Hak, Kija, Shinah, and Yun gasped, their eyes snapping to Yona's face.

"I will infiltrate their ship and set off fireworks," Yona claimed.

Ezra clenched her jaw, a storm swirling in her lavender eyes. How could this naive princess have had the forethought and courage to volunteer for such a mission that Ezra herself hadn't even realized was necessary?

She placed a hand on Yona's shoulder. "I will go, Yona. You should stay here."

Yona's jaw set in determination. "No. This is something I can do, so I will do it!"

Ezra sighed. She'd seen that look on Yona's face before; there was no changing the stubborn princess's mind now. "At least allow me to accompany you."

A glimmer of hope shimmered in Yona's eyes before she shook her head. "No. I can do this alone. There's no need for us both to be in danger."

"Hold up." The captain's voice interrupted their conversation.

"Yes. I'm against this," Hak said. Ezra rolled her eyes; no surprise there.

"Me too! It's too dangerous, princess!" Kija protested.

"Besides!" Yun added. He got in Yona's face, scolding her for her recklessness. "Launching fireworks would involve carrying gunpowder past the guards and onto the ship! If they find you, they'll kill you!"

"Besides, there's no telling whether or not we'll actually see the firework. It'll need to be small to sneak it on board, and we'll most likely be busy fighting," Hak interjected.

Ezra glanced at Shinah. "Shinah could see it, even from far away," she said. He nodded in response.

"Yeah, but..." Yun trailed off.

Yona turned to him, her eyes flashing. "We don't have time to search every ship. If the women reach the Kai Empire while we're fighting, it will be too late." She looked at Ezra. "Ezra and I are the only ones who can infiltrate the ship as women, right?"

She was met with blank stares.

"And there is no reason for us both to be in danger, so I will go alone." She cast her eyes over the gathered pirates. "Captain Gigan," Yona said loudly. "Let me fight with you."

Gigan's eyes widened as she studied Yona's aggressive posture; her flashing eyes, her balled fists, her clenched jaw. Slowly, a smirk spread over the captain's face. "If you succeed, rescuing the women will be much easier. But I will not allow you to go alone. Ezra will go with you." Ezra smirked and heard Yona's quiet sigh of relief, though the princess had tried to hide it. "However, neither you nor Ezra know how to handle gunpowder." Her eyes moved to Yun, and she pointed her pipe at him. "You, on the other hand, do."

Yun nodded, his face tight. "I will go, as well."

Yona whirled. "Yun!"

He turned his back on her and placed his hands on his hips. "What a pain," he sighed. But Ezra noticed the slight trembling in his hands.

"I'll protect you. Both of you," Ezra told them.

"The deal is the day after tomorrow," Gigan announced. "The infiltration will happen tomorrow. Let's come up with a plan." Then she stopped, casting her gaze over Yona's group. "Oh, and one last thing. There will be no killing during this battle."

Disbelief stole over Ezra's face. "No killing?" she repeated. Hak and Kija had similar reactions, staring at Gigan with their jaws on the floor. Shinah's stoic expression never changed.

"No killing," Gigan confirmed. "Our opponents will be aiming to kill us, but you are not to be aiming to kill them. I forbid it. Now let's get to work!"

A cheer went up, but Ezra noticed the dark expression on Hak's face. She walked over to stand beside him. "I'll protect her to the best of my ability," she told him quietly. She wanted to promise him that she would bring Yona and Yun back safe and sound, but she refused to stake her word on something that could be easily ripped away from her by a stray arrow, overwhelming numbers, or any other number of situations that she would have absolutely no control over.

Hak's expression loosened only slightly. He nodded in response.

~~~

The next day, Ezra fidgeted restlessly as she sat on the cushion facing a mirror.

"Quit moving!" Yona chided her. She was placing pins in Ezra's long, dark hair to keep it in an elaborately braided updo.

"How much longer is this going to take?" Ezra complained.

"Stop whining!" Yona told her. "We haven't even painted your face yet!"

Ezra's eyes widened. "We're doing face paint too?"

"Of course!" Yona bubbled. Ezra's shoulders slumped in dejection.

It wasn't until several hours later that they were ready. Ezra and Yona stood on the deck of the ship, several dozen gawking pirates surrounding around them. Yona looked adorable with bows in her short hair, and Ezra looked gorgeous with her black hair up in a braided updo. They each had lined their eyes with black and rouged their lips with red.

Ezra shifted uncomfortably, fidgeting with the long sleeves of the kimono Yona had forced her into. She wasn't used to wearing such fine things.

"Yona, Ezra, you look amazing!" one of the pirates said.

Suddenly Ezra's jaw fell to the ground. "Is that... Yun?!"

Yun stepped on board, wearing a kimono similar to Yona's and Ezra's with his hair reaching his waist and paint on his face.

He really looks like a beautiful girl! Ezra thought to herself.

"Whoa..." she murmured.

Yun seemed satisfied with the reaction. "I'll best even Kumji's wife!" he announced.

"Yun, do you have the gunpowder?" Yona asked.

"Yup!" Yun said, patting his stomach. "It's in my sash. It may be a small firework, but it'll fly high."

"From here, just stick to the plan," Gigan told them.

Hak approached Ezra. "Ezra..."

She smiled at him. "Once we set off the signal, come get us, yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

She sighed. "I'm a little nervous, but I'll be fine. I'm more worried about Yun." They each glanced at the pretty boy, and Ezra knew Hak noticed how his hands were shaking. Her eyes softened. "He'll pull through."

Hak's eyes were serious. "I'm counting on you."

She grinned. "I know, Thunder Beast. I don't make promises, but I will do everything I can to keep them safe."

Hak had seen her facing off against the pirates; he knew she was a capable fighter. But this time, she was going practically unarmed. Her dual swords were far too large to sneak onto a human trafficking ship. His eyes swept over her outfit, wondering if she'd managed to conceal any weapons.

She smirked knowingly. "I've got a couple shuriken in my sash and a knife in a thigh sheath."

He nodded before turning and walking off.

"We're off, then!" Yona announced, heading off the ship.

Ezra followed, glancing back over her shoulder. She noticed Shinah watching them go, his mouth turned down in a frown. She offered him a smile before she followed Yona into town.