So, where have I been? Well, the answer’s simple. I started working full time the exact same week I went back to college to get my Bachelor’s degree. Needless to say, I have been super busy. Unfortunately, this blog fell a little to the side because of it.
Nonetheless, I do hope to return soon! November is intense right now with the holiday season (I work retail, so some of you can probably imagine how busy my job is rn), finals slowly approaching, and NaNoWriMo. I’m still getting into the hang of working while going back to school and figuring out how to prioritize my blogs and my writing. It will be a good while before consistency is even a possibility, but I’m trying. Please, be patient with me.
On the upside, I’m currently writing Blood Rose Book Two for NaNoWriMo this year! I plan to post the first chapter later this month. I’m so excited to continue this series, and I hope you all are too.
If all else fails, you can't go wrong meeting in the place it all began. Or at least that's what Big Al said. While everyone else dispersed and have now hidden in plain sight, only their legion would be meeting with Opera Tonio and his crew.
Meiko knew Big Al's and Tonio's friendship went far back, when both were foolish young men seeking glory in a war that was way over their heads. That friendship may have had seasons in which they spoke regularly or not for years at a time, but it never truly died. Especially since their kids were married and the two men now shared a granddaughter.
Funny how the world works sometimes.
It was as Meiko was bundling inside her fluffy coat that Hio popped his head in and told her, "We'll be meeting with Tonio and his crew pretty soon. Their craft is in range, so it's just a matter of their landing and getting offboard."
"With how long they've been trapped in there, they must be dying to stretch their legs." Meiko tapped her wrists to make sure her knives were in place. Although she knew she didn't need them, they were still strapped all the same. If they weren't there, Meiko wouldn't have felt safe.
Before Hio could leave, Meiko called his name. Finding words easier now, she looked Hio in the eyes as she said, "I'm sorry . . . for how I acted before we took off. I didn't trust you were really looking out for me. Turns out, there's a lot about being a teammate I don't understand yet, so while I'm learning, please call me out whenever I screw up."
In response, Hio shrugged, showed her one of his easy smiles, and replied, "I don't blame you for not trusting any of us right away. The point is you learned from your mistake and want to do better. Since you apologized, I won't hold it against you."
Unable to stop herself, Meiko blurted out, "You and Rinto forgive a little too easily."
Now Hio's smile fell. "We forgive because we're family. However, there is no forgiveness for those who hurt our family. Genuine ignorance is overlooked, but deliberately hurting any one of us . . ."
Hio didn't finish. He probably couldn't bring himself to. Meiko didn't blame him. Although she wasn't entirely sure, Meiko suspected Hio and Rei were good friends. Or they were before Rei's betrayal.
Although Rei didn't hurt Meiko by backstabbing the team and turning everyone in, he did hurt Big Al, Rinto, and Hio. Meiko may have still been learning to love the new men in her life as the family she never had, something she knew would not happen overnight, she still cared enough about them to hate to see them upset by this loss. It was what fueled her hatred for the golden-eyed man.
"Anyone who hurts you hurts me too," Meiko vowed, her eyes still locked with Hio's. "I have your back, just as I know you have mine."
Nodding was Hio's only response, his eye contact with Meiko not breaking.
"We should go," he finally said. "It's time to meet the others."
What have I gotten myself into?
With her teammate Hio by her side, Meiko stalked out of the hovercraft and laid eyes on the shack. They were meeting in a shack in the woods. This was how most horror dramas started.
"That . . . looks very cozy," Hio tried, but it was clear even he didn't believe what he was saying. The shack didn't look as if anyone had used it in the past decade or two. Maybe three. The boards were falling off the walls, most of the windows were cracked or gone altogether, and the porch steps had collapsed long ago.
Cozy my armpit. Meiko simply muttered, "At least everyone else isn't going to be locked away like us as we plan our next move. It doesn't even appear there's enough room for us to so much as stand in that shack, and that's not including Tonio's crew."
"Speaking of which," Hio began looking up at the sky, "they should be here any minute now."
"Which means there's no time to dawdle, you two," Big Al said as he walked up to them, Rinto and Luki on his heels. "Come on, we should be ready to welcome them. After everything they've been through, it might be nice to see some smiling faces."
"'After everything they've been through'?" Meiko snorted. "What about everything we've been thro—"
"Not now, Sakine. All of us have been through some bad stuff lately; give them a chance to unwind, then we can debate over who had it worse. Understand?"
Returning Big Al's grin, Meiko stated, "Understood, sir."
"Good, now let's move."
Meiko and Hio joined in alongside Big Al, Rinto, and Luki. Eyes on the pinket, Meiko studied their newest addition. He caught her looking, but Meiko didn't turn away. Luki smiled at her. It was a little too natural for Meiko to smile back.
"I have a feeling things are about to get very interesting," he told her, his hands shoved into his coat pockets to keep them from the biting winter air.
This was when Meiko heard something in the sky. She looked up to see a hovercraft preparing to land a few hundred feet out before its crew would walk the rest of the way here, with Meiko's group meeting them halfway. These people came from the Equinox Continent, and Meiko could not forget a single detail she heard from the news that morning.
Nodding, Meiko agreed with Luki. "Very interesting indeed."
The only thing more astonishing than Rei's betrayal was the sudden appearance of the legion Meiko and the others witnessed being blown from the sky. Nobody had died after all. The loss of the hovercraft was a frustrating inconvenience, but the other legion had no plans to abandon the mission.
Taking advantage of the lower numbers in the prison security and their advantage of surprise, they were able to break into the prison without issue and overwhelm the guards before they could regain enough sense to fight back. Their mission was simple – get in, get everyone out, and run away. They did just that.
However, the run away part of the plan wasn't as simple as it should have been. Meiko sat with Hio and Rinto in their resting room, all staring at each other with nobody having anything to say. Thanks to Rei's betraying them and everyone else, there was no going back to their previous hideout. They had to fly low. Tonio's team had to change course moments before they were supposed to arrive, leaving them to wander about until their new destination for arrival was determined.
Message was already sent to every corner of the rebel group to evacuate immediately. They got out just before their bars and libraries and other secret quarters were attacked – why Rei didn't give away that information sooner so those back at home would be ambushed while the rest were away, Meiko didn't understand. Rinto blamed Rei's shortsighted vision. Hio wanted to believe that deep down, Rei still cared about everyone and at least wanted to give them a chance to escape.
Meiko didn't care which was true. The next time she met Rei, his neck would become well acquainted with one of her knives. For all the stabbing she did, Meiko never killed anyone; she would make an exception just for Rei as retribution for all the pain and heartache he caused her teammates.
For now, she would not dwell too much on what had happened. She was alive. The others were alive. This mission having gone horribly wrong had proven one thing: nothing was promised. They all might have survived, but that didn't mean the next mission wouldn't have any casualties.
"Hio, Rinto," Meiko cautiously began, eyes locked on her fingers as she squeezed them. She didn't want to look at the guys as she talked to them. "I'm . . . I owe you both an apology. More than an apology, really. From day one, I've been a real jerk. I know now that in your own ways, you both have been nothing but nice to me, and I repaid that kindness with coldness. I'm really sorry. I hope moving forward, we can put all that behind us and learn to become proper teammates. If . . . if that's all right with you two, of course."
Silence lingered for a moment too long. Biting her lip, Meiko pondered feigning thirst to leave the room under the excuse of getting a drink. The longer the quiet stretched on, the more awkward she felt under the guys' gaze she didn't see but could still feel.
It was just before she was about to stand that Hio began, "Meiko—"
"We're your teammates whether we like it or not," Rinto interrupted. "Hells, it doesn't matter whether you like it or not. We're stuck together until Mikuo decides otherwise."
Meiko's fingers curled into fists so tight it hurt. It wasn't just what Rinto said, but the cold way he said it. However, Meiko was done arguing, especially since this was a lashing she deserved.
That was why it surprised her when Rinto continued, "With that said, don't worry about it. Everyone has majorly screwed up at least once or twice. We're all used to forgiving and forgetting. It's part of being part of a team. Though it would be kind of nice for you to stop glaring at us all the time, I'll admit."
Putting on her best smile, Meiko looked up at the boys to show them her sincerity and how grateful she was they weren't going to hold any of her previous actions against her. Rinto nodded his head, and Hio returned the smile. Perhaps some things were going to get better amidst all this chaos and terror. No matter how bad things got, it would be more bearable to have these guys on her side. Meiko didn't deny that it would be nice to be a part of a family again.
The thought made her smile fall. Standing to her feet, she told the guys, "I'll be right back. I need to speak with Big Al."
"All right," Rinto replied. "If he's still not briefing with the others, he might be helping to welcome our new guest on board."
"I figured as much. Thanks."
As Meiko turned to leave, Hio called her. Without a word, Meiko turned around to listen what he had to say. Hio kept it short. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," Meiko said before she walked out of the room, surprised to find that she told Hio the truth.
"I was just looking for you," Meiko told Big Al when she crossed paths with him in the hallway on her way to the briefing room. Big Al rose a brow but didn't say anything, choosing instead to let Meiko tell him whatever it was she wanted to say. Meiko took a deep breath and said, "I, er, I never really apologized. For stabbing you in the arm, I mean. Yeah, sorry about that. It won't happen again."
Big Al shrugged and motioned for Meiko to follow him as he walked. With her in step beside him, he replied, "Don't apologize. If anything, be grateful you did it. Nobody was going to respect you or take you seriously until you proved to them why we shouldn't turn you away."
"Wait," Meiko furrowed her brows, "you're glad I stabbed you?"
"Don't get me wrong, I would much prefer you never do that again," Big Al replied, grinning at her, "but at least you got the message across that you don't like to be touched without consent."
Although it was small, Meiko did smile back. She didn't go into detail what happened all those years ago, and Big Al didn't ask either. Instead, even without knowing everything, he looked at Meiko as if she was a soldier long before they met. Most people who knew treated Meiko as nothing more than a victim. Meiko wasn't a victim, but a survivor, and the way Big Al treated her indicated he knew as much.
"So," Meiko drawled, changing the subject, "when do I get to meet this super important operative we risked our lives for? I have to know if it was all worth it."
"He hasn't revealed everything yet, but he's already told us enough to confirm that yes, rescuing him was worth it. Come, he's in the back resting room right now. I'm sure he won't mind putting a pause to writing out his report to meet our newest recruit."
While they walked towards the room, Big Al kept his information to the point. "Believe it or not, but he's about your age. Came from the Hera District last year, from a village that isn't even on most Equinox Continent maps. He previously worked on a farm that filed for bankruptcy shortly after he left. It's through his sheer grit, intelligence, and determination he climbed the ranks faster than anyone would have ever expected. I'm sure you two will either get along as best friends or worse rivals."
"If it's the latter," Meiko said, smirking, "I won't be allowed to stab him, will I?"
"No," Big Al replied, only to lean in close and whisper, "unless he absolutely deserves it."
They came to the room, and Big Al knocked on the door. Instead of shouting who was it, the man inside called for the doors to automatically open. Seeing Big Al and Meiko walk into the room, he smiled and powered off his tablet.
"I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon," he told Big Al. Eyes shifting to Meiko, he added, "Or meet such a pretty girl so shortly after my rescue."
"My soldier is not up for debate," Big Al said, and Meiko interpreted this as "Flirting is not allowed."
This operative was, Meiko had to admit, really cute though. He had a rather round face for a guy, and skin so smooth it appeared silky. His baby blue eyes gave him an innocent look. His shaggy pink hair stuck out in multiple different directions. Honestly, Meiko wouldn't mind too much if he decided to flirt with her from time to time. He just needed to keep his hands off. Screw Big Al's permission. Meiko didn't want to have any reason to damage something so beautiful.
"My apologies," the operative said, a hand in the air in a "no worries" sort of gesture. "You're the new recruit, right? Welcome to the rebellion."
"Any excuse to raise hells is all I need," Meiko replied before showing the man a grin. He returned the gesture, and Meiko was sure Big Al was right to say the two of them would either be best friends or worst rivals. The question was which it would be. "I'm Sakine Meiko. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure is all mine," the other guy replied. "I'm Luki. It'll be an honor to work alongside you."
Their pale, golden-eyed legion member grinned at Big Al and Meiko. Meiko bit her lower lip so hard she could taste blood. All the while, Big Al seemed frozen where he was.
"I admit," Rei began saying, leaning back in his chair and putting his hands behind his head, "I was just as shocked as the others when we realized you two were thrown out of the craft. None of us were sure if either of you even survived. I mean, being thrown out of the sky into a snowy forest? I was so sure you two were popsicles!
"But, it ultimately worked in my favor. Being second-in-command, now in charge without ol' Big Al on the scene, the other two had to do whatever I said. It didn't matter how reckless my commands were, because nobody questioned it. Okay, that's a lie. Hio did. Naïve, spineless Hio of all people! Good thing Rinto backed me up. If I told them to jump, Hio would question it, Rinto would get onto Hio for questioning orders, then look to me and ask how high. I'm so grateful to Rinto for making things easy on me. It made his look of betrayal when I turned everyone in even better, as if what I did was cruel and not at all practical.
"That meant all I had left to worry about was you two. Not knowing if either of you were alive or dead, determining the next step wasn't as easy. Of course, if you two were alive, you would be on your way. I had to make sure the others knew we had members get away and to anticipate their arrival. And look, I predicted your actions so well all we had to do was let you bring yourself to us. I know how Big Al thinks, so thank you both for not doing something I wouldn't see coming."
Being the first of the two to find her voice, Meiko snapped, "Quit monologuing! Nobody cares how you betrayed us. What I want to know is why."
Rei shrugged, as if Meiko had asked him about his dessert preferences. "Why wouldn't I? Do you have any idea what it is we're up against? Do you have any idea what the Benevolence truly is? They will annihilate us! I'm just doing what will save the most lives."
"You think if you give the Benevolence whatever they want," Meiko challenged, "they will do the same for you? Wake up and smell the coffee, Rei! If the Benevolence wins, they'll enslave us! They'll kill anyone who doesn't bow to their will. People are still going to die."
Unfortunately, it seemed Rei already knew this. Stomach sinking, Meiko realized there was no reasoning with Rei, especially as he said, "I would much rather be a slave than a dead man."
Fighting the impulse to hurl one of her knives at the wall and waste a weapon, Meiko shouted, "Coward!"
Rei wasn't phased. "If wanting to live makes me a coward, then so be it. Now, if you two want to die so badly, I won't interfere. However, if you want to live too, I suggest staying in your little cell and reevaluate whom you want to serve: your foolish Artemis pride, or our true overlords. I'll leave you to decide."
With that said, the hologram suddenly shut off. Meiko stared at the wall, disbelief crawling up her back and gripping her heart. Having to get it out one way or another, Meiko screamed at the top of her lungs and began to stomp her foot on the ground.
