Year 20 of the Reign of Enduring Militancy, 3rd Solar Month

Zeke blew on his hands, trying to force some life into his numb fingers. But the warmth from his breath only lasted moments before the cold came seeping back in. He gave up with a sigh and leaned against the wooden alley wall.

They were late.

Sure, Tuyet and the rest loved teasing him about his compulsive punctuality, but surely it was taking too long even for the others. According to the plan, the signal should have gone up ages ago. And none of Tuyet's plans had ever gone wrong before.

On the other hand, if something had gone wrong, surely they'd have found a way to contact him regardless. Tuyet always made sure they had backup plans in place. Even if Zeke suspected she mostly made them up on the spot.

He glanced up at the darkening sky. The celebrations would soon be under way. Perhaps it was just the quivering excitement of the city getting to him. In his mind he could imagine Tuyet laughing at him. What a silly worrywart you are, she'd say, leaning up on tiptoe to tweak his nose. And most of the time, she'd be right.

But this time, he had every right to fret. They'd never taken on such a big job before. Sure, they'd stolen from rich officials before (even now Zeke couldn't help but smirk at the memory of the look on that fat bastard's face when he realized he'd been duped by a bunch of street brats), but that was different.

This time, their target was none other than the head of Clan Rusli, come to attend the festival of lights in person with his wife and young heir in tow.

Or more precisely, their target was the Rusli heirloom, a valuable jade pendant worn by the lady of the clan only on important occasions. And today certainly was such an occasion. The festival of lights marked the last of the new year's celebrations; this year in particular, gossip on the streets claimed that the childless king intended to make an announcement at long last about his successor. Zeke didn't care much about the rumors. The king had adopted some nephew or other relation years ago, but simply never made the designation of crown prince official. But in the end, what did it matter who sat the throne?

What really mattered was this damn job. He'd been reluctant about taking it on, even before he learned who the target would be. They'd never taken a contracted job before, and he'd heard plenty of horror stories. Never knew when your employer might screw you over. As the eldest, he felt responsible for making sure they didn't jump head first into anything too risky.

But though Zeke was the eldest, it was Tuyet everyone followed. When Tuyet said they could pull something off, everyone damn well believed it. In all the years Zeke had known her, she'd never failed them.

And Tuyet had convinced them all it'd be worth it. The promised pay was more money than all of them put together had ever seen in their lives. There'd be no more jobs. No more scraping by on the streets. No more hungry nights.

Zeke thought of the day they'd received the first half of the payment. Recalled the looks on the younger children's faces.

A distant flash caught his eye, and the memory faded. Zeke squinted. A faint red light blinked. Once, twice. Three times in all, and then two more times, at a faster beat than before.

The signal. Zeke exhaled and stuffed his hands into his pockets before slipping down the alley, back into the crowds gathering at the central plaza. He'd been prepared to act as backup if necessary, but now that the pendant had been obtained, it was his responsibility to get it safely into the hands of their waiting employer.

Everyone's eyes were trained on the procession of Clan representatives making their way down the main avenue; Zeke watched as well as he headed to the agreed-upon meeting point. Most of the nobles, Zeke couldn't recognize. But soon enough, he spotted the infamous redheaded Ruslis astride their ceremonial horses, surrounded by armed retainers.

The lady too, rode; the pale pendant lay heavy upon her breast.

The feeling of dread returned.

Zeke shoved through the crowd in the opposite direction. They'd been fools to think they could take on a Great Clan, fools to think they'd even have a chance --

He forced himself to relax. Of course they'd known the lady would be well guarded. That had all been in the plan. Tuyet had thought of a solution to everything. They'd send in the younger kids to beg for alms as a distraction. A few of the older ones would create a second distraction to separate the lady from her group, lose her in the crowd. A few jostles here and there, and the pendant would be in their hands. That was the gist of it, anyway; Tuyet kept her plans mostly to herself in order to minimize confusion. Not even Zeke knew the full details.

And if things started going wrong, well, Tuyet would figure something out. She always did. There wasn't much the clan retainers could do without upsetting the rest of the citizenry in a crowd like this, anyway. And once they'd gotten away, they knew the layout of the capital better than anyone. They'd never be found.

But the lady never should have made it so close to the plaza. And that signal should have indicated success.

He broke away from the crowd and ran, ducking through backalleys and side streets before finally slowing to a stop.

"DD? Turtle? Jen?" he called out tentatively.

No response.

Perhaps he'd panicked for no reason. Perhaps the signal had been meant as a reassurance to him. "Change of plans but everything's under control." They were probably on their way, taking their sweet time about it as usual.

