Everlasting Dreams

Satin: what happened to Karissa last chapter? And who is this mysterious figure?

CHAPTER 6~ DIFFERENT PLANS, NEW CHANGES

“Im telling you, I know what I saw” the figure paced the room, with her hands behind her back. “She must be found, and then distinguished. We can’t take anymore chances, next time, we may not be able to control her powers with these illusions” she said, stating it as a matter of factly.

“No, I don’t agree at all. We need her for testing. Otherwise, how will we find out about her powers, and who then will be used?” the other figure said, under his breath, as if someone was nearby listening. “My orders will be sent out, is that clear? It will be to keep an eye on her, and to first delay the activities for her. Then, we will take our chance, and maybe try to make it be our final chance, for then she will be with us…”

“Hey Karissa! Wait up gorgeous!” Brint called, running after Karissa to their class and practically dropping all of his books to catch up with her. “Where have ya been?? What happened in the cafeteria three nights ago?? You didn’t come to class both days, and people don’t know what happened.” Brint said, glancing at Karissa.

“Um, you should know what happened in the cafeteria. Dr. Croford made an announcement to the whole GOA didn’t she?” Karissa said a little annoyed.

“Ya, I know. But I was just makin sure it was true” Brint said going on “ Ok but she didn’t tell us why u skipped class yesterday. Fill me in…please?” Brint asked, begging. Brint always loved to be the first one to know, and didn’t like to be left out on any thing.

“I didn’t feel good. That’s all.” Karissa said, turning away into the doorway of class, not waiting for Brint to blabble on. Karissa wasn’t about to tell anyone what happened yesterday really. She knew she didn’t have a problem with it getting out. She new Dr. Croford wouldn’t tell. It was her business, and only hers. She wasn’t going to tell anyone about her EX reaction yesterday….basically, she acted like it had never happened, and when ever a question came up in her mind about it, she would think about something else, not wanting to even realize that it had really happened.

I wonder where Dr. Croford is…what could she be planning for me this time…an execution? Karissa pondered as she dropped her books and went straight to her Ingrid. No ones gonna stop me this time…Karissa thought, remembering how it had all started yesterday…the memories were faint…Dr. Croford stopped her…she talked on…then, more memories, she had a vision, some vision, she saw someone, but who? The next thing she remembered was being in her EX state, and then the vision again…was it the same person in her first vision? Or was it some one else?

Damn…why cant I remember? Karissa pondered straining her brain to remember the details. Giving up, she moved on…she walked back…using the back stairs…then…then…what happened after that? The next thing she remembered was walking in her dorm, and then lying down in her bed and falling asleep…but what happened between that?

Karissa snapped out of here gaze only to look up at a crowd of candidates around her, all ready to ask questions at once.

“Where were you? Dr. Croford said that all that happened to you in the cafeteria was there was something in your food, but none of us believe that. We don’t only because u wouldn’t freak out about a cup of coffee oh and-“ Kizna got cut off before she could finish asking her questions by a voice, a deep one.

“Come on yall, give Kari a break, will ya? She hasn’t been feeling good, and now yall are suffocating her,” Roko said, putting his hands on Karissas shoulders and leading her away from the swab of candidates.

“OK Karissa, I know what happened to you in the cafeteria, but I don’t know what happened with you and Dr. Croford yesterday. I need you to tell me the truth, and tell me what she told you.” Roko said looking around, making sure they were in a private spot to chat.

“Ya you probably told her to stop me in the hall. Roko, why do u need to know? I was just not feeling good. Now, I'm going to go to my Ingrid and into training, and please, don’t stop me.” Karissa said, sad that she had to face Roko like this and lie to him.

“Karissa, I'm not letting u touch that Ingrid until u tell me what happened,” He replied, blocking the door way.

Karissa began to get a little annoyed, but she finally gave up, and told Roko what she remembered. She knew he could tell if she was lying or not. When she finished, Roko sighed, and made Karissa promise that she would be careful, and at the first feel of her head aching, to get out of her Ingrid at once. Once again, Karissa promised, and Roko stepped to the side and let Karissa through the door.

