Skai and Kid sat in the backseat of a car as they left the school. Skai's mother picked them up regularly, since Kid's house was on their way, it wasn't a problem. Kid panted, still tired from the dodgeball game in class.

"Man, that was exciting!" Kid stretched his legs. He thought for a while then spoke again. "I don't get why you insist we stay away from Kanamura. He seemed pretty cool back there!" Kid griped. "He must be so lonely." Seated next to him, Skai rolled his eyes.

"That's a choice he made for himself, it doesn't concern us." He tried to reason with his naive friend as he adjusted his glasses.

"There's nothing wrong with making more friends, dear." Skai's mother chimed in from the front seat of the car as she drove.

"Yeah!" Kid pouted. "Just think where you'd be without me?" Kid cheerfully pointed to himself with both hands.

"Mmm." Skai rolled his eyes again, mildly embarrassed. "I guess you have a point." Kid smiled radiantly. As the car turned a corner Kid's eye caught sight of someone.

"Hey! Is that...him?" He peered out the window. "What's he doing here?" Skai sighed. As the drove passed a cemetery, they spotted Syrus standing before a monument his eyes closed with his face turned down.

"His mother..." Skai paused and adjusted his glasses in his silence. Kid turned back to Skai. "...He used to come here all the time before school started." Kid's eyes grew wide, sorrow spread across his face. He turned back to see Syrus.

"H-how do you know all this?"

"His mother used to be a fairly regular customer at my shop." Skai's mother revealed. "He'd always tag along with her."

"Poor guy." Kid moped. Skai patted him on the shoulder, lowering his head in mourning. They sat in silence for most of the drive. Suddenly the car stopped.

"Here's your house, Kid kun." Skai's mother turned to the back seat and waved as he got out. She mouthed the words "Thank you." to him.

"Don't try anything stupid, ok?" Skai wore a different expression from usual.

"Yeah yeah!" He waved. "Thanks for the ride, Noriko san!" He smiled and walked into his house.

BZZT BZZT

"Hmm..." Skai adjusted his glasses and checked the screen of his phone. "Kouki?" he opened the message and skimmed its contents. His displeasure turned to distress. "Akseli...Magic...Fight...Sharpe...Danger." "What?" he exclaimed aloud unintentionally.

"Is something wrong?"

"N-no... it’s ok mom." Skai lied as he reread the text. "I can't worry my mother over something like this." Once they reached their house, Skai dashed to his room while dialing his phone.

"Atsuko!"

["What is it Skai?" You sound troubled."]

"You didn't hear from them yet?"

["No, what's going on?"]

"Jem and Mini got in a fight with Akseli, they're hurt pretty bad." Skai said with grief.

["WHAT? When?"]

"After class ended, they disappeared, right?"

["Y-yeah, I...will they be ok?"]

"Thankfully, yes." Skai paused.

["Wasn't 'he' missing after class too?"] Skai sighed. "’He’ meaning Kanamura, huh?" He rubbed his hand on his lips not totally convinced then moved it up to adjust his glasses.

"I...nevermind." He shook his head. "We need to be on our guard, who knows when they could make their next move."

["Sh-should we tell him?"]

"No, that would only cause more problems." Skai said with certainty. The sound of a young child resonated through the phone.

["Ah! I gotta go, Emil's getting into stuff again."] Anya sighed with the sounds of her chasing the child.

"Yeah, take care." He chuckled as the call ended. Quickly, he dialed a different number while adjusting his glasses.

["Yes?"] The voice that answered sounded perturbed.

"How are you doing?" He asked with unease.

["Sore but we're ok, nothing's broken but our pride."] Skai struggled to contain his laughter.

"That's good, I guess." A slim smile flashed across his face for a moment.

["At least we bought you guys time to get away!"] a similar but separate voice chimed in.

"Ha, thanks."

["He's safe, right?"]

"Yeah, we dropped him off not too long ago. only been home a few minutes myself."

["That's good."]

["What the hell was with all that?"] Mini interjected.

"All what?"

["The darkness, that get up, our weird transformation, that strange voice?"]

["Yeah, what was that shit?"]

"I'll explain everything I know once we meet up tomorrow." Skai promised. "It will be more efficient with everyone together."

["There's more?"]

"Theoretically there should be 12 of us...no, 13 since together you 2 make 'Gemini'."

["Woah!"]

"Skai dinner time!" His mother called from down the hall.

["Heh heh heh!"] They both let out a saucy laugh.

"Hush you...bye!" He clenched his teeth in embarrassment and hung up. "Fucking perfect! I am never going to hear the end of this!" He relaxed with a sigh, adjusted his glasses and walked out. He looked to a picture in the hall. It was of him and Kid on a fishing trip a few years back. "I will protect you no matter what happens." He walked out to the table.

"Thank you for the food!" he and his mother said than ate in silence as a news report about a thwarted bank robbery played on the TV in the background.

