Media: Hikaru Hasama

"Doji," I said shortly, taking a step back.

"Mm," he replied, his cold gaze never leaving mine. "I thought you honored our agreement, Tess, no?"

On either side of him were the twins, and I scowled at them, to which Dan only responded with a smug smile.

Behind him was Reiji.

"Who would care about your agreement?" I snapped.

He only raised an eyebrow. "I was under the assumption that you would, since both the lives of your brother and Saki are- well, were in your hands."

"What'd you do to them?!"

"Nothing of the sort," Doji waved a hand dismissively. "They're in the same condition as last time you were here- Saki is, but I can't say the same about Shaun."

I reached up and turned my ear piece on. Blue eyes followed me, Reiki's guarded gaze stalking my every movement. Slowly and deliberately, lowering my hand back to my side, I met his eyes.

"I'm still offering our agreement. Your battle with Reiji has proved that you, in the very least, have another steel in your soul that will benefit L-Drago."

He offered a hand, gesturing at me to come closer. The malice and venom in that smirk and eyes caused me to hang back, muscles tensed.

"No."

"No?" He echoed, brow furrowing. "I beg your pardon?"

"No, I won't accept your deal this time."

"I hope you do know the consequences, right? Not getting your brother back?"

Inhaling deeply, my heart gave a pang in the thought of leaving Shaun and Saki in the others' hands currently.

A huff from my earpiece told me that at least someone was listening in- it sounded too impatient to be Hyoma, Hikaru, or Kimi, which left Grayson and Una.

"I'm aware of the fact that you have five other people running out in this building."

"How? How do you know that!?"

Clicking his tongue, Doji waved a hand. "Are you ready to see the traitor among those you've worked with, Tess?"

His voice was mocking, and I stiffened.

Kimi's face was emotionless- not shy, not scared, not afraid- emotionless, just like the expression I've seen on Tsubasa multiple times.

"Kimi," I breathed.

The Orso blader locked her hands behind her back, smiling sweetly- and more creepily- then I've ever seen her do.

"Do you like my little act?" She asked with a giggle. "Huh? Huh? Huh? Didya' liiiiike it...?"

"The six bladers drop down to five, soon four," Dan said with a scathing look. I shot him a glare.

"Shut up," Kimi said without glancing at him, her face settling into one of seriousness as her playful tone behind her voice dropped. "No one asked you."

The Gemini blader looked like he was about to object, as did Reiki, but Doji lifted a hand and settled it upon Kimi's head.

"Traitor!" I snarled, but the scar was already there. It had formed across the surface the instant I saw her behind Doji.

"You don't seem all that surprised!" Kimi cocked her head. "Perhaps, did you see this coming?"

"I didn't," I murmured. "A good man or woman will tell the truth, no matter how painful, or how much it will hurt. Only a coward would hide behind a mask of lies."

"A cowaaaard? That's a little too far, isn't it, Tess~?"

"If there's something that I've learned from humanity... if they do it once, they'll do it again just to protect themselves."

She looked confused, settling one hand on her hip while her fingers repeatedly curled a lock of her dark-brown hair.

"Did you like my act, though?"

I stopped short, instead glaring daggers at her as Doji spoke.

"Words mean nothing when your actions contradict. Kimi here is our fourth top blader in the Dark Nebula. Most people count her as third since they don't know Reiji."

"Hehe, stupid Tess~!" Kimi sang. "I thought you might be able to see through me, but you're like eeeeeeveeeerybody else!"

"I trusted you," I huffed. "And you betrayed me!"

Her dark brown eyes gleamed, and I didn't seen the soft-spoken Orso blader I had first saw battling with Hikaru. I saw a girl whose's mind had been corrupted beyond repair.

"And what are you going to do?" I challenged.

Fingers clicked together, and someone moved with a speed I saw only in track runners. I saw it out of the corner of my eye- a dark blur, the only color identifiable being the light blue.

My head felt like it splintered as something smashed into it- metal, wrapped in a bony fist, and my knees went out from under me.

Someone caught me before I had completely collapsed on the floor.

"Huh, Reiji's blow is having much more of an effect on her then I thought."

"She has a concussion," Kimi said plaintively. "She also has an earpiece, which everyone's listening in on."

Dan's eyes flashed to me, and through the black tinting the edges of my vision, I could see understanding flick across his face.

See, now you know what I was doing when I reached up.

I believe it was Reiji who hooked an arm around my neck, a cold hand pressed across my mouth.

Blurs that looked like a mix of white and purple came near me, and when they came close enough, I could see Doji's wide, smug sneer.

Metal wrapped across my wrists, my left and right wrists pinned to one another.

"Rixen, are you listening to me? Can. You. Hear. Me?"

I wanted to speak, but I couldn't.

My lungs felt deprived of oxygen from the blow the snake-guy had dealt, and the restraints that clamped down on my wrists only caused further panic.

"She's not responding!"    Someone else started to speak, but Doji stopped in his tracks and turned towards me, snatching the earpiece in one quick movement.

"Uncover, are we?" He sneered. "Take her away, Reiki, Dan. Feed her life energy to L-Drago."

With that, he crushed the earpiece under his foot as he dropped it to the floor.

Just as commanded, two hands grabbed me on either arm, and the arm across my neck disappeared.

"Into the pod you go," was Reiki's cold whisper.