The room was quiet, but Kami’s mind was anything but. Shadows flickered on the walls as the dojo lights bled through the sheer curtains, washing her bed in a hazy glow. She lay sprawled across the thin blanket, restless and confused, every inch of her body aching from the night's events—fresh bruises layered over old ones like war medals she never asked for and adding another trophy to the list of battle scars gifted from the Red Reapers.
Cassie was in the next room, lying across the oversized futon, her soft breathing, the only sign of life amid the suffocating silence. Her body bruised and battered from the night’s events.
Kami turned her head to the window, just catching sight of Hara outside sparring with Colton. Sweat glistened on his bare shoulders, his movements precise and purposeful, despite the cuts and bruises marring his face. Kami’s jaw clenched, and a growl simmered low in her throat. She wanted to love him—needed to—but the more she tried, the more that sickening feeling churned in her stomach; pure, unfiltered rage, like molten steel bubbling beneath her skin. It was the burning desire to rip off his head and smile as she fed it to the wolves. A feeling hard to control, but she tries. The visions did not just start, they started after the attack that first night of the rumble and after that sickening kiss from Svetlana.
"That damn kiss."
she muttered, pressing her palms hard into the mattress. It had unlocked something wild, something vicious, and it clawed at her insides, demanding to be set free.
She fumbled her way from the bed, gazing once again out of the window, as she looked again, Hara was staring right at her, his expression softer than she could stand. A bitter taste rose in her mouth as his gaze met hers—full of questions, laced with guilt. His face, cut and bruised, a prisoner of his own reflection in the eyes of Kami.
Stepping away from the window, Kami takes a deep breath, fighting the urge that compels her to attack Hara once again. Colton’s hand landed on Hara’s shoulder, breaking the spell.
“She’ll come around, Cuz,”
Colton said, squinting at the window.
“We just gotta give her time. Whatever’s going on in her head... it’s fierce. You didn’t see her last night. Took down Goro like he was nothing. She was fighting more than just him—she’s fighting herself. She did the one thing every man in that ring couldn't accomplish and she done it with a hunger greater than Vanity's urge to strip every ounce of life out of that witch, Svetlana's body. I've never seen anything like it."
Hara exhaled, hands moving to his bruised crotch, muttering under his breath, “No, but I felt it.”
Colton snorted, giving him a firm pat on the back.
“Better ice those twins, man.” his eyes wincing in thought.
Hara just shook his head, a smirk cutting through the pain.
Kami stepped outside, greeted by the cool night air and the gentle rustling of the cherry blossoms. The moon cast a pale glow over the garden, illuminating the delicate pink petals that carpeted the stone pathway. The scent of the blossoms mingled with the faint hint of incense that always seemed to linger around her kominka. It was a place of peace, of discipline, of memories—ones she couldn’t escape.
Her body ached with every step. The bruises, the cuts, the sheer exhaustion of the past two nights weighed her down like chains. But she refused to be weak. Pain was just resilience leaving the body, and she would not let the Red Reapers break her. Her discipline would not allow it. The teachings of Sensei Forester echoed in her mind, urging her forward, past the pain, past the doubts.
She traced the familiar path through the cherry blossoms, the same path she used to walk with Hara. Back when things were different. Back when their bond had been something unbreakable, before betrayal and violence had driven a wedge between them. She let herself linger in that thought for only a moment before shaking it away. Focus, Kami.
Her match at Friday Night Clash was all that mattered. The Aerial-X Championship was at stake, and she couldn’t afford distractions. But the questions kept creeping in. Could she even wrestle after the beatings she’d taken? Could her body endure the high-risk aerial maneuvers needed to win? And what if the Reapers struck again? What if Hara came looking for revenge for what she had done to him?
No. She clenched her fists, inhaling deeply. There was no room for ‘what ifs.’
“Focus, Kami.”
She whispered the words aloud, grounding herself. Svetlana’s illusions had tormented her long enough. She would not let that witch’s poison take root in her mind. The energy, the rage, the hunger—it all needed to be harnessed and redirected.
She reached the end of the garden, a place she knew well. Hara’s favorite spot. A smooth stone bench overlooked a koi pond, where the water reflected the starlit sky. She sat down, closing her eyes, allowing herself to drift into meditation. Hours passed as she breathed in and out, sinking deep into her concentration. The aches in her body dulled, her thoughts cleared, and for the first time in days, she felt control slipping back into her grasp.
