Chapter Text
It was in the middle of the night when W began to scramble together a plan. (A very half-baked, very sentimental plan. Not that she would admit it. Mercenaries didn’t do sentimental.)
It's been at least a few months since the whole... Lungmen situation. Which probably worked well as a name for it. W mused. She couldn't very well call it the dragon lady showdown, could she? Just didn’t roll off the tongue as well.
What did not take W long to realize, however, was how overworked one certain little bunny was. That bunny being Amiya. The littlest bunny of all. Seriously, how was she so small? Whenever she asked Kal’tsit about it the old crone always sent her a glare in response, saying about “how she should focus her needless energy on reports instead of Amiya’s height.” W always flipped her off in response. It wasn’t her fault that it was a merc's job to pay attention to their surroundings! Sue her for casing an environment.
But, yeah. Amiya. Little bunny. Way too overworked. So that meant vacation. Preferably far away from that old bitch Kal’tsit. And Rhodes in general. Especially that… Doctor. This job probably offered days for that.
..
Right. Kal’tsit. She almost forgot about the icy hag. Getting her to approve a vacation for Amiya would probably be easy. The Cautus had everyone wrapped around her little finger. Not that she even really knew it. (It was adorable, really, how Amiya could ask for the world and W was sure Kal'tsit would give it to her if she could.) It was W’s involvement in the said vacation that would probably make things difficult. Something about her being a “safety hazard” and “extremely dangerous” or something.
It took a few more days of planning. Truthfully, W was half tempted to steal some LMD from the doctor and swipe Amiya for the vacation, but that probably wouldn't fly over all too well. Knowing her luck with Kal’tsit it would be viewed as a direct attack on Rhodes Island.
So she somewhat threw together a plan. It had come to her while she was tinkering with her mines.
First step. She has to find Amiya.
It took a few hours, but it was when she snuck into the library that she finally spotted her. W ducked behind a bookcase, honed instincts keeping her steps light as she snuck closer. Rabbit hearing was no joke, after all. And she needed to at least think about this a bit more.
Upon looking closer, Amiya was... Scribbling? At a table? No. She was writing something.
But what?
The Sarkaz squinted.
Oh.
She recognized this exact scene.
It was painfully reminiscent of how she sometimes glimpsed Theresa sitting at a table with a fond smile tugging on her lips, light practically shining out of her eyes like the stars that dazzled overhead, always out of reach as she signed off on whatever grand expansion Closure had in store next for Rhodes Island, before looking up and waving with a hand at W, welcoming her an-
No. She's here for the little bunny. Not Theresa.
Theresa...
Fuck, why was she thinking of Theresa? W shook her head, refocusing back on Amiya. she didn't come here for memory lane. She came for a vacation. W rose. She dusted herself off, looking around. She glimpsed what she swore was a flash of white and pink hair and curved black horns, and suddenly she was falling back, back, back.
Did Theresa fall back when the doctor stabbed her? She dimly wondered. The realization of the thought hit her, knocking the wind out of her. Her mouth tasted of copper. She felt sick.
Her vision blurred. Why was it blurry? Why couldn't she move? There wasn’t time for this.
She was… She was....
She was lucky just to be here. Why was she freaking out over this? She was just here to follow through with her plan. She was here to get There-
Theresa?
The fuck? She couldn’t get Theresa anymore. She-
W smacked the side of her head. She needed to stop that whole thought. She needed to stop thinking about this. She shook her head. The action caused her head to bang against the bookcase with a dull thud, pain blaring in her skull. It spread quickly. Her ears rang.
She faintly heard a worried yelp and the clatter of something rolling off a table.
She spat something metallic tasting out onto the carpet before she could choke on it. Copper?
No. Blood. Stupid.
A chuckle that bordered on hysteria bubbled up in W’s chest at the absurdity of it all. She couldn’t even get past a singular bookcase. How could she possibly call herself a Sarkaz mercenary? Was it the Oriopathy in her veins? Was it finally getting to her? How did Amiya trust her? Was she crazy too?
Nah. Couldn't be. She was too good to be a Devil like her.
Amiya trusted in people.
Devils didn’t trust. Devils didn’t care about anyone. Devils didn’t fall apart.