Roko new she hadn’t told him the whole truth. He new she was leaving out some important details. Karissa new she left them out too. What she had told Roko was that Dr. Croford stopped her in the hall and talked to her about yesterday and how she wouldn’t be going into her Ingrid that day. Then she told him that she had gotten pissed at Dr. Croford, and just decided to skip class that day, and just to go back to her dorm.

The most important details that Karissa had left out, was that Dr. Croford was trying to knock her out, that she had a vision which triggered her EX state, and then untriggered it. She left out that she couldn’t remember what had happened in between those periods when her EX state faded away, and when she was in her dorm sleeping.

Karissa walked swiftly over to her Ingrid and glanced to the right and saw that Roko was explaining to Azuma what had happened, and to excuse her for missing class yesterday. She sighed, happy she didn’t have to deal with Azuma her self. She climbed into her Ingrid as the water surrounded her and she was soon in control of it. She hadn’t done that or felt that feeling for about 3 days now, and it felt weird, and different then how it had felt.

“OK Saku, you can start the simulation now!” Karissa yelled as she saw Saku running into the door of class. Karissa chuckled silently. Saku was never late. She wondered what had made Saku so late.

“Hi Kari, I was going to ask you some questions, but ur already in ur Ingrid so screw that idea. You can explain to me when we go to lunch, k? O ya. Kari I know that your not going to like this, but I have to do it no matter what u say,” Saku said, her voice shaking a little before she moved the switches.

Karissa stopped in her place. What did she mean? What was she going to do? Who told her to do it? Questions spun in her head, making her vision blurred.

Saku continued, now a little more nervous than before. “ All I'm going to do is raise the intensity level up to 100 instead of 50, it will be OK. Its just an experiment to see how you do. Dr. Croford said that it would only be for today-“

“What!! Dr. Croford told you to do this!! Don’t you dare, don’t listen to her!” Karissa blurted out, now raged with anger. That was what had made Saku so late.

“St-stop!! What reason did Dr.Croford give u to do this?” Karissa said, now getting dizzy.

“Well, she told me she wants to see how far the intensity can go without u triggering your OHEX.” Saku said, glancing up at the screen at Karissa, “ OK, now I'm starting the simulation. 10 enemies coming from all sides.”

“What the, what are you trying to do? You know I can't move as fast with this inte-intensity level so high! And now your makin-making it 10 enemies? Stop the simulation!” Karissa said struggling to make her words come out. Karissa glanced up only to see Dr. Croford standing behind Saku. Karissa stopped where she was. She was going to show Dr. Croford. She would defeat all the enemies without going into her EX state. Karissa stood up slowly, curving her body and letting her hands drag up her legs. She stood still, closed her eyes, and concentrated with all of her senses…WHAM! Two enemies were destroyed at once. Karissa found this very weird. She had not done this in 3 days. Something was different besides the intensity level. Karissa opened her eyes and glanced at Saku to tell her where the other enemies were, but she was too busy talking to Dr. Croford.

“Are you sure she's going to be OK? Even though she did destroy two enemies in this intensity, are u sure she can go on without triggering her Ex?” Saku said, glancing up at Dr. Croford.

“Yes, I'm positive. I have now finished my experiment. 100 intensity is about how far Karissa can stand in a simulation without going into her OHEX. OK, keep her in 100 intensity until she defeats all 8 enemies left, or let me make a correction, all 5 enemies left,” Dr. Croford said, glancing up at the screen and how many enemies were left, “ If she makes it without fainting or going into a little bit of EX as I predicted, then let her return to her dorm. But, if she does faint before she finishes destroying all the enemies or goes into her EX, don’t quit the simulation, just come get me out of my office. If she faints after the simulation is over or after she defeats the enemies, that is OK. Like before, send her to her dorm. Now Saku, I'm trusting you to follow my orders, and to keep this between me, Azuma, Karissa, and your self. Good luck.” Dr. Croford turned on her heal, making one last glance at the switchboard and Karissa. She spoke as if an officer, giving orders…in this case, Saku was the soldier, and Karissa… was the gun.