The story so far:

~ Bunny lives in her hometown swallowed by seawater. To escape to the City, her cousin Ira has been arranged to be married to Dhir who lives in the City. Bunny helps her cousin Ira escape from her own wedding, by planning a 'kidnapping'.

~ Bunny has won the Talwar competition allowing her to attend the International Training Tour.

~ Bunny and her family move to the city helped by Dhir's family. She attends a new school.

~ Bunny makes a new friend - Raaga, and an enemy - Aakhya, who bullies her all the time. 

~ Bunny receives an email saying the results of the Competiton were reevaluated and she lost her spot on the Tour. Feeling something is off, she goes to her hometown to confront the Academy.

~ Her competitor Smitha admits that she paid off the committee and that's why Bunny lost her spot to Smitha.  

~ Bunny punches Smitha and breaks her nose; her Coach, Atul, stops her from causing more damage. 

*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*

****3.Bunny****

After extensive negotiations, Bunny's suspension was reduced to five months.

Whatever chance she'd had at bringing Smitha down with proof, she'd lost it with the first punch she'd dealt her.

Coach Atul was upset with her behavior – if only she'd kept quiet, she'd had a sliver of a chance to take the issue of bribe to higher authorities. Not only did the suspension keep her from attending classes, it put her out of practice for next year's trials, which meant that even the following year's trials had slipped from her fingers. By then, it would be too late to participate in her age group – she'd have to train an additional three years for an attempt at the next age-skill level.

Bunny had ruined it for herself.

She'd cried for weeks, but what was the use of crying over something she'd ruined for herself? Her parents had requested for another re-evaluation and a softer punishment on her behalf. It had only reduced her suspension from seven months to five. Bunny refused to attend Bharathanatyam classes because of it; it hurt to go to dance-classes, which were in the same building as the Talwar classes.

Bunny had been put into Bharathanatyam along with Ira when she was five and Ira, eleven. Ira had already been attending them for a few years, and they would go together. Bunny hadn't known of the Talwar classes being held in the room opposite to the junior dance-classes.

When Ira had been sick, her father had dropped Bunny off to class, and instead of dance, she'd gone into the room opposite it, and stood there, transfixed. She'd missed dance classes and sat there in the room, watching the students train with a sword. And, that was it – Bunny had refused to attend dance classes. Her mother was against her picking up a sword, but Ira had suggested that maybe she could attend both. And, it's the only reason Bunny had agreed to continue dance – if she could go for the sword-training classes. She'd been the first female student, and then, slowly, the other girls started trickling in, making a total of seven girls at present. Over the years, Bunny had found that the grace that came with dance, helped her be more nimble with the sword; it had become win-win.

By the time Smitha had even picked up a sword for the first time, Bunny was already besting the boys who'd trained for years ahead of her. It was an absolute insult that Smitha was in this year's International Training-Tour. It should have been her.

"Bodhi is in the living room; my mom's freaking out," Ishn said, coming into the room. "You better bring him back in here," he said, sitting on his bed and turning on his laptop to study.

Ishn and Bunny shared the room, making her miss Ira even more than before. She'd shared a room with Ira all her life. Ishn was allowed to have his own room after he was ten-years-old. Until then, he'd shared the room with their paternal grandparents.

Where were Ira and Anshu now? She hadn't heard from them since Ira was 'kidnapped.'

Grumbling about a nonsensical superstition about black cats, Bunny marched into the living room and picked up a displeased Bodhi. She brought him back in and placed him on her bed, reprimanding him for making her get up and fetch him every now and then. But, in his defense, the apartment was small, and he wasn't allowed to roam out of it. Where else was a cat supposed to walk around?

"Close the door," Ishn told her, "the TV is too loud."

"You do it,"

"Else, what?"

"Suffer the consequences of the loud TV dramas," she shrugged, getting back on her bed.

"Idiot," Ishn said, as he went to close the door.

Satisfied, Bunny got back to texting Raaga. She was getting restless without the Talwar classes. She'd even given up on dance, so she spent all her time in the City. Her parents, aunt, and uncle had tried to convince her to attend dance classes, but she'd refused. It would hurt to go there knowing she wasn't allowed to train for the Talwar.

"I hate this apartment," Ishn groaned as the sound of the TV dramas made its way in through the closed door.

Their grandfather was hard of hearing and needed the volume to be really high. It was alright to deal with back in the large ancestral home, but in the apartment – big, though it was – the sound was all over the place, no matter which room they locked themselves in.

