"It isn't fair." Jenn softly muttered into Amy's shoulder, "What do we do if the others don't return as well? I can't handle losing them all. I mean I am angry with Jessica, but I don't want her to die. I don't want any of them to die. I wish they were here right now." As if in response to the girl's wishes the television spontaneously turned on and started to change channels before their eyes, "Who had the controller?" Alyson frantically inquired as she looked under herself and searched under, a surprised, Natalie. Kris slowly moved in closer and pointed in the middle of the coffee table, "It is right there." She noted. Everyone stared at the remote and then the TV in astonishment as images flickered across the screen at an increasing rate until it blurred and the images began to run together. The screen suddenly filled with white light and the entire lobby was flooded with blinding light and a high pitched wailing sound that forced many to cover their eyes. As quickly as it started it was over and the girl's uncovered their eyes. The screen now showed an image of static and the room was silent. "W... what was that?" Natalie nervously asked. "Maybe it was Kim." Tanya suggested optimistically, glancing around the room, "Maybe she was trying to tell us something." "I wasn't trying to tell you anything." Kima responded as she groggily sat up. Natalie stared at Kima in amazement and dropped next to the girl, "Kima!!! You're back!!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around the girl's neck. Kima stroked the back of Natalie's head, "Sorry I worried you." She glanced up at Alyson and gave her a nervous smile, which was equally returned. "Good to see you back." Alyson stated giving the girl a pat on the back then glanced at the girl's features, "What happened to your hair and eyes? They have changed." Kima shrugged, "I don't know. When I got to the Hall of Mirrors it was like this." She explained perplexedly. Several girls gathered around Kim to admire and puzzle over the girl's new looks. "What about me?" Jessica inquired groggily as she stretched, "Isn't anyone going to give me a hug?" Misty spun around to see Jessica rising and rushed around the couches to give the girl a hug, "Oh, Jessie. I'm sorry I got mad at you." She cried into the girl's arms, "I'm so glad to see you are alive." "Unnn..." Penny slowly began to stir and sit up, "What happened?" She glanced down at her hands, bewildered by the size of them, "What happened to me?" She exclaimed worriedly. Kima broke free of Natalie's embrace to sit next to Penny and give her a hug. "You made it back." She exclaimed happily, "I was worried that you would still be lost in that world forever." Jenn shakily stood to her feet and looked from one girl to another, "You're all back." Tears rolled down her face as a smile twitched on her face, "You're alive." Kima gazed up at Jenn in confusion, "Jenn? Why are you crying?" She asked uneasily. Jenn nervously glance down at then empty spot on the ground and back to Kima, "Kim... she..." Her voice refused to speak the next word. Kim scanned the many sad faces that had gathered in the lobby and noticed that her twin was not among them, "Where is Kim?" She asked worriedly, agitated by the silent looks, "Where is she?" She demanded. Amy approached Kima, "She left us." She stated with a pained sound in her voice. Kima was confused, "What do you mean 'she left'? Where did she go?" "You were in the dream too long." Alyson explained sadly, "She couldn't survive without you needing her." "What?!?" Kima searched the many faces before her for some kind of answer. "Who are you talking about Kim?" Penny inquired nervously. Kima turned to face Penny, "My... reflection..." She stated, trying to think of how to explain her other half, "Kim was a reflection of me and we lived here together. She was at the ball with us, remember?" Penny suddenly smiled, "Oh, that girl with long red hair and dressing a red gown that warned us about that man?" She asked uncertainly. Kima nodded her head, "She left with Jessica and should be right here with everyone else." Again she scanned the crowd, "Would someone please tell me what is going on here? You look like someone has died." "In a way..." Kris finally spoke up, "Someone did." She glanced at Kima then looked away, "Kim is dead." She stated regretfully Kima was startled by what she was hearing. She inspected each of the girl's faces in an attempt to see the joke, "She can't be dead." She swallowed hard on the feeling that had been building