Devils died on the battlefield alone.
She was a devil.
She was a devil.
She was a devil.
She was a devil.
There was no sentimentality for a devil.
She was a-
"Miss W?"
Huh.
"Miss W, are you alright?" A voice cuts through the fog.
When did it get foggy?
"Miss W, it's Amiya." The voice continues. Oh. Of course. Out of all her luck. Her stealth still needed work. She always went in guns blazing, after all. "I heard a thud and.." The voi- Amiya hesitated. "—Saw you. Are you alright?"
Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me.
Her ears rang, face flushing with shame. There had to be a stupid shitty saying for situations like this. Hoederer would know of one. She swallowed and forced her classic grin, her devilish grin, she corrected, looking up at Amiya. W pretended that she didn’t see the younger girl’s eyes glittering with emotion.
How could she salvage this without ticking Amiya off to anything unusual.
W coughed. "Nice books you got here."
Amiya stared, bewildered. Okay. This wasn’t working.
"What do you say to a vacation?" W feels herself ask. She resists the urge to scream. She didn't even know if she had the energy, honestly. She felt too far removed from her body to change her approach. Not like it was possible at this point.
"A.. what?"
Too late to back out now. Double fuck. God. Maybe her mind was worse than she originally thought to let her guard down this easily.
"Vacation. You, me, go on one. Simpler than a bomb." W saw Amiya's nose scrunch up in what she assumed was confusion. Heh. Such a little bunny.
"W? What are you talking about?" Uh-oh. "You… you weren’t responding for a few minutes. You.."
W forced herself to roll her eyes. The small action made her feel nauseous. She ignored it. She's faced worse. "C’monn... You know me. It's all work and no play here. You and me need to get out more. See the town. Explore the town. Explode the town. Just anything out of this stupid place."
She could practically feel Amiya’s eyes bearing into the side of her skull, Theresa's successor clearly still suspended in disbelief.
Smart kid.
"And all this stuffy paperwork is killing me! Gotta get out and live a little. World-renown mercenary, after all. Report after report is too boring for a gal like me." She hurriedly tacked on. There. That should throw her off-
"W…'' Amiya starts, voice full of an emotion W couldn’t quite place, and oh, if that wasn't a sign on its own. "You know that if your Oripathy is acting up you can.."
"It's not!" W snapped, her head snapping back around to glare at Amiya. She was fucking fine. She didn’t need this pity, she was fine with going out with a bang, and if it was because of some rocks, that was fine too! Her fate was determined the minute she was born. Her name would be taken by the next merc and she’d be forgotten, just like every other Sarkaz mercenary from Kazdel. She didn’t need help with her condition. It just sped up what she was doomed for from the start.
It was after that W finally noticed Amiya sitting in front of her, hands on her knees, mouth set into a firm line. It then occurred to her that she was talking out loud. Or maybe Amiya could just read minds too? Maybe she read her thoughts. That was the least embarrassing option. She went with that one.
An eternity seemed to pass, flames boiling in her blood as she anxiously waited. Burning her internally. It was fitting. Her hands itched for some kind of machinery. She could rig a shrapnel bomb with just a bunch of screws. Any kind of metal that moved violently and fast enough was dangerous. That could also make the time pass by faster. In Kazdel, you made with what you had and if it worked you lived another day. If you failed, you died, and your buddies kicked over your corpse and raided it for supplies before leaving you to rot. Or there just wasn't anything left of you.That was how the world worked back then. That's how it still works, W reminds herself. It only got worse after the traitor took the throne. A fresh spark of anger erupts in her at the reminder.
"..Tell me about the vacation," Amiya said at last.
Her anger drained away, replaced by confusion.
"Huh?"
"I want to know about it," Amiya explains gently. "The vacation. You um. You mentioned going on one." She adds sheepishly. "Oh! Um, if you want to tell me, that is."
W feels a snicker bubble up. Of course. Polite to a fault. Just like her.
As W explains her plan for a vacation to Amiya, she feels herself relax into the task, embellishing a little, (only ever a little, because that's how the best lies worked,) with a carefree grin. One she didn't have to force for a mask. The sight of Amiya's smile pushing her forward, and by the end, she felt... Relieved. Weird.
