"If you're good at something, don't do it for free."-Joker (Dark Knight)

The sky was decorated in gashes of crimsons, golds and indigos as the shadows lengthened embrace the first touches of the night. Pale blue eyes glanced behind as a pair of footsteps neared.

"Why so tense, Captain?" Her second-in-command came to stand beside her at the rail of the roof of headquarters.

She had to restrain herself from twitching at the title. She'd earned it three years ago, but she could never become used to it. "It's nothing to concern yourself over."

"You seem to say that a lot." He leaned against the rail and she found herself relaxing a little bit around him. His easy demeanor was contagious. "But ya know, Captain, we're always gonna worry about you, same way you worry about us. So, why aren't you relaxed on this fine day? Our shift's almost up, in any case. No reason to be so tense."
"You know I almost never relax, Catherwood."
"Perhaps not, but you must relax around your family."

She allowed herself a chuckle. "My family's chaotic, especially when they're bored. If I relax around them, I'd get hit by a random object, like a pen."

Catherwood laughed, unable to believe that the nimble young woman would be hit with something so trivial. But he'd never met her family, so he couldn't be sure. She only trusted him so far. That trust didn't even extend to what she looked like. A cowl was wrapped around the lower half of her face; the only skin showing was around her eyes. Her hair was wrapped in a dark green scarf and her clothes were the uniform standard. A sleeveless black turtle neck and loose cotton pants that didn't restrict movement.

A clock's chiming sounded in the building behind them, the sound floating through the window.

"Shift's over. You can go ahead on home, Catherwood."

He nodded, hesitating slightly before saying, "You should get home too, Captain."

"You really think I'd stick around here longer than I had to? And you really should get going. You have an appointment with your sister, don't you?"

Catherwood smiled a little. It used to make him a little nervous how she learned about the little details in their team's lives, but he'd long since stopped wondering about him. In fact, these days, her knowledge about those details comforted him.

* * *

"I’m home.” She called softly, knowing her siblings would hear.

“Welcome home.” Her brother, Krylan replied. He was lying on the couch, one leg stretched out with a book on his lap. “The girls went out to the market. Kojiro’s sleeping.”

She pulled down the cowl, exposing the rest of her face and tugged the scarf off, letting her charcoal hair loose around slender shoulders.

“Why am I not surprised? He’s like a vampire sometimes, with his weird hours.” She went around the counter to search their cold box for any leftovers. "What're you reading?"

"Something that Lorelei picked up yesterday."

"Is it one of her trashy romance novels?"

"Thankfully not. This one will probably shock you as much as it did me, Maiandra. It actually has some semblance of a storyline."

"Thank heavens for that." Maiandra rolled her eyes, giving up on her search of the cold box and grabbing an apple from a bowl on their counter. “Where she gets her taste in books, I've no idea."

Krylan folded down the corner of his page and closed the book, twisting to face her. “My vote is she gets if from Nadira."

"Seconded!"

They both looked up at the familiar voice. Kojiro was a tall man, and thinner than was the norm for twenty-eight year olds. His raven hair was tied back in a low ponytail and the smoky gray eyes were gleaming with intelligence. Tattoos were visible all along his bare chest, suns spiraling with moons from his collarbone to dance along his ribcage. His worn sweatpants were slightly too short and he flashed them a grin as he sat on the couch, Krylan pulling his legs in to make room.

“I'm voting with both of you.” Maiandra curled up in an armchair by the window.

“The girls ain’t back yet?”

Krylan shook his head. “Knowing them, they could be forever.”

As if to disprove his words, two young women barreled in through the open door. One had hair like liquefied copper and dark emerald eyes, a russet cloak fell around her slim frame, open to show a knee-length skirt and a tank top. The other, obviously older one looked more like Kojiro with ivory skin, gray eyes and charcoal hair left loose.

Maiandra arched a thin eyebrow. "I know you missed us, but really, you shouldn't have hurried home like that."

The elder girl glared at her briefly before speaking, voice gently accented, her lips struggling to properly pronounce the vowels. "We heard some news on the street. He’s supposed to be coming here.”

At those words, Krylan leapt to his feet, Maiandra gripped the edge of the armchair and Kojiro stiffened.