He took a deep breath, then another.

Then he froze. A cold, sweeping light illuminated the alley briefly before shadows swallowed the narrow space once more.

But the brief glimpse was enough.

Three bodies, chests stained dark, eyes wide and still.

Zeke fell to his knees.

In the distance, a vast cloud of paper lanterns rose into the inky heavens, drifting past the city skyline like so many silent watching ghosts.

* * *

Year 22 of the Reign of Enduring Militancy, 11th Solar Month

"Hey! Intan! Wake up!"

Intan opened her eyes and looked around groggily. For a moment she thought she smelled the deep cool scent of the forest enveloping her, but then she blinked and remembered where she was.

Captured and tied up on the dirt floor of a warehouse in the capital.

Except she wasn't tied up anymore. And they were in a different warehouse from the one earlier, it seemed. And her head hurt.

Tuyet's worried face hovered above her. "You okay?"

"What happened?" she asked, or at least, tried to as the syllables tumbled out all in a knot.

Fortunately, Tuyet understood. "Chloroform. Don't worry, you weren't out long."

Intan considered this. "But why?" They hadn't been knocked out the first time, just blindfolded. It seemed like a great deal of trouble to go to.

"Who knows." Tuyet shrugged, evidently not finding it a big deal. All traces of worry had disappeared from her face, replaced by a grim but otherwise indecipherable expression. "Anyway, I think their leader just got called away on some emergency. Now's our chance."

Intan rubbed at her raw wrists and considered this as well. "Guards?"

Tuyet's only response was a smirk. "Already taken care of," she said, gesturing to the doorway. The two men who'd apparently been stationed there lay slumped on the floor.

Intan decided not to ask.

Tuyet seemed about to say something else when she was interrupted by a knock at the door. She held a finger to her lips, and leaned over the bodies on the ground. When she straightened again she was holding a gun in her hand.

The knock came again.

Tuyet motioned Intan to the door with the gun. Open it, she mouthed.

Intan did so, careful to keep out of the knocker's line of vision.

A muffled curse. "What the --"

Tuyet pulled the trigger.

Intan jerked away. A woman's body toppled through the door frame. As Intan stood there, gaping, Tuyet leaped over the body, checking their surroundings. Then she turned back, frowning.

"What are you waiting for? Go! Get help!"

Intan hesitated, but in the end all she could think of to say was, "But what about you?"

"There's something I need to confirm."

"Did you figure something out about their plans?"

"Not quite. I have an idea, though." When Intan still did not move, Tuyet cracked a grin. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."

After another pause, Intan nodded. Tuyet smiled and ran off without another word.

It took some time before Intan managed to collect her wits again. But as she stepped toward the door again, keeping her eyes carefully averted from the bodies on the ground, she caught sight of a photograph.

The same photograph she had seen at the first warehouse earlier, she realized with some surprise. Only then did she remember that she'd wanted to ask Tuyet if she'd known the Headmistress had once been friends with the rebel leader.

She wondered, too, about the other woman: pale, gaunt, dark-haired, her face faded and blurred despite her prominent position in the picture.

And so achingly familiar.

* * *

As it turned out, this second warehouse was located somewhere on the outskirts of the city, not too far away from the magistrate's office. Intan was fortunate enough to still recall the way there.

By the time she reached the office, she was flushed and panting slightly. It was so cold she could hardly think; her teeth were still chattering when she stepped up to the concierge and asked to cable a message to the Academy.

When she finished, she crouched down outside, arms clutched around herself.

Proper protocol indicated that she ought to get to safety. The Headmistress would send backup as soon as she received the telegram.

But would it be soon enough?

Ausos must not be awakened.

There's something I need to confirm.

"You all right there, little one?" Some well-meaning old lady peered down at her, clucking her tongue.

Intan forced a smile onto her face. "I'm fine. Thanks, granny!"

She stood.

She had to go back for Tuyet.

* * *

The theater.

It was the only place Intan could think of.

She skidded to a stop at the grand, gilded entrance where she and Tuyet had stopped by just hours before. But no one was there aside from a handful of giggling girls gathered outside, chattering away in the snow.

Intan kept walking.

As she approached the alley behind the theater, she heard voices.

"Why don't you just kill me, then?"

Tuyet's voice. Intan flattened herself against the wall, heart pounding.

"Look, I'm unarmed. I'm completely at your mercy."

"You saved me, back then. I owe you." Zeke.

"Then what do you want?"