Amiya beamed. She clapped very quietly, starry-eyed.
W felt a snort slip out before she could stop it. Amiya's smile widened, and before long, she was giggling too. And wasn’t that insane? W couldn’t fathom it. It was mad. Madder than her. A devil and a Cautus, cracking up out of nowhere in a library, sitting on the floor together in the middle of the aisle as they laughed.
They quieted down before long, Amiya’s giggles fading away.
Amiyas brows furrowed. Her smile dropped, an older persona sliding into place with the click of a lock. It was as if the younger girl from only moments ago never existed at all. She looked down at her hands. At the rings identical to...
"W. You... You know I can't just leave whenever, right? I have a responsibility to Rhodes Island and ev-"
"—Kal’tsit can take over or whatever. Surely the.. ugh... Mighty Rhodes Island won't collapse without its lucky rabbit for a few days?"
As she saw Amiya open her mouth to protest, W glared, daring her to say it. Amiya closed her mouth.
She counted that as a victory.
"Great. I'll talk to Kal’tsit." Amiya shot her a look. She groaned. This was gonna be one of those teamwork things. "Ugh. Fine. We’ll talk to Kal’tsit. Come on, bunny."
This was gonna be something.
"Absolutely not," Kal'tsit said flatly.
And here comes that something.
W quietly yawns, sticking a finger in her ear as she half-listened to the boring speech.
"Amiya, you are allowed to have this leave, but Operator W is not. It's a safety risk. Not to mention the numerous complications." Kal'tsit pinched the bridge of her nose, pointedly scowling at W. "Where would you even go?"
W checked her nails. She'd called this. "Around. I'll even bring her back by 10. How dangerous could it possibly be?"
Kal’tsit leveled her with an unimpressed look in response.
"The doctor is launching a new operation within the next few days. The plan was for you to accompany Operators Flamebringer and Sesa along on the mission." W frowned. "Due to your past performances on previous operations and refusal to cooperate with your teams," she stresses the plural, "this operation was planned as an opportunity to allow you to bond with your fellow operators. Operators Flamebringer and Sesa were even specifically chosen."
Ohh. She did do that, didn’t she?
Whoops.
"Doctor Kal’tsit,'' Amiya says firmly, "you cannot ground W."
Kal’tsit frowns. "Amiya-"
"No, Doctor Kal’tsit.'' Amiya interrupts. "Showing biases like this isn't very becoming of Rhodes Island, and in Rhodes Island, we believe that everyone deserves a second chance. This includes W. I am asking you, as leader of Rhodes Island, please allow Operator W to journey on this vacation with me. As an escort.''
Kal’tsit’s frown deepens. A few moments passed as she weighed her options. W chooses not to comment on the wrinkles she was probably gaining. The feline sighs once more. She always seemed to do that more with W around. A large part of her reveled in it.
"Fine. Vacation approved. For both of you. Just be careful. And make sure you come back."
The unspoken ‘or I will come to find you’ hung in the air.
W bit her tongue. "Sure thing, doc." See? She could be nice.
And if that didn’t start a new staredown between Amiya and Kal’tsit. Yeesh. Okay. She didn’t have arts like Amiya, but she didn’t need them to tell the small Cautus was pissed. New plan.
"Cooool. Hey, Amiya?" She began with faux cheer, causing the younger girl to jump and look over at her. "Think you can meet with the OTHER doc to explain the plan? Let ‘em know we’re heading out within the next few days."
Amiya stared at her, before gasping in realization. W could practically hear the gears turn in real time. "Oh! You’re right! I have to make sure everything’s in order!" A new determination overtook her, as W carefully hid her surprise. Amiya’s dedication to the doctor was something else.
Amiya hurriedly rushed to the exit of the office, before briefly halting. She turned back around with a shy wave. W casually waved back with a two fingers and a smirk. Amiya whirled back around and continued her journey out happily.
The door automatically closed behind her.
W felt her smile drop immediately. Her fingers itched for a bomb. (Again. She really needed to work on those bombs soon.)
She waited a few moments to ensure Amiya was out of range. Kal’tsit simply stared at her. An eyebrow raised. A silent question.
