⁕ From fruit to tree

Journal entry... 

"The surface... I emerged to the surface. A tree that sprouted from the blood of those who cared for it. The cold empty desert and the harsh unforgiving loneliness. Did I truly make it? "

Kadyn reached her head toward the sky while the sunset illuminated the blood that stained her face and clothes. Blood that was not her own but that of the one who nurtured her. A helpless plant under the dirt which watched as crimson seeped through the crack in wooden floorboards. A lone tree which sprouted from the infertile sands of the wasteland. A new life stained by cruelty before even meeting the daylight. 

[Kadyn] - "Mike... I don't want to run anymore. I want to live by my principles, the principles which make me Kadyn. And as myself, I want to fight. "

Said Kadyn as she watched the sunset with her limited vision. 

[Mike] - "Then fight. Let's bury the hatchet for the rest of our days. "

Kadyn suddenly saw Mike staring at her while crouched in front of her. Despite her limited visual range, Mike showed up as a whole inside her vision. 

[Mike] - "Rest assured, I'll always be with you wherever you go. "

[Kadyn] - "I know you will. You always do. "

Said Kadyn as she let out a smile. 

The sun finally settled below the horizon. As the last of the daylight vanished, the prison lit up with a massive show of lights and torches. Enthusiastic and excited screams and chatters rocked the makeshift arena as prisoners waited for the show to start. Meanwhile, atop the massive prison walls, all the guards and prison staff gathered to enjoy the show. 

As the chief organizer, Jagger was allowed to stand beside the prison director atop the wall while being flanked by four guards. Violent cheers soon shook the arena as the new wave of convicts arrived amidst the ring. On the other side, a gang of carefully selected felons also entered the scene to the crowd's uproar. 

Meanwhile, Kaydn snuck under the barrack and easily sliced through the wood floor using her wrist blades. Upon emerging from her underground hideout, Kadyn immediately noticed a bunch of tools Jagger used in an attempt to pry the trapdoor open. However, upon swinging her head around, she noticed Lucy's broken corpse still lying where Jagger had beaten her to death. 

Without time to shed tears, Kadyn had to act quickly. She rapidly dragged Lucy's corpse under the floor where she hastily buried her in a separate hole she dug. After setting Lucy's crystals on the side, Kadyn gave her friend one last salute before moving up to the surface. With careful steps, Kadyn slowly made her way to the arena where she began looking for Jagger. 

As she passed through the crowd unnoticed thanks to her ability, she also noticed the brutal show that was happening below. As one of the malnourished prisoners tried to run away, one of the felons suddenly caught up to him before snapping his neck in one swift motion. In another instance, a felon armed with a mace charged a young man before splattering his brain all over the audience's faces. Instead of feeling repulsed, the spectators all cheered vividly at the display of savagery. 

After browsing through the crowd, Kadyn failed to locate Jagger until the voice of his announcement snapped her head to the higher walls. 

[Jagger] - "Alright, my respectable spectator, it's time for a bit of thrill in our show. I present to you, my righthand man, Johnson! "

To the audience's cheer, a buff fully-tattooed felon stepped out of the shadow armed with a mining pickaxe. 

[Jagger] - "In his opposition, I present to you, an imperial special force marine, Sergent Romanovski. "

The audience glanced silently as a muscular Eastern European man armed with a massive metal pipe entered the arena grounds. Kadyn, meanwhile, stared at Jagger while wondering how she could reach him. While Kadyn scanned her surroundings for a way up the wall, the show continued inside the pit below. 

Like two violent bears, the two massive men charged at each other with their weapons. However, the marine obviously had the advantage considering his years of intensive training. What ensued was a total massacre as Sergent Romanovski easily dodged Johnson's strikes before easily dealing a deadly blow to the man's skull with his pipe. 

In an instant, Johnson collapsed to the ground before having his skull bashed to a pulp by Romanovski. Although the audience was quite entertained by the show, the director appeared quite displeased by the speed of the engagement. 

[Director] - "Jagger, do something. I want a show with substance, not some quick-shot gore like that! "

[Jagger] - "*Grumble* Send in the Fabien brothers. "

Said Jagger to the radio. 

Suddenly, a trio of men armed with swords and shields arrived inside the arena. Each of them sported a killer look in their eyes while the light shone on their golden skin and veiny muscles. They quickly circled Romanovski but the Polish beast didn't seem to be fazed by the slightest. 

