Instability (Mario)

Chapter 15

"Satsuki! Satsuki! Are you okay!?"

Saiko was frantic as she kneeled down. She grabbed ahold of the redheads shoulders, cradling her in her arms. Toadette reached for her arm, and confirmed that she still had a pulse.

"Satsuki, please, please, please."

"She's going to be alright," Toadette reminded her. "She will be."

Saiko remembered what happened the last time they'd tried to break out. Once Kaira had shattered the star, she said her head was overfilled with pounding. Kaira said she had... felt different. And now Saiko understood why. The destruction of Grand Stars was hurting Kaira, mentally, and physically. What if she really couldn't control it? Kaira couldn't stop herself from passing out, who was to stay she could stop herself from killing everyone?

No, Saiko couldn't think negatively like that. That was Kaira's thing. She had to remain optimistic. Pessimism is not her thing.

So as they laid her on Daisy's bed, Saiko sat next to her and ran her fingers through Kaira's red hair.

"Saiko knows she'll be okay."

<><><>

"We gotta get out of here," Daisy mouthed to Rosalina. Rosalina nodded, a look of panic in her eyes.

Rosalina concentrated, and a portal opened from her fingertips. She grabbed Daisy, and they both leaped into the portal, it closing behind them.

They tumbled into their cell, everyone staring at them. Their pink cloaks had disappeared when they'd jumped, so Rosalina must've teleported them some place.

Where, Daisy had no idea.

But she noticed Kaira passed out on her bed, and wondered what was wrong. Kaira was practically the strongest person she knew- so for her to be subdued so easily worried her. What could've happened in the short time they'd been gone?

Short was three hours, Daisy would soon find out. Three hours was how long it took to walk, find, and destroy the Grand Star. She dreaded finding the others slightly.

"What happened? Is she alright?" Daisy frowned. "I-"

"Satsuki is feeling the effect of the Grand Star's loss," Saiko explained. "Those restrict her power... she must've felt a surge of power that she couldn't control."

"Oh...that's not good," Daisy looked away. Maybe destroying these Grand Stars isn't a good idea...no. I can't think like that. I have to get out of here. "Well, I hope she recovers soon."

"Saiko too," Saiko replied softly. "She will be fine. Just when is the better question.."

"How long did it take last time?" Toadette questioned.

"This didn't happen last time," Saiko told her. "She just had a huge headache..."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Luigi interjected. "But we just got one step closer to getting out of here, and no one's celebrating."

"You're right," Daisy smiled. "You're right! There's only five more.."

"Only five more.." Toadette murmured. "Five more until I get a freedom I don't deserve.."

"Only five more...?" Rosalina mumbled. "That's a lot... don't get too excited..."

"Still! It's one step closer."

"I suppose..."

<><><>

"H-hey, check it out Saiko," Satsuki called shakily. "Look what I did."

Satsuki held up her hands as blood weaved in between her fingers.

"I kinda know what I'm doing?"

As soon as she said that, the blood stretched and sliced through Saiko's wrist, creating a wound on the bluenette.

"Urgh!" Saiko grasped her wrist, hissing in pain. "I-"

"I'm so sorry!" Satsuki apologized. "I didn't mean to-"

Water flung from Saiko's hands and drenched Satsuki from head to toe, leaving the redhead freezing and shivering from the cold.

"A-ah!"

"We're a mess," Saiko sighed. "I wish they hadn't activated our power... thing."

"Yeah. But... it'll make us stronger, so I can protect myself from those monsters."

"Monsters?" Saiko raised her brow. "What monsters?"

"In the arena... oh! You don't know about the arena yet," Satsuki realized. "They put me against monsters I have to fight. They might put you against them, too."

"This is insane," Saiko muttered. "Rosalina and Mario are the real monsters-"

"Don't say that," Satsuki frowned. "They're not.. no."

Saiko realized she had upset Satsuki, and sighed heavily.

"Sorry.. Sorry. It's habit."

"It's alright."

Kaira awoke, opening her eyes slowly. She groaned at the pounding in her head.

"Saiko..."

"Satsuki!" Saiko smiled. "Saiko's glad you're awake."

"Yeah... me too," Kaira mumbled. "I... i was just... I had a flashback."

"Of?"

"Us learning... and failing... at our powers."

"Oh!" Saiko chuckled. "Hehe! We weren't so great at them at the time..."

"No, we definitely were not," Kaira muttered. "And you didn't know about the arena battles yet."

"Oh..."

"We were so young and innocent," Kaira laughed dryly. "What happened?"

"A lot of things," Saiko sighed. "Satsuki knows that.."

"I...I know..."

"Let's not remember that," Saiko changed the subject. "We're here now."

"Yeah... you're right."

Hey everyone, hope you're enjoying. I wrote Satsuki's name and then had to erase it to Kaira only about 1000 times XD

Question of the chapter: what happened to Kaira and Saiko?

Thanks for reading!