Ira and Ishn's father and Bunny's father were siblings. Living with the two families also was Damini's mother and Bunny's paternal grandparents. Asha's parents lived in another city with her brother's family. With three older people at home, the TV was almost always on – their only source of entertainment. And owing to her paternal grandfather – the volume was unfailingly set on high.

"I can't wait to get out of this place," Bunny added.

"Yup," Ishn mumbled staring at his laptop screen. "Bunny,"

"Hmmm?" she was distracted, texting Raaga about how to get back to Aakhya. Raaga was suggesting something that involved Garg so that she'd be embarrassed like crazy. Bunny liked it.

"I can't help but keep thinking that Ira ran,"

Bunny stared at her cousin, her phone forgotten. "What makes you say that?"

Ishn looked at her and shrugged. "I don't know, it just keeps bothering me that Ira kind of went with the men without much of a struggle. Also, Anshu and her brother left rather quickly. For someone who claimed they loved my sister enough to marry her – why was she out of there so soon?"

Bunny blinked, astonished at his observation. How in the world had he deduced all that?

"It definitely looks like you know something," Ishn narrowed his eyes at her.

"What? No!"

"Then, why are you getting tensed?"

Bunny had no answer for that.

****

In the end, Bunny had disclosed everything to Ishn. He'd been furious, but he'd been happy for Ira. Now, the question was whether to tell their parents or not. They'd be uselessly traveling to, and forth their hometown searching for Ira.

Bunny was all for not telling them, in case they decide to question Ninong and his family. Not to mention his friends – the ones who'd 'kidnapped' Ira. In all probability, Anshu and Ira had gone to Anshu's family, who'd accepted their marriage. But, it was unfair to make her aunt and uncle travel every week for it. They just had to find a way to stop them from doing it; Dhir, as well.

"Hey," Raaga greeted Bunny as she sat next to her.

"Hi, sorry, couldn't continue our discussion last night."

"It's okay," Raaga told her, taking out the science textbook. First-period science was never a good start to the day. It made Bunny sleepier.

"Hey, village girls," Aakhya called out.

"What one-celled-brain?" Raaga asked, drawing a frown from the girl.

"I'm having a birthday party this weekend; you are both invited," Aakhya informed them.

"What makes you think we'll go?" Raaga asked.

"Because it's the best party you'll ever attend, not to mention the only one," Aakhya taunted. Her clique of well-manicured girls laughed in sync with her.

"One of these days, I'll take her soul," Raaga huffed.

Bunny grinned at Raaga, whose honey-burnt caramel eyes held ire. Raaga was from a wealthy family too, her house – if it could be called that, the word palace suited it much better – was in a posh area, the same where Aakhya, Garg, and a few other classmates lived. Bunny had been there twice; Raaga preferred to spend time with Bunny at her apartment, though Bunny never understood why.

During the lunch break, Raaga and Bunny were seated in the cafeteria; Bunny had her lunch box filled to the brim with idlies, and Raaga was eating the cafeteria burger and chips, and also the idlies from Bunny's box. They were seated by themselves next to the table with Aakhya and her entourage.

Garg, who often ate with three of his friends came up to them for the first time, in ever.

All eyes were on their table when he asked, "Can I join you?" directly at Bunny. 

Taken aback, Bunny had no response but to stare at him and his friends. So, Raaga replied, "Sure,"

Garg sat beside Bunny, and his three friends distributed themselves on the empty bench. Raaga couldn't control her smile; Bunny was growing angrier by the second and uncomfortable from Aakhya's stare, as Garg and his friends proceeded to open their lunch boxes. 

Bunny had never seen the boy up close, and now she stared at him. His hair was black with strands of brown hair interwoven – something that wasn't too obvious unless one really paid attention. Also, when he looked at her, she noticed that his eyes were exactly like Raaga's, no difference at all.

"I hope my cousin here," Garg pointed to Raaga, "has been good company," he said, tearing a piece of roti in his box and scooping up the vegetable subzi.

Bunny stared open-mouthed at Raaga. "What? Why didn't you...?"

"Because he's annoying," Raaga cut Bunny before she could finish her question. "Also, don't tell anyone; not everyone here really knows," she added, softly.

Bunny huffed, irked.

"Are you going to that idiot's party?" Garg asked her, eyes seeking out Aakhya, who smiled at him; a smile he didn't return.