As they slowly made their approach, Romanovski abruptly charged one of the men and used his shield as a barrier between them before slamming the man against the coliseum wall. The impact knocked the wind out of the brother before Romanovski used his pipe to break his opponent's face. With a swift motion, Romanovski acquired the brother's sword and shield before decapitating him without mercy. 

Suddenly, he was ambushed by the two other Fabien brothers but Romanovski held his own by blocking their attacks with his newly acquired gears. With a barrel roll, Romanovski maneuvered under the men before pushing his sword through one of the brothers' sides, through his heart. By this point, the reality of the situation hit the last brother and he began to flee in fear. 

[Director] - "What the fuck is he doing? I expected a show, damn it! Do something, Jagger! "

Yelled the director in anger. 

Jagger frowned his brows in frustration and chose instead to lean over the fence before jumping down. He quickly landed on one of the massive tent's soft roofs before sliding his way down into the ring. Upon landing, he grabbed a pickaxe from Johnson's bloodied corpse before violently striking down the last Fabien brother who fled to him for safety. 

[Jagger] - "Always require me to do this personally. What a fucking embarrassment. "

Said Jagger with spite as he glanced at Johnson's corpse. 

The crowd's cheer for Jagger quickly drew Kadyn's attention. Meanwhile, inside the ring, Romanovski growled like an enraged bear before charging toward Jagger. However, when he swung at Jagger, he was met with an opponent he was not expecting. In a swift motion, Jagger slipped behind Romanovski and only chose to strike lightly at his opponent's leg. The small wound, although not serious or fatal, caused considerable pain to Romanovski. 

Just like that, Jagger only kept dodging Romanovski's attacks while inflicting a small bit of damage to his opponent in return. However, gradually, Romanovski's strength and stamina were worn down while blood exited from multiple wounds around his body. At that moment, although the audience didn't notice it, Romanovski saw the malice inside Jagger's eyes. Jagger could've killed him on multiple occasions but chose instead to wear him down and torture him slowly until he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. 

As Romanovski swung his sword forward, Jagger abruptly swung his pickaxe sideway. A sharp pain sparked through Romanovski's body as he noticed his intestine leaking out of a small wound on his abdomen. His vision began to fade but a strike on his knee caused the adrenaline to wake him from his fatigue. Now on the ground, Romanovski's fearless nature gained a new challenger as Jagger's psychotic grin filled his vision. 

Using the last of his strength, Romanovski tried to defend himself but his arms were both immediately empaled by Jagger's pickaxe. Now defenceless and tired, fear finally began to take over his mind as Jagger stared at him without an ounce of compassion in his eyes. However, Jagger wasn't done as he began to play a sick game with Romanovski. 

Like a twisted version of the knife game, Jagger began to strike his pickaxe around Romanovski's head while barely missing his face by a hair. All this proved to be too much as Romanovski broke down and began to beg for his life. Instead, his pleas had the opposite effect as Jagger seemed to derive pleasure from his suffering. The harder he pleaded, the more thrilled Jagger seemed to continue his sick game. 

While even some of the audience began to feel uncomfortable at Jagger's actions, the director smirked with thrill as he savoured every second of the show. 

[Kadyn] - "Stop what you are doing, Jagger! Let that man go! "

Jagger didn't turn his head upon hearing Kadyn's voice but instead showed a sickly smile before bashing Romanovski's head like a melon with his pickaxe. The audience whispered with confusion as they saw Kadyn standing in the ring with Jagger. Thinking that this was part of Jagger's show, the director quickly leaned over the railing with anticipation. 

As the audience began to unsettle when they realized that Kadyn was a beautiful young woman, the director angrily shouted over the microphone for everyone to shut up so he could enjoy the show. Subsequently, the noises quickly died down as the prisoners all knew to fear the director considering the hundreds of guns that began to lower upon them. 

[Jagger] - "What a surprise to see you here. Did you miss me this much that you had to come all the way here to see me? "

[Kadyn] - "No, I'm here to finish what I should've done a long time ago. "

Said Kadyn while extending her wrist blades. 

Jagger analyzed the look in Kadyn's eyes and realized that she probably meant business. In response, Jagger began to take the situation with more seriousness. 

[Jagger] - "You don't got the gut or what it takes to do anything to me, Kadyn. All I know is that you will once again back down or hesitate like the scared little girl you are. "

Said Jagger in a mocking tone. 