"I HATE YOU!" Meiko shouted even though she knew if Rei heard her, he wouldn't care. She was never nice to him. It wasn't as if he lost her friendship and approval with his actions.
Except he did lose someone else's.
Meiko turned around to see Big Al's face had gone ash pale, and he wobbled as if at any moment, his knees would give out and he would crash to the concrete floor. Without saying a word, Meiko moved to stand beside Big Al. Hesitating only a moment or two, Meiko reached out and rested a hand on the older man's shoulder.
Sighing, Big Al closed his eyes and tilted his head downwards. His jaw went slack, and he squeezed is eyes closed. After a moment, he let out a deep breath.
"This room is undoubtedly bugged," he said through gritted teeth. "Even if we could plan a way out, they would only hear us and make sure the plan fails before we can even begin to enact it."
"I'm not worried about finding a way out," Meiko whispered, words she spoke just to say them becoming true as they passed her lips. Genuine concern bloomed in her chest and found its way to her demeanor and lips. Brows knit together, Meiko asked, "Are you okay?"
Big Al laughed without humor before he answered, "No."
Of course. Big Al wasn't exaggerating or playing up how the teammates should feel towards each other. When he told Meiko that the legion was her new family, he meant it. To Big Al, Rei's betrayal wasn't a betrayal of a teammate. It was the betrayal of a nephew, or perhaps even a son.
Clenching her jaw, Meiko tried to stomp out the flames of anger and hatred she felt for Rei. There would be plenty of time for that later, but first she had to guarantee there would be a later. If she and Big Al were to get out of this, they would need a plan. Meiko wouldn't be able to think if she let her emotions take over. After all, that was what got them into this mess in the first place.
Since Big Al no longer appeared to be seconds away from collapsing, Meiko removed her hand and walked away from him. She made a show of looking over the cell. Of course, there was no way she would be escaping from her prison. There were no windows or air vents big enough for her to fit through. That didn't stop her from looking.
Big Al neither joined in the search nor asked Meiko what she hoped to find. Instead he made himself a spot on the floor and watched her walk around the perimeter of the room for ten or so minutes. With a frustrated sigh, Meiko finally settled across from him.
There was nothing for her to say. Big Al didn't speak either. All Meiko did was stare at the man as she tapped her wrist. After a moment, he nodded. It was a subtle nod, but Meiko understood all the same.
The question was if Rei understood.
Tucking her hair behind her ears, Meiko huffed and leaned back on her hands. Minutes passed. Possibly hours. She didn't know if it was noon or still morning. Instead of letting her stomach continue to tie itself into more complicated knots, she tried to focus on keeping her breathing steady and heartrate rested.
A century later, Meiko heard a click. She and Big Al turned their attention towards the cell door and watched as it opened. Guards, real ones, were on the other side. They had blasters on their hips, but nothing ready and trained on the duo. Perfect.
Meiko stood to her feet and held her hands in the air. Big Al followed suit. Two guards came forward, handcuffs out.
It wasn't until the smaller one touched Meiko's wrist that she acted. A knife was in his arm before he could realize Meiko was fighting back. Just as quickly, Meiko threw another blade into another guard's leg before his fingers could graze his blaster.
Big Al, the absolute giant he was, threw the guard who tried to cuff him into the others. They fell over like bowling pins. He began to power forward, bulldozing over the last few standing guards. Close behind the large man, Meiko ran out of the cell. Another knife was out and eager to dive into the flesh of the next person who tried to stop them.
"Remember what I said!" was all Big Al shouted.
There was no time for Meiko to ask, to confirm what it was Big Al said that she should remember. All he could do was trust that Meiko would remember. If she did remember, Big Al had to trust she would do what he had told her to do.
Meiko did remember. She understood what Big Al was telling her. Now she had the choice to obey or once again try to do things her own way.
Turn around and help, Meiko's mind told her. There's no way he can fight them all off on his own. Stay behind and fight.
However, Meiko threw the thoughts away before they could cost her precious seconds by having her falter in her steps. Big Al wanted her to run. He wasn't fighting off the guards, pushing them out of the way as he charged forward, so they could escape. The sole reason Big Al was throwing the guards around like rag dolls was so she could escape. Sooner or later something would come up to halt Big Al in his tracks, and when it did, Meiko needed to keep running.
That moment came sooner than anticipated. An expecting guard rounded the corner and fired her blaster. Big Al threw himself in Meiko's path, taking the shot for himself. He cried out as he fell to the ground, still alive. Despite having Rei on their side, it appeared as if these goons wanted whatever information Big Al could provide.
Motivated by the knowledge that the blasters were set to stun and not kill, Meiko pushed her long legs to run even faster. She didn't waste a weapon on the guard so cocky from taking out Big Al she didn't think to immediately shoot at Meiko as soon as the large man collapsed. All Meiko did was elbow the woman in the nose to get her out of the way as she ran past.
Sprinting like a bat out of hell, Meiko used her memory from studying the prison layout the night before the maneuver through paths other than the main one towards one of their many planned escape routes. Nobody would expect her to know the map as well as she did. As long as she was careful and remain hidden, the only thing Meiko had to worry about spotting her were the security cameras.
It was as she was about to turn down a hallway Meiko saw a pair of guards coming in her direction. Hoping they would see her uniform and not her face, Meiko kept running like a woman on a mission. As long as they didn't realize her mission was to escape, perhaps neither would think twice about her appearance.
Although someone did see her face.
"Meiko? Meiko?!"
The sound of her name initially drove Meiko to keep running, then recognition of the speaker halted Meiko in her tracks. She spun around and saw the duo rush towards her. In the lead was Hio, and he ran towards Meiko and enveloped her in a hug.
"Thank God you're safe!" he exclaimed, arms wrapped tightly around her still form.
Fortunately for Hio, the sight of seeing him shocked Meiko into not sticking her knife into his neck. However, once she regained herself, she pushed him away and looked between Hio and Rinto. They too were disguised as guards, and it seemed they were also en route to escape.
"Big Al—" Meiko began, but Hio grabbed Meiko by the wrist and began dragging her along.
"Would want us to keep running," he said, leading the way. Although he was taking a path Meiko wouldn't have devised, it was still clear he knew the layout of the prison just as well as she did. "There aren't enough of us to fight, so we have to make a run for it while we can."
"Too bad you didn't have enough time."
Hio, Meiko, and Rinto all came to a stop when they turned a corner to see a guard aiming a blaster at them, four guards behind her with their own blasters trained on the now bound Big Al.
"Put your hands up, and I promise we won't make you suffer too much for causing us such an inconvenience," the guard said, blood running from her nose and down her lips and dripping from her chin. It was through that detail alone Meiko recognized her.
I don't think elbowing her in the face will work a second time. Knowing there was no hiding the knife, Meiko dropped the blade to the floor and raised her hands in the air. From her peripheral vision, she saw Hio and Rinto do the same.
This was it. Meiko's first mission, and this was how it was going to end. There was still a blade hidden in her bosom, ready to pierce into her heart. All she needed was the right time, the perfect opportunity to take her own life before these people could torture information from her.
This mission may have been a failure, but Meiko would not die a coward. She would give up her life to protect others'. Perhaps that alone would be enough.
Hands behind their heads, Meiko and the guys followed the guard as she led them and Big Al down the hall. Meiko heard the woman mutter that perhaps they could take a few of these jokes out with the assassin. Less prisoners to keep track of meant less paperwork for her.
It was as she discussed with the men which of the rebels to keep alive – "the big one for sure, but which of the smaller guys?" – that something loud reverberated through the air, shaking the ground, and the wall down the hall crumbled into pieces.
"I'm a little concerned you were able to pick that lock in little to no time at all, Sakine."
"Hey, I got us in, didn't I?"
Meiko held the light stick over her head, illuminating the closed dry cleaners for her and Big Al. The news of their legion's capture meant they had to make a lot of adjustments to their plan. Instead of waiting for their guy to be led out, she and Big Al had to first go in for the others. It was perhaps the only way to save everyone. If they didn't act fast enough, the others would break their teeth, killing themselves before any information could be tortured out of them.
The realization made Meiko wish she had been nicer to the guys. Rei and Rinto were fine enough. Hio reminded her of Meito, in a way. If they died before Meiko could make things right with them . . . She couldn't think about that.
"You know," Meiko said as Big Al dug through the clothes hung on the line, "I'm kind of surprised you think we can find guard uniforms here. Wouldn't we have better luck stealing uniforms from, I don't know, the location where the guards are housed?"
Big Al slightly grunted as he pushed clothes aside. "Everyone has to have their clothes cleaned, Meiko, including our foes. Besides, we do pretty much need the uniforms to get inside in the first place."
"But wouldn't they have personal maids do the washing instead of dropping it off at a place like this?"
To respond, Big Al held out a uniform he found and smiled.
Meiko could only mutter, "Well I'll be condemned."
It took nearly an hour of searching for Meiko and Big Al to find uniforms roughly their size. Meiko found one a little tight in the chest but fit nonetheless. On the other hand, the biggest uniform they could find was still rather small on Big Al. As for the ID badges they would ultimately need, Big Al spent the rest of the night after they returned to their motel room creating and printing convincing fakes.
After everything was prepared, Meiko and Big Al lied in their respective beds and went to sleep. Or at least Big Al went to sleep. Meiko stared at the ceiling, mind racing as it finally occurred to her what was happening.
She was finally doing it. Meiko was working on a dangerous mission. If things went wrong, it could cost her not just her life, but the lives of others as well.
I'm finally getting what I wanted, Meiko had to remind herself. Only now that it was happening, Meiko wished it wasn't. Imagining and wishing for something to happen and actually living it out were two very different things. Wanting this life from the sidelines was easy. Actually participating in it was another.
"Can't sleep?"
Turning onto her side, Meiko looked at Big Al's silhouette and whispered into the darkness, "Not really."
"I couldn't sleep the night before my first real mission either," he confessed. "I actually spent half the night throwing up."
"Was the mission that dangerous?"
"Nah. We were delivering supplies, but it was in enemy territory. It really wasn't that dangerous at all, but I was still anxious about it."
"It's hard to believe you were ever anxious about anything."
"I'm only human, Meiko. We were all scared, if not terrified, our first times. It's nothing to be ashamed about."
Normally Meiko would take this to mean she was weak and Big Al was just trying to make her feel better. Only this time, Meiko began to understand that the older man really tried to comfort her. Meiko started to wonder how many times others genuinely wanted to be nice to her or help her but she pushed them away for fear of ulterior motives.
"Too bad I can't turn that part about me off," she muttered, not intending to be heard.
Only Big Al caught what she said. "Well, work on it. Your pride and ego will rarely, if ever, help your people. A lot of comrades were hurt and even killed thanks to the arrogance of some former leaders in our league. I don't want to see you become that. You have too good potential for it to be wasted by self-important dignity."
That was the end of the conversation. Meiko took it to heart. Even as Big Al's monstrous snores filled the motel room, she lied awake, stared at the ceiling, and pondered his words. He said that Meiko had potential. However, he also said Meiko had a lot to work on as well.
For once, Meiko believed that maybe, just maybe, there was something about herself that she could improve on after all.
They awoke early that next morning and got straight to work. Stopping only long enough to pick up a breakfast burrito, the disguised Meiko and Big Al walked towards the prison as if they belonged there. With their stolen uniforms and fake IDs, it shouldn't have been hard for them to infiltrate the premises. Of course, that was assuming everything went according to plan. Whether or not everything would work out had yet to be seen.
Big Al didn't need to tell Meiko to feign confidence, to act as if this was exactly where she was meant to be. Perhaps he didn't feel the need to tell her. Perhaps he knew from her initial arrival that this was an act she had already mastered. Either way, his only words to Meiko were to follow his lead. For the first time since meeting him, Meiko didn't feel the need to argue.
"State your business," the guard at the gate said when Big Al and Meiko arrived just outside the prison's walls. The guard's eyes traveled up and down the two once, barely paying them much mind. With the uniforms on, Meiko and Big Al probably weren't worth more than a quick exchange.
"We were sent from Synchronicity to help handle the captured legion," Big Al lied as smooth as butter. He began to produce the papers he spent hours the night before preparing, but the guard waved him off.
"Just go," he said nonchalantly. "We already knew to expect you."
Like that, the gate had been opened for Big Al and Meiko. Big Al thanked the man and led Meiko inside. The first part of their plan was done.
That was much easier than I anticipated, Meiko thought, but she didn't feel relieved. Instead, a little beast gnawed inside the pit of her stomach. Until they were out of there with nobody after them, Meiko knew to stay on high alert.
Although the guard at the gate was rather lax, the guard at the door narrowed her eyes as she saw the two approach. When they were within earshot, she said, "Greetings. Are you the backup we are expecting?"
"Yes," Big Al replied. "We're from Synchronicity."
"Aren't there supposed to be . . . more of you? I thought we were getting at least a half dozen."
"The rest will arrive later. We were sent ahead to make sure everything was prepared for our arrival."
The guard nodded then requested to see their papers. Big Al handed them over, and the papers must have been convincing enough, because the guard didn't inspect them too thoroughly. Handing the papers back, the guard asked, "How's old Moke doing? I heard he wasn't really happy about being sent out to watch for potential rebels."
When Big Al hesitated a beat too long, probably trying to figure out if this question was a trick or not, Meiko answered, "I saw him at the pub the other night. Apparently, he thinks it's totally acceptable for him and his men to discuss important matters there of all places."
The woman rolled her eyes. "Hell, that sounds just like him. Why he was promoted when he continues to do stupid stuff like that, I'll never know. Go ahead."
As they walked deeper into the prison, Meiko caught Big Al giving her a pleasantly surprised side-eye. All Meiko did was shrug and quietly explain, "That lad from the other night mention they were on their way to Synchronicity, so I assumed that leader dude was Moke and got super lucky."
Big Al nodded. Meiko interpreted it as a sign of approval. Smart girl for using previously gathered evidence to help with our current situation. You're observation skills and ability to recall information is really impressive.
Of course, Big Al didn't actually say such, but Meiko liked to pretend he did.
Deeper in they went, relying on their memory from studying the layout of the prison the night before. They found the records office without any hiccups. When the person stationed at the desk saw them, Big Al spoke with the confidence he used with the guards.
"We're here from Synchronicity, sent as backup for the captured legion."
The man barely blinked as he requested, "Papers, please."
Big Al produced the papers, and again they must have been satisfactory. The man pushed his glasses up his nose as he looked them over before setting them aside. He pulled two badges from his desk drawer and handed them to Big Al as he said, "Section J, last cell on the left."
"Thank you, good sir," Big Al replied as he accepted the badges and handed one to Meiko.