"Not even if it would save the world," Bunny answered her voice coarse.

Garg grinned. "You need to stand up to her," he said staring at her, "she keeps taunting you,"

"I can handle it, thank you,"

"Perhaps, I must let her know it's not cool?"

"I said, I can take care of myself," Bunny told him, and added to Raaga, "You were right; your cousin is annoying,"

Raaga laughed, and Garg grinned, "Just letting you know, if you need anything, I can help," he informed her.

"Thanks," Bunny rolled her eyes, annoyed.

Garg and Raaga glanced at each other.

****

After lunch, Aakhya enraged by Garg's attention on Bunny had dumped a tube of red paint on her head. Garg had intervened, for the very first time, and an embarrassed Aakhya had gone ahead and made it worse by pouring her apple juice on Bunny's paint-stained hair. Finally, the class-teacher had taken action as Garg went and complained to the man. Aakhya was suspended from school for a week, and Bunny was sent home for the day.

Bunny had rinsed her hair before going home, but both her grandmothers had caught something off about her. They'd fussed over her before Bodhi came to the rescue by jumping onto her bed when both grandmothers were seated on it, worrying about why Bunny hadn't told them she was having trouble at school.

Raaga had arrived after school, and the two girls had gone out; Bunny was glad her parents, aunt, and uncle weren't at home yet. She wondered if Ishn had told them the truth about Ira.

"I think she'll be more careful now," Raaga said, popping a chip into her mouth.

Bunny sighed, digging into the chips packet, as they walked about the neighborhood consuming junk food. If Coach Atul saw her this way, eating chips, he'd have a panic attack.

"When the paint was on my hair, I had the urge to cut it off, you know. And, dye my hair red – I've been thinking about how amazing your pink streaks look, for a while now."

"What's stopping you?"

"I'm a dancer, Raaga. I can't do that to my hair."

"I thought that dance was secondary to you?"

"You've met my parents, Raaga. In what world do you think they'll accept me cutting my hair and dying it?"

Raaga stopped their pacing and looked at her, "They surely can't throw you out of the house once you do it?" she wiggled her brows, making Bunny laugh.

"You know what? Let's go," Bunny took her advice.

"Don't dye your hair now," Raaga advised. "Slow steps; first initiate them to short hair."

"But, you..."

"Don't you know that this is how my hair grows?" Raaga winked.

"Oh, please!"

"No, really, my hair grows pink and black," Raaga said more seriously.

Bunny laughed and dismissed it with a wave of her hand.

****

"What in the world?" Ishn said as he opened the door for Bunny. "Don't go in," he pushed her back out of the house and joined her outside. "What's wrong with you? This is a joke, right? Is this a wig, Bunny?"

"No, I cut my hair, for real," she told her cousin proudly.

"Bunny! What's wrong with you? Your dance teacher will freak out; your mom will kill you!"

"It'll grow a reasonable amount in four months," Bunny argued with him. "I'm not going back till then,"

"Ila-Banhi, you're crazy. Get ready to pack your bags; I hope Raaga will let you stay at her place because I'm sure this will not be your home anymore,"

Bunny stuck her tongue at him as he let her back in.

And all hell broke loose.

Every single adult in the apartment shouted at her, including her half-deaf grandfather, who'd gauged the situation and the reason for the yelling the moment he looked at her coming out of his room. Ishn sat quietly at the dining table, watching over the events; he wasn't enjoying it, but it had consumed the very last of his attention. Bodhi was in his arms, sitting alert as if he knew what was happening.

Bunny didn't regret her decision. She'd been thinking of cutting her hair for a long time – her only hindrance had been dance and her parents' ire. But, she had decided to face it. Her waist-long hair now reached just below her chin. Raaga had gushed over how cute she looked, commenting on how she couldn't wait for her cousin to see her.

"Ayoooo," her mother cried for the hundredth time. "Lord, what am I to do with this girl?"

Bunny was standing in front of the two sofas where all the elders were seated.

"This is your fault, Damini, for not paying attention to your daughter. First Asha's daughter, now yours," her paternal grandmother said. "Today, she came home with paint on her hair; you don't take care of her! She is having trouble at school,"

"Ayooo, Ila, why didn't you say anything?" her Uncle wailed.

Bunny looked at her cousin for help, but Ishn only shrugged. They were both helpless.

"I'm calling your school tomorrow," her Uncle said.

