"Meryt?" Yona narrowed her eyes, sizing up the strange lady. "We—" She broke into a nervous sweat. "We're not gonna fight you."
Meryt's smirk grew as her eyes flicked between Kaia and Yona. "Why the sudden tension?" She waved her hand dismissively, like she didn't even notice the air thickening with unease.
Why does she feel… wrong? Kaia thought, her gut twisting. Is she a Splinter too? Her eyes darted toward Yona, hoping for a silent exchange. Yona's gaze never wavered from Meryt, as if looking away would be the worst mistake she could make. Then, after a beat, she gave a small nod, confirming Kaia's suspicion.
Meryt raised an eyebrow, still smirking. "Come on, just a little fight, no big deal. It's a Splinter get-together, right? You know, take it as a friendly match." She sighed dramatically, like this was the most disappointing thing ever. "You're making me look bad in front of the new employee."
Yona barked, her voice low but sharp, "What do you want?"
Meryt's smile faltered slightly, but she recovered fast. "We're meeting for the first time, and yet you're treating me like I'm some kind of threat."
Because you are, Yona thought, but didn't say aloud. Instead, she stepped forward, subtly placing a hand in front of Kaia's chest, as if to shield her. "Where's Luv? Aren't you supposed to be with him?" she demanded.
Meryt's eyes flashed with irritation. "Luv? That guy's off doing his own thing." She flicked a hand dismissively. "I'll meet up with him later. But first, I have some... business to finish."
Yona opened her mouth to retort, but then, suddenly—WHAM. A sharp, searing pain shot through her head. Her vision blurred, the world around her doubling. Her hands flew up to her temples. "Ahh…?" she gasped, her breath coming in shallow, ragged breaths. The sound wasn't a voice, but something worse—a vibration, a pressure inside her skull, like a command trying to break through her mind. Her ears started to bleed.
"Yona?" Kaia's voice was soft but frantic as she reached for her. But before she could get closer, Meryt's hand shot out and settled heavily on Kaia's shoulder.
"She'll be fine," Meryt said, her voice heavy with something Kaia couldn't place. The command was undeniable. Kaia froze, her body betraying her as she stood still, watching Yona tremble and crumple to the floor, a low whimper escaping her lips.
Finally, Kaia snapped out of it, a surge of protective instinct breaking the hold Meryt had on her. She rushed to Yona's side, supporting her as best as she could, her arm around Yona's shoulders, lifting her up with effort.
Meryt's eyes widened slightly, clearly not expecting Kaia to resist. She smirked again, more intrigued than anything else. "Interesting…"
Kaia felt a sharp, almost unbearable sting running through her own body as soon as she got close to Yona. It was the same sensation Yona had, but Kaia didn't care. She grit her teeth and walked forward, helping Yona toward the door, her mind focused on getting her to the infirmary.
Before stepping out, Kaia turned back, her gaze seething with an intensity that could've melted steel. Her eyes flashed red, the fiery anger burning through her as she glared at Meryt.
Meryt wasn't fazed. Instead, she gave a slow, reluctant wave. "Till next time, then…"
And with that, Kaia turned on her heel and walked out, the door slamming shut behind them.
***
The car screeched to a halt in front of Thalia's place.
Kyros leaned over, eyeing the sleeping beauty slumped in the passenger seat. "You think I should wake her up?"
Zack shot him a sly grin. "Sure, if you're planning on carrying her like a princess."
Kyros flushed, then snapped his gaze to Kiaan, who was staring out the window, lost in his own world. Kiaan hadn't said a word the entire drive. Kyros's face hardened as an idea struck him. He blinked at Zack, a mischievous glint in his eye. Zack raised an eyebrow, instantly catching on.
"Oi! Mr. Slime Lover!" Kyros yelled, breaking the silence. "You're home. Get out!"
Zack bit back his laughter as Kiaan blinked and opened the door, still dazed. He stepped out slowly, like he was still processing what had just happened. Zack revved the engine and pulled away, parking at a distance to watch the chaos unfold.
Kiaan stood frozen for a moment, eyes scanning the area like something didn't feel quite right. He started walking toward the apartment, deep in thought.
Kyros leaned back and grinned. "Thalia, looks like you got a new neighbour,"
Zack snickered, holding his stomach as he cackled like a madman. Thalia stirred, her eyes fluttering open at the sound of their laughter.
A few moments later, Kiaan came rushing back, face flushed with panic. He was panting, eyes wild, like he'd just discovered the apocalypse was real.
"Damn, he's gonna kill us," Kyros laughed, thumping Zack's back.
Kiaan spotted the car in the distance and his face twisted in fury. "You guys are dead," he muttered, stomping toward the car.
Kyros was already losing it. "No way he's still falling for it."
Just as Kiaan reached for the door, Zack drove off again, leaving him in the dust. Kiaan froze, blinking in disbelief.
Kyros laughed so hard his sides ached. Thalia stared at him, utterly confused by the situation.
"Oh, he's coming back," Kyros said through his laughter, practically wheezing. He slapped Zack's back again, but Zack, his spine screaming in pain, just grunted in response.
Kiaan wasn't playing around anymore. With a snap of his fingers, he stopped the car dead in its tracks. He flung the door open, yanked Kyros out by the collar, and slammed him into the street.
Kyros, still giggling like a madman, didn't even try to fight it.
"You—!" Kiaan growled, cheeks burning red. "I'm gonna—"
"Oh, come on, it was just a joke—" Kyros interrupted, laughing harder.
Kiaan didn't let him finish. He grabbed Kyros from behind, his grip like iron. "What the—"
Before Kyros could protest, the world spun, and his face met the ground with a loud thud. Kiaan had just used his signature "German Super Flex"—which was probably illegal in most countries—and with a flick of his wrist, sent Kyros sailing into a nearby trash bin.
Kiaan cracked his knuckles, clearly pleased with himself, and casually strolled back to the car. Meanwhile, Thalia had already slipped out of the car unnoticed, heading to her apartment.
They're having too much fun. I shouldn't ruin it, she thought.
"Zack," Kiaan said, settling into the backseat, "drive. Now."
Zack, sweating bullets, stared straight ahead, not daring to make eye contact. "Yes, Sir."
He hit the gas, and Kyros, now fuming, kicked the trash can in the distance. "It was just a joke," he muttered, throwing a tantrum as the car drove off into the night.
Kiaan didn't even glance back. He simply smiled to himself, eyes twinkling as he stared out the window.