As they used the pass keys within the badges to make their way down the halls and entered restricted zones, the worrying Meiko felt churning in her core didn't ease away. At first she tried to play it off as anxiety, but nothing she could do to relax herself worked. There was nothing she could do, no mental trick she could think of, to convince herself to relax in this seemingly simple mission.
Everything about this was easy. It was too easy. The confidence Meiko felt walking into the prison deflated as her gut kept insisting that something was wrong.
"I don't like this," Meiko eventually admitted. "Something's wrong. Certainly we should have had some sort of push back by now."
Instead of calling her out for worrying too much, Big Al as quietly replied, "I don't like this either. Whatever's going on, it's not right."
"So, we're just going to keep marching forward like nothing's wrong?"
"We're in too deep to turn back now without raising suspicions. Keep going, even if only because we have to. Stay on high alert, and don't blink."
It wasn't the best thing Meiko could have heard in that moment, but it was the best Meiko was going to get. She subtly checked to make sure her knives were still where she hid them on her body. If the worst case scenario happened, Meiko would not listen to Big Al's order to run. By this point, they were too deep in the prison for her to hope to escape. Instead of running, she would fight. Meiko would keep swinging until the hopelessness of the situation forced her to accept that there was no way out, in which case, she would turn her weapons on herself.
Meiko didn't want to die, but she sure as hells wouldn't die running like a coward. If Meiko was going down, she was going down swinging. If she could take others down with her, even better.
Everyone she and Big Al passed either greeted them or ignored the duo altogether. Nobody else past the office worker questioned their presence. By the time they reached the cell their legion was kept, Meiko was ready to throw up that cheap burrito.
Hesitating only a fraction of a second, Big Al swiped the badge over the lock. The light above the lock turned from red to green, and an audible click indicated that the cell had popped open. Something about it made Meiko want to turn and run.
"Wait," Meiko said, stopping Big Al as he reached for the cell door. "We shouldn't do this. We need to go."
"Sakine," Big Al replied, his tone even and lower than the one she used, "this is our legion, our family we're talking about. We can't come this far only to leave them behind."
"That's not what I meant," Meiko wanted to say but bit back the words. She had promised to not argue. No matter how hard it was, Meiko would keep that promise.
Big Al pushed the cell door open, and he stepped into the dark room. After a heartbeat, Meiko followed him inside. The lights automatically turned on as they entered.
"Why would motion sensor lights—" Meiko began only to cut herself off as she realized what was happening even before her brain could put it into words.
Spinning around, Meiko rushed towards the door, but it slammed shut in her face. Meiko ran her hands up and down the door, but there was no handle on the inside. In her panic to get out, she threw herself into the door. It didn't budge. They were locked inside.
"A trap," Big Al hissed as he looked around the empty room, finally saying the words Meiko didn't consider until it was too late. Nothing about his expression gave anything he thought or felt away.
"There was never anyone here," Meiko said, heart slamming against her ribcage, the knots her stomach had been forming tightening one last time.
"But how?"
"Someone gave us away." Tears sprang up in Meiko's eyes.
"But who would—"
"I can answer that for you."
Meiko's body went rigid. Her racing heart came to an abrupt stop. She suddenly lost the ability to breathe. No. It can't be!
A hologram flickered on the far wall, bringing up an image of the speaker. Now Big Al's demeanor showed expression. His jaw dropped. His brows fell. The big man actually stumbled where he stood, struggling to remain upright. In response, the video hologram of the traitor grinned at the sight.
"Glad to see you two show up just in time," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I was afraid you were going to miss the party."
At a complete and utter loss for words, the only thing Meiko could say was the traitor's name.
Big Al woke Meiko just as the train came to a halt in the Capital. Together they snuck out of the cart and blended into the background before anyone else could notice that they were there.
The Capital was, without a doubt, the nicest place Meiko had ever been. With the buildings themselves emitting light, technology that had existed for years now but Lady Zora never bothered to have it installed outside of her precious Capital, it was as bright as day in the never-ending night of winter. Most buildings were cream-colored, and the mirrors on the corners not only reflected the light but also the warmth. Even though she was outside, Meiko and Big Al began to warm up enough to remove their coats.
Machines designed to shovel the snow off the streets passed through hourly, leaving both the red brick roads and charcoal sidewalks clear. Smaller shops that sold things such as clothing and food had shorter buildings but larger display windows. Meiko's eyes lingered on a pair of gloves for a moment or two before she jogged back towards Big Al as to not lose him.
As they advanced the busy streets, Big Al and Meiko searched for a place they could talk and plot in private.
"A motel?" Meiko suggested.
Big Al shook his head. "No point since we will only need it for an hour."
"We don't even have a plan yet, not to mention any idea when we'll need to act it out."
"Just because we have money to spend doesn't mean we need to spend it."
"Spoken like a true dad. I still can't believe you had all of it on you when we fell from the craft."
"As if you didn't keep your wallet on you too."
"Yeah, but I only have my money, not the whole team's."
Big Al didn't respond. Meiko shrugged and began thinking of other places the two could talk without fear of being overheard. When an idea finally came to her, Meiko shoved aside her smug satisfaction so Big Al would listen to her before deciding whether or not she had a good suggestion.
"Do you think there are any karaoke places nearby?" she asked as she pretended to pull lint from her sleeve.
"Now is not the time for fun and games, Sakine," Big Al answered, no longer using Meiko's first name as he did the night before.
"I was only wondering if those walls are really as soundproof as I hear they are," Meiko casually commented. She shifted her gaze towards Big Al to see him studying her. "After all, there are a lot of people who love to sing but can't sing to save their lives. This way, those singers can have their fun, and nobody has to suffer."
"Now that you mention it," Big Al muttered in response, "that is something I would like to know whether it's fact or fiction."
It took all Meiko's willpower to hide her pride of Big Al considering her idea. Getting too excited would give the impression she wasn't as mature about the matter as she ought. However, that didn't stop Meiko from internally placing the accomplishment on a shelf and having a mini victory dance inside her head.
They had to ask around, but eventually Meiko and Big Al found a karaoke studio. Either the rumors of soundproof walls were true, or the place was dead. Regardless, it took only a few minutes to rent a room for an hour, settle inside, and begin plotting.
"There aren't a lot of guards," Meiko repeated the lad from the night before, "but they make up for the low numbers by being some of the best."
Big Al scratched his chin. "How do you know what that kid told you was true?"
Biting her lip, Meiko admitted, "I don't, but we can still work with it. For all we could know, we'll be going up against the best of the best. They are expecting us, after all. Better to prepare for such a challenge and hope these men aren't as much an obstacle as we anticipate them to be. As for quantity . . . You wouldn't happen to have any smoke bombs on you in case of an emergency, would you?"
"This isn't a spy story."
"So that's a no then?"
"No, it's a yes, but I would much rather you not depend on smokescreens as if they're really that effective."
"Fine. How about we just locate every exit and mark every escape route possible?"
"Now you're getting it." Big Al pulled a tablet from his shirt pocket – Meiko didn't even know he was carrying it – and lied it on the table between them, the hologram karaoke song selection scrolling just above. Activating the tablet, logging onto a program, and searching through a list of files, Big Al opened a 3D blueprint and circled the portion on which he wanted Meiko to focus.
"This is the underground prison," he pointed out, and Meiko leaned in to get a closer look. "Our man should be kept somewhere in the middle."
"To make a breakout all the more difficult."
"Exactly." Big Al zoomed in to the middle of the court. "This right here is where the executions take place. So from here to here, guards are going to be leading our man away from the belly of the prison to right outside the doors. We're going to let them do the hard part for us."
"Or we were before I got us knocked out of our hovercraft," Meiko muttered. She expected Big Al to agree with her and remind her how much this was all her fault. Only he did no such thing.
"How do you think you and I are going to get out of there while the rest of our guys are swooping in, grabbing what they want, and flying away before anyone can think to give chase?"
Meiko was surprised Big Al asked her a question, a question in which she was given the opportunity to find a solution to the problem. For a moment, Meiko couldn't think. Then she overcame her initial shock and began to ponder possible ways out.
"We need to get close to our guy," she stated softly then repeated with confidence. "If we're close to him, our squad can grab us while they're snatching him up."
Raising a brow, Big Al replied, "Not a bad idea, except how are we going to get close to him in the first place? It's not as if anyone is simply going to let us go up to him and walk him towards his own execution."
"I have some suggestions, but that's going to have to require researching a bit further and calculating the possibilities and odds of us so much as coming close to pulling this off without our heads scheduled to land on the chopping block next."
Big Al spun the blueprints around and stared at certain parts of it. Turning his tablet off, the blueprints vanishing as a result, he turned to Meiko and said, "I'm going to need you to be ready to run towards the exits at all times. If something were to go wrong, you need to get as far away and as fast away as possible. Don't try to be a hero."
It felt as if a balloon popped inside of Meiko's chest. What? I thought I was proving myself. I thought he was finally beginning to trust me. Why is he pushing me aside now?
This time, Meiko didn't lash out or argue. Past experiences proved how futile this was. Yet that didn't stop her from asking, "Why?"
"If we get captured, we will be tortured," Big Al bluntly answered. Before Meiko could respond, he added, "You might not know a lot, but you know how to find us. You know where one of our locations is hidden. We can't let anyone else know. That's not a risk worth taking."
Trying with little success to hide the bitterness from her voice, Meiko snarled, "So you can withstand being tortured, but not me?"
Without hesitating, Big Al replied, "They won't be able to torture me. Not with the fake tooth filled with poison that will kill me instantly if I break it and swallow its contents. You, however, haven't had our Last Resort placed in the back of your mouth. With this mission, nobody would have thought you would need it."
Meiko began balling her fingers into fists, but for a different reason now. If things went wrong, Big Al would commit suicide. She, in turn, would have to run away and hope the enemy doesn't find and capture her. This wasn't the rescue mission it was supposed to be when she had been assigned. Thanks to her foolishness, this was now a mission of life or death.
In order to avoid suspicion, Meiko and Big Al waited out the hour until they left the karaoke room. They spent the last five minutes hyping themselves up, pretending that they just spent the past sixty minutes singing at the top of their lungs and not planning to crash an execution. If anyone suspected anything off about this duo of customers, nobody showed it.
"Looks like we should have gotten a motel after all," Meiko muttered as she and Big Al left the karaoke in search of someplace to spend the night. They had their idea, but they still needed to work out the kinks. The execution was early the next morning, and they needed their plan ready with enough time to prepare.
Big Al swore, prompting Meiko to add, "Hey, the karaoke room wasn't that expensive. Adding a motel room to the expenses won't hurt our pockets too badly."
"No," Big Al corrected, and Meiko stopped at his voice. He stood in front of the tablet store, eyes locked on the window.
Frowning, Meiko drew closer to see at what Big Al was staring. It was a news report, and Meiko froze when she read the headline. It was her turn to swear.
REBEL GROUP CAPTURED. POSSIBLE EXECUTION WITHOUT TRIAL.
With the headline under the reporter, an image of the rebels appeared beside her head. Meiko didn't hear the words. All she did was stare at the image.
The last time Meiko had been on a train, she was a little girl. Seven, perhaps eight. At the time, she thought they were just going on an adventure they would ultimately never return from. She didn't know till much later that she and her family were fleeing the district. The reason why they fled wouldn't be made known to her till much later.
It was all Meiko could initially think about as she and Big Al snuck onto an open compartment of a train just before it began to take off. By the time the sun rose, they would be in the Capital. From there, it would be a matter of figuring out where their legion was and how they were going to pull off their mission. Hopefully, Big Al had stated, they would try to break this special operative out of prison even without Big Al and Meiko with them.
"Who is this guy anyway, and why is he so important?" Meiko asked, eyes locked on the scenery passing them by in a blur of colors. Due to the six months of darkness, the only colors to be naturally scene were dark blue, deep purple, and black. The colors meshing together looked unimpressive, even with the stars and three moons trying to add some beauty to the rushing night sky.
"He spent months spying on the lady and gathering what could be crucial information," Big Al answered. "He might have the knowledge we need to plan the next best step."
"And you think the Benevolence has had contact with the lords and ladies of all the districts?"
"No, but nobody doubts they contacted everyone in charge in the Winter Continent. After all, we did side with them in the last war."
"The War That Didn't Make History Books," or so it was dubbed. It happened decades ago, when Meiko's father was a young man. Hardly anyone knew the truth about it. This war was one of the things the government tried really hard, and actually succeeded, to bury. If Meiko's family didn't have personal ties to it, she never would have known the true extent of "that failed Juliet rebellion." Very few people in Artemis knew about it, and it had been made very clear what the consequences of those even fewer who tried to publicize it would be.
This war had been an inside job from start to finish. The Winter Continent, being the least independent of the three continents and tired of being pushed around in trade deals by the other two continents, sided with the Benevolence. Only they didn't know there were more than plenty people on the inside who had no interest in helping the Winter Continent assist the Benevolence in achieving their world domination goal.
Yet all of Artemis believed this was nothing more than a civil war. Juliets didn't want to be Juliets anymore. They rebelled. They were eventually beaten back into place. Only those who were involved knew better.
There are others out there, Meiko recalled thinking the first time her father told her about the Benevolence and what they tried to do. There are others out there, and they want us under their thumb. Artemis isn't an empire; it's one small world surrounded by hundreds of more powerful ones.
Now the Benevolence were back. It was Meiko's generation's turn to rise up and fight. But first, she and others like her had to learn what they were going up against.
"If the Benevolence is so powerful," Meiko said into the night, not even turning around to see if Big Al was listening, "why not just conquer us in one swoop? They must be capable of it if they really are that big of a threat."
Meiko didn't realize how much she expected to be ignored until Big Al replied, "Nobody would want to be loyal to a conqueror who overcame them as swiftly as a thief in the night. If the Benevolence did just that, all of Artemis would ban together to fight against them. They don't want to deal with that. Instead, what the Benevolence wants to do is divide and conquer. Let us tear ourselves down first before they come in and finish the job."
"Sounds like a lot of work."
"In war, if you're the more powerful force, you don't want to win too well. That has worse consequences than taking your time and accepting the occasional defeat."
Meiko thought back to the Juliet versus Cinderella controversy the media had been dwelling on for over a week now. The Benevolence was already letting the dividing portion take root. The worst part was this was something that would have happened sooner or later without the Benevolence's interference.
"You remind me of my son."
This got Meiko to tear her eyes away from the nighttime scenery and turn her attention towards Big Al. The man leaned against the other side of the train, eyes closed as if asleep. His arms were crossed, and his legs were stretched out before him.
Meiko furrowed her brows, trying to make sense of the sudden comparison. "How so?"
"You both refuse to ask any questions, you're stubborn once you made your mind up about something, and you try a little too desperately to prove yourselves."