“You can’t be serious!”

“Here of all places?”

“Coincidence or is it for us?” Maiandra asked the vital question and they all grew silent, dreading any words that would slip from their mouths. It was the youngest of all of them that broke the thick silence.

“Let’s hope not. If he isn’t here for us and we disappear, then he’ll immediately know it was us. We should continue as normal, although I think that you shouldn’t go to work for a few days, Mai. If it is us he’s looking for, that’ll be the first place he’ll look. Say you’re ill.”

Krylan forced a laugh. “That’s the oldest excuse in the book, Lorelei. Aren’t you supposed to be smart?”

Lorelei rolled her green eyes. Maiandra tried to smile reassuringly at her sister, but her lips didn’t quite want to work right. Lorelei seemed to understand her efforts and a grateful smile came easily to the fifteen year old’s lips. Maiandra couldn’t keep the slight envy from her mind. Her sister could smile so easily and the elder sister had lost the ability to do it freely. It always took some effort.

“I think we can make the excuse convincing. It wouldn’t be the first time.” Kojiro reasoned.

“That’s ‘cause you two liked to skip class.” The older girl’s voice was disapproving.

Krylan tried for a kicked puppy look, one that every member of their mismatched family agreed was one he was far too good at. “Come on, Nadira! You liked to come with us! You loved the street carnivals.”

Nadira ignored him and picked up the book that he had been previously reading, flipping open to her bookmarked page. The atmosphere was of a forced relaxation, and they were all trying to believe that it wasn’t so false. The only reason they were doing anything with their hands was because they simply wanted some menial task to occupy their minds. Maiandra gave up on reading after reading the same sentence about five times and not remembering more than the first word. She stood and drifted up the stairs, ignoring the voice in the back of her mind that warned her to be careful, that she was likely to fall if she wasn’t paying attention.

Suspicions and worries bounced inside of her skull as she locked her bedroom door, pulling her shirt over her head. Her bedroom walls were lined with bookshelves overstocked with handwritten notebooks, reports, biographies, medicine and every other subject imaginable. There was a new stack of books sitting by her pillow, probably from Kojiro. He had an odd way of knowing when she was out of books to read. They were on mythology, she noted, running her hand along he spines, probably from the southern continents. She didn’t have many of those.

Maiandra shifted the books to the floor beside her bed. She wasn’t quite in the mood to read them, with memories of two nights ago echoing in her mind. She wasn’t suited for this job, she knew. Maiandra had always let her emotions show clearly on her face and generally went more by instinct than by the rules. That was the reason for her cowl. She would be glad when she could quit. Catherwood could take over, he was a good guy; smart, efficient and pretty good with people. More than one mission had only succeeded because Catherwood had an expressive face. In that respect, Maiandra and Catherwood were similar, but he had better control over his emotions.

A knock came at her door, but she ignored it. Whoever needed her knew how to pick the lock. Maiandra was proved correct when the lock clicked and Kojiro entered.

“What happened?” His voice was quiet as he sat on her bed.

“Same as always.”

“Mission?” At her silence, he continued, “Who was it this time?”

“New recruit, real promising. He liked to make jokes, make sure everyone’s smilin’. Died of crushed lungs.” How Kojiro hated it when her voice got like that, monotone and flat, like she didn’t care. It could never fit with her vibrant personality. “It was so bad I couldn’t write the report. Catherwood had to do it for me.”

“He’s a good guy.”

“Mm.”

Kojiro hesitated before saying his next words, the ones that they’d been taught for so long. “Everyone dies, Mai.”

“Not like that. Most die in their sleep, with their families. They don’t die gasping for air and vomiting blood.”

“It’s the life we lead. It was his choice.”

“That don’t make it right.”

A bitter chuckle spilled from his lips. “Is any of this? What’re we doing? If everything was right, you’d be graduating school with your honors, going to…okay, maybe not going to the dance, but at least having fun with your friends and trying to stop me and Krylan from killing your new boyfriend. Me and Mamoru would be in college, getting migraines and hangovers. Lorelei would be crushing on some guy-“

Maiandra snorted at the last statement, something that made Kojiro look at her confusedly. A grin flashed on her lips, pale eyes sparkling with mischief. “Sometimes I think you’re blinder than I am.”

