"So, you're telling me there's a glowing ball in the basement that has dozens of black holes collapsing on top of one another?" Sloane asked as Dahlia told her about the new threat. "Yep, we had a hard time believing it, but Christopher and Fei got through to us," The blonde admitted as the pair sat in her room. Sloane took a moment to process this as Dahlia told her that according to Fei, many people went missing because of the monstrosity, including Marcus.

"I think I know what it's called... a kugelblitz!" Sloane spoke up. "A kugelwhat?" Dahlia looked confused, having never heard of that term before. "I believe it's German for ball of lightning. Come to think of it, I think father taught us about it when we were kids!" Even with the explanation, Dahlia was still confused. She never really paid attention when it came to things involving space. Then again, during the lessons, she tended to fall asleep at how slow and droning they were. The only lessons that kept her awake were the physical training Pogo had taught them.

FLASHBACK BEGINS...

May 2014,

The Sparrow Academy Dojo

"Just because something is right in front of you, does not mean it is within reach. There is always something in the way," The chimpanzee spoke, walking behind seven of the eight Sparrows in the room. Since Christopher's transformation, he had been exempt from physical training because of cubic form. But since Dahlia had somewhat recovered from her injuries, she was thrust back into training, though she found herself getting stiff at certain points.

"Sometimes, the thing in your way is your opponent, other times it may be yourself. Dahlia, Ben, step to the center," Pogo pointed his long wooden stick to the center of the dojo. Dividing the two sides was a tiny bell, and as they took their places on the opposite ends, the blonde and Squid Boy looked down at it before connecting their focused gaze. They bowed to each other before getting into their fighting stances.

And on Pogo's command, the match started, and they swung at each other, both attempting to ring the bell. But the moment either one got too close, they were pulled away by their opponent. Ben's fingertips were mere centimeters from the silver, but Dahlia pulled him away, making him nearly fly into one of the walls. Enraged, Ben decided to no longer use hand-to-hand combat, and a battle between their powers commenced.

A few of Ben's tentacles lurched forward in Dahlia's direction. And before she could do anything, they knocked her to the ground, her hands breaking her fall. She glared sharply at him, gritting her teeth in frustration. She held out a hand, which confused Ben and everybody else watching. But as she threw it back, two icicles were thrown in his direction. Before they got the chance to impale him, his tentacles knocked them away, making them shatter into pieces as they hit the wall.

He continued to swing his tentacles at her, but this time Dahlia was able to dodge them, jumping and ducking as his tentacles hit the wooden foundation, smashing some of the pillars to bits. She looked away for a mere second, that would be her greatest mistake. Ben took this an opportunity to grab her, dragging the Sparrow towards him and wrapping his tentacles around her mouth so she couldn't breathe.

"You're gonna tap out or pass out. Your choice," Dahlia struggled to break free, but his grip on her became tighter and tighter to the point where she felt the latter might just happen. "Ben, that's enough! Let her go!" Sloane protested, seeing her sister's face turning blue from the lack of oxygen. "Dahlia, just tap out!" Marcus called to her. The sounds of footsteps entered the room, and they all looked over to see Reginald staring at them.

"I'm afraid there's no tapping out in the real world, children," He stated. The Sparrows adjusted their posture in his presence, but Pogo kept glancing back and forth at the situation. "That's enough!" His voice boomed, but Reginald shook his head. "Dahlia will let us know when she's had enough." Sparrow Eight could feel her heartbeat quicken, desperate for air. But no matter what situation she found herself trapped in, she was determined to prove herself and get out of her predicament.

Concentrate Dahlia. Her inner voice spoke, feeling her blood turn to ice. Though Ben had a tight grip around her arms, he hadn't fully wrapped around them, giving her some wiggle room. She glanced at Sloane, and without further hesitation, Dahlia wrapped her hands around Ben's slimy tentacles and began to freeze them. Ben groaned at the pain, unable to keep his grip on her. And soon, the tentacles slithered back into his chest, allowing the blonde to breathe and ring the bell.

"Suck it, asshole!" Dahlia crossed her arms, smirking at her victory. With only a growl, Ben stormed out of the dojo, tossing his black belt onto the stone path. "Remember, children. We never know what we're truly capable of until we're forced to confront our own extinction," The monocle lectured, pulling the Sparrow's attention back to him. "And as their sensei, it is my job to make sure they never have to," Pogo spoke up, seemingly upset.

