Weaving through the crowd of people like prey being hunted through tall grass, the thief slipped between bodies and jumped down onto tracks. Jai plunged after him, the chase carrying them across tracks, into the Border Alley, back across tracks, and into the heart of Zeta. The pursuit led to a small building whose walls were plastered with warning signs that screamed danger from every angle.

Atop the small structure loomed a grand statue—a woman draped in robes holding an open book in her hands, her stone eyes gazing over the place she represented. Citizens called this sector "She," their nationalism manifested into a mother whose sculptures dotted the landscape. Most residents were peaceful souls guided by kindness, maintaining good relations with neighboring sectors.

The thief, desperate and cornered, mantled onto the building with surprising agility. His hands and feet finding holds as he scaled the statue.

"You're faster than I expected," Kalla stated, finally catching up to Jai, her breath coming in sharp bursts. "So... did you catch him?"

"Not quite," Jai responded, pointing upward to the bandit who had reached the top, now perched on the statue's stone book.

Kalla's face drained of color. "Shit, shit, shit! Not good! Not good!"

"What is it?" Jai asked anxiously.

"That's an extremist hideout! If he does anything to that statue..."

Her warning came too late. With a vicious kick, the bandit dislodged the book from the statue's grasp. The sacred object plummeted to the ground, shattering into fragments that scattered across the pavement. The crash summoned a thug who emerged to investigate. His eyes met the desecrated monument, then locked onto Jai and Kalla with vengeful rage.

Within moments, a flood of delinquents spilled out of the tiny building, each one armed and looking for a fight. The thief, the true culprit, tucked himself into the statue's shadow, waiting for his chance to escape.

Taking fighting stances, the students waited for their moment of attack.

"You gotta be kidding me," Jai mumbled to himself, assessing the overwhelming odds.

The mob charged forward with pipes and knives, as regular guns were illegal to anyone but militia. Kalla stepped forward, rummaging into her purse for something. Grabbing the desired item, she pulled out a handful of daggers, fanning them between her fingers like deadly playing cards.

Jai's eyes widened. "Where the hell did you get those?"

"My purse. I always come prepared in case something goes wrong. You can never be too careful with all the creeps out here."

"Haha! Genius! You sure are resourceful!" Jai exclaimed, his body coiling with energy.

"You can let loose on these guys, Jai. They're borderline criminals."

"That's just what I needed to hear!" Jai screamed, launching himself forward like a missile.

Kalla whipped her arms across her body, sending six daggers slicing through the air simultaneously. The blades hit their marks, tearing through moving attackers. Jai crashed into the frontline headfirst. His movements were calculated and efficient, each strike disabling his opponents without killing them. Despite his inexperience, fighting and strategy came to him naturally.

Knives whistled through the air around Jai, bodies dropping in their synchronized assault. After taking out another attacker with a devastating blow, Jai's instincts flared. His eyes locked onto someone at the backline, raising a gun, aimed directly at Kalla. The scene mirrored the earlier simulation with horrifying clarity.

Taking action, he ran to Kalla with arms outstretched. Hurling himself at her, Jai pushed her aside just as the shot fired. Just barely saving her life, the bullet only grazed her arm. Crouched over her, Jai realized the truth of her power. With eyes shut tight, Kalla couldn't see a thing that was happening on the battlefield.

Without a moment to waste, Jai pulls Kalla behind a fallen sign just as another shot splintered the air where they had stood.

"What the hell Kalla! You can't see if you're closing your eyes!" Jai shouted, tearing off his sleeve to create an improvised bandage.

Blood flowed from Kalla's wound, her breathing ragged and shallow. "No shit! I know I can't see. It's my damn limiter."

"Your limiter is closing your eyes? Bummer."

Wrapping the sleeve around her arm and pulling it tight, Jai cut off circulation to the wound. Kalla gasped in pain, clutching her injured limb. Gunfire peppered their makeshift barricade, each impact denting their only protection.

Jai's mind raced. It all makes so much sense now, she must have been using her other senses to see. This sign won't hold up much longer. I've gotta think of something, and fast!

"Kalla, you still got another dagger?"

"Yeah, why? You got some sort of plan?"

"You could say that... now listen. It's not foolproof, but given the circumstances, it's our best shot."

"Ugh, whaddya have in mind?"

The students huddled together, formulating their counterattack as bullets continued to wear down the metal. With Kalla caught up to speed, Jai sprang into action. Somersaulting straight ahead, keeping himself within the frame of cover, Jai used perspective to remain out of their line of sight despite his movements. Spirit Energy gathered around him, building with each tumble.

At the perfect moment, he jumped from cover, hurling a single dagger toward the crowd with superhuman force. The blade cut through the air like a missile, while Kalla, despite her injury, focused her power on the weapon. Though she lacked raw speed, she could at least guide its path. Propelled by Jai's power and steered by Kalla's direction, the dagger tore through the enemies in a blur of green streaks. Their perfect synergy resulted in their overwhelming victory.

Celebrating with a triumphant high five, Jai ran back to help Kalla up.