“What?”

“Lorelei is crushing on somebody. I won’t tell you who. You gotta ask her, but damn, you’re oblivious.” She’d sat up, leaning back on her arms. The bandages winding around her torso were a sharp contrast to her dark skin. A small tattoo on her collarbone shimmered silver-gold. It was a Japanese character for freedom and was surrounded by a vine of black and white roses.

“Females are too good at hiding these things.” Kojiro complained, glad he’d gotten her out of her bad mood.

Maiandra laughed. “Or you’re too thick-skulled to notice. I mean seriously, she’s pretty obvious.”

“What about you, huh?” He was thankful for the familiar banter. It was something he could work with. “Catherwood’s got the hots for you.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “I knew that. I prefer not to do anything about it.”

She scooted over a little so Kojiro could get a little more comfortable on the old comforter.

“You’re breaking the guy’s heart.”

“No, only crack it. The one with the power to do that won’t.”

A slight, sad smile was on Kojiro’s sharp features. She’d never fallen in love, he knew, not the real one. She was seventeen, too young to know of such things. Some were fortunate enough to experience it even younger than that, but their family was never fortunate. Kojiro wasn’t sure he himself had felt it, but Maiandra deserved this. She was a natural hard worker and had eyes that even while partially blinded, could see more than most adults.

“I still think you should give him a try. It might work out.”

“I’ll do that when you figure out who Lorelei’s been crushing on. Do we have an accord?"
"...Agreed."

* * *

Maiandra tied her hair back in a tail with a ribbon, bangs falling loose of it. considered wearing the cowl, but decided against it. She only needed it for work, but she was so accustomed to wearing it that it felt odd to leave the house without it. Still, she was used to odd feelings. The feeling of not going to headquarters was one such a feeling. Five years of going there early in the morning and usually returning at times ranging from early afternoon to later than midnight made it strange to have the day to herself.

The market was still bustling with activity, even this close to sunset. Some stalls were closing, but Maiandra recognized the ones that were still open. Some glassblower’s apprentices had nearly sold out their wares, mirrors and jewelry glinting in the powerful sun and the blacksmith was showcasing elegant stiletto knives, thinner than was practical for outright combat, but were good if you were a thief.

“Maiandra!” It was a farmer from not far out of town. He usually came to town to sell his crops.

“Evenin’ Loki.” She greeted the man warmly. They’d gotten along well since Maiandra and her family had moved here. “How’s the wife?”

“Pregnant actually. She’s a few months along.” His rough voice was excited with hint of worry.

“Congratulations, although I might suggest that you get all the sleep you can now. Once that baby is born, you’ll be sleeping in two hour intervals.”

“And then they’ll be in the rebellious stages.” Loki sighed before his eyes lit up. “I hope it’s a girl though. I’ve always wanted a little girl.”

It took more force than usual to keep her smile looking real. “You’ll be real fortunate and the little girl will be beautiful.”

Loki nodded, unable to keep the delighted grin from his face. Maiandra continued walking, memories and bitter thoughts reverberating through her mind. Had their father been that happy when he found out their mother was pregnant? Had he always hoped for three kids? Had he wanted to watch them grow up, be happy taking care of them despite their rebelliousness, which was sure to come? Maiandra couldn’t be sure. He’d abandoned them so early on that she could barely remember his face if it weren’t for the few pictures they had.

A hand was placed lightly on her shoulder. “Excuse me, are you alright? You seem a little…lost.” The voice was familiar and Maiandra groaned mentally. Of all the people it could be, it had to be her second in command, Iori Catherwood.

“I’m fine. I get lost in thought rather often.” Maiandra hoped her voice sounded different without the cowl muffling it.

Iori studied her, focusing on the ice blue eyes. They seemed familiar, he knew he’d seen them before, but they didn’t fit with the brown skin, small nose and slightly angled features. She looked to be in her mid-teens, her cheekbones higher than most, but there was no aristocratic touch to her face. Her voice had an exotic accent, much like her manner.

“That can’t be entirely healthy.”

