Six planetary cycles until exams begin.
Two days later,Kaito sat cross-legged on the training room floor with a few lanterns in front of him, but his eyes and mind were elsewhere. They were locked onto Kaeline on the other side of the room. She was seated perfectly still, her arms crossed and eyes closed in meditative state. Yet, to him, her calmness only fueled the frustration building inside of him.
His fists tightened against his knees as he quietly muttered something out, partially to Elysia, partially to himself.
"It's been two cycles now… Two cycles since Finn's first session with her. He hasn't come out of his room once. Not even for food. Nothing…"
His voice was clearly filled with concern that gnawed at him despite the frustration. Elysia saw this and gently placed her hands on top of his. Her eyes were filled with compassion, carefully trying to soothe his nerves.
"I know you're worried, Kaito dear. But this... this is necessary. Finn must overcome this struggle on his own to grow stronger."
"I get that, but still… He's just a kid. Did she really have to put him through something that brutal, so suddenly?"
But just as he finished his statement—almost as if she had a comeback ready—Kaeline spoke up, her eyes still shut.
"So what if he's a kid? Does that really matter?"
At those words, something inside Kaito snapped. His eyes widened instantly as he turned nearly his entire body towards her.
"Huh…? What the hell do you mean, 'does that matter'? You almost killed him!"
"Yes. I almost did, and I could have if I'd truly intended to. But I didn't." Kaeline said, not moving a single inch or even trying to look at him.
Hearing this, Kaito silently rose to his feet. Elysia quickly stood up sensing the tension rising, her face for once showing true anxiety. She reached her hand out and said urgently.
"Kaito dear, wait! You mustn't!"
But he ignored her.
His mind was already set.
He walked towards her, before stopping directly in front of her.
"Get up." He demanded calmly.
Kaeline didn't budge, her eyes still closed as if he didn't exist.
This only pissed him off more as he clenched his fists tighter, his purple essence seemingly leaking from his knuckles as his voice lowered menacingly.
"I said… get up and fight me."
"Kaito, no! It's part of Finn's training—please don't anger Miss Kaeli—"
But Elysia's words were blown away by a powerful gust erupting outward from Kaito, his purple essence violently flaring around him. His patience was completely gone.
"DON'T GIVE ME THAT FUCKING SHIT!"
He was only inches from her now.
"Why? Why did you do that to him? There are hundreds of other ways to train. Ways that don't end with him broken and dying… So tell me, WHY?!"
Kaeline sighed and began to speak, eyes still closed.
"I made my methods clear from the start. Finn knew what he was getting into, and he willingly accepted it. Star travelers, pirates, cosmic well guardians, the Accord—do you think they will hesitate for a moment to consider if he's just a child? Do you think they'll show mercy simply because he looks vulnerable? No. They'll crush him without hesitation. They'll see him merely as an obstacle to their goals—nothing more."
Kaito's eyes flared briefly, teeth grinding painfully as her words struck something inside him.
"Out there, in this vast universe, there exist beings whose morals differ wildly from ours. To them, it doesn't matter whether you're elderly, pregnant, sick, or just a child."
Kaeline slowly stood up, facing him squarely, towering over a foot above him. She finally gave him her full attention now. Her voice lowered and her cold eyes locked onto his fiery stares.
"But that's something you should know better than anyone else… Or did you forget already?"
Instantly, a chill surged through him, freezing the anger that had fueled him moments before. Memories he fought so hard to suppress flooded his mind. Farro… the orphanage… the cruelty he faced every day of his childhood…
"Settle your essence… now." She whispered calmly, leaning even closer than they already are.
Kaito's breath caught in his throat and his fists were shaking at his sides, eyes wide and glossy as he stared into her cold emotionless gaze. Unable to respond, his essence settled down to nothing and he abruptly turned around before walking stiffly towards the exit.
"Kaito dear… Wait! What about our training…?" Elysia called out to him as he walked right past her.
He paused at the doorway without looking back.
"We'll finish tomorrow, okay, Elysia? I… I'm sorry. I just… I just need a break, okay?"
The door hissed closed behind him as Elysia stood frozen, helplessness filling her normally vibrant eyes as she muttered out…
"Kaito dear…"
The halls of the ship were quiet, almost deafening. Kaito stood outside Finn's room, staring blankly at the door, hands shoved deeply into his pockets. He inhaled slowly then let it out before gently knocking.
