Avi clears . “If the Hado discover that Kris is under Kado influences, we may never see him again. People that have been found under Kado influences are prisoned, tortured, and "cleansed". They place you in isolation for years and years, and you’re not allowed any contact with the outside world.”

My jaw drops at this sickening revelation. Avi’s not done, though. “Then they… brainwash you through these horrible, horrible ways. But here’s the thing.”

“A few years ago, there was this huge controversy with this… scientist. She worked at Central HQ in Tokyo; the main branch of the Hado that only the most elite Fighters can work in. Technically, no one was supposed to know about what she discovered, but Kris, Kai, and I are- were... close to her. We ended up overhearing this one day almost 8 years ago.”

“What did she discover?” I question curiously, leaning in.

“She discovered that the Kado chi cleansing procedures that I just mentioned are absolutely unnecessary. A Fighter can cleanse himself or herself of bad chi in a month, as long as they receive regular amounts of good chi and proper rehabilitation sessions.”

I gasp. “That means that the torture and isolation and stuff is basically pointless. Why are they still doing those things if that scientist found out that they’re not needed?”

“We don’t know.” Avi bites her bottom lip and looks at Kai again. “The scientist apparently discovered so many more things, but we weren't able to hear them. To be honest... we call the Kado evil, but really… the Hado isn’t any better.”

Suddenly I recall the events that occurred a few weeks ago that left me and Kris absolutely shocked. “That’s not all,” I tell Kai and Avi. “Kris and I sensed a monster some time ago, but when we went to fight it we discovered that it had killed a bunch of Kado soldiers. That beast was working for the Hado.”

“What?!” they exclaim simultaneously.

“That’s impossible! The Hado fights monsters; not uses them!” Kai sputters.

“I know. We were shocked too.” I tell them grimly.

“That must’ve been another one of the things she discovered,” Kai muses, shaking his head.

“The worst part is, the scientist that discovered this disappeared only a month after these things were discovered,” Avi whispers. “I heard she had been ‘dealt with’ by the Commander himself.”

I tilt my head. “What Commander?”

Kai and Avi exchange their millionth meaningful glance. “You know how the universe is divided up into realms, and then Earth is one of the realms? And Earth has divisions, regions, and squads, and there are people at the head of each division, region, and squad?”

“Yeah.”

“The Commander is the head of the entire realm.” Kai say slowly. My eyebrows shoot up.

“He must be really powerful then,” I say.

“He is,” Avi replies, fidgeting uncomfortably.

“So you’re saying a guy that powerful got rid of that scientist himself?” I confirm. “That’s… really unnecessary.”

“It was really cruel,” Avi sighs. “I think that time in our life… was one of the hardest to get through."

"Kai, Avi... if the Hado does these horrible things, then why do you continue being a Fighter? Why can't you quit?"

"The Hado isn't totally bad," Kai explains. "We've done a lot of good things in the past and saved a lot of people. It's only within the last 10 years that things have gotten really bad here."

"Plus, it's not that easy to just leave the Hado." Avi adds. "Our families have been Fighters for generations and generations. It's what we've known our entire life."

 "I see," I say, slowly nodding my head. "Um, I have one last question." Kai and Avi look at me.

“I don’t mean to pry or be rude, but it seems like you guys really did know the scientist well. How did you know her?” I ask. 

Avi looks at the ground.

“She’s going to discover sooner or later." Kai murmurs. "We might as well tell her now.”

"The scientist who uncovered these secrets and then suddenly disappeared,” Avi sighs, “was Kris’s mother.”

 A/N: This chapter's shorter than usual because I felt like it was a lot of information to digest. But it gets even better... not for Kris, though. If you have ANY questions or confusions about anything that's going on, please comment! I will gladly answer them for you! :)