"I'm not desperate to prove anything," Meiko claimed.
Big Al snorted. "You don't fool me. Ever since you showed up, all you have been doing is trying to prove yourself to us. We were all surprised you're the one who came in the place of your father instead of the promised son, but nobody's disappointed. Or they weren't. I think a lot of initial opinions have changed now."
To that, Meiko had no response. She returned to staring at the passing scenery. Not sure why she let the words pass her lips, Meiko said, "I didn't know you had a son."
It wasn't exactly permission for Big Al to tell Meiko about his family life, but he took it as such. "His name's Oliver. Ann and I had him shortly after the war. He's roughly a few years older than you."
"Where is he now?"
"In the Equinox Continent, with his wife and daughter."
"Do we have a legion stationed there?"
"No. Oliver isn't a part of our little anti-Benevolence group. Until a couple of years ago, there was no need for anyone to band back together to stop the Benevolence from doing whatever it is they're trying now. He's a merchant, and a successful one at that. As much as he would like to contribute to the cause, he can't exactly walk away from the business. However, he does send financial support whenever he can. Situations don't make these donations frequent, but they are always generous."
"And his wife?"
"That's our man Opera Tonio's daughter. Avanna's well aware of what's going on, or at least Oliver insists she is. Tonio didn't want Avanna growing up knowing about others out there, so as far as I'm aware, he never told her."
"Father only told Meito and me while he was on his deathbed," Meiko muttered.
"Trust me, if we had it our way, nobody would have ever known about the war for Artemis we fought. Except now I'm afraid that not only will those battles and their consequences come to light for the public, but our desire to hide them for so long will make this upcoming one even worse than had we properly prepared everyone for what might have come again one day."
"I'm just surprised you all were able to hide a freaking galactic war from the general public."
"Oh, trust me, we had to memory wipe more than a few civilians. We weren't that sneaky. We were just that unethical."
Not having a response, Meiko returned to watching the world go past. While their father lay dying from a disease for which he refused treatment – only now did Meiko know it was because he didn't want anyone knowing where he and his family was and a trip to the doctor would risk that same information getting out there – he told his two children about what had happened before their birth. He then named Meito, the older child and son, his heir. Only Meito was no longer able to become the heir. Meiko, feeling a sense of duty for her father and brother, willingly went instead. It did help that getting away from the others as a consequence was a plus.
"You don't like to be touched," Big Al began moments later, causing Meiko to jump at the sound of his voice. He took an audible breath and tried again. "You don't like to be touched because one time somebody touched you, and it ended badly. Am I wrong?"
Seeing no point in hiding it, Meiko softly explained, "Not as badly as you might think, but badly enough for me to never want to be touched like that again."
"That's why you always have knives ready."
"Yeah."
"You learned to use them and to overcome injuring others just to protect yourself in case it ever happened again."
"Of course."
"Smart girl. I knew there was a fighter in you."
Unsure why, Meiko felt a little warm at the compliment. Most women Meiko had known who went through what she did, some less and others far worse, become avoidant from touch altogether. Very few, Meiko included, accepted what happened enough to make sure it never happened again. If it made Meiko a fighter, she would take it. She didn't get where she was by having no agency for herself, after all.
"You'd be a good soldier if you learned to follow orders," Big Al then said, and Meiko's warm feeling turned into an icy spear through her chest.
A response rose up, but Meiko bit it back down. She didn't want to think about this anymore. What she wanted was to sleep, let her dreams process the events of that day for her.
Pushing herself away from the edge of the doorway, Meiko settled herself in one of the train compartment corners and used her arm as a pillow. Her back faced the wall, and her eyes trained on Big Al. His eyes were still closed, but Meiko knew that didn't mean anything.
"I hope you don't take this the wrong way," Big Al said as the train chugged along, "but I have wanted to know since you stabbed me in the arm. Why did you come in the place of your brother? You said he wasn't coming, but what's keeping him?"
Since Big Al already told her something about his family, Meiko felt it was only fair to do the same. Someone else was going to find out sooner or later. Of everyone, Meiko was sure Big Al should be the first to know.
"Death," she whispered into the night, speaking just loud enough for Big Al to barely make out the words. She hoped he was listening, because she would not repeat herself. "Death is keeping him."
"I'm sorry. What happened?"
"He and the others were caught up in that minor Juliet rebellion a few years ago. Nobody in my family was trying to support or stop it; they were just at the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm the only one of my family left."
Silence, and then, "You're a part of a new family now, Meiko. I know we can't replace the one you lost, but I hope you'll one day learn to love us just the same."
If I didn't screw it up so badly already that any of the others would even be willing to give me another chance, Meiko thought. As she fell asleep on the train, she tried to keep down all the rising anger. Of all the things and people her anger could have been directed, it was targeted only at herself.
The inside of the bar was a sight to behold. It wasn't falling apart, exactly, but it did have that older, run down look. Sickly green paint peeled off the walls, the wooden tables wobbled from under the patrons' elbows, and there were a couple of what Meiko desperately hoped were beer stains on the floor. Animal heads with bald spots dotted the walls. None of the bar stools matched.
Wearing confidence like a new outfit she was eager to show off, Meiko stalked into the bar and dropped onto a barstool next to the guards. Their conversation came to an abrupt halt, and Meiko could feel their eyes traveling up and down her body as they sized her up, and some maybe checked her out while they were at it. Meiko was used enough to it that it didn't bother her if one or two of the guards kept their eyes on her for a moment too long, which she was sure exactly what happened.
"Gimme the strongest thing you've got," Meiko said when the bartender came to request her order. She slapped a gold coin on the counter. "And some bread, if you please?"
The bartender grunted and accepted the coin. He bit it to test its authenticity, and Meiko had to resist grinning at the look of surprise on his face. Now that he knew the coin was real, the bartender didn't hesitate any longer to fill Meiko's order.
Meiko spun around, rested her elbows on the bar, and leaned back. Most patrons may have turned their heads when she first entered, but now they returned their attention to whatever they were doing before. The guards, however, still studied her.
"Excuse me, miss," began one of the men. He was neither the oldest or the youngest of the group, instead somewhere close to the middle, but the way the others let him speak indicated that either he was the one in charge or the only one they trusted to speak for the group. It was possibly because he had the prettiest face.
Receiving her drink and loaf of bread, Meiko took a big gulp from the mug before she responded, "Yeah?"
"Would you mind sitting elsewhere? My men and I are discussing important matters."
So he is in charge. "Don't mind me," Meiko casually replied before taking another sip. "I'm not bothered in the slightest."
"With all due respect, we're not really concerned whether or not you're bothered."
Meiko turned the upper half of her body and allowed part of her now unzipped coat to fall with the gravity, exposing some of her cleavage. "Then I don't see what the problem is."
While the other men definitely noticed Meiko's breasts, even if some pretended not to, the one speaking didn't react. He merely maintained eye contact as he stated, "Please, my men and I are tired and would like to relax somewhat as we discuss future affairs. If you could relocate elsewhere so we can discuss confidential information without risking too much civilian eavesdropping, you would have my eternal gratitude."
I'll tell you what you can do with your gratitude. Meiko mentally swore. Either he's got some serious self-control, or he's queer or ace. Just my luck.
Changing tactics, Meiko picked up both mug and loaf and said, "Well excuse me, sir. I didn't realize only men in uniform were allowed to relax wherever they pleased."
The man didn't appear to care if Meiko's feelings were hurt. It was fine. Nose turned upwards, Meiko spun around and stalked towards an empty table in the corner, close to the washroom. She plopped down into the chair and took another swig of her drink, the alcohol burning her throat as it ran down. For as cheap as this bar looked, at least it didn't water down its beverages.
"I'm so sorry about him."
Just as Meiko anticipated, when she set her mug back down, one of the guards had approached her table. He was the youngest of the bunch, and in every way, the stereotypical cute guy. With light brown skin, blond hair and blue eyes, and the confidence of someone who knew his dimples could kill but wasn't sure how to use them to his advantage, Meiko knew all the right things she needed to do to play this lad right into her hands.
"I'm not too salty about the whole thing," Meiko said, waving her hand in a way that invited the lad to sit with her. "I'd walk around like I sat on a broom handle too if I came from the Capital. Is it really as bad as the news is portraying? It seems like the sweaty armpit of the goddess's evil twin sister over there."
There was a pink tinge to the lad's cheeks. It took him a moment to find his voice. "Yes, ma'am. An assassin was caught spying inside of Lady Sora's mansion. His execution was meant to be just like any other execution – done and over with, hardly anyone caring at all.
"Only we got word of rebels intending to break him out. Now we're running around all over the district, trying to stop any suspicious individuals."
It took all of Meiko's self-control to not furrow her brows. Who sold us out?
"Oh, um," the young soldier began looking around, "but I suppose I shouldn't be telling you this."
"Don't worry," Meiko promised as she placed her index finger against her mouth, "my lips are sealed."
The lad relaxed in the chair and let out a steady breath. His curled fingers loosened. Seeing this, Meiko promised not to wring too much private information from the boy. This lad was too innocent-looking to be much of a threat. If Meiko got him into too much trouble, she wouldn't feel good about herself for a day or two.
"So," she said lightly, as if discussing the best time to purchase oranges imported from the Summer Continent, "are you coming from the Capital or returning?"
There must not have been any harm the lad could see in answering the question, for he responded, "Coming. We're on route to Synchronicity. Higher up cares more about stopping anyone from coming in than fighting them once they already arrived at our doorstep."
"Really? Won't that leave the Capital vulnerable?"
"In most cases, yes, but some of our best fighter teams have stayed behind while the best scouters and the rest of us nut cases are out and about in search of rebels we don't even know for sure will show."
You're a talkative one, aren't you? So glad your pretty face came to check on me.
Before Meiko could open her mouth to wiggle the last bit of information she needed – in which direction was the Capital, someone cleared his throat. When Meiko and the lad turned their attention towards the sound, they saw the guard from before looking down on them. The lad's fingers curled again.
"Return to your seat," the man said. "Now."
"Yessir," the lad said in a rush, jumping from his seat and scurrying away without another sound.
Meiko hoped he wouldn't get into too much trouble for her sake.
Pretending that the lad did not just reveal potentially sensitive information, Meiko leaned back in her chair and said, "Why'd you have to ruin the conversation? The pretty one was just telling me the best place to get a drink around these parts."
"He doesn't drink."
"That you know of."
The man narrowed his eyes. "Look, lady, I don't know what game you're playing, but you need to stop it right now. It's obvious enough already that you're up to something."
"I'm not up to anything." Meiko slowly tore a piece off the loaf and popped it into her mouth. "All the lonely woman I am wants is some decent conversation. Is that too much to ask?"
"I think you should leave."
Laughing without humor, Meiko said, "I'm sorry, but who are you to tell me to leave this establishment? This isn't your business. I doubt you can kick anyone out just because you got a fancy uniform on your person."
"You think I won't?"
"Go ahead," Meiko challenged, smirking. "I'd like to see you try."
The problem, however, was Meiko didn't expect the man to try. She was sure he would grunt and storm away, and maybe complain to whoever was in charge about having her escorted off the premises. So when he lurched forward and grabbed Meiko by the wrist, instinct took over.
With her free hand, Meiko instantly had a knife prepared to make its new home inside the man's neck. However, something faster than her caught her wrist before she could send her blade flying. Before she could contemplate what had happened, a gruff voice spoke.
"Is this lady causing you trouble, sir?"
Eyes flickering to Meiko's exposed knife, the man replied, "A lot more than I would like to think."
"Shall I remove her from the premises?"
"Yes."
That was the end of the conversation. The man behind Meiko yanked her weapon away and pinned both her wrists behind her back. Kicking and screaming, Meiko tried to break free from the man dragging her out of the bar. Everyone turned their attention towards the scene, but none made any effort to help Meiko. All the thrashing Meiko could do was single-handedly but futility fight her way out of this large man's grip.
When she was hauled out of the bar, the winter air bit into her skin again. The wind had picked up. Jerking, Meiko reacted to the piercing air as she continued to try and fail to break free.
"Meiko! Meiko! Enough! It's me, Meiko."
Meiko's flailing came to a halt when recognition crashed through her. In her stunned state, the man holding her back loosened his grip. When she regained herself, Meiko broke free, spun around, and glared at Big Al.
"I had everything under control back there," she snarled.
Big Al didn't even bat an eye. "Really? It didn't look like it from where I was standing."
"You didn't have to get involved."
"I'm pretty sure if I didn't, a fight would have broken out by now, and the police would have been called. Is that what you want? To get arrested? Maybe you aren't aware of this, but you would be useless to help anyone if you were locked up in a jail cell of some small town in the middle of nowhere."
A remark was on Meiko's tongue, but before she could say it, Big Al grabbed her by the upper elbow and began dragging her away. Meiko again reacted by trying to get one of her knives, but she stopped when Big Al snapped at her to not try it. For a moment, Meiko began to reason with herself that this was Big Al and she didn't need to fight him off. Only emotion didn't always find logic. Not when this scene was all too familiar.
The last time something like this happened—
"LET ME GO!" she shrieked, and Big Al immediately dropped his hand. Meiko took a big step back, heartrate accelerating.
Big Al stared at Meiko as if he had never seen her before. His golden eyes widened at her curling in figure. Meiko could see the understanding beginning to form in his softening features.
Before he could so much as utter a sound, Meiko spun on her heel and dashed away from the man. The winter wind stung her eyes. That was why tears were rising and threatening to fall.
Finding an empty alleyway, Meiko turned the corner and dropped to the ground. She hugged her legs and rested her chin on her knees. For the next few minutes, Meiko focused on her breathing. Her heartrate slowed. Her inhales and exhales soon became even again.
All the while, she kept her eyes open. Nobody would sneak up on her a second time, not if she could help it. That was how she noticed Big Al find her a minute after she fled but remained a few feet away while she regained control of herself. Shame dropped onto Meiko like a ton of bricks. The last thing she wanted was for anyone, especially Big Al, to see her like this.
Well, she reluctantly decided, there's no going back now.
Picking herself up, Meiko shuffled her feet towards the older man. Big Al kept his arms crossed over his chest, only tightening his hold on himself as Meiko drew nearer. When she stopped approaching after coming within earshot, Big Al kept his words short and low.
"Either you can run off again, or I can give you a second chance in this mission. The only condition is you do as I say. No questioning orders. No doing things your way. Just what I say when I say it. Your choice."
As much as Meiko didn't want to be honest with herself, she knew there were no better choices. This mess they were in was all her fault. If not for her, she and Big Al would still be with their legion, possibly in the Capital by now instead of God knew how many miles away.
"Fine," was all Meiko said, and that was the end of it.