Wednesday: April 6

BZZT BZZT BZZT

The alarm he'd set on his phone woke him from his sleep. He felt around the bedside table for his glasses and put them on. After dressing for school, he looked over to a lifeless bedroom. -It had been 12 years since his father left. Despite her sadness, Skai's mother worked hard to raise him herself. Skai has always been fairly introverted but began to act out at the shock of his father’s abandon. Constantly picking fights, skipping school and other less than honorable activities. Trips to the hospital became commonplace as he grew increasingly more savage. Blinded by rage and despair he failed to see how his actions hurt those around him, especially his already vulnerable mother. During one especially brutal fight something unexpected happened. A naive transfer student, who had taken a liking to Skai despite his harsh attitude, stepped in. He pleaded to Skai, worried for his well being. This surprised him. This guy who he was only casually acquainted with believed in him, stood by him unlike anyone else. He reminded Skai of his mother, who cared so deeply for him and he began to regret his actions. Recovery was slow, but Kid was there the whole time. Skai cherished his friend dearly for accepting him and resolved to stay by his side, to protect him.-

Skai arrived at school earlier than usual. When there, he met up with Anya, Jem and Mini.

"You made it!" Mini jumped up. She had some bandages on her arms and legs but looked fine otherwise. Jem also had similar bandages as well as one on her cheek.

"So what the hell was all that?" Jem spoke less formally than normal, her annoyance was very obvious.

"I never imagined that you all were involved as well, for that I must apologize." Skai spoke solemnly. He bowed his head. "Had I known, I'd have been more accepting of your...meddling." They stared back at his unexpected apology and he adjusted his glasses.

"Woah!" Jem gasped.

"He apologized...to us." Mini uttered in disbelief. Skai ruffled his hair and gave a timid smile.

"Th-thanks for looking out for Kid."

"You two have always been close, huh?" Anya asked from a bench to the side.

"N-not really..." the girls looked over doubtfully. "When we first met, I didn't honestly care either way about him...but that's not important!" Skai scowled and adjusted his glasses, returning the conversation to its intended course. "10 years ago, Kid told me about these nightmares he's been having."

"Nightmares?" the twins inquired together.

"Yes, he said there was suffering and death as far as he could see..." Skai paused. "Among them he saw...me." he put his hand to his mouth.

"Wha..?" Anya stood.

"After that I heard a voice call to me. Ever since I've acquired new..."

"Powers?" Jem finished his thought.

"Like how we could fly?" Mini responded.

"FLY?" Anya blurted out.

"You can do something similar, no?" Skai stated.

"She is too?" Jem pointed to Anya. She nodded back.

"So that makes 3? Just 9...more." Mini started enthusiastically but grew disappointed.

"Kid has been having problems remembering the details of the dream but I suspect that you and whoever else is involved were also among that crowd he saw." Skai scratched his chin. "How would we go about finding the rest?"

"Heeey Noriko!" Mini urged suggestively.

"What's YOUR power?"

"If I could tell, I would have known about you." He barked in response then adjusted his glasses.

"Yeah." Jem sighed.

"If we could find out what makes us so special to be chosen then maybe..." Anya looked around at the group.

"What could we possibly have in common with 11 other people?" Mini put her hands on her hips.

"Just think it over, it’s about time for people to get here." Skai shook his head when he looked at his phone's clock.

"Ah!" Jem bounced.

"We should go wait for Sharpe san!"

"Yes."

The 4 of them walked out into the student plaza. After examining the grounds, something was off.

"Shouldn't he be here by now?" Anya pointed to their area, empty.

"Crap!" Skai began to panic. "We wasted too much time!" he adjusted his glasses and glared at the twins.

"What?"

"Getting angry at us won’t solve anything!" They frantically looked around. As he turned his head, Skai spotted something, shimmering gold. At the far end of the plaza, in an area most rarely go, stood Kid talking, laughing with 2 other students.

"Kid, what are you doing?" Skai called out utterly confused. Kid turned around and wave him and the others over to where he stood. They quickly made their way over.

"You guys are late!" Kid gave an oblivious greeting. "What's wrong?" He cocked his head once he saw how panicked they were.

"Wh-what are you..." Skai began to repeat his previous question but gave up.

"Who are they?" Anya pointed to the now quiet figures Kid had been chatting up.

"Oh! Them!" He turned his head and gave a grin. "Arata, Sai and Tori Arata." he closed his eyes giving an innocent smile.

"Arata?" Mini stepped back in shock. "Talking? To you?"

"How?" Jem stared at the pair who had turned to face them. They were notorious for being anti-social. No one could ever get them to hold a normal conversation. Yet, here they were apparently talking and laughing with Kid.

"Is there a problem?" Sai spoke, eyeing Skai curiously.

"You want some cookies?" Tori pulled out a plastic bin filled to the brim with an assorted variety of cookies. Jem and Mini jumped at the offer and grabbed some while Skai adjusted his glasses and stared at Sai with suspicion.

"Don't worry Scorpio, we're on your side." She whispered casually.