Intan chanced a peek. Fortunately, Zeke was not facing in her direction. And sure enough, Tuyet, cornered in a dead end, seemed to have either lost her gun or was hiding it. Their gazes locked for a brief moment, but Tuyet's eyes flickered away immediately, as if she hadn't noticed Intan's presence at all.

"Won't you join us? It's not too late. I can put in a good word with the Captain for you."

Tuyet laughed. "You always were a terrible liar."

"I'm serious, Tuyet. I've given it a lot of thought, ever since..." He trailed off, shook his head. "I know it wasn't your fault."

Intan began to inch towards them, feeling for the knife she carried. Then she moved her hand away.

She couldn't throw people as well as Hadil could, but maybe with the element of surprise --

"Oh, darling," drawled Tuyet. "How many times did you have to tell yourself that before you bought it?"

Zeke tensed. "Look. It's all in the past now, anyway. Let's just put it all behind us. There are more important things at stake here now."

"Getting desperate now, hm?"

"Tuyet --"

Intan was just steps away from them when the keening wail of sirens pierced through the air. Zeke shifted, startled.

Before either of them could react, Tuyet clocked him and ran, dragging Intan away with her.

* * *

The wail of sirens grew closer as they ran.

"What happened?" Intan tried to ask, but Tuyet glanced back and shook her head.

"Not now -- we have to get to the plaza. They've planted a bomb."

Intan slipped on a patch of ice. "Eh?"

"It's just a distraction. It's the Gushiken head they're after -- those bastards don't give a damn about who gets caught in the crossfire."

"Are the Gushikens that important?"

Tuyet tugged her down another small lane. The sirens crescendoed, then grew muffled. "They've always been one of the most powerful Clans. Rumors say the current head's even set his sights on the throne -- and there are those who believe he deserves it."

"But why would the rebels want him dead so badly? Doesn't that make them on the king's side?"

At that Tuyet slowed to a stop. "If only it were that simple."

Intan said, "Do Zeke and the others hate the king, then?"

"It's me that he hates," Tuyet said quietly at last. "As for the others... Well, His Majesty has never really been particularly popular. Not since his esteemed father made such a mess of things."

"Oh." Intan had never realized. Back in the village, no one had ever spoken much of the goings-on at the capital. The royal family and the Great Clans had seemed then more distant than even the gods, who even now still dwelled among men.

Yet she thought of the sorrow of the rogue Dolls, the quiet desperation of the girl named Sita as she lay dying on the shore of the lake. The stiff resignation in Zeke's back. Hatred?

She did not understand.

Tuyet pulled out a crumpled sheet of paper. "Here, I nicked this from one of the guards." A rough map was scrawled on it, marked with an X and several scattered circles. "They've positioned gunmen at the circles. There's no time to clear everyone out of the area. You get the bomb; I'll take care of the rest."

Intan wondered for a moment how Tuyet had managed to pull together all that information so quickly. Nothing added up. Perhaps everything was connected; perhaps nothing was.

But innocent lives were at stake. That was enough.

She would find her answers sooner or later.

She nodded.

* * *

Tuyet, being more familiar with the city, left the map with Intan as they parted ways once more. The plaza was not too far away. In the distance, sirens continued to screech. All along the streets people stopped, confused or perhaps trying to catch a glimpse of the excitement. Meanwhile, Intan rounded a corner and saw, to her surprise, a tree sprite watching her from a rooftop, pudgy figure bright against the freshly fallen snow.

More of them popped into sight as she drew near to the plaza, huddling together for warmth, staring at her with open curiosity. Some of them clutched at their leafy ears, wincing.

Despite the sirens, she found people still milling throughout the square, going about their business, utterly unconcerned.

"Mama, what's going on?" asked one small child Intan passed.

"Hush," said the child's mother. "The constables are rounding up bad guys."

"What kind of bad guys?"

"Oh, the usual sort, I'm sure."

Intan looked at the map. The mark indicated the central fountain -- when she looked at it, she saw that its waters were stopped, though its surface was frozen over.

By the fountains were stacked several unmarked crates of bamboo. Intan approached cautiously, half expecting to get stopped by someone. But no one spared her a glance.

She looked around, then took a deep breath and bent down to examine one of the crates.

Sure enough, beneath the dried slabs of bamboo lay hidden bundles of dynamite sticks.

All these crates. All these people. Hadn't Tuyet said there was just one bomb?

As if on cue, one particular brave sprite materialized and waddled over.

"Can you help me?" said Intan. "Please?"

More sprites appeared, some of them pulling strange faces, most of them still shivering.

They could feel it too, she thought. It was as if the whole world had turned upside down.

"Please," she said again.