She stepped back a bit, letting his hand fall from her shoulder as she shrugged. “I never claimed it was. And there’s not a single way to be entirely healthy, even in those clean rooms in hospitals. Mostly because you’re in those rooms for a reason.”

The teenager knew what she spoke of, the experience coloring her voice. Iori was inclined to agree with her. “Going back to the original topic, where were you going that you can afford to be lost in your thoughts so thoroughly?”

“The butcher’s. My sister needs meat for tonight’s dinner.”

Iori hid his surprise. He wasn’t one prone to sexism, but the butcher’s was generally men’s territory. “You’re a weird one. I’m Iori by the way.”

She began walking, although her pace was slightly slower than normal, considering on whether to tell him her name or not. “…Maiandra Rosenthal.”

* * *

“Captain's not here today?” Was Iori’s question upon entering headquarters.

“Nope. A guy called saying he was her brother and said that she wasn’t gonna be able to come in today or maybe tomorrow.” Takani replied, not looking up from polishing his sword. Takani was a tall man, mouse brown hair and nearly black eyes common to the area.

Iori’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline. None of them had ever heard anything of her family. How bad was she that her brother had to call in?

“I gotta go talk to Serneg.”

* * *

Serneg raised his head at the polite warning knock at the door. The person stepping in had white-blonde hair pulled back behind pierced ears, lightly tanned skin and almond-shaped chocolate eyes.

“Iori, what brings you here?”

“Sorry to bother you, sir, but I need the captain's address.”

Serneg’s bushy brown eyebrows quirked a bit. Everyone in their line of work knew of Iori’s interest in Maiandra. Iori never really hid it, simply never flaunting it.

“What would the occasion be for this?”

“Someone called earlier, said they were her brother and that she wasn’t coming in for a few days. It made me concerned.”

Serneg deliberated for a second before nodding. “She’ll chew my head off, but here.” He took a scrap of paper and scribbled down the numbers.

* * *

Iori reread the address on the scrap of paper and looked back up at the small house that looked so much like the other ones beside it. Deciding he didn’t have too much to lose, Iori raised a fist and knocked lightly three times.

The person that answered the door wasn’t what many people would have expected. He was about Iori’s own height, in other words slightly shorter than average, but was the exact opposite in every other respect. The mahogany colored hair was messily spiked, as though it had never met a brush. Amber eyes were slightly slanted and seemed rather bemused. The only faintly familiar thing was the dark skin-the same shade as the skin around his captain's eyes.

“Can I help you?”

“Does..."Iori realized that she never told any of the team her name.

The odd eyes studied him for half a second before he cocked his head to the left, like he was hearing something no one else could. “You wouldn't happen to be Iori, would you?"

The look on his face must have been priceless because the man laughed.

“She tells us more than you’d believe.” Was his explanation, before holding out a calloused hand. “I’m Krylan, her older brother.”

Iori shook the offered hand, noting that while his grip was firm, it wasn’t to the point of pain.

“Come on in and I’ll find her…wherever she is.”

The inside was very different from what Iori had seen of people in their profession. Most of them had the bare basics with a few things to make it just a little more homey. Much-used sofas were on both walls and in this room alone were about three bookshelves. Small stacks of books littered the floors, notebooks with strange designs in the margins mixed with them. Thick blankets were crumpled on one of the sofas and one was on the floor in a position that suggested that someone ad been laying there.

To his left was a counter that when he looked over it showed a kitchen. Smells of foreign spices and rice met his nose. A girl poked her head around a cabinet door, smiling when she saw him. Her skin was lighter than Mamoru’s, but she had the same slant to her eyes. She seemed no more than fourteen, tops.

“Morning! Or…afternoon? What time is it?” Her voice was cheery with an accent causing her to roll her r’s.

“I think it’s afternoon, actually. What were you doin’ now that you lost track of time, Lorelei?”

Iori turned at the familiar voice and found the equally familiar figure of his captain, although it wasn’t quite the same. Her hair was free of its scarf, braided to the small of her back. The cowl was still in place and all he could see were her guarded eyes.

“Tryin’ to figure out what we should have for dinner. Can't even hear myself think with Kojiro being so loud."

Iori frowned mentally at that. He couldn’t hear a thing.

