I was running. Where was I running to? Where was I? Was anyone with me? None of these I knew. All I knew was that I was being chased. Who was I being chased by and why? I didn't know any of that either, and I didn't dare look behind me. Turning to look back would only slow me down, and I needed to get as far away from my pursuer as possible.
"Luo!?" I screamed into the blackness that surrounded me as I ran. I looked around frantically for my dear sister, hoping to at least find a glimpse of her and get away from the person or thing chasing me. "Luo!? Where are you!?"
Suddenly, I could spot her beginning to appear in the distance. I could see her wavy, black hair, and the dark red shirt I remember seeing her wear a lot. I began to feel a wave of relief rush through me. "Luo!"
She turned to look at me, her beautiful brown eyes full of surprise. "Seiko?" she said quietly, as if she were shocked to see me.
I reached out for her, feeling safe. "Luo! I-"
Before I could finish speaking, I crashed into an invisible barrier separating the two of us. I began to feel panic, knowing my pursuer could not be far. I banged my fists against the invisible barrier, calling for my sister.
"Help me out of here! Please! Someone is after me! Luo!" I cried, trying to break barrier, but she didn't hear me. I hit my fists on the barrier several more times before I was stopped unwillingly suddenly. I tried to cry out to my sister again, but I couldn't open my mouth. Really, I couldn't do anything but listen to the thoughts in my head. I was frozen.
Suddenly, a knife appeared in my hand, and I could now feel the presence of what I believed to be my pursuer behind me. I wanted to scream for help, but I couldn't even try to open my mouth.
"I'm trying to help you. Just do what I tell you," I heard an all too familiar voice command me. Being granted the ability to move my eyes, I looked to my left to see midnight black hair accompanied by a bright green streak flowing in the nonexistent wind. I felt panic rise inside me. No, not him!
"You need to stab her. It's the only way you'll be freed," he claimed. Being granted the ability to speak now, I declined immediately.
"I'm trying to help you!" Morro exclaimed, taking me by the shoulders. His glowing green eyes were full of anger, beginning to remind me of the day I was possessed.
"No! I refuse!" I screamed. How would it help me!? Killing people only hurt me! It didn't heal me! How would it heal anyone!?
I could see Morro's mouth moving now, but I could only hear combined screams of different people. This situation had intensified out of nowhere, leaving me feeling like my head was going to explode. Though, at the same time, I wanted to scream and cry out. I wanted to escape. I wanted to get away from the noises, since I was starting to hear my friends screaming, but I couldn't. I couldn't move. There was nothing I could do. I began to cry from it all. The screaming, the nonsense, the confusion, everything. Even the fact that my own thoughts were beginning to not even make sense anymore.
Then, I could hear someone saying my name within the screams. I looked around frantically for the voice's owner, but I woke up before I could see who's it was.
"Karma...wake up," I could feel a cold, metallic hand gently shaking my shoulder, causing me to shiver in response. I opened my eyes slowly, feeling a single tear run down my face. I wiped it away from my chin quickly, brushing some of my hair out of my face in the process.
I looked to see Zane at my side, wearing a concerned expression. His eye was still shattered, though it emitted a dim blue glow. I sat up, adjusting myself so my back was flat against the wall.
"Did I fall asleep?" I asked my nindroid friend, knowing the obvious answer already. He nodded to confirm my answer, causing me to sigh. I was supposed to stay up all night.
"You may have fallen asleep out of boredom, despite the jolt of energy Lloyd gave you. Though, it looks like it triggered a terrible nightmare," Zane informed me. I shook my head. It was a nightmare, but I've had worse. Ever since I saw Luo's dead body and heard that bloodcurdling scream while under possession, 85% of my dreams have been nightmares that were centered around it. This was the third time Morro had appeared in my dreams though.
"It wasn't that bad," I claimed, shrugging it off. Zane still looked concerned.
"Karma, you were crying while you were sleeping and looking quite distressed. Are you sure it was not a bad one?" he asked, expressing worry. I nodded.
"Please do not worry about me. We have bigger things to worry about anyway," I said, getting up. Zane paused for a moment, then nodded.
"Okay, I am just making sure. Jay has nightmares that make him do these things too, but his are very bad," he informed me. I gave a small look of surprise. Jay having terrible nightmares? That's something that I wouldn't think would happen to him.
"He does?" I asked. The android nodded.