The first sprite cocked its head, considering. Finally, it offered her a wide, toothy grin, nodded, then vanished.

And not a moment too soon. As the other sprites flickered away, a hand clamped down on her shoulder.

"Don't make any noise."

* * *

The new tenement buildings looked strange and out of place, rising like strange giants overshadowing the square. So much had changed in three years, thought Tuyet. But she did not dwell on it for long.

As she slipped inside the first building, she reached up to her chest, fingers brushing briefly against where the pendant lay tucked beneath her clothes.

Gushiken was in a extra last-minute meeting with the high minister on account of the delay in his travel plans, Zeke had said. And for a moment, she had been tempted, truly. The man was shady by all accounts. He would become a danger to the royal family sooner or later. And once, long ago, she too might have dreamed of a world where blood no longer mattered, a world in which true peace and equality might be achieved -- what did the deaths of a couple hundred amount to in the greater picture? Sacrifices must always be made.

Pity, then, that they needed the bastard alive. She could almost laugh.

Don't forget, the Headmistress had warned her before they set off.

As if she would ever forget.

From the moment she'd been told of the mission, she had understood. Perhaps she had even been expecting it all along.

No sense in letting it get her down now, though. From the private briefings, she had a fairly good idea of the kind of man this "Captain Mok" was.

Too damn trusting about summed it up. Trusting -- and yet a perfectionist at heart. Everything had to go just the way he wanted, and he couldn't be certain of that unless he were right there to witness it. It was utterly laughable.

She headed for the elevator and pushed the buttons for the roof.

Sure enough, the grille-covered doors slid open to reveal Mok standing, waiting, watching. Tuyet drew her gun and deliberately let her footsteps announce her presence. Mok turned slowly. He did not seem at all surprised.

"Well, well. I told that boy it wouldn't work. But he insisted."

Tuyet stepped forward. "I have what you want."

This time, he could not hide his shock entirely. But to his credit, he swiftly smoothed his expression. "Interesting. And I suppose you've come to bargain?"

"You're in no position to bargain," said Tuyet.

"You're right, of course. But what you want is information, isn't it? Or more specifically, answers."

"I already have the answers that I need. You want to destroy the Clans, and the royal family at the center of them all."

"Oh? That's what your Headmistress told you, is it?" His mouth twitched into a smile.

Tuyet ignored him.

"What I don't understand is -- why do you need... this?" She raised her hand once more to her chest, then forced herself to lower it.

"Interesting," he said again. "So she hasn't told you, after all. I wonder... does she even realize you're the one who has it?"

Tuyet opened her mouth to respond, but heard a noise behind her and turned slightly, gun still pointed at Mok.

"Let him go." A man's voice, panting from exertion.

Zeke. A bruise already beginning to darken and swell beneath his eye.

And Intan beside him, with a gun pointed at her.

A quick scan confirmed that the girl was unhurt, even unconcerned. There were times Tuyet couldn't tell whether this was due to training or simply her natural personality. But either way, from the looks of it, Zeke was distracted, his grip unsteady. The girl could easily escape at any moment if she so wished it. Tuyet would just have to gamble that Intan's current inaction meant she'd already managed to take care of the bomb.

She smiled. "My, I thought you were better than this, Zeke."

"Speak for yourself," he growled. "Or have you forgotten?"

For a moment she could see the old despair flashing across his face.

Did you know, Tuyet? Did you know this would --

She ignored it, drew herself together.

"Why does everyone think I have such terrible memory?" she sighed. "Unlike your dear leader, I'm not anywhere close to senile, I'm afraid."

"Don't you dare talk about him like that! Do you have any idea -- how much he's done for me? For all of us?"

"Oh, the usual, I suppose. Fed you lies, whispered sweet dreams in your ears..."

"He did damn well more than you ever did for us!"

And so what if I did?

"Such loyalty you inspire, Captain," she said, turning her back to Zeke to face the older man. "Don't you think it's cruel, using your men like this?"

To her surprise, Mok burst into laughter. "I expected no less from one of Bea's students. Cool as a cucumber, both of you. Unfortunately for you, it won't make any difference."

Tuyet stiffened.

Something in the distance exploded -- several somethings, in fact. Debris rained down from the sky. There were a few scattered screams, even someone shouting about fireworks.

So the girl had managed to pull it off somehow after all.

"Give it up. It's over," said Tuyet, smiling. "The military will be here any second."

Mok shook his head.

More screaming. A great shadow upon the sky.

Tuyet looked up to see a trio of Dolls descending upon the city, painted with fierce, grinning red masks.

Rogues.

"Shit!"