Big Al merely nodded. "Good. Now, let's go. While you were gathering your information, I found a way to get us to the Capital and get some much needed sleep in while we're at it."
"Really? How?"
"I'll explain later. Right now, we need to move."
With that said, Big Al turned and began to walk away without checking to see if Meiko would follow. Meiko hugged herself and contemplated walking the other way, leaving all of this behind for good. After a few seconds and a deep breath, Meiko marched forward, walking at a quick enough pace to not lose Big Al but to keep the distance between them.
If the world around her was a painting, it would be the most simple, basic, talentless painting to ever exist. White ground. Dark blue sky. That's it. That's the painting.
Just Meiko's luck that she was thrown out of her craft and into a bare, snowy desert.
After Meiko landed in the soft snow, she unbuckled her parachute and discarded the thing as she began following the direction her legion had gone. She didn't know if she would find them again before she froze to death in the blanket of snow and falling ice crystals. Assuming they got away at all and wouldn't beat her to an icy grave.
Hugging herself and clenching her jaw to keep from chattering, Meiko cursed under her breath as she trudged through the snow. Perhaps, at the very least, she could find a town. Her thick coat with the fur interior would do for now, but finding some better place to keep warm was a need that should be met sooner rather than later.
Meiko had only walked for roughly ten minutes when someone shouted, "Sakine!"
"Bury me alive," Meiko muttered as she stopped in her tracks. "I was hoping the fall would kill the bastard."
Instead of backtracking to meet him halfway, Meiko remained in place as she waited for Big Al to catch up to her. Or at least she tried to remain in place. To keep warm, Meiko did a dance of sorts, shifting from one foot to another to keep moving and her blood flowing.
When Big Al was close enough that he didn't have to shout at the top of his lungs, he snarled as he continued approaching, "You fail to adequately prepare for liftoff, you abandon your post, and then you walk away without first confirming if your teammate is alive or dead. If we make it out of this alive, I hope you're done begging Mikuo to give you a chance to prove yourself. You proved plenty."
"This was your plan, wasn't it?" Meiko spun around and bit back a squeal when she saw that Big Al was much closer than she thought. Her nose almost collided with his chest, and she had no idea how he came up to her so quietly.
Doing her best to not show that Big Al surprised her, Meiko continued, "You placed me in a faulty station, made sure I had nothing to do in the event of an emergency – which we had! – and then stopped me when I had a plan to help us all out. You set me up to fail. It's your fault we're in this situation, not mine!"
Meiko didn't realize how much she was waiting for Big Al to shout and lunge at her until he didn't. It was as her disappointment blossomed at his remining still that she realized she wanted him to try to attack her. She wanted a reason to stab him again. Ever since they met, this man had given Meiko so much trash for trying to join the cause. If she could stab him again out here in the snowy field with nobody here to witness the attack and try to stop them from killing each other, she might have been able to release some if not most of her pent up frustration.
Yet Big Al didn't shout. He didn't lunge for her. He didn't even pull his lips back in a sneer.
Instead, Big Al calmly said, "I have done nothing to set you up for failure. You refused help from a teammate. You disobeyed orders. You abandoned your post for a trick that would have done nothing but put a bigger target on our backs. This situation we are in is entirely your own doing."
"You gave all the men better jobs than you gave me!" Meiko barked. "Because I'm a woman, you don't think I can handle this! How am I supposed to prove myself if I work within your sexism?"
"Despite what you so strongly believe," Big Al replied coolly, "I'm not sexist. The station I assigned you is the station all rookies are assigned. Women and men rookies. Hio offered to help you for no reason other than out of the kindness of his heart and his genuine desire to watch another's back. We aren't looking for heroes, Sakine. We're looking for teammates. If what you really want is to save the day, even at the cost of disregarding orders from your superiors, then we can't have you in the army. You are too much of a liability. And before you claim I'm only stating this because you're a woman, just know if your brother acted the same way you did just now, I would tell him the exact same thing. Your father was a great soldier, but we don't want anything to do with his kids if they act the way you do."
Meiko opened her mouth to snap a reply, but she was surprised to find that she had no words. It wasn't true. Big Al only said what he did to put her down. Yet it worked. Meiko had never felt so ashamed before in her life, not for something she had some level of control over.
Seeing as she wasn't going to respond, Big Al added, "When we return to base, you will be relieved of all duty. We can't let you go because you know too much, but you won't be sent out for missions again either. You will have to remain a prisoner. I'm sorry, but you have left me no choice. Now, let's go."
Big Al brushed past Meiko and began to walk away. Meanwhile, all Meiko could do was stand there. He had just told her that she was now a prisoner just as easily as most people would tell a friend that he was going to have soup instead of a sandwich for lunch.
Hands curling into fists, Meiko spun on her heel and shouted, "Big Al!"
Said man stopped and turned around just enough to look at her. He didn't speak. He merely waited for Meiko to say what she had to say.
Only Meiko didn't know what to say. She had a lot of feelings boiling together inside her – anger, embarrassment, sadness – but she didn't know how to let them out. If she didn't find a way to drain them soon, blowing up would be inevitable.
Yet Meiko was stuck in the cell of her own making. She could bang on the bars all she wanted, but they were not going to open so easily. It didn't help that this man had the audacity to look at her as if she was a helpless lamb.
"You can't relieve me if I quit," Meiko finally spat out, the words the only ones she could grab as she frantically searched for any kind of response. "And you can't keep me prisoner if you can't find me."
With that said, Meiko started running. It didn't escape her how stupid she was acting. Big Al had longer, larger legs than she. For all Meiko knew, he was a fast runner. There was also no denying that he could pin her down and carry her over his shoulder as if she weighed nothing if it came to it that's how muscular he was.
"Sakine!"
As she kept running, Meiko risked a glance behind. Big Al was not chasing her. Perhaps he had been injured in the fall, and even though he could hide the pain when he walked, anything faster might be too much for him.
Again, Meiko didn't realize she wanted him to come after her until she was disappointed that he didn't. She had so many knives tucked away. One of them had to be dying to find a new home in someone else's flesh.
However, she kept running. She would seize the opportunity to get away and fix everything on her own. As stupid as she was for taking off like this, Big Al was even stupider for letting her get away.
After all, he was right to say she already knew too much.
"Praise Jesus," Meiko muttered under her breath when a village came into view. Her blood was already turning to ice under frosty skin, the coat keeping her warm for only so long before the frigid wind began to blow. Any longer in this increasingly worsening weather, and Meiko would be on her way to becoming a human popsicle.
The fire lamps not only lit up the dark winter days, but also provided little warmth on the busy streets. Snow covered the stone pathway, and passersby paid Meiko little to no mind as they went about their business. Now that she found someplace warm, Meiko needed to figure out her next step.
If our legion made it out alive . . . Meiko shook her head. Of course they made it out alive. There's no 'if' about it. Since they made it out alive, I should try to find them. They're going to the Capital, so I should go to the Capital too. I just need to figure out where the Capital is and how I'm going to get there. Piece of cake.
Meiko had to find the others. Her only other options were either to return home or run away altogether and start a new life under a new name. Returning home was something Meiko would rather die than do, and starting over sounded too complicated. New name, new background, new story – Meiko wasn't creative enough for that. So, finding her legion it was.
Eyes glancing over the brick buildings, Meiko searched for the one place she knew she would without fail learn all the latest town gossip. It didn't take long to find her place. The bar.
Just as she located the facility, Meiko saw a group of guards walk inside. These weren't standard town police, either. These were guards straight from the Capital, out on some sort of mission that led them to passing through here.
Interesting.
Not only were they Meiko's best bet of learning where the Capital was and how to get there, they might even be able to let slip information about the operative her team was breaking out of prison. Meiko knew nothing about this guy, not even his name. All she knew was whatever information he had, it was worth risking her life over.
Meiko tried not to think about the other legion who already lost their lives on this mission.
Rubbing her hands together to get blood flowing through her fingers again, Meiko plotted. All men talked. It was just a matter of teasing them and promising them what they wanted.
Not that Meiko would have any intentions of keeping those promises, but she didn't need to say as much until she got what she wanted.
Sometimes, being an Alice left Meiko feeling invisible. Cinderellas were expected to be leaders and path makers, and Juliets were expected to be servants and slaves. Alices were . . . just there.
Meiko knew she couldn't complain too much, however. Having a cerulean butterfly tattooed on her left wrist instead of a blood rose meant she had the basic human rights most Juliets were denied. On the other hand, having that same cerulean butterfly tattoo instead of a silver crown meant Meiko would never have the opportunities available to her that were practically gift wrapped for a Cinderella.
News that had been circulating all over the media this past week didn't help. Some sources labelled this as the war between Cinderellas and Juliets. Nobody talked about the Alices. It seemed nobody cared. Alices were the middle class. As far as anyone who wasn't an Alice was concerned, they didn't fit anywhere in all of this.
Of course, such thinking was dead wrong. Alices had been in play long before anyone so much as heard about these so-called Thorns. Nobody suspected an Alice, leaving the Alices to come and go as they pleased.
Meiko's second cousin Teto, when spent the past year spying through the Cinderella Academy undetected by even the master of the school Opera Tonio himself, was a perfect example of this.
It was why Meiko didn't let the looks anyone gave her as she took her seat in the hovercraft get to her. Or at least that was what she told herself. She didn't want to admit that she was too impressed with the interior of the hovercraft to think about much else.
This was the kind of hovercraft seen in space war movies. Unlike most hovercrafts, which relied on autopilot to get its passengers to the destination coordinates punched in, this one was built for potential battle and thus driven by a pilot. Others would man additional aspects of the craft, such as communications and weapons. Back in the day, these were the types of hovercrafts the military utilized. Now only the secret service had these. The secret service, and anyone else who knew how and where to get their grubby hands on them.
Big Al and Rei, his hand-selected second-in-command, took their seats in the front. Rinto took over communications. Hio and Meiko sat in the weapons section although the weapons were deactivated for this mission, Hio preparing them just in case they needed to be used and Meiko gauging fuel efficiency.
Wanting to prove herself, Meiko ran through the checklist given to her in preparation for takeoff. When Hio tried to help, she growled at him to back off. The boy stared at her with his wide eyes.
"We're a team, Meiko," he whispered as to not be overheard by the others. "There's nothing wrong with letting me help you."
"As if I'm going to give you the chance to tell Big Al that you had to help me run through my own station," Meiko snarled. "I got this."
"Meiko, you've never done this before. Nobody is going to look down on you if you let me help you—"
"I got this!" Meiko snapped before turning away and running through everything twice more. It looked as if everything was properly set up. She didn't need Hio making her, the lone woman on the team, look as if she was the only one who didn't know what was going on.
"System check," Big Al announced as he started the engine. "Coordinates?"
Rei. "Check."
"Communications?"
Rinto. "Check."
"Weapons?"
Hio. "Offline."
"Efficiency."
Meiko sounded proud as she announced, "Check."
"Are you sure?"
Gritting her teeth, Meiko had to keep from shouting, "How dare you question me and not the men!"
"Check," was what she said instead.
"Then we are ready to launch." Big Al flipped a few switches. "Everyone, buckle up. It's going to be a bumpy ascension."
Meiko buckled her seatbelt and leaned back in her chair. The flight to the Capital would take a couple of hours. Until then, it was only a matter of remaining calm and showing these men that she was just as capable as they.
For the most part, the flight was uneventful. Their fellow legion flew right beside them. The others laughed and joked as they hurled through the air at over three hundred miles an hour. Meiko kept to herself. Considering the guys didn't try talking to her or anything of the sort, keeping to herself wasn't that hard.
All the while, Big Al ignored the others as he focused on the flight ahead. Not having anywhere better to look, Meiko stared over his shoulder through the window. The cover of endless night should keep them well-hidden from those on the ground below.
As for other aircrafts, that's what prayer was for.
"I don't like this," Rei said after half an hour. "It's quiet. Too quiet. I feel like something should have happened by now. Even just a minor hiccup would be more reassuring than this stillness we've been experiencing since liftoff."
"Agreed," Big Al muttered, "but we shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, Kagene."
I would be looking all the gift horses in the mouth. Meiko double checked her station. No change. That was more than fine. She wasn't entirely sure what to do if something needed to be fixed anyway.
The flight grew to be so boring, Meiko wished she had followed Hio's example and brought something with her. That beanpole had a book on him. Not a tablet. An actual book. As in a large-leather-bound-stack-of-paper-with-words-printed-with-ink-onto-the-pages book.
As rare as tablets were in Meiko's hometown, physical books were rarer. And this fool had the nerve to bring one with him on a potentially dangerous mission. Meiko tried not to stare, both at awe at such a device and at how stupid she thought Hio was.
She must have not restrained herself well enough though. Hio caught her staring and asked, "Do you want to look at it?"
Yes. "No," Meiko spat, committing herself to not looking at the boy for the rest of the flight.
That newfound commitment only lasted for ten minutes.
"Radar is picking up another craft," Rei announced. He audibly swallowed. "It's coming this way."
"Commercial?" Big Al questioned.
"Negative," Rei replied. "I studied all flight schedules the night before. This wasn't on the list. Besides, it's approaching far too quickly for its main purpose to be carrying citizens."
Big Al cursed. "Rinto, has the first legion picked up on the signal?"
"As a matter of fact, they just messaged me about it." Rinto adjusted the glasses on his nose. "Arls thinks we should contact them, tell them we're carrying supplies to the Capital."
"Just what I was thinking."
For a moment, Rinto typed on his keyboard. It must have been getting serious, for Rinto pulled a headset on and began speaking softly into the microphone. In a matter of seconds, his words were getting quicker and more urgent.
Pulling the microphone away, Rinto said, "Big Al, Arls's craft has been denied contact with this oncoming ship. Orders?"
"Try contacting it yourself."
Not even a minute later. "Connection denied."
Big Al swore again. "I don't think these guys are going to ask questions before they begin shooting. Kagene, how close are they?"
"Too close for comfort, sir."
"Looks like we're going to have to get our hands dirty for this one. Loid, Sakine, fire up the weapons. If our new friends are looking for a fight, then they are going to get one."
Finally, something to do. Meiko turned her attention towards her station and began flipping the necessary switches. Lights lit. Buttons blinked. Numbers flashed on display. Meiko gripped the lever to pull it down.
It didn't budge.
What the hell?
Meiko kept pulling, but the lever wasn't going anywhere.
Great. Not only was she the one person the others thought needed help to do her job, but she couldn't even pull the freaking lever down as well. She could already hear the men crackling at what a weak woman she was.
"Systems online, sir," Hio announced to the fleet.
"Efficiency?" Big Al questioned.
No matter how hard Meiko pulled the lever, it didn't move in the slightest. Father of many ugly and stupid children! "Anyone got any oil?"
