22 - Trigger

Akane goes to her room. Shiro is lying on her bed. Her plushie Ava is floating above her. She looks at Akane.

SHIRO: Is she okay?

Akane nods.

SHIRO: I didn't know she was a … a murderer.

AKANE: It wasn't her choice to be like that.

Shiro sits up and smiles.

SHIRO: I know. And my opinion of her won't change. She's the same Mira I know since the day I came here.

AKANE: Why did you come here?

SHIRO: I-I also ran away from home. Well not home, but still.

AKANE: Why?

SHIRO: I don't want to talk about it.

Akane notices tears gathering in Shiros eyes.

AKANE: It's okay-

SHIRO: No, it's not!

She runs outside.

AKANE: You hurt her... again.

Sei is knocking on Mira's lab door. She opens.

MIRA: Oh, Sei, it's you. Come in.

SEI: Are you okay?

MIRA: I'm better. I don't think I'll ever be okay... But I'm better.

Sei sits down beside her.

MIRA: Did you know?

SEI: No, but I knew something was off.

MIRA: Yeah, sorry... I need to get back to work.

SEI: Can you help me with something?

MIRA: Sure.

Sei hands her a sample of Elixir water.

SEI: It's the water that healed Shiros arm. Akane said she fell in the lake of that same water when she was young. Maybe her glowing eyes, burning heat and powers are connected. You know a lot about chemicals, so maybe you can help.

Miras eyes sparkle up.

MIRA: Yes, I can help.

She takes the sample and starts working. Sei sitts next to her and watches. He looks at her one hand covered with glove.

SEI: That must have been from the Uglax.

MIRA: Are you gonna just sit there or will you make yourself useful and help.

He quickly stands up.

SEI: Y-yes.

Mira gigles.

SEI: What?

MIRA: Nothing.

Sei smiles and they continue working.

Akane is in the training room with the bottle of Elixir in her hand.

AKANE: Maybe Sei's right.

She put's it back in her pocket. Then takes a training puppet, steps away from it, closes her eyes, clenches her fists and focuses. Then she opens her eyes and punches the puppet, but it was just a normal punch – no glowing eyes, no heat. She tries again but it's the same thing.

AKANE: I need to get angry. The last couple of times it triggered it.

She closes her eyes again. She tires to remember her past training back at her home. Everytime when she failed they whipped her back. Akane strats shaking with anger.

SOMEONE: You'll never become strong as them if you don't do it right.

Akanes fist are shaking and then they start glowing purple. She opens her eyes – they're glowing. She punches the puppet. It got immediately, but not just the puppet, the wall behind it too. She snaps out of it, falling down.

AKANE: What just happened?