Intan, a look of panic on her face, kicked the gun from Zeke's hand and ran immediately for the elevator. The doors slid shut.

One Doll landed with a  slight tremor.

Before Tuyet could react, Zeke tackled her.

Captain Mok leaped off the roof and onto the Doll's head.

* * *

As she fell, she remembered:

"Not this one again!"

She sticks her tongue out. "Why not? I think it's cute."

"Well, I think it's stupid," he replies, blushing. "I mean, come on, a bunch of cats saving the world --"

She drags him into the darkness of the theater anyway, laughing all the way. And together they watch the flashing screen, entranced, as if they haven't already watched the same film dozens upon dozens of times already.

"Almost time for intermission," she whispers, during the scene where the corrupt mutt cop kidnaps the hero and traps him in a cage dangling over a steep cliff. Want to go grab a bite? she wants to ask, but stops when she sees the tears glistening in his eyes.

"Zeke?"

He swipes at his face with the back of his hand. "Sorry. I just..."

"Hm?"

"I'm glad you found me," he whispers.

"Silly," she whispers back, and leans up to kiss his cheek.

* * *

Tuyet laughed and laughed as she lay there, sprawled out on the snow at the edge of the roof, cold seeping through her clothes. Suddenly nothing seemed to matter any more. Not the cold, not the screaming and the sirens below, not the rebels, not the Doll. The whole world could come to an end at that moment, and still she wouldn't care.

"You really do want to kill me, don't you?"

Beside them, the Doll's massive bulk shot up, back into the sky.

Zeke drew back, shoulders slumped.

"So, what are you going to do now? Looks like your precious captain's left you behind as a sacrifice."

"You're wrong," he said, but he was trembling, and not from the cold.

Tuyet sat back up. Waited.

"Why, Tuyet?" he said. "That's all I ever wanted to know. Was it all just a game to you? Were we just your tools? Is that why you didn't even give a damn when Turtle and the others --"

"I wonder."

At last, he burst out, "If only I'd never met you! If only you hadn't abandoned us then!

"Is that what you think?" she said quietly.

"What else was I supposed to think!" For a moment he looked shaken, but his eyes steeled again. "We all knew -- you were always destined for greater things. You didn't belong with us. You never did. Still, we believed in you. We trusted you --"

"Did you, now?"

Her show of indifference seemed to fuel his rage. "You were the only thing holding us all together! Do you have any idea what happened after you left? Charles got arrested! Haru and her buddies got recruited into the Asuras! Most of them were killed within the year!" He choked, composed himself. "I tried -- I tried so hard -- but I couldn't stop them. I couldn't stop any of them."

Behind them, a building burst into flame.

She remembered that boy she had first met, that dark, rainy day. Skinny, disheveled, his clothes evidently of fine quality despite the wear and tear. Shivering. Lost. Looking years younger than her though he was her senior. How easy it had been, then, to reach out her hand, pull him out of the shadows and grime.

"You're the one who never understood," she said.

Gunshots echo in her ears. Before her eyes she sees the children butchered one by one, a single bullet to their back -- and knows, deep in her gut, that they have been betrayed. She has failed them all.

All for a stupid stone.

"What do you mean?" he demanded.

I have to protect him. He's not one of us. He wasn't meant for this life. I have to protect him.

"Why didn't you just go back to your family?"

"Come with me," says the silver-haired woman, puffing away at her cigar. "You won't find justice in a place like this."

"How could I possibly -- after everything --"

"It's not justice I want."

A cryptic smile. "All the more reason, then."

"I guess you just had too much fun playing rebel, didn't you? Ah, I get it. That's why you joined up with this bunch, isn't it?"

"Fine. But only if you promise me..."

"How could you say that! I --"

Protect him.

"Why did you always have to be so gullible, you silly fool? Do you have any idea what you've done?"

"I've only done what should have been done long, long ago. What we should have done together!"

"Have you ever even thought of what would happen if the royal bloodline were to die out? Have you ever considered why it is that we've been able to remain independent from the mainland for so long?" Tuyet shook her head. "No, never mind. It doesn't matter anymore."

More Dolls dotted the sky now, these recognizably military.

The elevator doors slid open again. Soldiers stormed through, guns drawn. Tuyet stood with a start.

"Wait --" she cried.

Shots rang out.

* * *

"It's a deal."

* * *

The soldiers surrounded them as she sank to her knees beside his body.

He reached up. She realized the pendant had slipped out of her clothes, dangling between them.

Confusion, then a brief flicker of understanding. Resignation washed over his face.

His hand dropped.

The snow continued to fall.