Meanwhile, the director was leaning over the railing like a child in front of a candy store window. 

[Director] - "Ohh, throwing a little bit of acting and drama, huh? I really underestimated you, Jagger. "

Whispered the director with bated breaths. 

[Kadyn] - "I'm no longer who I used to be! I've changed, I've grown. I'm ready to leave the past and move forward with my future! However, before all that, I want to make sure that you don't have a future. "

Said Kadyn with determination in her eyes as she pointed at Jagger.

[Jagger] - "Is that so? So eager to become my slave again, I see. "

[Kadyn] - "It's you who's so eager to meet your maker. "

[Jagger] - "Then come to me, dear little Kadyn. "

Said Jagger with a provocative smile. 

Like the wind, Kadyn dashed in front of Jagger before exchanging a few strikes with him. Jagger was smart to dodge Kadyn's strikes instead of trying to block her anti-material blades. However, Jagger suddenly felt a sharp pain on his face as his blood sipped through a cut on his left cheek. Kadyn was aiming to kill him, there is no doubt about that.

The two battled in a dance of acrobatics as their agile bodies competed to outmanoeuvre the other. With every exchange, Kadyn recognized Jagger's skillsets which was previously demonstrated by Mike. Although her past threatened to flood her mind with distractions, Kadyn fought against them with every fibre of her being. 

"I must focus, I must focus on doing what I must. He is not Mike... HE IS NOT MIKE! "

Thought Kadyn as she finally managed to land another cut on Jagger's neck. 

Unfortunately, the cut wasn't deep enough to be fatal, thus allowing Jagger to quickly back away. Both fighters used this moment to catch their breaths as they eyed each other with a killer expression in their eyes. 

[Jagger] - "I noticed how you don't seem to notice your sides. Your eyes, they are damaged aren't they? "

A cold passed through Kadyn but she kept her face straight to deny Jagger the pleasure of seeing her shock or fear. 

[Jagger] - "Earlier, when I stabbed you on your side, you didn't even notice my hand. "

Said Jagger as he wiped the blood off his wounded arm. 

Without taking her eyes off Jagger, Kadyn checked her abdomen and realized that a sharp piece of metal was embedded in her side. The adrenaline had made her numb to the pain but now that she had realized it, a burning sensation quickly ran through her abdomen. 

Suddenly, Jagger charged at Kadyn and caught her by surprise. As Kadyn dodged forward, Jagger took hold of Mike's coat and used it to wrap around Kadyn's neck before choking her with it. Left with no choice, Kadyn made a split-second decision to cut through the coat and free herself. However, in doing so, she had to let go of the entire coat as she slipped out of Jagger's grip. 

[Jagger] - "This coat... I struggle to understand why you held on to it for this long. Perhaps, something's special about it? "

Kadyn's expression shifted slightly but it was enough an answer for Jagger. With a sadistic smile, Jagger abruptly threw the coat into one of the fire cans which illuminated the arena. In a panic, Kadyn dashed past Jagger and plunged her hands into the fire to save the coat. 

[Kadyn] - "No! Mike, please Mike! "

Suddenly, a sharp pain jolted Kadyn out of her frenzy before she collapsed to the ground. Blood abruptly spilled out of Kadyn's mouth as she noticed the sharp end of the pickaxe sticking out of her chest through her back. Slowly Jagger bent down beside Kadyn and tried to rip a piece of the coat Kadyn managed to fish out of the fire. 

Despite the seriousness of her condition, Kadyn held onto the piece of fabric as if her life depended on it. Frustrated, Jagger angrily punched Kadyn in the face which caused to her let go of the fabric. With tears in her eyes, Kadyn watched as Jagger dropped the last piece of Mike's coat into the fire while showing her a mocking grin. 

It was the last souvenir she had of Mike. It was the object which helped her overcome her darkest moments. All the memories she made were shared with that coat, yet all of it was gone in an instant inside a fire. Kadyn's hands rolled into fists as she tried to stand up but all her efforts remained futile as she could no longer feel her heartbeat. Just like Mike before her, the fatal strike punched right through her heart and left a massive bleeding wound which signified the end. 

As her consciousness began to fade, she suddenly saw Mike walking past her. Slowly, his image faded into the wind. Kadyn instinctively reached out but her hand quickly lost its battle with gravity. 