up since she entered the Hall of Mirrors, "She wouldn't die on me. She can't." She began to tremble at the prospect of being alone again invaded her thoughts when she felt Penny's arms slip around her waist and lightly hug her. "I'm sorry..." Penny buried her face in Kima's back, "If you had not stayed with me you wouldn't have lost your friend." Kima softly closed her eyes and placed her hand lightly upon Penny's arms, "No... she's not gone." She place her other hand to her chest, "She just returned to me." She explained softly, "We are whole again." Amy smiled down at the girls, "I'm glad you all returned safely." She stated with a sigh of relief, "You all had me so worried for a moment in the office." She glanced at the office, "Would you all be so kind as to allow me to look you over. The usual route stuff is all." Jessica shakily got to her feet, "A... alright..." She stated, using Misty for support as she moved around the couch. Her eyes fell upon Kris for a moment and she quickly looked away. "Look us over?" Penny inquired nervously as she stood with Kima, "What does she mean by that?" Kima patted the girl's hand, "Amy is a nurse here. She just wants to make sure we are alright." She explained with a smile. Amy nodded at Kima, "Plus I would like to be filled in on all that happened here. You girls had me running all over the place today so I should at least get a few answers to this mystery." Kima rubbed the back of her head, "Do you need all the details?" She inquired nervously, moving around the coffee table in front of the television. Amy gave the girl a stern look, "I would like to hear as much as you think I need to know." She stated simply. Kima gave an anxious grin, "A... alright... I don't know if much of it will make any sense." She stated as she and Penny headed for the office. Suddenly something shot out of the television and latched onto Penny's ankle, pulling her out of Kima's arms. "KIM!?!" Penny cried out as she was pulled off her feet and dragged across the ground. Kima spun around to see a long black tar like arm stretching out of the television screen to Penny's leg, "Akaime!!!" She exclaimed as she grabbed Penny by the hand and the frame of the office door with the other. The creature pulled with enough force to lift Penny off the ground. Natalie leapt over the coffee table, a long blade extending from a device upon her right forearm, "Let go of them!!!" She cried out as she plunged the blade through the air and hacked at the thick appendage with all her might, only to find it spring back against her attacks as if it were made of the toughest rubber. Kris rushed to the television and grabbed hold of the creature arm, "You are not taking them back!" She stated coldly, placing her leg upon the edge of the TV and pulling on the creature's arm. Abruptly a porcelain mask burst through the screen and several girls screamed out in disgust and fear. His mask floated above a growing mass of black tar that built up below the television, seeping out of ever crack in the television. Akaime glanced around the room with his single eyes until came upon Kima, "Give me back my meal!!" He hissed at the girl. A second arm formed from the mass below the TV and flew at Penny, latching onto her other leg. "What do we have to do to be rid of you?" Natalie exclaimed as she frantically tried to cut at the monster's limbs. "You are attacking the wrong part." Kris explained as she reached out to grab the mask. The moment her fingers touched it her skin began to sizzle and boil. Quickly she recoiled from the creature, "Why can't I touch it?" She inquired in confusion. "Because you are not a Sister anymore." A voice stated from behind the girls. Everyone parted as Kai and Gwen entered the room and strolled over to the TV. Gwen shook her head at her sister, "You should know better then to touch the mask of a Faceless with your bare hands." Kai sat cross-legged before the television, "So we finally caught up to you Akaime." She remarked with a smirk. Akaime suddenly tried to pull out of Kris's grasp and return to the TV, "You Sisters will never catch me." He remarked, dropping Penny to the ground and preparing to pull back into the tub when Gwen set her hand upon the top TV and grinned. "Kris you can let go of our friend here." Gwen remarked confidently. "Let go?" Kris seemed confused until she noticed that Akaime seemed to be having troubles retreating back into the tub. Cautiously she let go of the creature's arm and stepped back, Natalie did the same, both watching