Although he spoke at normal volume, there was still a lot of anger in Big Al's words as if he yelled at her. "You mean to tell me you didn't wiggle the lever before takeoff?"
Meiko furrowed her brows. Her words sounded dumber to her than they had to sound for everyone else. "I was supposed to?"
If there was one thing Big Al did as if it were an artform, it was swear. He further displayed that talent before snapping at Meiko, "These ships are at least a decade old, Sakine! We have to make sure nothing rusted into place before our lives depend on the functionality of those same levers. Didn't anyone tell you that?!"
Face burning hot, Meiko returned to the lever and tried to pull it. Nothing. That sucker was stuck good, all right.
"Arls is awaiting your command," Rinto supplied, a sweat breaking out on his forehead.
"Fire at will," Big Al replied. "As for us, we have a bit of a situation here."
"Let me help," Hio said, getting up and walking towards Meiko's station.
Meiko bared her teeth. "I got it!"
"No, you don't."
"Leave me alone, Loid!"
"Meiko, now isn't the time—"
"I said leave me alone!"
"Sweet mother of baby Jesus! Get out of my path!" Big Al bolted from the pilot's seat and stalked towards the section. After literally pushing Meiko and Hio out of the way, he wrapped his meaty hands around the lever and forced it down with a mighty grunt.
Then things began flashing that Meiko was sure weren't supposed to be flashing.
"You said our efficiency was in order!" he roared at Meiko.
Gritting her teeth, Meiko did not allow herself to cower. "According to the numbers, everything was exactly where it needed to be."
Big Al looked at the display before turning back to Meiko. "Yes, our takeoff and flight fuel is working splendidly, but did it ever occur to you to switch to the weapons tank to see how our energy beams were doing?"
Oh.
"Your job was simple," Big Al growled. "Make sure everything was in order, and make sure there was an order for everything. How do you screw up this badly?!"
Snarling herself, Meiko spat, "How was I supposed to know all these rules about these crafts unless someone told me?"
"Ask someone to walk you through it. For the love of God, Sakine, didn't anyone offer to help?"
Meiko was more grateful than she cared to admit that Hio opted to keep his mouth shut. She had to have been set up. There was no other reason everyone but she, the woman, had a section that worked perfectly.
Before another word could be said, everyone cried out as the craft violently jerked to the side. It corrected itself after half a moment, but the ride was no longer as smooth. Nobody needed to be told what had just happened.
"Rei," Big Al began, "you're in charge until I get back. Hio, fire only if you know for sure you will hit a target. Sakine and I are going to the belly of the craft to see if we can load up the emergency guns."
Although she heard what Big Al said, Meiko still questioned, "What?"
"You heard me, Sakine." Big Al began walking, not even turning around to make sure she would follow. "It's your fault we're in this tight situation. Now I'm going to show you one of the ways you can fix your mistake."
Figuring it would be better to swallow her pride and at least try to correct her screw up, Meiko followed Big Al out of the control room and down to the generator. It was warmer down there than where they had come from, but Meiko didn't take off her coat even as Big Al did. She kept her arms crossed over her chest, eyes boring holes into the back of her superior's head.
Instead of reprimanding her further, as she expected him to, Big Al showed Meiko where the emergency generator for weapons was and how to activate it. "This will give Hio more resources for taking down anyone who's after us. However, these guns are not as powerful as the main source, so next time, make sure that's working before takeoff."
Meiko didn't respond. She only kept her arms tight across her chest. As if we both don't know you're going to talk to Mikuo to make sure there is no next time.
"Do you understand, Sakine?"
Trying not to growl, Meiko replied, "Yes, sir."
Before more could be said, the craft jerked again. This time Big Al and Meiko were both thrown to the ground. Meiko's head collided with one of the pipes, and she felt the vibration from her skull to her jaw down her chest. Ringing echoed in her ears for only a moment. She tasted blood where her teeth slammed down on her unsuspecting tongue.
Big Al pushed himself to his feet and simply ordered, "We need to get back now."
Then he did something strange. Leaning forward, Big Al offered his hand to help Meiko up.
Insulted, Meiko ignored his hand as she pushed herself to her feet. She wobbled for a moment, quickly pulling away from Big Al when he again reached out to wrap his hand around her arm. Although she wouldn't admit it, she was grateful Big Al waited till she regained her footing before he began stalking back to where the others were.
"Situation?" he barked as he and Meiko stepped inside.
Before anyone could answer, another shot from the attacking ship fired. Rei jerked the craft out of the way, but he didn't act fast enough. The side was hit, and fire and smoke began to rise.
"This is bad," Rei muttered, saying what was undoubtedly on everyone's mind.
Big Al opened his mouth to speak, but then he froze. Meiko looked in the direction his eyes were trained, and she froze too. She felt everyone else follow their example.
A missile whizzed past them, not coming close enough to touch the already damaged craft. Not that it mattered. Their craft wasn't the target.
Feeling to be trapped in slow motion, Meiko watched the missile hit the other legion, sending the main engine into a fiery explosion.
"We've been hit! WE'VE BEEN HIT!" cried the voice from Rinto's headset, which Meiko heard despite being over six feet away from Rinto. Then there was static. Then nothing.
They all watched the other hovercraft fall from the sky like a dead bird. Although they had already flown past the crash site by the time the other craft hit the ground, everyone still heard and felt the boom of their fellow comrades meeting the earth. It wasn't until Rei, the first to recover, yanked their craft out of the path of another oncoming missile, saving them by the skin of their teeth.
Everyone got to work. Big Al returned to his station and ordered Rinto to try hailing the other Fighter craft again. He continued letting Rei, whose reflexes were better than the older man's, pilot the craft. Hio shot at the enemy craft, but it was too big for his energy beams to do much damage.
Meiko, all the while, had nothing to do. Her job was to monitor everything. Monitor things that didn't seem to need it. There was nothing for her to do save sit and watch while the men took all the action. Hers was the most pointless job one could be assigned.
Watching as Hio tried to shoot their target out of the sky, Meiko got an idea. Something of that size would react no differently to a human stepping on a small, round rock. However, no matter the size, all crafts relied on electricity to get from point A to point B.
With that thought, Meiko jumped to her feet and bolted out of the control room, ignoring Big Al's shouting questions such as what the hell was she thinking.
If there was one thing Meiko did perfectly every time without fail, it was keep weapons hidden on her person. Daggers were strapped to her biceps and thighs, small knives were tucked into her sleeves just above the wrist, and there was even a switchblade hidden between her breasts. She could reach all of them and stab her unknowing opponent in a matter of seconds. Yet what she needed wasn't a blade. What she needed was an electro orb, which was conveniently tucked inside her inner coat pocket.
One other thing Meiko did right was check the weapons on board long before liftoff. Even though she had no plans to use any of them, since this mission did not require her to fight or defend herself or anything similar, she wanted to know where they were just in case. This was that just in case, and it took Meiko only a minute to retrieve the bazooka. Along with it she picked up and slung on a backpack. She didn't need it, but she wasn't dumb enough to break all the rules.
Feet planted firmly onto the floor, Meiko pushed the button to open the hovercraft. The large ramp began to descend while they still flew through the air, an enemy craft not far behind. The incoming wind whipped through Meiko's hair and coat, and she had to squint from the bitter cold air rushing into the craft and biting her skin and piercing her eyes.
With the door now open, Meiko got a clear view of the war craft right behind them. She saw the missiles launched their way. When another was fired and Rei swerved to avoid it, Meiko stumbled and desperately tried to regain her footing. Swearing, Meiko used her free hand to reach out and steady herself against the wall. She needed to act fast so she could close the door again without falling out of the hovercraft like an idiot.
Meiko slid the electro orb into the bazooka and aimed. It was as she was about to fire someone grabbed her shoulder and threw her onto the ground.
"What do you think you're doing, Sakine?!" Big Al roared as he stood over her. "You abandoned your station in a time of crisis! Do you have any idea what's in store for cowards who run away when their team is in danger?"
"I'm not running away!" Meiko argued as she pushed herself onto her knees. "I was going to take out the enemy craft until someone interrupted me."
"An electro orb is not going to work against something as big as that," Big Al sneered, and Meiko wondered how he knew she had an electro orb on her. "That thing is bound to have at least three generators; even if you kill the main power and two generators, odds are the thing will still be up, running, and coming at us with an even more aggressive approach now that you showed them what you can do. Firing that would only make things worse for us, not help us."
"You wouldn't be saying that if it was Rei or Hio here."
"Precisely, because neither of them would be as stupid as you to try to act on their own."
A retort was on Meiko's tongue, but it was lost when the enemy craft fired again and Rei swerved to avoid it. However, he didn't swerve enough, and the missile clipped the side of their craft. The force was enough to send the whole thing sideways as it violently jerked up and down from the blast.
There was no hope for Meiko to regain her footing as second time, and Big Al was even less balanced than she. Both were thrown into the air. Big Al flew out of the opening of the craft first, and Meiko, try as she might to hold on to the smooth floor, slid out to follow.
With no time to think, Meiko activated her parachute, grateful she decided to don a backpack after all. She was jerked yet again as it expanded and dramatically slowed her descent, but the journey downwards was otherwise smooth. An ache forming in her chest, Meiko watched as her craft flew away, the enemy craft not far behind.
It was very clear to Meiko that Big Al wasn't particularly fond of her. Honestly, she couldn't blame him. After all, most people tended to remain bitter towards the person who stabbed them.
The bandages on his upper arm served as a reminder to everyone in this side of the Fighters: Don't, under any circumstances, touch Meiko. After that stunt she pulled, some of the group accepted her, some resented her, and some feared her. Meiko was just happy nobody tried to send her away again, regardless what their feelings towards her were.
Feet on the table, Meiko casually rolled the pencil between her index finger and thumb. Hio, sitting at the same table with his feet notably kept on the floor, stared at her. Meiko grinned. He looked away. Freaking coward.
Holding back a groan, Meiko wondered when the meeting would finally begin. The room was filled with only the toughest Fighters and herself, very few of whom Meiko knew by name. All anticipated what they were soon going to hear. After what happened in the Equinox Continent a week ago, nobody doubted that the Benevolence had indeed returned. Meiko's father served in the last war, and her brother was supposed to be his heir in this upcoming one. Only Meiko's brother wasn't going to fight. Meiko was.
That didn't mean anyone was happy about it, of course. Even Meiko herself wasn't happy about it. Not that she would tell anyone else that, lest they use it as an excuse to try to dismiss her again.
About time, Meiko thought when the leader of this section of freedom fighters, Zatsune Mikuo, stood at the front of the room. He glared at everyone before speaking. Meiko didn't fail to notice how the older man's gaze lingered on her for a second longer than the others.
"I have received word from our brother Opera Tonio this morning," was how he began, not bothering to explain who the hell Opera Tonio was when Meiko was the only one in the room unfamiliar with the name. "He and a few of his most trusted comrades will be leaving later today to arrive here to help investigate. What happened in his district's Cinderella Academy, as tragic as it was, is a horrid reminder of what the Benevolence will do to the rest of Artemis if we do not stop them."
"The Benevolence won't have to lift another finger if all of Artemis keeps going down this self-destructive path," Rei pointed out. "That stunt has led to a mass execution of Juliets, which in turn has led to Juliet riots, which results in more Juliet executions which leads to more Juliet riots, and so the bloody circle continues. We'll destroy ourselves before they will destroy us."
"I agree with ghostie," Meiko added, calling the extremely pale Rei by a nickname he never approved. Rei snarled at her, and Mikuo kept going as if Meiko didn't speak.
"Yes, Rei, you're right. I don't think this was part of the Benevolence's plan, but I don't think they are displeased with the results. However, that is not the only reason I called you all here.
"As some of you already know, one of our top operatives was captured in the Capital shortly before the Cinderella Academy Attack. He was working as a spy to investigate our Governess's involvement, and he's set to be executed in three days' time. We can't allow that to happen. The information he has gathered is very useful, and we can't allow such a great operative and his knowledge to be disposed of. As a result, we shall be sending two legions to break him out of prison. Not to mention I'm sure he wouldn't mind missing out on his own execution."
Meiko was ready to tune Mikuo out by this point. It wasn't as if they would send her on a rescue mission. Still, Meiko listened intently as Mikuo briefly discussed what they knew about the prison in which this operative was kept captive. For one thing, Meiko always found rescue mission stories, especially true ones, exciting. For another thing, if Meiko was to prove herself and convince everyone that she belonged, she had to make it obvious to those around her that she did take this war seriously and did have what it took to fight in the cause.
Just to prove her point, Meiko even took notes. Paper pressed on top of her knees, Meiko scribbled down some of the information Mikuo spat. It wasn't as if she would need any of it, but she figured it would be better to get into the habit of taking notes sooner rather than later.
"Now," Mikuo said after taking a deep breath, "I and some of my men spent all last night forming these teams. However, I elected to make some last minute changes. If your name isn't called, it's because I find it better suited for you to remain here for when Tonio and his men arrive."
Or your name is Meiko, and I'm not going to give you any sort of chance in the first place, Meiko bitterly thought.
"In your place, I have selected someone else to go in place. Please remember that no matter where you are assigned in this mission, you are there to serve an important role only you can fill. Anyway, the first legion shall be led by Loid Arls. The ones joining his team are . . ."
Now Meiko tuned him out as he droned the list of names. She folded her notes and tucked them into her coat pocket. Her eyes were locked onto Mikuo, but she scarcely heard a word he said even as he began naming the second legion and its members.
"Kagene Rei. Loid Hio. Sakine Meiko."
Losing her balance, Meiko squeaked as she nearly fell from her chair. After regaining her balance, she noticed everyone looking at her. Meiko hoped against hope her cheeks weren't as red as they felt.
"Is something wrong, Meiko?" Mikuo asked, the corner of his lips rising slightly.
"Nothing, sir," Meiko answered. "It's my own fault for leaning my chair back so far."
"I see." Mikuo was trying and failing to hide his amusement. "Well, I suggest you be more careful. Your fleet leaves first thing tomorrow morning, and I highly doubt Big Al would want one of his men injured before the mission starts."
Right. Meiko forced herself to nod instead of shout. The second legion was Big Al's, and of course Mikuo would put her on it when he knew just as well as everyone else that Meiko and Big Al didn't exactly get along.
Meiko maintained eye contact with Mikuo, and she could almost swear she knew what he was thinking.
You have wanted to prove yourself since the moment you stepped through our hideout's doors. Well, here's your chance, little girl. Is your bite as big as your bark, or are you all talk and no walk?
Another nod was all Meiko could force herself to do to tell Mikuo that she accepted her role in this mission. In a lot of ways, she was eager for the opportunity to prove to everyone that she was not just some pretty girl. However, that didn't stop her from wishing she was put on Arls's legion instead of Big Al's. At least he knew how to be nice to her.