"No, Sameer Uncle," Bunny spoke, "They've suspended that girl,"

"What? Who is this girl who poured paint?" her father asked. "I'll make sure she is expelled!"

"That's not necessary, Appa!" Bunny yelled at her father. "Ishn, tell him!"

"What?" he asked, clutching Bodhi tighter as if for protection.

"Stop this!" she yelled. "I'm fine,"

"You are not!" Damini yelled. "No one in their right mind cuts off their beautiful, long hair! You stay home for a week, girl; we will speak to the School's Principal tomorrow. You need care,"

"Oh, for the love of Baba!" she cried, taking the name of her saint. "I'm not insane, Amma!"

"You listen to your Amma, Ila," her grandfather said, his voice quivering with anger and old-age.

"That's it! I'm done!" Bunny yelled and proceeded to walk out.

"Where do you think you are going?" her uncle yelled. "You stay home, Ila-Banhi!"

"I am going home!" Bunny cried, the tears finally breaking loose. "This isn't home! I'm not staying here!"

Bunny walked out the door, and Ishn followed her out with Bodhi.

"Don't come!" she told him.

"I am," he contradicted. "The last time you ran like this, you ended up punching Smitha and gaining a suspension,"

"Entertaining, isn't it?"

"No, I'm worried," his voice was soft. Bunny let him accompany her.

****

They reached their hometown early in the morning. They'd eaten dinner on the fast-train and slept the rest of the way. Thankfully, no one had restricted Bodhi from being on the train.

Bunny kicked open the locked door, and they entered the sea-water-filled house. They waded in and climbed to a higher floor where the water didn't reach yet.

"I missed this place," Ishn said, settling on the floor in his room, shivering from the cold his wet pants made him feel.

"Hmmm," Bunny said, sitting beside him. "You are missing college for me,"

"Not a problem," Ishn smiled, letting Bodhi go, who stretched. "I had no lab today, but you do owe me money for dinner. Who runs away without money? Idiots like you," he shook his head, answering his own question.

Bunny smiled. "Thanks,"

He shrugged. "I'll sleep for an hour or so. Bunny, we must go back to City today. Okay?"

Bunny groaned.

"Bunny..."

"Okay!" she agreed.

Ishn slept, and a bored Bunny wandered out of the room, followed by Bodhi. She meandered about the house going into each room, nostalgia taking over. She reached the stairs that led to the attic and climbed the worn-out wooden stairs. The kids were never allowed up there, and she'd never paid much thought to it growing up. Now, without the adults there, she was free to do what she wanted.

Bunny found the old wooden door barred. She kicked at it a few times, and it finally gave way. Coughing from the dust, Bunny stepped into the dark-engulfed room. She turned on the flash-light of her phone and entered, catching glimpses of sealed cartons in the light. It looked nothing more than a forgotten storage room. She walked in deeper, and Bodhi followed at her heels, purring.

She stepped on a tiny, dust-covered, wooden box. Bunny picked it up and sat on the floor; Bodhi jumped into her lap at once. She grumbled about her parents, keeping this a secret. Why was an ordinary storage room a secret? Or maybe it wasn't, and she was reading too much into it. Perhaps the only reason the kids weren't allowed in there was that it was a musty, old room, full of unwanted junk.

She tried to pry open the wooden-box, but couldn't with one hand. She placed the phone on her lap and tried again with two hands. It didn't budge. Frustrated, Bunny let it go.

All she wanted to do was train in the sword-art, and excel at it. How did the length of her hair matter? It wasn't like it wouldn't grow back, ever again. Bunny only wanted to be home, her real home. Not some weird apartment in a vast, cold City.

Puffing up her chest with air, Bunny tried to open the box again – this time around, it clicked open. Bodhi meowed as she opened the lid and found old photographs, earrings, and necklaces. They must be worth a ton, now, she thought surveying the ancient jewelry. Had they genuinely forgotten about them? Why had they left them? Did they hope to come back to this house?

Bunny picked up a chain with a white stone pendant; it had golden colored shimmery veins all over them. It was beautiful, the size of her thumb. Bodhi meowed as Bunny observed the stone.

I must take this home, Bunny thought. 

Bodhi flinched as a light emanated from the stone and engulfed them. "What?!" she yelled, clutching the stone. 

Everything around Bunny went black and disappeared as she felt her very being transformed.

*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*

A/N: 

Te'anor coming up in Chapter Four! : )

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