"Hey, Finn...you okay in there?" He called out softly..
There was nothing for a long moment, long enough to make Kaito's heart flutter with worry, before Finn's faint voice replied from behind the closed door.
"Yeah, Kaito… I'm alright. Just a little tired, that's all."
"...You sure? Have you eaten anything? It's been two days and you haven't left your room once." He said before waiting for a response.
But no answer came. Kaito sighed softly to himself.
"You know how Jinx gets when she doesn't eat, right? Stuffs just start blowing up at random when she's hangry. Maybe you could whip up something for the crew? We've been stuck eating your leftovers for two days now. Heck, I could even help! I mean, I'm not the best cook out there, but it can't be that hard—"
His words abruptly cut off as Finn finally spoke again, his tone quiet, but with an unusual firmness beneath it.
"Kaito… It's okay, really. I'm just... not very hungry. I don't really feel like cooking right now either. Tell Jinx I'm sorry—I'll cook for her and the crew tomorrow. I'm just... tired."
As Kaito processed his words, he felt a faint ache in his chest, but ignored it and replied.
"Alright... I'll tell her."
"Thank you." Finn replied quietly, almost inaudible.
Inside Finn's dark room room, only being lit up by the huge window on the far wall that was letting in the light from the distant stars. He laid curled up beneath his blanket as the sound of Kaito's footsteps faded away down the hall. He let out a broken breath, followed by another, then another—each one shakier, each one fighting harder against the inevitable wave of emotion building inside him.
He let out a single muffled sniffle… and that broke the dam.
He clasped a trembling hand over his mouth, desperately trying to stop the sob leaking out… but he couldn't. Tears ran down his cheeks, soaking into his pillow as his body trembled violently beneath the blanket. Suddenly, the vivid memory of Kaeline's palm slamming into his chest played in his mind—and his eyes flew wide open, gasping as if he was feeling the impact all over again.
The nausea hit next without warning.
He jumped up from his bed, stumbling towards his bathroom, barely managing to reach the toilet in time before violently vomiting. His hands trembled against the cold seat, his breathing completely ragged and uncontrollable. His chest tightened painfully and his heart raced uncontrollably, pounding relentlessly against his ribcage.
Dizziness began to overwhelm him as darkness crept into his periphery. His body dropped onto the cold bathroom floor and his consciousness slowly slipped away…
…before going completely dark.
…
"Get out! You're no longer my son!"
Finn jolted awake to a voice he hadn't heard since he was a child, his eyes snapped open to a familiar room.
He wasn't on the ship. Instead, he was lying in his old childhood bed.
"No, please mother, I—!" He cried out weakly, but the scene shifted rapidly. Chaos flashed before him like snapshots of a life he wished to forget.
Memories of humiliation, abuse, working countless miserable hours at restaurant after restaurant, disgusted eyes and harsh whispers tormenting him as that came one after another.
Then Myzen.
The scene of him snapping his arm like it was nothing played over and over like a broken record. He screamed like crazy in the chaotic void, before his screams began merging into Nara's voice mocking his weakness. Then, Kaeline appeared before him, her eyes emotionless and cold before striking him in his chest.
His heart thundered again, almost as if it was threatening to burst—
Finn gasped violently awake, jolting up from the cold bathroom floor. His shirt clung to his sweat-soaked body, his heavy breathing slowly died down.
He slowly stood up before shakily approaching the mirror. He stared into his own reflection before pulling down his shirt to reveal his chest. But there was nothing. No bruises, no scars—nothing that hinted at the torment he'd felt just days prior.
On queue, Kaeline's words played in his mind…
"Pain is the crossroads every star traveler must confront. Most face it once and spend their lives fleeing from it, terrified of discomfort. They never grow, never reach their potential, because they run… just like you did from your world and people."
Finn stared into his reflection, his eyes searching desperately as Kaeline's words sank deeper not only in his mind, but also taking root within his heart. Each blink, each heartbeat, each breath… everything he did seemed to resonate with memories he wished to escape. But this time, he didn't look away.
He took a deep breath, steadying himself before stepping back from the mirror. A quiet resolve filled his eyes as he returned to his room.