Forcing her attention onto the older man as Mikuo wrapped up the meeting, Meiko knew Big Al felt the same. His golden eyes were narrowed, his gaze locked onto hers. He was in charge of Meiko now, and Meiko couldn't begin to imagine what he had planned for her.
Determined, Meiko took a deep breath and looked away. Nobody, especially not some nearly seven-foot-tall man old enough to be her father, was going to scare her into backing down. Meiko was her father's heir, and she was going to use this opportunity to prove it to everyone.
Besides, if it ever came down to it, she could always stab Big Al again.
Author’s Note: Hey, beautiful people! I just wanted to let you know that this is the bridge novella for my fanfic Blood Rose and its upcoming sequel. However, this story does stand on its own, so don’t worry about reading that before reading this. Of course, if you do like this, I wouldn’t mind it if you checked out other stories in my Juliet and Cinderella Chronicles. Just a suggestion. ;)
"Hey, Nero," Rin said as she settled herself by the gravestone. The pendent he had given her the day he confessed was clutched in her hand. Holding it close to her heart, Rin smiled and said, "I have bad news: I don't know when I'll visit you again, if ever.
"Times are getting worse. In order to pay off debtors to keep them away for a few more months, Father sold me to some fancy school for Cinderellas. Yeah, someplace I know I'm going to hate. That's why I'm not going. When the sun sets, I'm taking our stash and running away. I've waited long enough. I'll have to spend sparingly if I'm to not run out of funds quickly, but anything is better than serving a bunch of spoiled Cinderellas.
"That's why I'm here. I have to say goodbye before I go. As much as I don't want to leave you, I can't spend another day here. Oh, Nero, I wish you were coming with me. I'm terrified. I don't want to do this alone."
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Rin smiled at the gravestone. She could imagine Nero sitting on the top of the cement, telling her it was okay because he wanted her to go. "Don't let me hold you back," her vision of him told her. "I want you to be happy. It's okay if you have to forget me to be happy."
"I could never, ever forget you," Rin said, responding to her fantasy. "I'll always love you, Nero. I'll never love anyone the way I love you."
Even long after she had finished speaking, Rin stayed on Nero's grave. She lied in the grass, one hand reaching out to touch the stone. Her eyes were closed as she breathed in the warm summer air.
Two years wasn't long enough. Two years wasn't enough time for the pain to become easier to bear. Perhaps no length of time would ever be enough.
Rin didn't know how much longer it was before Brother Fukase gently shook her shoulder and said, "Rin, the sun is beginning to set. You should go home now."
Without opening her eyes, Rin replied, "You know once I leave, you'll never see me again."
"I wouldn't say never again. Maybe not again in this life, but not never."
Opening her eyes, Rin looked to Brother Fukase and muttered, "I just want to see him again. I just want to join Nero where he is. But I'm still here. I'm still alive. Why do I live while he has to die?"
Brother Fukase sighed before he sat on the grass so he wouldn't have to look down on Rin. "I don't know. I could say that God has a grand plan in this and that Nero did not die in vain, but what good are those words? Even if you believe them to be true, they don't take away the pain. Your heart is still broken. You're still going to mourn. Christ may have conquered death, but that doesn't make death easy for us to bear.
"All I can really say is there is purpose in this. Maybe you will look back one day and see it, or maybe you will never see it at all. But Nero died for you, Rin. He gave his life for yours. There isn't another person save Jesus who you can say died for you. That's how much Nero loved you. Now it's up to you to not let that love go to waste."
"No pressure or anything." Rin sighed and pushed herself upright. Tears still fell, and she didn't bother to stop them. "Are some of us really born to die?"
"We're all born to die, Rin." Brother Fukase reached out and placed his hand on Rin's shoulder. "However, it doesn't matter what your day of birth and day of death are. What matters is what you do in between those dates."
Not having a response, Rin nodded. Then, overwhelmed by her losses, Rin lurched forward and hugged the pastor. Brother Fukase returned the hug and rubbed circles on Rin's back as she cried into his chest.
After Rin walked away, she would not see Brother Fukase again.
She would not visit Nero's grave again.
And she would never be the same person again.
None of the work hands paid Rin any mind as she sprinted towards the barn and barged inside. As Rin walked home, she realized she couldn't wait to sneak off in the night. The true revelation of all the good she would leave behind finally hit as she hugged Brother Fukase goodbye. As much as Rin wanted to leave, she couldn't leave him and Nero so easily. Rin had to make a run for it now, before anyone knew what she was doing, before she thought herself out of running away.
Either way, she was leaving. Her departure might as well have been on her terms.
Rin climbed up the ladder, jumped onto her bed, and began searching for her bag of coins. Her heart sank when she didn't feel the familiar bag hidden in the mattress hole. Frantically, Rin desperately tried to find the coin stash she had spent the past six years collecting.
"Looking for something?" Luki's voice asked, traveling from the first floor and wrapping around Rin like a snake.
Not having any answer to give, Rin sluggishly moved away from the blanket wall towards the ladder. There, at the bottom, Luki held up her coin bag and smirked. He shook the bag a couple times, the sound of the coins within taunting Rin.
"What, nothing to say?" Rin didn't know smug could have a sound until Luki spoke. "Nothing to say at all?"
What Rin wanted to do was cry, scream, and jump down on Luki to begin beating the snot out of him. She wanted to inflict a fraction of the pain he caused her onto him. Perhaps even give him a taste of what it's like to be molested.
But Rin did none of those things. Even if it would be sweet victory, it was one small battle in a war already won. The decided outcome was not in Rin's favor.
With a heavy sigh, Rin hung her head in shame as a single tear fell from her eye.
It was no surprise to Rin that Luki exposed her while she visited Nero's grave. After Luki declared victory, Leon entered the barn and ordered Rin to come down. She hesitated only for a moment before she gave in, knowing that making her father wait would have worse consequences.
Dragging Rin by the hair, Leon hauled Rin inside the house, threw her into her old bedroom, and locked her inside. As he wanted Rin to be in decent condition when her purchasers arrived to pick her up, Leon had said, he would have beaten her beyond recognition for stealing so much money from him. He even insisted Rin should be grateful.
Rin was left waiting in the room with nothing to eat or drink. The window was too small to climb out, but Rin still thought about breaking the glass anyway and using the shards to slit her wrists. She discarded the idea as quickly as she thought of it. If she took her own life, Nero died for her for nothing. Rin vowed to herself then that no matter the hardships she endured and no matter how easy it would be to give up, she would never, ever allow Nero's sacrifice to be in vain.
That was why when the purchasers came to claim her, inspecting every inch of her before naming their final price, Rin did nothing save stand still for them to evaluate her.
That was why she didn't kick and scream as she was hauled away from everything she had ever known.
That was why she let go of everything she had once dreamed of and believed in, forcing herself to accept that she had to give up living if she was to continue existing.
Cinderella may lose her glass slipper, but she will ultimately reunite with her prince and live happily ever after.
Alice may wander, but she will always find her way home.
Juliet may love, but she will never see a happy ending.
Again and again Rin repeated the classes in her mind, her lips silently forming the words. She must have them memorized to the letter. If she forgot, it would be impossible to find someone to remind her of the decrees before she was tested of them. Gripping her pendant tightly, Rin began her unheard chant again.
A Cinderella is marked by a Silver Crown.
An Alice is marked by a Cerulean Butterfly.
A Juliet is marked by a Blood Rose.
Each girl is marked by her destiny. Her destiny is the life she was born to live.
Know your place, and do everything possible to elevate those above you.
Without thinking, Rin ran her free fingers over the branding. The burn, pressed onto her forearm shortly after her purchase, had healed days ago. Now that it no longer hurt, Rin couldn't stop touching it. The branding was proof that she wasn't dreaming, that she was truly in this situation.
My duty is to serve, she tried to convince herself as she sat in the waiting room. She couldn't get comfortable on the velvet couch, and the people in the painting on the wall across seemed to judge her. I am property. My life means nothing. I am replaceable, and if I don't perform my job, I will be replaced.
"Juliet CV02!"
Rin jumped where she sat, hurriedly putting her pendant in her dress pocket. It would be a while before she got used to her new name. She pulled her sleeve down, hiding the brand but careful to not cover the blood rose tattoo on her left wrist.
As she did so, Rin watched an older woman stalk into the otherwise empty room. The woman's hair was the color of salt and pepper, and her lips were so thin it was as if they weren't there. Lines of age etched her skin from her face to her exposed wrists. Even the rose tattoo she was marked with appeared wilted with age.
The woman was rather well dressed for a Juliet. She wore a simple gown with long sleeves and a high collar, but the fabric was purple. Rin had never worn purple nor met anyone who did.
"Juliet CV02," the elder Juliet began, "have you learned your life's mission?"
"I have, Head Juliet," Rin replied. When she was requested to repeat it, Rin carefully spoke each word of the decree firmly and with certainty. Her performance must have been satisfactory, for Head Juliet made no remarks other than "very good."
"The academy wasn't looking to purchase more Juliets," Head Juliet began, "but they have a staggering amount of Cinderellas beginning their studies this year. With this terrible economic season, it's through the higher than usual tuition these girls' parents are paying that you and a few others were able to be purchased."
"It's through this terrible economic season that I was sold in the first place," Rin said softly, avoiding eye contact. Louder, "My purpose is to serve. Whatever is required of me, I shall do."
Head Juliet gave a stiff nod. "Good to know that you are not letting your outrageous fortune get to you. Most Juliets can only wish they were half as lucky."
"I shall not serve here in vain, Head Juliet."
Sniffing, Head Juliet ordered, "Gather your belongings and follow me."
With the decision to put what had happened the night before behind them, Rin and Nero ate a small breakfast and began walking hand in hand back to their village. They arrived in time for Rin to meet with Merli and sell all her handkerchiefs to the Alice before she moved away. Merli would not accept the handkerchiefs at a discount, and Rin made more in that one transaction than she typically made during the Saturdays she used to spend selling to multiple customers.
"All I ask is you pay the kindness forward one day," Merli had simply replied after Rin tearfully thanked her.
As Rin and Nero returned home, Nero teased, "Looks like you'll get your hovercraft wish for sure now. We might be able to move to another district altogether."
"As long as there's plenty of country in the district we choose, then let's do it," Rin replied, her excitement for the day she could leave the village forever reignited.
The high of the date at the fair lingered even as the events afterwards slowly faded away, and things began to return to normal. Routine resumed. Leon's other workhands still thought of Rin as nothing more than furniture that worked in the fields alongside them.
After service two weeks later, Nero gently laid a hand on Rin's shoulder as the other churchgoers exited the building and said, "You know, today is great fishing weather."
"It is," Rin agreed, having gone with Nero a few times. Nero grinned, and Rin returned the gesture as she nodded along.
The two returned to the barn, changed into the most worn clothes they owned, grabbed their fishing supplies, and walked to the lake. They ate sandwiches for lunch along the way, bragging over who was going to catch the biggest fish. When they arrived, Nero began setting up the boat tied to the dock, left there by nobody knew whom but was used by anyone and everyone who wanted to use it.
Nero made sure Rin was safely inside before he hopped in. Using the oars, he and Rin paddled half a mile away from the dock. From there, it was only a matter of baiting their hooks and waiting for the fish to bite.
"To live close to a lake so we can keep doing this for years to come," Rin said quietly as the afternoon leisurely rolled by.
"To own a boat for ourselves so we can keep doing this without fear the boat is going to start leaking at any moment," Nero replied. Rin looked at Nero to see him frowning at the bottom. "I'm surprised this thing is still floating. Maybe after today, we should start fishing on the dock."
Rin didn't disagree. The wood did look old, and it did begin to look as if it struggled to hold up their weight. Not knowing how to swim, she decided for the future it would be better to not take any chances.
Time lolled by, and the sun dragged across the sky.
"No bites today." Rin sighed, disappointed. "I was really hoping for grilled fish for dinner."
"Let's give it another hour," Nero decided.
"You keep fishing. I think I'm going to sit back for a moment and rela—AHHHH!"
It was as Rin turned around the side of the boat finally gave away. Her back had barely begun to lean against the boat when the boards broke, but it was enough for Rin to lose balance and fall backwards. Reaching out, Rin tried to find something, anything to clasp onto, but her fingers grasped only air as her entire body hurled into the lake below.
Thrashing wildly, Rin tried with no success to break the surface. The more she kicked, the harder it became to move her limbs. It was as if snakes were wrapping their bodies around her to keep her from escaping. Rin was sinking quickly. Her lungs, not used to Rin holding her breath, already ached for air.
Eyes tightly shut, Rin couldn't see anything. The sounds around her were muffled, but she did hear what she believed to be a splash as someone else jumped into the water. Against her body's instincts to keep kicking and clawing, Rin stopped. Nero always promised to jump in after her if she ever fell into the lake, but he couldn't help her if she didn't let him. Trusting Nero, Rin remained still even as she felt something grab her, the snakes on her body and limbs coming loose.
It felt as if they were reaching the surface, but the momentum came to a sudden halt. Lungs on fire, Rin opened her eyes to try to figure out why they stopped. All she needed was to see Nero's concerned face to realize something was wrong.
Their chests pressed together, Nero looked at Rin as if her face was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen before hugging her close. It was the tightest hug he had ever given her. Then with a strength Rin didn't know Nero had, he threw her upwards hard enough for Rin's head to break the surface.
Rin gasped for air and clung to the boat. Adrenaline granting her the strength, Rin pulled herself back onto the boat through the opening that sent her into the water in the first place. Safely aboard, Rin stayed on her knees and turned around to help Nero back up.
But Nero never resurfaced.
Although Rin wasn't aware of it, and looking back she still didn't remember doing such a thing, she screamed at the top of her lungs. Her bloodcurdling shouts alerted nearby hikers that something was wrong. They rushed to her aid, one swimming all the way over to the boat while the others sought help.
Try as the hiker might, he could not calm Rin down. When Rin was finally able to string together the words to tell him what was wrong, he dived in after Nero. He reemerged alone, his shaking head the only way he could tell Rin it was already too late.
Overwhelmed by grief, shock, and summer heat, Rin collapsed as she fully understood what this news meant.
Nero was dead.
And it was all Rin's fault.
When Rin fell overboard, officials now knew from both investigating and hearing her own account multiple times, her thrashing stirred up a net anchored to the bottom of the lake. It began to tangle her in, but Nero arrived and pulled it off Rin. However, Nero himself got caught as well when he tried to kick to the surface, Rin in his arms. The anchor holding the net down was too heavy for Nero to move, and his ankles were too tied for him to break free on his own. Although he probably tried anyway to free himself after launching Rin upwards.