W raised one back. Two can play that game.
Kal’tsit shook her head, seemingly resigned, and turned away to face her desk.
Huh. That was unexpected.
W hummed non-committedly, hands innocently clasped behind her back as she approached the medic, only to find herself face to face with a steely glare of green.
"Is there something further that you needed?" The feline asked coldly, looking down slightly at the Sarkaz. Fucking bitch."I do believe that I’ve already approved your request for leave."
"Jeez, you never lighten up, do you?"
"…" Okay. Probably should’ve expected that.
"..Go on."
W plunged the mask that was all sharp edges down. She couldn't threaten the old bitch this time. She steeled herself.
"Listen, you care about Amiya. And I.." Here goes. "…Trust in her," W said lamely, rolling the words around her mouth. Testing them. Testing the weight they could hold. "She needs a break away from all.." W gestured around the room. "--This. So I’m giving her one. We can do the whole wishing death on each other later. Hell, I’ll even bomb shit for free on missions! All that bonding junk you talked about before. Just let her have this."
W watched as Kal’tsits eyes narrowed in thought. Probably trying to decide if she can get away with throwing me out of a window again. She thought.
The silence afterward was deafening. W felt a sweat drop roll down the back of her neck. Fuck. C’mon. Say something already.
"Fine."
Thank fuck.
Kal’tsit held up a palm, halting the celebration W was about to perform quietly. "Once you get back you can assist Closure with some routine maintenance. She’s been asking for help for a few weeks." A pause. The medic’s face darkened. "However, if you return and I discover anything has happened to Amiya, Operator W, the doctor will be the least of your worries. Now, I do believe you have a trip to pack for." And with that, she brushed past the former mercenary and out of the office.
W whistled. Damn.
It took only a few hours for the news to reach her dear old friend. Probably sooner. She didn’t know. Or care.
"What’s this nonsense I hear about a vacation, W?" Flamebringer spat as she entered his sanctuary of nature. "Have you truly gone mad?"
"Do the mad ever admit their madness?" She teased. Her fanged smile grew at his less-than-overjoyed reaction. "Man. You’re just like that old bitch Kal’tsit. You both need to lighten up." The Sarkaz teased.
"Lighten up- You-!" He growled. He inhaled. Held it for a moment. Exhaled. "It’s like talking to a child with you."
She snickered, choosing not to comment on the obvious new silver bracelet he wore. A single look could tell her it wasn’t his. Too fancy. Too new. And the initials carved into it- Flamebringer huffed, clearly aware of her staring, cutting off her thoughts. Her smile widened.
"Where is this vacation going?"
She raised a brow. "Sorry, Swordmaster, invite only."
"That’s not what I mean. I have no such interest in such frivolities. I am asking whether or not you plan to return to Kazdel during this…Vacation."
W scoffed.
"What’s there to return to? C’mon, you’ve seen the place."
"A battlefield." He said simply, turning away to tend to his flowers.
And if that wasn’t the truth.
W looked away. If she kept staring at his back she would get the urge to stick a knife between his shoulder blades, and that was gonna ruin her mood. Seriously, what the fuck was up with everyone turning their back on her today? It's amid her fuming that she realizes that she’s staring at one of Flamebringer’s plants. She never understood Flamebringer’s love for flowers, but she supposes they aren’t the worst to look at. Probably.
Hours seem to pass before Flamebringer looks back and follows her gaze. He hums appreciatively with a nod. He seems... Proud? She can’t possibly begin to imagine why.
"Good eye. Those are pink carnations."
He takes her silence as an invitation. It was not one, she thinks. "They are due to withering soon. Perfumer has stopped by for ingredients regarding th.." W tuned him out. "...-en represents gratitude and love, but that of a maternal figure," her interest peaked as she tuned back in. "Not many here have paid them mind. I suspect it is less a lack of knowledge and rather a lack of personal relationships."
"You mind if I take two of them?"
"Depends."
"Oh, come on. I just know someone who would probably appreciate it." W stretches. "Either way, you know I’ll just steal ‘em later."
He sighs.
"Fine."
W claps. She smirks upon seeing Flamebringer’s annoyed look in response. Riling him up was always far too easy. And far too much fun.