He got dressed then began approaching his bedroom door before freezing. His finger hovered over the control panel. Yet, in that moment of hesitation, something shifted inside him— it wasn't huge, but it was something decisive, something that could one day be stronger than his fear.
He pressed the button, and the door hissed open, releasing him from his self-imposed prison. For the first time in days, Finn stood in the doorway, ready to face whatever awaited him beyond…
That was until he took a single step out of his doorway.
"Waah?!"
He plummeted down to the ground like a meteor, his face smacking flat against the cold metal floor.
"Ughh…." He groaned, slowly pushing himself up and rubbing his nose tenderly.
"What in the stars was—"
His words were cut short by another groan from behind him. He spun his head around and his eyes widened in surprise.
"K-Kaito…?" He said in disbelief.
Kaito was sprawled out on the ground, half-covered by a fuzzy blanket, his head resting casually on a pillow. His messy hair fell partially in his face as he pushed himself upright before yawning.
"Oh… morning, Finn…" Kaito mumbled groggily, stretching his arms above his head.
"My bad—I wasn't really sure when you normally wake up to cook, so I figured I'd just wait out here until you did."
Finn stared at him silently for a moment, as if he was studying him in a way. Something about the entire scene didn't add up.
"He's lying." He thought to himself.
After a brief silence, he gave him a gentle, understanding smile.
"Thanks, Kaito. But I don't remember ever agreeing to your offer, though."
Kaito sucked his teeth and began scratching his head.
"Well, you never explicitly said no either. I mean, look—I just wanna help you out, okay?" His voice softened slightly and more sincerity showed in his eyes.
"We've both got a lot on our plates right now, but honestly… you're carrying more than anyone else. And seeing you struggle like this… seeing you hurting, it bothers me, man. I hate seeing you like this. Sorry if that's selfish, but I—"
Kaito's heartfelt confession was abruptly cut short by a gentle, genuine laughter coming from Finn. Kaito raised an eyebrow, visibly annoyed—though clearly not seriously.
"Huh? What's so funny? I was pouring my heart out just now and you're gonna laugh?" Kaito said, pouting slightly as Finn continued to chuckle quietly.
Finn shook his head, calming down his laughter to a chuckle.
"I really appreciate it, Kaito. Seriously. But maybe next time, you shouldn't go around the ship like... that." Finn subtly motioned his head down towards Kaito's lower half.
Kaito's entire face looked confused as he scratched his head again.
"Huh? Go around like wha—"
But when his eyes finally followed Finn's gesture, his heart nearly jumped out of his chest. His little man was up and ready to conquer the cosmos, nearly ripping right through his underwear.
Kaito's entire face instantly turned red and he frantically grabbed at the blanket to cover himself as he let out an uncharacteristically high-pitched squeak.
"Ohhh shit—my bad, bro!" He said with a noticeably deeper voice that may or may not have been a little forced.
He scrambled to his feet while desperately covering himself.
"I'll, uh—meet you in the kitchen in a minute!"
Finn watched, laughing until literal tears formed in his eyes, as Kaito scurried off down the hallway holding the hardest thing in the galaxy at that moment in his hand. He wiped the tears from his eyes, shaking his head as a warm smile appeared on his face.
"Thanks, Kaito." He whispered softly to himself, feeling a little better than he had in days.
A short while later, Finn was busy prepping breakfast in the ship's huge kitchen area. He was humming under his breath as he gathered various fresh vegetables and seasonings along the counter. His attention shifted as the double doors hissed open behind him, revealing Kaito walking in somewhat sheepishly.
"What's up?" Kaito said, rubbing the back of his head.
Finn smiled before replying.
"You're late. Could you grab the zerilion sirloin from the fridge for me? Just put it over on that cutting board."
"Gotcha." Kaito replied before moving to grab the large cut of marbled alien meat. The two went silent as they began prepping breakfast. The only sounds heard were the sound of utensils and sizzling ingredients.
After a few quiet moments, Finn's curiosity finally got the better of him. He glanced at Kaito from the corner of his eye with a sly grin.
"Soooo… who was it?"
Kaito looked confused as he finished setting dishes on the massive dining table.
"Huh? What do you mean by that?"
