IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE PREQUEL TO THIS, PLEASE DO!
I got another great idea for the story that I didn't mention in the epilogue, since I got it after the epilogue. In Kai's house, actually, in her room, Zarine finds something most disturbing. Read to find out!!
Prologue
Ray looked down at the girl who was sleeping with her head resting on his chest. He shifted a little to get more comfortable, but was careful not to wake her up. He yawned, feeling tired. As much as he wanted to sleep, he couldn't. Everyone on the plane was asleep, except the flight attendants, of course. He looked out the window, but there was nothing out there, apart from darkness. It was night after all. He hoped that the next few hours will pass quickly.
"Ray, why aren't you asleep?" Zarine asked softly, lifting her head off his chest.
"Can't sleep," Ray replied, turning his attention on his girlfriend. "Put your head back there, it was keeping me warm."
"Fine, but try and go to sleep, all right?" she asked, putting her head back down.
"Okay," he answered.
She was soon asleep again. Ray began wrapping a lock of her silver hair around his finger. He thought of the events that happened in Hong Kong. Some pretty bad and dangerous happened in the tournament, but in the end, it had brought Zarine to him. It was the best thing that ever happened to him. Well, it was as good as the day that he got Driger. They were the two most important people in his life. (Just pretend Driger is a person.) He could never choose between them.
He yawned again. His eyelids felt heavy, soon he fell asleep.
"Please put your seatbelts on, we are preparing to land in Tokyo," a male voice said over the announcement system.
Everyone stirred, except Tyson, that is. "Someone better wake him up," Kenny said.
"I have an idea!" Zarine said.
She screeched in Tyson's ear, "Tyson! Wake up! The plane is going to crash!!!"
Tyson jumped up. "OH NO!!!! WE'RE GOING TO DIE!!!!!"
Max laughed, "Chill out, Tyson. We're just going to land. Put your seatbelt on."
"Oh," the navy blue haired boy said sheepishly.
"Where's Grandpa?" Kenny asked in the airport.
"IN COMING!!!" someone shouted.
Suddenly a figure flashed out from behind a pole and hit Tyson on the head with a kendo stick (What is that thing called?) "OW!! Grandpa!! I told you not to do that!" Tyson complained.
"Yo, peeps! Mr. D told me what happened in China. It seems like you guys are always getting into trouble," the old man said.
"Grandpa, like it's our fault everyone wants our bit-beast!" his grandson defended.
"We can talk about this later. Aren't you going to introduce the young lady to me?"
"Oh ya, Zarine, this is my crazy grandpa. And Grandpa, this is Zarine, the newest member to our team," Tyson said.
"Hello. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Granger," Zarine said shyly.
"You can call me Grandpa, dawg, like the rest of the gang does," Grandpa said.
"Okay...Grandpa," Zarine said uncertainly.
As they got into the bus that Mr. D. provided for them, Kenny asked, "Why didn't Hilary come?"
"Oh, the poor gal is sneezing and coughing like crazy at home. I told her I'd send you guys to see her as soon as possible," Grandpa answered.
"How could she get a cold in Hawaii? Anyways, how come you told her that? There's no way I'm going to volunteer to go see her," Tyson declared.
"Oh yes, you will. She had been worried sick about you," said Grandpa. "You can go see her after you get some rest."
The bus driver stopped at Kai's place. Kai, Ray and Zarine got off. "Holy cow! That's a huge mansion!" Zarine exclaimed, her eyes wide.
"See you later!" Ray said, waving to his friends.
They walked in through the big oak front doors to a lobby with marble tiles. There was a huge staircase in the middle, and then separated into two smaller ones that reached the two different sides of the room.
Zarine turned to Kai and questioned, "Just how big is this place?"
"Too big for one person," answered Kai.
She rolled her eyes. "I realized that."
"When you get a tour of the house, you will see," Ray said.
"Master Kai, welcome back," the butler said. He was a stout man with a few grey hairs.
"Ray, you can stay in the room that you always stay in, and Zarine, you can have the one next to his," Kai said. "Thomas, show them to their rooms."
Zarine looked at everything on the way. There were dozens of paintings on the wall, ranging from basket of fruits, to lions in the forest. Sculptures and statues of all sizes lined up on either side of the hallway.
"Here's your room, miss," Thomas said, opening the door for her.
She thanked him going in. Her room was spacious with a queen size bed. It was painted a dark rose color. Two circular nightstands were on either side of the bed, one with a little lamp and the other one with a box. There was an elegant desk against the wall opposite of the bed. On the left side of the room was a sliding glass door that gave access to a balcony. On the right side was a huge closet. Soft leather seats were placed close to the window.
She had never thought she would live in such a room. Then something caught her eye. There was a painting above the door. She stared at it, transfixed by the image. That woman in that beautiful blue gown looked exactly like her mother. Chills ran down her spine. As much as she was unwilling to go near it, she forced herself to plant herself right in front of it. She studied the lady. It didn't look exactly like her mom, but she could swear that the woman in it looked so much like her mom that she could be her twin sister!
"Hi," someone said from behind her.
Zarine's heart jumped into her throat. She whirled around and saw Ray standing there.
"How...how did you..." she stammered.
Ray pointed at the door beside the closet. "Our rooms are connected by that door."
"Oh, I didn't notice that," she said. Her racing heart was beginning to slow down.
"You okay?" he asked, frowning.
"Yeah. You just startled me, that's all," the small girl said, forcing a smile.
"Get some rest now," he said.
She raised an eyebrow, "You were the one who couldn't sleep on the plane." She got under the dark blue blankets.
"Sweet dreams," her boyfriend said, kissing her lightly on the cheek.
"You too," she said before closing her eyes.
She woke up and saw bright rays of sunshine coming in through the windows. Unintentionally, her eyes landed on that portrait. It really bothered her. It seemed like that woman watched her every movement in the room. She tried to shake off that feeling. After all, the lady did look like her mom, it should make her feel like that her mother was watching over her. Still, she couldn't convince herself that it wasn't freaky.
I know this is short, but it's a good place to stop. Will update soon!