One by one, smugglers backed down from weakness, exhaustion, or fear of death, and only Rosa remained standing, injured and panting.

"Wow...you guys are...surprisingly strong." she huffed between breaths.  Kasai glared her down, also panting.

"Give up.  Where's Lightning?"

"I'll never tell you. Never."

"Oh, I think you will."

"No. No I won't."

She shakily aimed her pistol at Kasai and fired, but the agile phoenix was swifter and dodged out of the way, knocking the pistol out of Rosa's hand with her sword. Rosa attempted to fire with the other pistol, but the same thing happened. Kasai then kicked her down and placed one foot on Rosa's chest and held her sword up to Rosa's neck.

"I'll ask you one more time." she whispered, her temperature rising. "Where. Is. Lightning?"

Everyone watched with suspense. Even the group who had barely escaped before were watching from on top of the hill.

"I said...I'd never tell." Rosa whispered.

By now, Kasai was fed up.  She spent all this time searching, and for what?  To be denied by one of the only ones who knew the location of Lightning?

Blue flames started flicking off her body as her eyes glowed a bright blue and a smirk spread across her face.

"Wrong answer."

Fear filled Rosa's heart as Kasai rose her sword into the air and let out a screech, then swung it down towards the cheetah neko. Rosa screeched in fear and barely rolled out of the way, shoving Kasai down.

Te resting gang members immediately leaped to attention as Kasai charged once again, fiercely fighting as if she hadn't been injured or exhausted at all.

"RETREAT! RETREAT!"

The cry rang through the camp as everyone darted away, including Rosa, who led the stampede away.

Kasai panted and growled as the gang ran.  She was about to run after them, but was held back by a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Kasai?"

She froze as the glow and flames faded away.  Her legs gave out, causing her to fall to the ground weakly with a grunt.

She looked back up to see Flash, Zakk, and Streak gazing down at her, and Doug, Sasha, Katie, Orchid, Cody, Choco, and Barry coming to join them.

Her eyes widened as she realized what happened.

"Kasai...you're a blue fire?" Flash asked.

"I..."

Kasai's eyes now sparkled with fear.  She had unleashed her dark side, and all her friends had witnessed it.

She shakily got up and backed away.

"... I'm sorry."

And with that, she ran away.

"Kasai!" Cory shouted, sliding off of Doug's back and attempting to follow, but he weakly fell to the ground instead.  Katie and Doug both rushed to help, but they and the rest of the group stared with awe and heartbreak as Kasai's silhouette faded to a speck on the horizon and disappeared.