"They are the reason why he is so paranoid and quick to judge when it comes to situations like the traitor one. Hence why he accused Nathan almost immediately. Though, I have no idea what goes on in his dreams," Zane explained. I had to admit, I felt sorry for Jay now. It's no wonder he judged Nathan so quickly, his dreams left a deep scar on him, changing how he thinks. I tried to imagine what my dear friend could be experiencing in his nightmares, but I couldn't. What I've witnessed can't be anything close to what he's seen.
"We should probably wake the others and share what happened last night. They may know what happened to Pixal," Zane suggested, helping me up. I nodded in agreement, beginning to walk to the hallway. I picked up my staff on my way, shifting it into it's dormant form. Though, as I walked, I couldn't help but wonder why someone would abduct Pixal. She's but a computer program with a slight personality now. You'd expect Zane to get abducted instead, since his body is titanium and the fact that his core is made of a special substance. Though, Pixal could have been kidnapped for a different reason than her capabilities. Perhaps it was to draw Zane into a trap? Or maybe they used the parts within the flash drive that carried her for their own creations? Or maybe they're using her capabilities against her will, making her do what they say...like what Morro did to me in February.
I shook my head as I started to walk faster down the hallway. No! I'm not going to think about that! Though, I couldn't help but think. My mind forced me to. The way I could not move my own body, the barrier, the scream, the heartbreak that happened for no reason, not being able to call out to my friends, all of it.
I began to walk faster, shaking my head more furiously. No...no...no...no...NO! I'm not going recall any more of these terrible times! I'm not going to fall into that dark hole again! I'm not going to cry! I'm not going to blame myself!
Though, they still picked at me as I opened the door to Lilly and I's room and walked over to my blonde friend's bedside. I pushed the thoughts to the back of my mind as I shook my friend's shoulder gently, knowing I could get my hand ripped off for waking her up. I heard her grumble in response, and I continued to shake her shoulder.
"Lilly, you need to wake up, it's important," I said, now poking her face. She opened one icy blue eye in response, giving an irritated look.
"Zane called an emergency team meeting for something that happened last night. Everyone needs to attend it," I informed her. I heard her sigh.
"Give me five minutes," she mumbled, closing her eye. I nodded and stepped away, using the time to get dressed.
As I pulled on a simple purple hoodie and white shorts, the thoughts of what happened in February haunted me again. I was hearing the horrors again. My thoughts were forcing me to recall it all. I shook my head again. No! I can't be thinking about this now! Zane's issue is more important! Though, these memories stayed, hiding in my mind, picking at me as I pulled my hair up into a bun. What a terrible time to be having these kinds of thoughts...
I met everyone (minus Lilly and the old folk) in the living room with Zane, who was being repaired by a sleep deprived Jay. I watched him place the brand new glass eye in the nindroid's eye socket, making sure to brush out any remaining glass before placing it inside. The master of lightning twisted the eye to the left a little bit, before a click sounded and the bright blue light filled the eye, giving Zane sight in his other eye again.
"Thank you, Jay," the android smiled, blinking a few times before looking around with the new eye. Jay nodded and stood up, scratching his neck.
"Since the wires in your neck weren't severed, there's no need to fix your neck at the moment, but it's a different story for the dents around your eye. I'm going to have to wait until Nya returns my tools to me before I can fix it though," he informed the nindroid, casting a slightly admiring glance at the female master of water. Nya smiled nervously.
"Er...it might be a bit before you get them, Jay. I'm kind of in the middle of a project..." she said, scratching her head.
"No worries. I'll figure out an alternative," Jay smiled, turning back to Zane, inspecting the dents.
"So, uh, what's the emergency meeting about?" Cass asked, looking at the dents around Zane's eye. The nindroid turned to look at her.
"I was assaulted last night and I have no memory of it. Whoever assaulted me also took Pixal and most likely tampered with my memory disks. I thought I would ask you all if you heard or saw anything last night. Anything that could trace me to the attacker," he told her, casting a glance at all of us.
"Wait, who's Pixal?" Sammie asked, looking confused. Zane must not have told them about his gynoid companion. The nindroid proceeded to tell the newcomers the story of Pixal, making sure to explain how she got into his head as well. Though, as he did, Kai came by and whispered "Hey, have you seen Lilly?"