Knowing where this could be heading, the Sparrows, with Reginald's permission, went back inside to change. Dahlia was the last to leave, and as the doors slid shut, she could hear the hushed and angry whispers between the old man and chimpanzee. As much as she wanted to eavesdrop, she didn't want to risk being caught, as the sunlight would've given away her position.

But later in the day, she realized that whatever took place between the two guardians must've ended bad as they were all summoned downstairs. "Father, what's going on?" Marcus questioned. "Children, unfortunately I will no longer be assisting you going forward," Pogo said as he walked down the stairs carrying a suitcase in one hand and a black and gold box in the other. "What do you mean? Are you leaving us?" Sloane gasped.

"Yes, Miss Sloane. I am leaving the Sparrow Academy," The chimp sadly nodded. Everyone besides Grace and Reginald looked at one another in shock. It had all been so sudden. What happened in there? "But I will never forget you, children. You are all my pride and joy," He then walked past each of them. Some gave him hugs while others bowed their heads sadly, wishing him good luck wherever he went next. When he stopped at Dahlia, she hesitantly bent down to hug him. The longer the hug went on, the more she feared accidentally freezing him.

"You're a good person, Dahlia. Despite the cold trapping your heart, I know you are capable of forgiveness. So, I hope you can forgive me," He whispered. As they pulled away, Dahlia slowly nodded and responded. "I forgive you," With one more sad glance at the Sparrows, he walked out the door, never to return.

FLASHBACK ENDS...

~~~~~~~

"Dahlia? Are you listening?" Sloane's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "Huh? Sorry, what were you saying?" Sparrow Eight shook her head. "I was asking if you've been tracking these kugelwaves?" The gravity girl responded. Dahlia shrugged, claiming that neither Fei nor Ben mentioned the frequency of the waves. "That's crucial! If we can track how far apart they are, then we might be able to get rid of it before it does more damage," Sloane dashed over to Dahlia's desk and grabbed a blank notebook, and began to write something, the pen moving faster than the speed of light.

The blonde peered over her shoulder, trying to see what she was writing, but Sloane's arm blocked most of the text as it continued to write. Eventually, Sparrow Five handed Dahlia the textbook, and a bewildered look formed on her face as she tried to decode the seemingly long equation. "Uh..." she stammered. "Right, I forgot Math wasn't your thing either. Anyway, when the time comes, we'll start tracking the waves and contact them whenever we're ready,"

Dahlia yawned and looked over at the alarm clock, the time now reading 10:30 pm. Sloane got the message and with a slight smile, wished her sister goodnight before walking out of the room, closing the door behind her. Dahlia collapsed onto the bed, staring at the ceiling as her eyes slowly began to cave into slumber. 

But about an hour into her sleep, she woke up hearing weird noises from down the hall. Part of her wanted to go back to sleep, thinking it was just her imagination, but the creaks grew a bit louder, and there were the slight sounds of giggles and moans. Ugh, I'm too tired for this shit... Dahlia threw the covers over her head and buried herself deeply into her bed.

When morning came, the Icy Sparrow was still awake, on the verge of losing her sanity. She was scared, confused, annoyed, and upset all at the same time. The noises had since stopped, but they continued to echo in her mind, like a person shouting into a dark and endless cave. She took a moment to compose herself, finally working up the courage to get out of that bed. As she peered into the hall, she took a moment to remember where it was coming from the previous night. If she was correct, they came from either Fei or Sloane's rooms.

As she got closer to Sloane's door, she could hear the sounds of faint conversation as well as a man's voice. "I'm so tired of fighting it. The only thing me and my family have in common is childhood trauma..." Dahlia pressed an ear against the door, listening closer. "You know, there is one thing I'm 1,000% certain about," the male voice continued. "Your math isn't great, but we can work on that," Sloane chuckled.

Who is she talking to? Dahlia wondered. Just then, her foot slipped against the cold tiles, making her bump her head into the light blue door. "Shit!" The two spoke. Before Dahlia could get up, Sloane had opened the door, surprised to see her sprawled out on the ground. "D? What are you doing?" Sloane asked, trying her best to act natural.

"I could ask you the same question," Dahlia responded, staring directly at the man in her sister's room.

Luther.