Maiandra rolled her eyes. “Then tell him. It only really bothers you.” Her gaze switched back to Iori. “Why’re you here?”

“Everyone was worried. HQ never heard from your family so we thought it was serious.”

Lorelei laughed, the sound bell-like. “So it’s Krylan’s fault yet again. He should know better.”

“I heard that, Lei!” was heard from upstairs.

Iori glanced wildly at Maiandra., who was laughing, semi-transparent eyes sparkling with mirth. He’d heard her chuckle a bit before, but never laugh. “You’re gonna get it tomorrow.” She told Lorelei.

Lorelei shrugged. “It won’t be that different from our usual spars. And I’ve got something to say for Kojiro as well.”

“Hey!” This time it was two masculine voices.

The laughter not entirely faded from her eyes, Maiandra seemed more than a little surprised when Lorelei asked, “Iori, why don’t you stay for lunch?”

Iori nearly jumped when a man, probably about Tanuki’s height, appeared beside Maiandra, gunmetal eyes mischievous. He leaned down to the older girl’s ear and whispered something.

Kojiro’s breath was warm in Maiandra’s ear. “I already talked to Lei about our deal. I figured it out. I’m not a 1st degree spy for nothing. “

The familiar blue eyes flashed to him. “I take it you want me to uphold my end of the bargain?”

Kojiro nodded almost imperceptibly. Sighing through her nose, Maiandra obliged silently. She was a person of her word.

Iori was slightly surprised when Maiandra nodded at him. “Go ahead and take a seat, Iori. Lunch is nearly ready.”

“Captain-“

“No need for formalities. Keira works fine.” It was an old alias that Maiandra liked to use.

If Iori was taken aback, he hid it very well Maiandra thought. But then, he wouldn’t be as good at what he did. Whatever his thoughts were, Maiandra decided they were his own.

It was a sign of trust that she’d told him her name and hadn’t glared at him, Iori knew. Keira wasn’t trusting of people. It seemed strange to Iori that she trusted him even this much.

"Something wrong, Iori?” Lorelei’s bottle green eyes pierced him, despite the air of innocence to her words.

“No, of course not.” Something had to be wrong. She wouldn’t--didn’t—trust him like this.

Lunch was an odd affair. Keira hadn’t lied when she’d said that if she let her guard down, she’d probably be hit by a flying object. Lorelei flicked a slice of tomato at Kojiro for some comment, who dodged smoothly, letting it splatter against the wall, laughing. Food would vanish from Keira’s plate whenever Iori got up to get a glass of water or to talk to Mamoru, who he found he got along with well. Keira was constantly slipping into conversations, more at ease than Iori had ever seen her.

The food was certainly foreign; smashed corn wrapped in banana leaf with what tasted like parsley and sprinkled with sugar. Iori liked it, but questions kept whirring through his mind.

It was only as he was leaving that Iori remember that he had still been expected at work today.

“It’s fine.” Keira told him, eyes focused on the outside. “You’ve been needing a vacation anyway.”

“Are you coming to work tomorrow?”

A half-shrug was his response. “I’m not sure. If I don’t, don’t be too surprised.”

Iori supposed that was his only answer.

* * *

Maiandra stared at Serneg. She wasn’t the only one. Iori and the rest of her team were waiting to see what would happen.

“You’re insane.” Was the flat reply she gave him.

Serneg raised an eyebrow. “Does it matter? You have an assignment.”

“I’ve spent the last three years objecting this sort of thing and keeping my team in one piece. You wish for all that to be torn away?”

“That’s why I’m entrusting this assignment only to you. You all have a fierce protection of each other. You’ll be fine.” Serneg explained evenly.

Maiandra felt anger rise, although she kept a tight leash on it. “So you don’t care that this could very well be a suicide mission?”

Serneg stood, towering over her short height. “You have a mission. I expect you to do it. You’re a good leader, but you’re guided by emotion and instinct. Your job is to do as you’re told.”

“My job is to protect my team.”

“Then I suggest you do this mission. You’re entire team may end up on the streets.”

Maiandra winced inwardly at the implied meaning. Serneg wasn’t a cruel man, but he was a tough one. Nursing her battered pride, Maiandra simply said, “I’ll take the mission.”