"I tried to wake her up about five minutes ago. I don't think she'll get up until she desires to," I replied in a whisper. The master of fire sighed.
"Typical of her."
"You can go try to wake her up if you want, though, there's an 80% chance she'll kill a man if you do so," I told him. Kai shook his head in response.
"I'm not going to poke the sleeping bear."
Once Zane was finished explaining who Pixal was, he sat up and looked at all of us.
"Another thing to add on who the attacker may be: I scanned the doors and windows for fingerprints and only found fingerprints of everyone on our team. Unfortunately, my system does not show what times these fingerprints appeared on them, so I can not tell who did it. Everyone has touched the door to the Bounty's hallway at least once, so I can not trace that either," the nindroid informed us, staring at us all, "So, the traitor situation we thought was long dead was not dead at all."
Everyone looked at each other. Some with suspecting faces, others with worry or surprise. I immediately spotted the suspecting look on Jay's face that scanned us all, until his eyes fell on Nathan. The male master of water took notice of the immediately, and opened his mouth to defend himself.
"Jay, don't even-!" he began to say, but the master of lightning held up a hand.
"No, you're not a suspect...and I apologize for all that I've done before. I didn't pay much attention to my evidence and ended up wrongly accusing you," he said, "Now this time, I have actual evidence for the person I suspect."
"Who is it?" Nathan questioned. Before any answer could be given, I heard a yawn. Lilly walked in between Nathan and I, blinking. Jay's bright green eyes fell on her immediately.
"Sorry, did I miss anything? My hair was utter hell to brush," she said, looking around. Jay turned towards her, his suspecting look lingering.
"Where were you?" he questioned.
"Um, I just said I was brushing my hair, so obviously my bedroom," she answered, crossing her arms. Jay's eyes narrowed into a glare and he began to pace back and forth. The blonde looked utterly confused.
"Jay, what's your deal?" she asked. Jay raised an eyebrow.
"My deal!? What about your deal!?" he exclaimed. Lilly continued to look confused, as did most of us.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"You don't think anyone noticed you leaving the tea shop everyday!? And no one has any idea where you had gone or why you return late!? Pretty suspicious if you ask me," Jay said, making Lilly's eyes widen slightly.
"Have you ever considered the fact that I have had to visit family everyday!?" she argued, starting to look peeved. Jay crossed his arms.
"But didn't you say your family lives in the mountains?" he questioned.
"I didn't specify which family," Lilly answered. Jay gave a bewildered look.
"You can't have more than one family, Lilly," he claimed. I saw my friend's eye twitch.
"That's what you think. You can have the family you're related to, but I have two other families. The family that took me in, and you guys," she said, "The family that took me in lives in the City. They were there for all the shit I had to go through before rejoining the team, now I have to be there for them in their time of grieving!"
Jay's eyes narrowed. "And how come you've never told us about this 'family' before?"
"Oh, I don't know! Why don't you ask Cole why he's never told us about Sammie before!?" Lilly exclaimed, gesturing to the master of earth.
"Good point, but I still have reason to think that you were the one that assaulted Zane," Jay rubbed his chin. Lilly began to look more exasperated.
"Are you serious Jay!? You know I'd never attack him! I know that Zane can take me down in less than five seconds and possibly even kill me! You know I wouldn't even be able to make that dent around his eye!" she shouted. Jay raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"Zane never specified what exactly hit him in the eye," he told her.
"Jay, I do not even remember what hit me in the eye," the nindroid reminded his friend. Jay shrugged.
"It's still evidence," the master of lightning claimed. Though, before Jay could go farther with his argument, Kai walked over to Lilly and put an arm around her shoulder, glaring at Jay. Lilly gave a look of slight fright again.
"Have you ever considered the fact that she's not the culprit?" the master of fire asked. Jay groaned.
"Okay Kai, we get it, she's you're girlfriend, but you don't need to defend everything she does," the master of lightning told him. Kai smirked.
"Practice what you preach Jay, but that's not entirely why I'm defending her," he informed him, "Pretty much, I'm defending her because I know she's innocent and hasn't done anything wrong."
"How can you be so sure?" Jay questioned.
"Because it would be obvious if she did. Haven't you noticed how nervous she gets when she's done something wrong?" Kai answered. Lilly didn't add anything to the argument. Jay and Kai glared at each other for a few moments, then the freckled ninja huffed.