Finn gave him a 'don't lie to me' look, a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about. Your dream. Who were you dreaming about to wake up like... that?"
Kaito's cheeks instantly went red and he quickly looked away, visibly flustered and embarrassed.
"That's none of your damn business!"
Finn chuckled and nudged him gently.
"C'mon, just tell me! I promise I won't say a word. Was it someone on the crew? I bet it was–"
Before Finn could finish his speculation, the double doors hissed open again, interrupting their conversation. Both turned to see Talon walking in, her expression unreadable. The moment Kaito's eyes met hers, his demeanor immediately brightened and a smile instinctively formed on his face.
"Talon—" Kaito started, but he abruptly stopped. His smile faded as Elysia's earlier words flooded back into his mind. The plan to hand Aqua over to the Rangers. He held back his greeting, expression hardening into something more guarded.
Talon noticed the sudden shift in his mood and looked down, the briefest flash of guilt flashing across her features before quickly masking it again. She shifted her attention towards Finn instead.
"Finn, where have you been? We've been surviving on leftovers for two days." She said casually, grabbing a bowl of vibrant alien fruit off the counter.
Her tail swayed gently behind her.
"I get you're training for the exams, but is something fresh too much to ask for?"
Finn scratched his head apologetically.
"Sorry, Talon. I was… really sore after training. I needed some time to recover."
Talon sighed softly, her voice a bit softer.
"It's fine. Just try not to make it a habit."
She turned to leave, but as she brushed past Kaito, they both spoke simultaneously.
"Kaito—"
"Talon—"
They both froze, caught off guard. Talon broke the brief awkward silence first, her voice gentler than it was with Finn.
"You first."
Kaito hesitated, then spoke quietly.
"Why… didn't you tell me about Aqua? About your plan to hand her over?"
Talon broke eye contact, staring at the floor before responding.
"I figured Elysia would tell you anyways… so I figured why bother… but I…"
"Yeah, but still Talon, that's just…" Kaito's voice trailed off, leaving his thoughts unknown.
Talon looked into his eyes again, her voice dropping to a slightly more confident tone.
"Actually, that's partly what I wanted to talk to you about."
Kaito looked slightly confused.
"Huh? What do you mea—"
But before either could continue, the doors opened once more. Elysia stepped inside, instantly breaking the moment. Her eyes landed on Kaito first, then zipped over to Talon, the briefest hint of tension radiating between the two.
"My, my… It seems the gang's all here, isn't that right, Kaito dear?" Elysia said with a smile on her face.
Kaito nodded slowly, visibly unsure of how to respond to the sudden tension. Elysia drifted closer, deliberately positioning herself near Kaito as she addressed Talon directly.
"Talon, how have you been feeling? Still sore from your battle with Sera?" Elysia asked sweetly, though there was a subtle hint of something else there.
Talon didn't react at all, instead calmly replied.
"I'm fine."
Without breaking eye contact with Elysia, Talon moved closer to Kaito. With a gentle flick of her wrist, she used her telekinetic powers to pull him down slightly to her level, to the point where they could almost feel each other's breath on their faces.
"I want to talk to you… alone. Meet me later in my room, okay? It's urgent."
Kaito's entire body went red as he struggled to speak.
"Y-yeah, okay. I will."
She let him go before walking past the both of them calmly. As she approached the exit, she gave one final glance back to Elysia. The two shared a brief, cold stare before the doors hissed shut between them.
Kaito stood frozen, heart racing like crazy. He was jolted back to reality by Finn urgently nudging him.
"Kaito! The food!"
"Huh—?" Kaito spun around, eyes widening in horror as he saw flames erupting from the stove in an inferno.
"OH SHIT! WHAT DO WE DO?!"
"I DON'T KNOW!" Finn panicked, waving his hands wildly.
"Do something!"
The boys scrambled chaotically, grabbing random things to try and extinguish the flames.
Yet, amidst the wild commotion, Elysia stood perfectly still, her eyes locked onto the same door. The warmth and kindness her eyes were usually filled with had evaporated, replaced by a chilling coldness that was entirely unfamiliar.
She spoke softly to herself, her voice devoid of its usual warmth, revealing a side of herself she'd never openly shown before.
"It seems Miss Kaeline was right about you, Talon. For us to achieve our goal–
–You must be dealt with."