Lloyd awoke as if from a deep sleep, slow and drowsy. He heard the sound of an alarm and far off voices; he remembered flashes in the darkness, desire and fear; skin brushing beneath his lips; a soft sigh that turned to a warning 'Harumi' he choked out, his voice hoarse and sat bolt upright.
'Well that's telling' said Jay with sarcastic distain.
Lloyd shielded his eyes against the bright infirmary light and saw Cole standing at the end of his bed. Together, Zane stood in-front of the door and Jay leant on the wall next to him 'Where's Kai and Nya?' Their faces were set. Serious expressions that held news and then tentatively added '...and Harumi?'
Cole spoke 'we had an intruder at the Temple. Kai has disappeared'
Concern crept onto his face 'and Nya?'
'Nya is with Harumi'
Lloyd released an obvious sigh of relief 'she'll keep her safe?'
'What?' Cole was incredulous 'No. She will never keep that tyrant safe. Harumi will be lucky if Nya doesn't try and kill her. But now we know where you've been disappearing to and where your loyalties lie' Lloyd fell back onto the bed and closed his eyes. Here it was, the moment he had dreaded. The fact his friends were silent spoke volumes and Kai was gone? Could their intruder and his be linked? He felt sick.
'Please' his throat was sore and tight, he raised his hand to put pressure there, to help him speak and felt the thin line of a long cut 'You have to understand. You have to believe me... and her. She's changed' They just stared at him, devoid of the words to convey their fear of Lloyds situation 'When I went to her, she was in a bad way. She was thin, not eating, punishing herself. There was writing all over the place; not just on discarded paper but on the walls... everywhere. I read some. In those words I saw someone else, a child trapped' He implored them to understand what he said, but their worried looks didn't give him much hope.
'Lloyd...' Cole gently spoke and came to sit by him 'the heart is a powerful thing and can over power your mind. Harumi knew you were drawn to her once and she knows, as we all do, that you care. You care about everyone and everything. I don't think I would put it past her to use that against you. Lloyd shook his head. Unable to accept Coles words, his emotions pulled within him as his taught lips held them in. It didn't matter how much he explained, they would never believe what he knew to be true, not just in his heart, but in his gut. Harumi was in danger and nobody cared.
'At least tell me how she is'.
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The guard unlocked the door to Harumi's infirmary room for Nya. The slight figure lying in the bed subtly tensed as she heard her enter. Turned away, Harumi's hair spilt onto the pillow and she stayed like this, pretending to sleep. The last thing Nya wanted to do was be here when she should be looking for Kai. She had no desire to see Harumi, let alone talk to her, but the news of Lloyd's nighttime tryst and multiple visits to her cell had caused her real alarm. She leant in the doorway and waited for Harumi to acknowledge she was there... Finally Nya spoke 'I know you're awake'
'...Why are you here?'
'The first time we came to you, I made a huge error in judgement. I was swayed then, as we all were... as Lloyd was. On that occasion, I had been summoned, which to be honest rubbed me up the wrong way; I'm not one for waiting to be told what to do or say. But now I'll never have the privilege of being summoned by the Royal Family again; and I wish for all the world that wasn't the case. It's funny how you always want something when it's gone. Apparently you feel the same way... or so I've been told'
'...Lloyd'
'It seems you've got Lloyd exactly where you want him. What I don't know is if this whole repentance thing is an act. I am liable to think it is. It's kind of your thing'
Harumi turned to Nya 'What does it matter if its true or not. My life is here now'
'It is. You'll never experience real life again'
'Not that my life was ever real'
'Don't think for one minute I care about your life. Lloyd, I do care about. He thinks you've changed. I think he's got a good heart but has issues and I think you are manipulative to the extreme'
'I would be dead now if it weren't for Lloyd...' Harumi's voice trailed off '...and that would be fitting justice. But here I am' she indicated the infirmary and Jail around her 'and here' she jabbed her fingers at her chest 'he pulled me back and all I care now is that Lloyd believes in me. Everyone else can go to hell... so off you go' Harumi gave Nya a dry uncaring look, lay back down and turned away.
