." her mother replied, glaring at Kane, Goki and Jim.
"Hey! Who're you calling brats?" Jim yelled. Goki and Kane restrained him.
"How could you do this to me? My baby will grow up with someone who isn't their real father." Salima whispered, tears in her eyes.
Outside, Kai and Ray were listening in stunned silence. "Salima's engaged?" Ray whispered. He was holding a small box.
"Ray, you can't let her parents do this to her. That's your child's life that's about to change as well." Kai ordered.
"Yeah, you're right!" Ray nodded. He opened the door. "Hold it!" he yelled.
"Who on earth is this boy?" Salima's mother demanded with disgust.
"That's my child that Salima's carrying. If you make her marry someone she doesn't love, she'll never forgive you." Ray began.
"Thank you." Salima mouthed.
"I need to do this now, because if I don't, I'll regret it for the rest of my life." he began suddenly. Salima looked shocked as Ray knelt on one knee, and opened the small box. "Salima, will you marry me?" he asked. Her eyes started to fill with tears. Great job, Ray! You blew it!
But she nodded. "Yes, Ray! Of course I will!" she squealed, taking the ring from the box.
"But, Salima, he's nothing like you!" her horrified mother gasped.
"What did you just say?" Salima asked coldly. Ray felt shivers down his spine. The last time he'd seen her like that was seven years earlier, when she was under the control of Cyber Driger.
"You two are so different." her father added.
"And I don't care." Salima replied. Her mother clapped her hands to her mouth in horror.
"How dare you speak to me like that, young lady!" her father snarled.
"You heard me. I've been keeping my past a secret for so long. In all my life, I never felt freer than the day I ran away. And if you disapprove of my choice for a husband, then I couldn't care less, because I love Ray and I'm glad that I'm going to be the mother of his child." she added.
"Woo! You tell 'em, Salima!" Hilary cheered. Her parents immediately left the dojo without saying a word.