Saila struggled for breath as she ran. She cursed internally as she almost tripped over yet another large rock. She'd been running for most of the day, the high altitudes and thin mountain air weren't helping matters. 

   She stopped, gasping. No matter how deep she inhaled, her lungs never seemed to completely fill. She swung her pack off of her shoulders and grabbed a water bottle. She drank the whole thing and still felt thirsty. She didn't dare drink any more, she was running low enough already.

   Most of the country lay behind her and she was dreading the run across the ocean. Sleep threatened to make her collapse where she stood, so she sat down. The earpiece in her ear buzzed softly, its range was impressive. It connected her to the X-Men in New York, but she couldn't hear anyone on the other side.

   Saila dug a plastic box filled with donuts out of her ridiculously large pack. The donuts were infused with chemical combinations to give her enough energy for several hours if she ate one. She'd eaten two already, and she was worried that she'd run out before she got back.

   Taking a bite of her donut, Saila admired the view. The small town nestled in the mountains seemed familiar. She guessed she was looking at Ouray. She could see several Jeeps driving down the winding road on the mountain across from her.

   "You there Sail?" Logan asked gruffly, startling Saila so much she jumped. "Still conscious?"

   Saila was still panting, so he would know that she was there. "Barely."

   Logan let out a snort that might have been laughter or annoyance. "Where you at?"

   You have the map, you tell me! "Ouray, Colorado I think."

   "Darn," Logan said. "I was hoping you'd have to say 'No Logan, I don't know where I am. Please tell me!'"

   Saila rolled her eyes. "Shut it Wolverine, or I'll make you run all the way across the country next time and see how you fare."

   Saila heard him chuckle as she hefted her pack and took off again. The wind drowned out whatever he said next.

   By the time Saila reached Japan, her mind was cursing worse than an Irish sailor.

   When her feet hit the sand, she got a sudden burst of traction that threw her off her feet. She landed hard on her pack. A loud snap came from it, meaning that either the box of donuts had exploded, or a water bottle had. 

   Saila groaned and wiggled out of her pack. She lay on the sand staring at the sky. Her eyes drifted closed, and she fell asleep despite Logan's best efforts to keep her awake.

   Saila woke several hours later sore, irritable, and hungry. She dug a donut and some more water out of her pack. One of the plastic water bottles had popped and everything inside was soaked. She got up and brushed herself off.

   She shouldered her pack again and started running, even though she knew it would probably be a bad idea to eat a donut and drink water while running. She'd tried it toward the beginning of her sprint and wound up doubled over choking from inhaling water.

   "Ah," Charles' voice made Saila jump, almost trip, and inhale a chunk of donut all at once. He said something else, but Saila completely missed it as she dropped down to around five hundred miles per hour.

   "Saila, are you alright?" Charles asked, sounding concerned.

   Saila took a large swallow of water. "All good," she said, coughing a bit at the end. "You just made me inhale food is all."

   "Aha," Charles' worry was gone and Saila almost rolled her eyes. "I'm here because Kasi was recently surrounded by a rather large security force. I thought you should be warned."

   "Should I be offended that you weren't there just to say hello and check on your favorite speedster?" Saila asked with a small smile.

   The smile on Charles' face could be heard in his voice. "If you're one to be worried about that kind of thing."

   Saila wasn't, of course, and they both knew it. She slid to a stop before a driveway. It led to a house made completely of glass, held together with the power of a nearby mutant called Crystalline.

   Charles was right. Even from Saila's somewhat limited view from across the road, she could see a half dozen uniformed guards patrolling the grounds and another twenty at least inside. Two guards were stationed outside the door. Kasi was visible in one of the windows on the top floor.

   Kasi was short, not uncommon in Japan, with dark brown hair and pale skin. Her eyes were dark red, betraying her as a demon mutant similar to Nightcrawler. Kasi was searching the ground with an intent expression. She knew that Saila was coming, and likely wanted to see a speedster with her own eyes.

   Saila dropped her pack next to the road and walked calmly across. Her silver boots crunched on the gravel driveway. She straightened her trademark silver jacket and made sure her short hair was reasonably messy.

   The guards raised their guns as she approached. When she didn't stop walking, they exchanged nervous looks with each other.

   "Stop!" the guard on the right shouted. "This is private property!"

   Saila stopped with a smirk. "Of course it is. But I'm here to see Lady Kasi."

   "She's preoccupied at present," the guard said, looking uneasy. "And if she weren't we can't let you in." 

   Saila smiled broadly. "You're good at your job." She vibrated just enough for lightning to flicker around her. "But I don't think I'm the kind of person you want to mess with."

   She started walking as the world around her froze. Neither of the guards moved, which Saila counted as a good sign. Her lightning crackled sluggishly in the air behind her. She walked calmly through the glass house, occasionally bumping into a glass wall and causing chips of glass to break loose slowly.

   Saila almost bumped into Kasi's closed door but managed to open it in time. She stopped just inside and her lightning trail caught up to her with a loud hissing crackle. The door banged against the wall and shattered into thousands of glittering shards.

   Kasi turned calmly and regarded Saila. Her gaze turned to the shattered door, disapproval showed plainly on her face.

   Saila tilted her head in confusion. "Lady Kasi?"

   Kasi smiled coldly. "Hello Shooting Star," she purred.

   Saila felt a shiver of unease run down her spine just before Charles said her name in a warning tone. Something was very wrong. Saila's previous confidence died in her chest, replaced by a wary nervousness. She was tense as Clint's drawn bow as she stood motionless before Kasi's evil smile.

   Fire flared in Saila's palm when Kasi started walked around her. Kasi was confident, Saila was nervous.

   "Well, Shooting Star," Kasi said. "I didn't think you'd actually think I'd go with you. I ordered all of these guards here you know."

   Saila jumped back when Kasi pretended to attack. The fire in her hand created a glowing fireball. It vanished in a crackle of sparks. Saila yelped and jerked her hand back as the fire burned her hand. She looked at the blisters as they started to form with a look of shock.

   Saila looked up at Kasi again, fury burning in her eyes. "Fire Demon!" she spat. "I know how to deal with your kind."

   Kasi didn't look concerned. She continued to circle as lightning flashed to life around Saila. She snorted and muttered something that sounded a bit like 'pathetic'.

   Saila hummed to focus herself as she started to run around Kasi. Wind whipped around them and Saila's humming whistled hauntingly. The wind pulled at Kasi's hair and flung any loose object into the air.

   Kasi screamed as fire tore itself from her hair and fingers. Her eyes turned to flickering flames. The fire flew with the wind only to be snuffed out a second later. Kasi's already pale skin became an ashy gray. Her eyes lost all flame and turned the same gray as her body.

   Saila stood silently for a second, ignoring Charles in her ear. She grit her teeth. I just killed someone. No matter how evil she was... A flicker of fire twined through her suit as she turned back for the door. 

   She shot out the door, sending a web of cracks through the glass house.