'You're one fucked up little princess, aren't you?' A silence fell between them.
'... Is he ok?'
'I'll never talk to you about Lloyd... Your intruder, on the other hand...'
'What do you want to know?'
Harumi recounted the moment she realised something was wrong. The open shutters, the door unlocked. The sylph like Ninja, small and fast. How Lloyd had been overpowered by something more than a physical force and how the shadow flowed like oil over his body to wrap a cord around his neck. The low light had found a slither of pale skin through the ninja's hood, it's neck exposed by the act of pulling back on the cord around Lloyds'. She had flung herself at it as if magnetised and sunk her teeth into the intruders' soft flesh. It dropped the cord instantly and fled, breaking the small window to escape.
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Kai opened his eyes. He brought his fingers up to the back of his head. His hair was matted with blood from the wound beneath his fingers 'fuuuck' he whispered touching the grit that was embedded in the soft tissue. He winced remembering the impact that had knocked him out... Red eyes, flashed in his mind... and the face of the devil child that tricked him into falling off the island.
He pulled himself up to see where he was, a hard bunk in a dark room, a large cellar by the looks of it. Beyond the floor to ceiling bars that held him secure were bags of produce, crates and broken training equipment stacked haphazardly together. A high small window showed a glimpse of leaves outside and a furnace burned in the far side of the space. It gave an orange glow to the gloom, warm and sinister where the cast shadows flickered, making his eyes swim and his stomach turn. He could tell it was hot by normal standards and on any normal day it wouldn't bother him, but today the sweat broke easily from his skin. He leant back on to the wall. A sickly heat flushed through his body and a cold shiver ran through him; he was not well.
His head lolled to the side and he looked towards the only exit, stairs shrouded in darkness. The light from the furnace and small window hardly reached where he stared and straining his eyes to see into the depths he willed himself to find the strength to move, to find a way out. But his mind refused to reciprocate and kept him firmly rooted to the bunk. The darkness swam with his eyes, forming shapes that danced and taunted him just like the devil child's eyes had when he fell. The ghost of her stood in front of him. He turned his head to her and his mind followed slowly. He tried to swat the vision away. His limp hand hit something solid.
'Hey, watch it!'
'... You little biii...' He vibrated a molten aura, then bent double and threw up.
'Nice!' the devil child muttered 'just chill out flame boy'
Kai coughed 'uuurgh, easier said than done' he attempted to lift his head and swayed forward. She supported his neck and placed her hand under his chin, lifting it for him. Looking at the back of his head she released a quiet whistle at what she saw. Helping him lie back down she settled him on his side. He heard the sound of water and felt the cool pressure of a wet towel on his forehead. He released a sigh, it felt good, but the cold only lasted a moment as the water evaporated off him. She repeated it again a few times '...thank you' he whispered groggily. He heard a shuffle and opened his eyes to find her sat in front of him. Unblinking she stare into his eyes and as the heat rolled from his body, the throbbing in his head eased and his nausea disappeared, she didn't seem to mind as he became mesmerised by the swirl of red in her unusual eyes.
She smiled a little 'that better?' Kai went to move and she raised her hand to his shoulder gently to stop him 'oh, no, don't move. You're not well , you just think you're well. I've adjusted your perception a little and now you don't comprehend the pain you're in.'
'What are you...?' Kai asked slowly.
'A freak like you' She looked away and the pounding returned immediately. Kai winced and grabbed her shoulder 'Was that you?'
'Was what me?' she said and smiled mischievously before locking her eyes back to his and he felt the pain draw way again. She sat back and relaxed, again the pain returned 'Look, I need to clean up your wounds. You're pretty badly hurt. You know I can take the pain away, but you must promise me you won't do anything stupid? Your body won't be able to stand any movement' Kai nodded, his eyes shut tight to the throbbing in his head and he felt her hand on his cheek 'Open your eyes' she whispered. He did as she asked and looked directly into her strange red eyes. Where before he had seen only evil, he now found solace.