the angels in confused bewilderment. Gwen glanced at Kai, "Kai? He is all yours." Kai stood to her feet and rolled up her sleeves, "Everyone might want to step back." The girls quickly did as they were told. She raised her hand into the air and abruptly her entire arm became engulfed in a blue flame as black tattoos circled around her arm and across her face. Suddenly six wings burst forth from the girl's back and spread out, filling the entire room followed by the awed sounds uttered from several of the girls. Akaime stared up at the Angel as Kai moved towards him, "No... Wait... I don't want to die..." He fearfully protested. Kai shook her head in sympathy, "The problem is you are already dead." She reached out towards the mask and lightly set her fingertips upon its surface, "This will hurt just a little." She quickly pulled on the mask, ripping it free of the television; and the air filled with the screams of agony as tendrils of tar tried to cling desperately onto the mask. The moment the mask broke free the black tar dissolved into the rug and disappeared. The remaining piece of flesh upon the mask crumbled to ash leaving only the mask behind. Kai spun around to show the mask off to the girls, "There you have it. One sleeping Faceless." She remarked proudly. Kima stepped forward and stared at the mask, "Is he really gone?" She inquired cautiously. Kai nodded as her wings folded behind her back, "Morrigan is awaiting for his spirit and will make sure that he never bothers you again." She assured. Kima let out a sigh of relief, "I'm glad to hear that." She remarked happily. "But who was he anyway?" Kris inquired curiously, staring at the mask, "What was he after?" Alyson was the only one to notice Natalie slightly cringe at the words. Gwen glanced down at the mask in Kai's hands, "That is something that will stay a mystery. The Faceless probably devoured the original man so his purpose would have been long lost." "Dammit." Kris cursed, "I hate being left in the dark." She glared at her sister suspiciously, "You sure you don't know why this thing was after these girls?" "Stop harassing them Kris." A commanding voice came from the back of the room. Everyone turned around to find Head Mistress Sophia standing at the lobby door, back to her normal age, but with a wooden cane firmly planted before her, "Gwen? Kai? Should you two not be getting that thing back to the Hall of Candles?" She inquired gently. "Yes, Aunt Sophia." Gwen replied then placed a hand upon Kai's shoulder, "It is time to go." Kai glanced up at Kris, a sad look upon her face, "I'm sorry I didn't explain why I came here." She nervously fiddled with the mask between her hands. Kris let out a sigh, "Yeah, I figured you were not just here because of me." She remarked dismally, "You are going to visit from time to time right?" Kai glanced from Kris to the Head Mistress who gave her an approving nod, and then turned back to Kris with a grin upon her face, "I will do that." She stated keenly. Kris ruffled her sister's hair, "I'll look forward to it." She turned to Gwen, "That goes for you too. I'm sorry if I don't sound like it but I really do miss you all." Gwen gave the girl a quick hug, "We miss you too." She returned then pulled back, "We really need to get going. Talk to you later." "Later then." Kris agreed and with a wave both girl left the lobby. Amy clapped her hands together, "Well, this has been fun." She stated with a nervous laugh then glanced to Jessica, Kima and Penny. "Now can we get to that examination?" She inquired. "Do you mind if I join you?" Sophia inquired as she hobbled across the room, favouring her right leg and leaving heavily upon the cane. "Are you alright?" Kris inquired as her aunt passed by. Sophia smiled back at her niece, "Everything will be just fine." She assured the girl with a pat on her shoulder. She spotted Jennifer as the girl slowly left the room and went up the stairs. Kris followed her aunt's gaze to frown as she watched her friend disappear. "Give her time." Sophia assured, "She needs some time to herself right now." Kris stuffed her hands in her pockets, "Yeah... I know..." She wandered off in the opposite direction to take a different set of stairs to her own room. Sophia let out a deep sigh and wished there was something she could do to help her niece, but decided it best to leave her alone as well and turned to enter the office to hear of what had happened to her students. ***** To be Continued....
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