Only it wasn't enough. Nero was down there alone, and he didn't have a knife or anything to cut himself free. While Rin cried for help that didn't come till minutes later, he drowned.
Nero selflessly spent his final moments saving Rin. By diving in after her, he saved her life with his as the price. In an act of pure, genuine love, Nero gave up his life for Rin.
And it had become the shame and guilt Rin bore for the days, weeks, months that followed. The funeral was unbearable. His burial even more so. Brother Fukase tried his best to console her. Leon told Rin that this was her fault, breaking her tattooed wrist and forcing her to work through the pain as a reminder for what she had done, what she had cost.
Every night, before Rin went to sleep, she lied on the mattress that was Nero's before he gave it to her over a year ago, when they had barely been friends. She stared at the ceiling, knowing now more than ever that there was no mistake in the tattoo given to her that dreadful day over twelve years ago. Rin was a curse, and by loving her, Nero suffered the consequences.
As Nero predicted, time began to fly by, and he and Rin were more in love a year later than they were the day they got engaged. Rin didn't understand how such was possible when hardly a thing changed – they still worked on her father's farm and spent their free time together, and Rin still slept in her "room" while Nero acquired his own mattress to keep downstairs sometime after their engagement. Perhaps their growing feelings were a result of learning to see and love each other in that light, or perhaps from their continued learning about the other and finding new things to love, or both and then some.
If only the rest of the world was becoming as beautiful as their relationship.
"Not another one," Rin muttered when she saw the Closed Forever sign displayed on yet another shop window. Mr. Anon, Ms. Yuezheng, and even Mr. Chris had long since closed their doors and moved away in hopes of finding customers elsewhere. Now another shop was added to the list.
"A grocer's store, too," Nero added as she and Rin resumed their walk through the village. "Mr. Kagamine is not going to be happy when he hears he lost another buyer."
"I told him not to plant so many vegetables this year. Unless we can find more buyers, we're going to have a surplus."
"I can't wait till he blames us for letting him make the executive decision we had no power to argue in the first place."
Arm in arm, Rin and Nero went to the village to purchase fertilizer. Even though the errand wasn't a two person job, it gave both of them something to do. Not as many fields had been planted that year due to most seed merchants not coming through town as before, although Leon tried to rectify that by planting more vegetables than necessary to make up for the lack of variety.
"In a few years," Rin worried aloud, "there will be nothing left of this village. It will be nothing more than a ghost town, falling off the map altogether."
"Then I suppose it's a good thing we plan to leave," Nero replied. "It just might be sooner rather than later."
To that, Rin had no response. When they arrived at the farming shop, Nero went inside to pick up the fertilizer. Not being a fan of the smell, Rin opted to wait outside.
"Afternoon, Ms. Merli," Rin greeted when she saw the familiar face pass by.
"Oh, Rin, good afternoon."
"Is it really?"
"Yeah, you got a point there." Taking a deep breath, Merli announced to Rin, "I'm leaving by the end of the week."
Rin didn't ask why. She already knew. The shops for travelers passing through ended months ago, after everyone realized it cost more to rent than to sell next to nothing at all. That being one of Merli's main sources of income, she was out of the job and struggled to find new work. Without a job and funds running out slowly, Merli would have to leave if she was to have any chances of finding work again before she had spent every last coin.
Which was why Rin responded by saying, "I'm honestly surprised you didn't leave sooner."
"I don't want to return to my family," Merli replied, "so I put off leaving for as long as possible."
"Do you not have other options?"
"I can either stay with them or stay with them until I find employment. Either way, I have to see and live with them. Putting up with their classist ways has never been an enjoyable pastime for me."
"I'm sorry," Rin said, because there was nothing else to say. Merli's parents sold her younger sister shortly after the girl received a blood rose tattoo. Merli still hadn't forgiven them for it.
"Don't be. I'm doing what I have to do, even if the irrational part of me doesn't want to do it." Looking first at the sky then back at Rin, Merli asked, "Say, do you still happen to have any handkerchiefs?"
"I couldn't even sell most of them after I stopped keeping shop," Rin answered. "Why?"
"I want to buy whatever you have left."
Rin blinked, taken aback by the bold declaration. "Why? You certainly don't need that many, the amount of coins in your purse aside."
"As a thank you of sorts, for being one of the only real friends I had in this village," Merli explained. "Also a parting gift and a wedding gift, but I suppose it's not necessarily a gift if I'm getting something in exchange. Either way, if I go home soon, I won't need all the coin I have saved up. Please, allow me to pass some of it to you before I go. If things continue going the way they are . . . Well, you're going to need it more than I do."
When Rin failed to reply, Merli smiled sadly and added, "Besides, tonight's the last night the fair will be in town, and rumor has it this is the last year it will be around. I know how badly you and Nero want to go."
"You are far too generous," Rin said as she finally processed what Merli was saying and understood that Merli wouldn't take no for an answer. "I could never repay such kindness."
"I don't want a repayment." Merli shook her head. "No matter how hard times may be, I believe it's always important to put good into the world. Regardless of whether you reap the benefits or others do. If that good is repaid to me one way or another, fine. If not, I can sleep easy knowing I had the chance to do good and did it."
Rin didn't know she was tearing up until she blinked and felt a hot tear trail down her cheek. She wiped it away as she said, "I'm going to miss you."
"And I you." Merli pulled a handful of coins from her purse and handed them to Rin. "I'll pay the rest tomorrow when I retrieve those handkerchiefs. Shall we meet at your farm, or here in the village?"
"The village square tomorrow at noon," Rin replied, accepting the money with shaking hands.
"It's a deal then." After each girl said her farewells, Merli went on her way.
Knowing she had to act fast, Rin put half the coins in one shoe and the rest in the other. Leon wasn't expecting Rin to come home with any money. As long as he was none the wiser, she wouldn't have to give up a single coin.
"Why are ya jumpy?" Nero asked when he came from behind and Rin yelped at the sight of him.
"You snuck up on me, that's why!" Rin answered as she playfully hit his shoulder. Lowering her voice, she said, "By the way, I hope you don't have plans tonight. We're about to scratch one thing off our list of things we want to do before we die."
Rin didn't know how Nero managed it, but he was able to convince Leon to let him and Rin go to the fair a town over. Not that Leon couldn't prevent Nero from taking a day off when he worked diligently every day that wasn't a lawful rest day, but it was a great risk to ask to take Rin along. If Leon decided to keep Rin on house arrest, there was nothing stopping him from doing so.
Trying not to think too much about it, Rin rushed to change into her best dress, which was just a simple dress made from the cherry blossom cloth Rin had purchased but was never able to make into many handkerchiefs to sell. The basket of her remaining handkerchiefs sat by her bed. If she was to guarantee having them on hand when she and Nero returned to the village by late morning tomorrow, she deemed it wise to bring them along.
Basket in hand with the coins tucked away. Rin slowly descended the ladder. Bile rose in her throat when she saw Luki standing at the bottom. Ignoring him wasn't going to be an easy task when the way he smirked at her gave away his intention to torment her.
"I'm surprised it took Nero this long," Luki said, crossing his arms and moving to stand in front of the exit. It wasn't enough to emotionally pester Rin. He had to trap her inside with him.
Since she knew what Luki wanted was for Rin to ask what it was it took Nero so long to do, Rin instead said, "Would you please let me out? Nero and I plan to leave as soon as possible. I don't want to worry him by making him wait too long."
"Don't you realize your own father just whored you?" Luki laughed at the shock on Rin's face. "The only reason Nero is getting you off this farm in the first place is because he purchased you as a prostitute for the night."
That's why Nero refused to tell me how he was able to convince Father to let me go. Steeling herself, Rin calmly replied, "If I had known that was all it takes to give me a night off, I would have told Nero to start this months ago."
"Ya dirty slut," Luki spat. "Nero paid for your services tonight. He's going to get it whether you will it or not."
Rin's face burned hot at the implication. "He would never!"
"I wouldn't say that too confidently." Luki prowled forward. "Now, if it were me . . . you wouldn't be able to sit down the next day."
Flinching away before his fingers could touch her face, Rin snarled, "You might have gotten away with it the first time, but I swear there will not be a second."
"Come on, Rin, you know that doesn't count. I didn't go far enough."
"It's always too far when there's no consent."
"Such a prideful, privileged wench. You're a Juliet. I don't need your consent."
"Then why not pay the price if it's really that easy?"
"Because you're not worth the price." Leaning forward, Luki whispered in her ear, "Besides, it's more fun to watch your squirm. I was waiting for the day I could corner you like the prey you are, but Nero had to show up and ruin that for me. I won't mess with another man's plaything, but don't think I'm too picky for leftovers. When Nero finally gets what he wants from you and drops you like the filth that you are, I won't hesitate to go after you again."
After he said this, Luki stepped away from the door. Rin didn't hesitate to move past him and get as quickly away from the barn as possible. Her skin crawled when she felt Luki's hand brush against her bare arm, but she gave no indication that she noticed.
"Ready to go?" Nero asked as Rin came up to him.
"You bet," Rin answered, quickly linking arms with Nero. "Luki threatened me again, so I'm more than eager to get out of here now."
"Why does he keep messing with ya?"
"I don't know. I think he's trying to compensate for something."
"Y'know, Rin, maybe if ya let me talk to him—"
"I don't want him to know that you know. Let him think he's so sneaky and clever. Trust me, I feel a lot better knowing we have the upper hand."
"If ya say so." Nero kissed Rin's chin. "But if he tries anything unforgiveable, he and I can take it out to the fields."
The sun had set by the time they made it to the other village. Rin and Nero rented a room and dropped off their bags before going straight to the fair. Absolutely pleased, Rin had more than enough for admission and dinner.
Since Nero paid to take Rin away for the night, Rin argued it was only fair she pay for the night itself. This resulted in frugal spending, but neither cared. It was the experience they shared with each other that really mattered.
"They're so pretty!" Rin whispered as she and Nero walked through the cow display. One approached the duo as they walked by, so Rin reached out to pet its face and scratch its ear.
"We're going to have one of these on our farm one day," Nero said as he too pet the cow. "Along with half a dozen chickens, a donkey, and a pair of oxen."
"What, are we going to be rich?"
"I can dream, Rin. Let me dream."
Trying to experience as much as they possibly could, Rin and Nero looked at all the exhibits, listened to live performances, and played a couple of the cheapest games. They looked through all the sale booths even though they didn't make any purchases. As the night came to its inevitable end, Rin saw one last thing she wanted to do.
"Let's ride the wheel!" Rin clutched Nero's hand tightly as she pointed it out.
Nero watched the metallic wheel that was larger than the biggest barn spin in slow circles. He furrowed his brows, and Rin could tell he didn't see the appeal in it. However, right when she was about to suggest otherwise, he smiled at her and said, "If that's what my lady wants to do, then let's do it while we have the chance!"
Rin didn't know what she expected, but it still amazed her as the cart she and Nero rode rose high into the air. All the booths and their lights were visible below. The sight took Rin's breath away.
"So this is what it's like to get a bird's eye view," Nero whispered, and Rin giggled at how he was just in awe as she. Reaching out and taking her hand, Nero squeezed her fingers as he said, "I'm so glad ya pointed this out. I couldn't have found a better way to end the night if I tried."
Hand in hand, Rin and Nero left the fair and stored the memories away in their hearts. They talked about the experience as they walked back to the hotel, unable to put it out of mind right away. Rin knew this was something they would continue to talk about for years to come.
They reached the hotel and closed the door behind them. Their hands still intertwined, their laughter faded as both leaned closer for a kiss. That kiss became two, then three, and it only continued to escalate.
Rin didn't know at what point Nero picked her up, but she was fully aware when he gently laid her on the bed. One hand on her cheek, Nero let each kiss grow slower and deeper. In response, Rin wrapped her arms around Nero's neck and pulled him closer.
When Rin felt her buttons coming undone, her eyes snapped wide open. Nero was unbuttoning her dress. Tensing, Rin felt her stomach revolt at the thought of what was to come if she didn't put an end to it.
"STOP!" she shouted, pushing Nero away.
"I'm so sorry!" Nero exclaimed, jumping to the other side of the room as Rin quickly rebuttoned her dress. "I should have asked if it was okay instead of getting caught up in the moment."
"It's fine," Rin said, but she started to cry. Try as she might, her sobs would not be silent.
"Rin, I'm really sorry," Nero said softly, and Rin could tell from how he shuffled his feet that he couldn't decide whether to come close to comfort her or keep his distance. "I didn't mean to upset ya. I never would have let things get so far if I had known—"
"I'm not upset at you," Rin interrupted.
"Then why are ya crying?"
I'm upset at myself, Rin thought, not having it in her to say the words aloud. For some reason, I feel so repulsed, and I don't know why. I should have wanted to go all the way, shouldn't I? How come I didn't want to? What stopped me?
"Is it what Luki said?" Nero suggested, and Rin remembered what had been revealed to her earlier that day. "About what I had to do to get ya to come with me tonight?"
"No," Rin replied, grateful to answer that much. Wanting to give Nero a reason, Rin desperately tried to find one. "I . . . I'm not ready yet."
"It's okay, ya don't have to be. I can wait for as long as ya need. Really, we should keep waiting till marriage. I don't know what came over me."
When Rin didn't reply, Nero asked, "Do ya want me to sleep outside?'
"No," Rin answered. "Stay with me."
They changed with their backs facing each other then prepared for bed. Rin saw Nero pick a spot on the floor and laughed, albeit a soft one. Nero furrowed his brows at her, prompting Rin to laugh harder.
"Not on the floor," Rin managed between laughs.
"But there's only one bed."
"So? It . . . would be nice if we cuddled."
Relief seemed to flood over Nero's features. It was awkward at first, but eventually the two found comfort under the sheets. Nero hugged Rin from behind, his arm draped over her waist. In turn, Rin rested her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. They had spent many nights under the stars sitting like this, but never sleeping in such a position.
"I'm sorry," Nero said, Rin not sure how many times he apologized since the incident.
"Don't be," Rin replied. She wrapped her fingers around Nero's. "I'm not upset at you or anything like that. I just overreacted."
"It won't happen again. Not without talking to ya first."
"Nero, stop beating yourself up about it."
"I'm going to for a long time, Rin. Let my guilt keep me in line."
"If you say so, but I won't hold it against you." Sighing, Rin allowed herself to sink deeper into Nero's body heat. "I love you."
"I love ya too."
Even after Nero had fallen asleep, Rin still lied awake. Despite what had happened, she still felt safe in Nero's arms and wouldn't have wanted to spend the night any other way. However, she couldn't stop asking herself why she wasn't ready when she and Nero had already been together for a year and were even engaged.
And she couldn't stop asking herself why she had the sinking feeling she would never, ever be ready to go all the way.
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