"Fine. Maybe we'll find more evidence later that will point to the culprit," Jay said, turning away from them. He began to leave the room, when suddenly the sound of something heavy slamming against one of the windows stopped him.
"The heck was that!?" he exclaimed, looking to the window behind Hunter. The orange ninja turned and looked at the window, gaining a confused look.
"Some bird is trying to break the window. I think it's got brain damage," Hunter informed Jay. Zane stood up immediately, rushing over to the window.
"Oh, it is my falcon!" he announced, opening the window and letting the robotic bird in. It perched itself on Zane's outstretched arm and cawed, looking at it's owner.
"Do you have something for me?" the nindroid asked the mechanical bird. It cawed a response and it's eyes glowed blue, similar to Zane's. It then turned it's head to an empty wall and started to project a blank screen.
"I want one of those..." I heard Nathan comment, staring at the bird in wonder. I had to agree. With a bird like that, I could send messages to my family much faster and be able to watch TV without having to fight Jay for the remote.
Suddenly, the screen switched to a scene of a darkened room. I could spot a few toolboxes and tables in the background that were littered with mechanical parts. Though, oddly enough, under one of the tables sat a pair of high class heels. We must be seeing video of a very odd person.
"Oh my god Marléne you turned the camera on too early!" an all too familiar voice shouted in the background of the video, confirming my thoughts. We were indeed seeing video of an odd person. An extremely odd person.
Alex ran into view on the video, shooting a glare at whoever was to his left. "Warn me next time you old hag!"
He sighed, then looked straight at us. A fake smile grew on his face.
"Hello ninja! I hope you've enjoyed these past weeks of paranoia!" he said cheerily.
"We haven't at all," Cole responded, crossing his arms.
"Oho! So you all are aware this is a live feed! Great!" Alex continued to have a fake smile plastered across his face, clasping his hands. It sickened me.
"Well, let's get to our topic again. I'm sure you all are well aware that the Realm Crystal is missing, correct?" he asked, his fake smile becoming more of a villainous smirk now. I looked around at my friends. It's missing?
"Um, since when?" Lloyd questioned. Alex looked confused for a minute, then turned and facepalmed.
"Oh my god Marléne. The sensei didn't notice it was missing! We made this announcement for nothing!" he shouted to the woman off-camera. I heard a groan.
"Just continue on with it and quit bugging me you cul!" Marléne shouted in the background. Alex sighed, then reached for something off screen. He then returned, holding a sparkling Realm Crystal in one hand, and a white flash drive in another. Zane's eyes widened immediately. He rushed to the projection, pushing Hunter out of the way.
"Pixal!" he cried, looking extremely concerned. Alex chuckled.
"Great! I don't have to explain to you what this dull thing is," he smirked. The nindroid glared at him.
"How did yo-" he began to say, but Alex finished his sentence.
"Get her? Easy. Some shady guy sold her off to me. Judging by the dents around your eye, I'm guessing you two got in a scuffle. Such a shame you don't remember him."
Zane's eyes narrowed, and I could see the glow steadily becoming a darker blue. He's really angry.
"Give her back. The crystal too," the android demanded the master of psion firmly. Alex chuckled again.
"To the point, eh? Well, okay. Lucky for you I have an offer," he said, "Tell you what, I'll give you guys these back if you can give me...a mech!"
Nya raised an eyebrow. "A mech? Not a person or money?"
Alex nodded, clasping his hands together. "Yes! A mech! I've always admired them. Unfortunately, I do not have the technical skill to build one for myself. So, if you guys can build one for me, I'll give these back. It doesn't even have to have anything special on it!"
Nya looked at Jay, then back at Alex. "Are you sure? Or are you just saying this to scam us?" she questioned, placing both her hands on her hips. The master of psion nodded.
"I'm sure, and you don't even have to finish it by the exchange date. All I need is a progress picture," he smiled. I felt that something was off about him, but at the same time, I felt that he could be trusted. Not all negative people you meet are untrustworthy, are they?
"Okay, when will we exchange items then?" Zane asked. Alex rubbed his chin.
"Well, since I'm actually kind of scared of this crystal, I want to exchange it tomorrow. Is that alright?" he asked. Nya sighed, then nodded.
"Sure. Where at then?" she asked.
"By the fire temple, if that's fine. It's the place closest to where I'm living," he suggested. Nya nodded.
"Okay, got it. We'll be there."
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