Klein’s view

<Klein's POV back in the bunker>

"You bitch!" Shooting up from the couch Klein looked around for Reia as she was just about to attack her.

"Huh?" Klein was confused as to why she was on the couch alone. Pondering on it for a moment everything came back to her.

"Oh that's right, they left to go look for supplies." Klein cracked her neck, as it felt incredibly sore.

"What the hell did Akira do to my neck?" Klein did not feel comfortable no matter how she moved her neck, constantly feeling a stinging pain.

Getting up from the couch Klein was a bit lost on what to do as she was now left alone.

'Do I stay or leave?' Klein was conflicted as she did not want to be alone, but being around Reia all the time infuriated her.

'But Akira is here and if I leave I may never find him again, however, there is also that bitch Lou from Reia's squad.' Klein paced around the room conflicted and tried to distract herself from the pain in her neck.

'Tsk what a predicament to be in.' Klein hated the fact that Akira teamed up with Reia making it almost impossible for her to approach, especially with both Lou and Reia.

'Maybe I should just try to stalk them, but that's such a boring life and knowing Echo with his stupid robots could probably find me.' Klein started to bite her thumb as almost all the things she could come up with would be countered in some way.

'Right now my best bet is to just follow them for now and hopefully, I can snatch Akira when he is alone outside.' Klein considered kidnapping Akira and thanks to her having an ice essence currently copied, she could restrain him.

'I will only have one shot as I am almost out of ice essence and going to need to absorb someone else's soon.' Klein's essence, although believed to be just copying, is the absorption of essence. When she touches a person she sends her essence through their body and her essence then stores the other person's essence which then allows her to use it.

Klein had a plan and now needed a way to survive as she won't be able to take the food from the bunker and if she was going to stalk needed a way to keep track.

'They should be staying here for a while so I should set up in a nearby building, but not too close otherwise they will just find me if they scout the buildings.' Klein wanted to follow them around just in case, but it would be impossible to keep track and it would be much easier on her if she hid close to their base.

Making up her mind, Klein quickly went to her room and grabbed her bag. Running to the kitchen Klein filled her bag with some of the food, she then rushed to the bunker door.

Opening it up Klein hastily made her way out, but she still made sure that it shut behind her as although she despised Reia, Klein did not want to ruin her relationship with Akira further.

'Why do I always do these nice things? It is only a matter of time till she comes out.' Klein looked at her hand just before she exited the alley as she was reminded of the reason why she was so attracted to Akira.

'Tsk, why now.' Klein hated that she had to hide and the resurfacing of the memory made it harder for her to leave.

***

<Back in the Academy>

'Shit I'm about to switch.' Klein was currently in a library as it was her get-away from people.

Holding her hand tightly Klein discreetly left the library in search of a place to hide.

Rushing through the hallways of the academy, Klein decided to go around the back just in case she couldn't find a place in time.

Running around the corner she had accidentally bumped into someone breaking her concentration and causing her to fall to the ground.

'Fuck I don't have enough time.' Klein needed to focus on suppressing whatever was happening, but now she was unable to hold it.

"Woah Klein, you okay?" Akira, who Klein just bumped into, was a little surprised to see Klein so suddenly.

Akira went down to her side and went to help her off the ground, but something about the usual Klein changed.

"Klein?" Although Akira genuinely did not like Klein for what she had, he wasn't going to treat her badly if she was in trouble.

However, what Akira didn't expect was Klein's eyes to shift to red and suddenly attack him.

Klein went into a frenzy and went to grab Akira by the head.

Akira though was able to quickly jump back before she reached him.

"What the fuck?" Akira was confused by what he was seeing as it was clearly someone other than Klein.

'Did she use essence on her own body?' Akira first thought Klein had gone too far with using it on herself and had caused herself to go mad.

'No it was like she transformed, is this a race-specific thing then.' Akira was busy trying to make sense of the situation, but he could no longer dwell on it as Klein leapt at him.

Akira did not want to hurt Klein just in case it was a temporary problem, so he opted for restraining her.

Grabbing Klein by the arms Akira was able to throw her to the ground and restrain her arms. Using a little bit of his essence he was able to get her to stop flailing about because of the burning pain from the essence.

However, the essence had a different effect on Klein who had suddenly returned back to normal and felt a soothing sensation from Akira.

"Huh?" Confused about how she got on the ground, once she realised that Akira was on top of her she had put the pieces together.