"Jai! That was... That was..." Kalla stuttered, searching for the words.

"Genius?"

"Yes! How did you even think of doing something like that?"

"I dunno, it just comes to me. But I wouldn't have been able to pull it off without you. Just wish you had informed me about the whole not-seeing thing sooner. You really could have died."

Kalla chuckled, relief washing over her. "Yeah well, I'm not a big fan of it either. It just sucks, you know?

"I feel for you. Even now, I'm still dizzy from the spinning."

Their moment of peace shattered as a deep rumble grew in intensity, shaking the ground beneath their feet.

"What's that sound?" Jai asked, scanning their surroundings for the source.

"The sirens in the distance? Good point, we should probably clear out."

"No, its a bit deeper. Sounds like a low rumble coming this way."

"Ohhhh. Their just storage trucks. They circulate throughout the city by Mag-Lev. Why?"

Jai looked toward the building where the thief was already positioning himself to escape. "That's why."

A massive storage truck rounded the corner, its magnetic levitation tracks humming with power. Jai sprinted to intercept, but he was a split second too late. The thief leapt from his perch, landing atop the roof of the truck and running towards the front.

"Damn! We're boxed in!" Kalla shouted. "We'll never catch up to now."

"Screw it, this is no time for hesitation!" Jai declared, sweeping Kalla into his arms.

He began to spin, Spirit Energy swirling within him like a cyclone. Determining the number of spins necessary, Jai completed five rotations. Planted his feet firmly, he faced the direction of the retreating truck, prepared to jump.

Jai's voice was electric with determination. "Here goes nothing."

"Don't you dare," Kalla pleaded.

Ignoring her protest, Jai launched them both into the air. Soaring onto the truck, he managed to land with perfect balance. Kalla kept screaming, unaware that they were safe as Jai set her down.

"Get it together Kalla, we can still catch him!" He called out, already sprinting after him.

Finally realizing they had made it safely, Kalla regained her composure and gave chase. "Wait up damn it!"

Their pursuit led them into the Delta Sector, a place known for its shifting layout. The residents take pride in their adaptability, though their ever-changing environment leaves them vulnerable to outside threats. The storage truck continued its route as Jai and Kalla raced across its roof. Parallel to them ran Delta Sector's prized bullet train, a marvel of engineering that had revolutionized ground transportation. The thief, seizing his opportunity, leapt from the truck and plunged into the crowded station below.

Jai and Kalla pushed themselves to the limit, closing the gap inch by agonizing inch. The bandit shouldered his way through startled pedestrians, making one final, desperate play for freedom. Slipping through the train doors just as they began to close, the thief made it just in time as the barrier slammed shut in Jai's face.

Through the glass, the thief's mocking smile taunted him as the fastest vehicle in the city pulled away from the station. The company Delta Rails had built its reputation on speed and reliability, with their three permanent stops being the only constants in a sector that rearranged itself nightly.

Jai's fist connected with a nearby pole, frustration boiling over. "Damn! Now we've really lost him!"

Kalla finally arrived, her chest heaving as she fought for breath. Her eyes followed the departing train, refusing to surrender hope.

"Even if we caught him, we can't turn him in ourselves," she managed between gasps.

"So what was the point of chasing him at all!?" Jai screamed, banging the pole once again.

"We're Saviors, that's what we do," Kalla declared, straightening her posture with pride. "And as a woman, my dream is to be a symbol to all the little girls out there who think strength and beauty can't mix!"

She approached Jai, her eyes alight with her purpose. "I was heading in the wrong direction, training hard every day to overcome my weaknesses. But you, Jai, with the same struggles as me, have shown me there are other ways to be strong."

Jai's face softened into a smile. "Glad I could help. So, what's the plan?"

"Simple, we just make sure he doesn't make it to the Beta Sector."

Kalla turned her back to him, gesturing for a piggyback ride. "Hop on, I got an idea."

Jai complied, jumping onto her back as she began to explain. "After you so rudely launched us onto that truck earlier, I realized something."

"Go on..."

"While all force-type Circuits have limiters, some also have parameters. For instance, I have a condition that needs to be met where I must touch whatever it is I'm changing the direction of."

"Yeah, so?"

"So... I figured if I'm always in contact with myself, why not just close my eyes and change my own direction?"

"Holy shit Kalla! You mean you can fly!?"

"Theoretically speaking, but why not give it a try? This is our last chance to catch this guy."

"Genius Kalla! Just genius! Let's do this!"

After a moment of intense concentration, they began to rise from the ground. Slowly at first, then with growing confidence, they flew high into the air.

"We're flying! We're really flying!" Jai exclaimed, exhilaration coursing through him.

"Pay attention Jai! You need to guide me, remember?"

Jai leaned forward, his focus sharpening. "Right right, you can count on me. Let's pick up that pace!"

Kalla unleashed her newfound ability, accelerating through the air as fast as she could through the sprawling cityscape. Awakened by Jai's influence and pushed to new limits, Kalla gave them a second chance to apprehend the bandit. The chase was far from over—time for a counterattack!