The sound of approaching footsteps stirred her from her trance. She opened her eyes to see Colton walking toward her, phone in hand. His cerulean eyes carried a weight of loneliness, something she recognized immediately. He wasn’t just here to talk—he needed to be heard.
“Kami…”
he called out, breaking her steel-like focus. She met his gaze, waiting as he took a seat beside her, both of them staring up at the clear night sky.
“What is weighing on your mind, friend?” she asked.
Colton sighed, rubbing his jaw.
"Lily and William just landed back home. I guess I’m feeling the same homesick vibe Lily had over Sammy. It’s been weeks since we’ve seen him.”
Kami understood that pain. More than she wished she did. She sympathized with Colton, but she also knew dwelling on such emotions would do them no good. She needed to shift the conversation before it dragged him further into the depths of his thoughts.
“Do you think Cassie will be ready for your tag match?” she asked. “When I left her earlier, she was still battling her demons. I understand her struggles with Vanity more now. I fight my own inner demon—the one Svetlana planted in my head over Hara. We need to stay focused and grounded in our tasks. It’s what Sensei Forester taught us. To become one with the demon, face it head-on, and take control.”
A spark lit in Colton’s eyes. He stood suddenly, offering his hand to Kami.
“Funny you should say that, Kami, I think I have the perfect solution for you and Hara.”
She hesitated before taking his hand, standing to her feet. “And what would that be?”
“You two are going to spend the next few days locked inside the dojo. Together.”
Kami’s eyes widened. Panic twisted in her chest. She wasn’t ready. She wasn’t prepared to face Hara, to be trapped in a room with him where she couldn’t escape the hallucinations that urged her to tear him apart. She shook her head, taking a step back.
“No.”
Colton crossed his arms.
“This ends now, Kami. While Cassie and I prepare for our match against those limp-dicked Russians, you and Hara will work out this Russian bitch’s curse. The only way past it is through it. You two are going to be locked in that dojo, and there’s no way out until you face whatever the hell is going on in your head. It’ll either cure you or kill you. So, I suggest you get focused. Fast.”
Kami clenched her fists, staring at him in disbelief.
“But what if he comes after me for attacking him last night?”
Colton smirked, shaking his head.
“Kami, those sand pebbles are a far cry from where Hara is really hurting from.” He chuckled, tapping a finger upon his chest. “Come on. We have work to do.”
A deep sigh left Kami’s lips as she finally surrendered to the plan. There was no point in fighting it. This had to be done.
Together, they walked through the winding garden path, the scent of cherry blossoms thick in the air. As they approached the dojo, the large wooden doors stood open, and there, standing at the threshold, was Hara.
His dark eyes met Kami’s, unreadable yet piercing, filled with everything left unsaid between them. The bruises on his face told a story, one Kami had helped write.
She swallowed hard, planting her feet firmly into the ground. Whatever happened next, there was no turning back from it.
Inside the dojo, silence loomed. Hara took slow steps toward Kami, his gaze steady—not with anger, but with something softer, something that made her chest tighten. He wanted to hold her. She could feel it in the way he moved, the way he reached out ever so slightly before stopping himself.
Kami clenched her fists. The urge was still there—an insatiable hunger to harm him. She fought against it, her breath shaky, her pulse erratic. "Stay back."
Hara hesitated but took a step back, concern flashing across his face.
"Tensi, what's wrong?"
His voice was calm, steady, as if coaxing her through a storm.
She swallowed hard.
"Svetlana’s kiss... it was laced with something. A hallucinogen. It makes me see you as an enemy. It makes me want to-hurt you."
A flicker of understanding crossed Hara’s face before anger replaced it—not at her, but at the Russian scum who had done this. His jaw clenched.
"This isn't your fault. And last night—what happened—it wasn't you. We’ll fight through this. Even if I have to kill someone along the way."
They talked for what seemed like hours, discussing their upcoming matches. Kami would face Tatsu Hime for the Aerial-X Championship. Hara had to take on Chuulun Bold for the Submission Championship. The thought of wrestling alone, without each other, made them uneasy.
Hara, not a submission expert, asked Kami to train him. She hesitated but agreed, with one condition—if her urges took over, he had to subdue her by any means necessary. He reluctantly agreed.
Kami tells him about her match, having to perform the maneuvers from the top rope, she fears her body may not be able to withstand the pain and pressure. Hara offers his help to motivate her, that she is a skilled aerial artist, and he won't accept any form of hesitation from her.
As they stood, Hara reached out, wrapping his arms around Kami. She stiffened, her breath catching. The tension in her eyes was undeniable. But then, she exhaled, her lips curling into a slight, warm smile.