'Wait Akira was able to stop my transformation and ease the urge.' Klein was so confused about how it was possible, but she was on the brink of passing out making it hard to think.

"This… feeling." Saying a couple of words out loud Klein shortly passed out after.

Akira seeing that she was no longer fighting back and had passed out, he stood up.

"Jeez, what was that?" Akira knew that she was crazy, but suddenly seeing this side of her he questioned what really happened in the past.

'Was this why that girl was afraid of her.' Akira wasn't sure as this was the first time seeing it and nor did he really care.

'Hmm I should call the medic staff to pick her up, it's not worth associating with her, especially since my mother said to stay clear after the incident.' Akira came from a family that ran the intelligence of the military so whenever it was stated to not go near someone it was for a good reason.

***

<Present >

"Maybe I should just come clean." Klein was deeply ashamed of this other self and although she had learnt how to control and use it, it brought Klein great shame as it was a reminder of her past.

"Ahhhh! I don't know what to do." Klein grabbed her head as she was beginning to spiral.

"No stop, just go and hide and wait for the right moment." Klein tried to cut off her thoughts and commit to her decision.

Running away from the bunker Klein left to go find a place to stay for the time being.

***

<Reia POV>

"Lou?" Reia wasn't sure if the person in front of her was Lou but also couldn't think of any other crazy person to fight a giant tiger solo.

The giant tiger stood in between Reia and Lou ready to pounce again.

"Do I hear who I think it is?" Lou, who had blood coming down her face and was currently trying to catch her breath, thought she heard Reia call her name.

"Yes! Lou, it's me Reia." Reia couldn't believe the situation but also wasn't surprised.

"Haha, what a way to bump into each other, now time to take down this big motherfucker." Lou recharged her beretta's with her essence and got ready to wrestle with the tiger.

"Wait! Dodge! There are rebels behind you!" Reia saw the soldiers were about to shoot Lou, but thanks to Reia, Lou was able to get out of the way.

The rain of bullets then instead hit the tiger which was waiting for Lou's next move.

The tiger got enraged by the soldiers and shifted its attention to them. Jumping forward it smash through the front of the store and the soldiers began to run away for their lives.

"Louuuu are you okay!?" Kim had suddenly appeared by the hole Lou came in from and spotted Reia instead.

"Reia!" Kim was shocked and she quickly jumped down from the hole next to Reia and quickly ran up to her.

"Have you seen Lou?" Kim gave Reia a hug and this time she returned it and did not dodge Kim like last time.

"Always Lou in that head of yours, yes she is right over there." Reia pointed to the front of the store where Lou sat up against the wall taking a moment to recover while the tiger dealt with the soldiers.

"Phew, she has been fighting that tiger for almost an hour now and she refuses to let me help." Kim let go of Reia and quickly ran to Lou while explaining what was happening.

"How typical." Akira spoke up, spooking Kim who did not realise he was there.

"Akira?" Kim quickly turned and saw Akira laying on the floor watching the fight outside.

"Yes it's me, long time no see Kim." Akira did not avert his gaze as he was going to shoot at the tiger if it came close to him otherwise he was going to let it go, in hopes it will ravage the rebel camp.

"Heh, even in an apocalypse you still can't be separated from your future husband, Reia." Lou got up from the ground with the help of Kim.

"Oh for fuck sake."

"Tsk, no wonder you weren't at gate 2, too busy playing." Lou had a smirk as despite the situation they were in she had to take a few jabs at Reia.

"Go back and fight that tiger, you psycho." Reia was already regretting this, as it was exactly what she was expecting.

Akira was trying his best to ignore what Lou was saying, but he couldn't help but blush.

"Oh, I will, make sure you don't interrupt me." Lou stretched out her body and prepared herself for another round with the tiger.

"Wait Lou, but you need to rest." Kim was extremely worried as she had been non-stop fighting with the tiger and her physical state wasn't the best.

"I don't need rest, as long as I have essence I can move, plus I know where the core is so it won't take me too long." Lou brushed off Kim and went up to the now collapsed storefront.

*sigh* "Don't die you bitch." Reia was not surprised by Lou and only hoped she would come out alive.

"Of course not, who do you think I am." Lou smiled and she started to dash towards the giant tiger that was devouring the last of the soldiers.

Everyone collectively sighed and each got their weapons out, ready to help if anything happened or to provide cover.