[Mike] - "We all gotta go someday. Don't worry, I'm sure we'll meet again. "

All her life flashed in front of her eyes. From the moment she breathed for the first time to the moment she shared her first kiss with Mike all the way to her victory over her arch-nemesis KD-554. Her moments of happiness danced like candles in the dark while her moments of sadness showered her body with a rain of needles. 

[Kadyn] - "Mike Gioacchino Mundy... why did you give your heart to a girl who can't even honour her part of the deal? I failed... and that's all there is. "

Whispered Kadyn as she felt her life slip away. 

However, in defiance, Kadyn forced her eyes to stay open and her body to keep trying. Driven by how Mike never gave up even after death, Kadyn forced her light to shine even as the darkness overwhelmed her. A dark mist began to laugh as Kadyn's eyes finally closed. 

"Do not fight the darkness. All this is as it was meant to be. Accept and you will be reunited with him in your next life. "

[Kadyn] - "No... I refuse. My dreams are not just fuel for your laughter. Mock all you want... your darkness doesn't even compare to the flame I harbour in me. All it was meant to be my ass! I fucking choose my own path! "

The crystal on Kadyn's chest suddenly began to glow with a bright blue light. 

[Kadyn] - "Just who the bloody hell do you think I am? "

Yelled Kadyn to the darkness above her. 

The crystal on Kadyn's chest began to crack before it collapsed on itself. Finally, the broken pieces reformed themselves before forming a dark crystal which glowed with a light which was at the same time black but also bright. 

As Jagger stared at Kadyn's unmoving body with an expression of sadistic pleasure, one of her hands suddenly twitched. Before long, Kadyn rose from the ground and pulled the pickaxe out of her back. The audience was in shock as well as Jagger who backed off in shock and surprise. 

[Kadyn] - "I'm back, mother fucker, and let me tell you, the devil is waiting on the other side for your soul. "

Said Kadyn as her eyes fixated on Jagger. 

Before Jagger could respond, Kadyn dashed beside him before slicing through his leg muscles with her blade. Jagger abruptly collapsed to the ground but before he could even do anything, Kadyn's knife sliced through his other arm. With a violent slam, Kadyn pinched Jagger against the ground and held him by the neck. 

[Jagger] - "You don't got the gut! You will never kill Mike like this. "

Said Jagger in a mocking tone. 

[Kadyn] - "You look nothing like Mike and I know you are not him. I've killed so many bastards in my life, so what's one more, Jagger? "

Said Kadyn in a cold voice. 

Judging from Kadyn's tone and expression, Jagger finally realized that she was serious this time. His mocking smile quickly turned to fear as he saw Kadyn raise her fists. Without pause, Kadyn began to violent punch Jagger in the face. One punch after another, Kadyn didn't stop as she released all her pent-up anger, rage and sorrow. She didn't stop even as she was sure that Jagger was dead, she didn't flinch even as she tore through his skull and brain. All the while, her crystal glowed brightly on her chest.

[Kadyn] - "Pay for Lucy, pay for CK, pay for CT, pay the ultimate price for laughing at Mike and our dreams! Burn in hell, you bloody bastard! "

Yelled Kadyn as her bloodied fist broke Jagger's skull into pieces. 

Could she say that she didn't feel any pain at that moment? No. Despite how it was Jagger she killed, her fist still smashed through Mike's body. When Kadyn's rage finally subsided, sorrow was all that remained as she cried with all her heart. 

Thinking that it was the end of the play, the director, impressed by the performance, began to applaud. The crowd, not knowing how to react, also applauded alongside the director. Meanwhile, Kadyn simply stood up and walked out of the arena. 

Once she made it under the barracks, she packed up Lucy's crystals and began to make her way through the tunnel. Amazingly, the tunnel glowed as if Lucy's ability was still active. Somehow, Kadyn's crystals replicated Lucy's ability and illuminated her path all the way to the surface. 

After emerging from the hole in the ground, Kadyn took a breath of the cold night air before moving to sit against a large stone. She looked up at the full moon in the sky and remembered her trip with Mike on the moon. Although her body could not move, her mind danced with all her memory. 

[Kadyn] - "Dancin' in the moonlight, gazing at the stars so bright. Holding you until the sunrise, sleeping until the midnight... "

Sung Kadyn as she tapped her finger against the wound where her heart used to be before pointing at the moon.

With one last smile, Kadyn closed her eyes and allowed her body to go limp. 

To be continued...