Asuka's Apartment: Rendering Assistance.

Aiko smiles at her. "You're awake! We were so worried when Sylas brought you in...He was bleeding too...What happened?"

Sozen nods. "I told him to go and be with his wife..."

Aiko kneels beside her. "Are you ok? Do you want us to take you to the Infirmary?"

Aiko nods. "We should still go to the Academy..."

Sozen nods as well. "If not to report to Lord Death, than to support our comrade..."

Sozen picks her up, carrying her out the door. Along the way they see several tree collapse at the training grounds. "I wonder what's going on up there."

They begin the climb to the Academy to see that Sylas is the cause of the destruction. He is readily cutting down a large number of trees.

Aiko and Sozen stop to watch him. Sozen looks down at Asuka. "What do you think he's doing?"

Aiko looks over to her. "Yeah, but....why?"

Sozen resumes walking and Aiko follows. "If you had to guess...?"

Aiko runs up beside her. "But you must have an idea..."

Sozen nods, but Aiko continues to push. "Asuka, I need to know what you're thinking...We need to be able to tell each other things if we're going to function as a team..."