She walks over to the pink carnations, leaning forward. She’s too busy trying to figure out which ones are the easiest to grab that she completely misses Flamebringer’s small smile that could almost be described as fond, if a passerby didn't know better.
W was never one for letters. Writing wasn’t something she took the time to do. (It wasn’t something she really could do. Not to lack of trying on her part.)
This is why it was such a bombshell as the very next day an envelope covered in sparkles was handed to her by some Itra in a red scarf and a far too cheery smile. When asked who it was from, the only response she received was a wink and an irritating "anonymous!" chime.
W had to resist the urge to just cut the thing into shreds. If it had explosives inside it was that stupid deer's funeral.
Luckily, opening the offending thing was easier than expected. She didn’t even have to bust out a knife.
To add further insult to injury, it confused her more when it revealed a paper. ... With ... Colored lettering.
Who wrote this shit? She wondered, amusement and incredulity battling inside. Rolling her eyes, W focused her attention on the letters. Her head ached as the characters seemed to move and distort. She frowned. She rotated the paper. No luck. It still made no sense. She flipped it upside down.
No luck.
She shook it aggressively, willing the letters to seemingly spring to life and spill themselves to her. If people started looking at her weirdly, that was their problem. It’s not like they were the ones who got a letter anyway. What did they know? She could do this. She was W, after all. She just had to find a secret angle. (Part of her wondered if she was more fucked up than she knew.)
After a full minute of attempts to decipher the encrypted code, she realized it was of no use. It was a doomed endeavor.
(It did not occur to her to ask someone to translate.)
W sighed, crumbling the paper up and shoving it into her pocket. She had to accept the result. That mystery letter was gonna be a mystery for now.
She couldn’t read the lettering.
And hey, it wasn’t exactly her fault for that one. Schools weren’t exactly a priority in Kazdel.
The only way she got reports done these days was through complete bullshittery. (It was probably why Kal’tsit hated them so much, really) She only picked up a few things from her time with Hoederer. The guy was obsessed with trying to teach her things. Not that she would ever admit any of it helped. But he probably knew. He was like... Some wise old teacup or something. He just knew shit.
The reminder of Hoederer left a sour taste in her mouth. Like ash. As ruined as Kazdel itself. The irony did not escape her. She scowled. She didn’t have time for this. She had a vacation to get to.
Amiya ignores the questioning looks Blaze sends her for most of the next day. News has broken out in Rhodes Island across the elite operators that Amiya will be taking a vacation, and local confusion only grew when learning that W was attending.
She had struggled to sleep last night, the vacation looming over her head. The emotions that she could feel from W in the library were... Unexpected. Along with the dazed look in W’s eyes, it greatly disturbed her. The blood on her head certainly didn’t help either. Amiya has only seen W’s eyes lost once before. Seeing it again didn’t make the unease lessen.
Rosmontis had taken one look at her, frowned, and quietly announced she would be helping her pack, much to the Cautus’ relief. Which led her to her current situation, sitting on an office chair in the dorm.
Her and W were set to depart early tomorrow. Kal’tsit had briefed her earlier today, seemingly taking note of whatever it is that Rosmontis had also noticed.
The vacation was set for Siracusa, much to Kal’tsit’s strife. W had probably gotten more amusement out of that. W had gotten a hold of some kind of brochure from Operators Mostima and then a pitch from Operator Lappland on how fantastic the place was, which most likely had led to the decision.
"Amiya." Rosmontis murmured.
Her ears perked, drawn out of her thoughts. "Yes?"
"Are.." Rosmontis paused, searching for words. "Are you sure about this? Siracusa is.. not very peaceful. Especially for a vacation."
Amiya softened. "Yes, Rosmontis. I’m sure. Besides, I’ll have W with me! She can bust out some moves in case anything happens. She’s a trained mercenary, after all."
"That’s what I’m worried about." The telekinetic Feline admitted. "I trust you Amiya. I do. It’s just. I’m unsure of why. But I don’t like her. I don't trust her. I can't remember. Why can't I remember?"
Amiya rose from the chair, crossing over the room to Rosmontis, slowly sitting beside her on the bed. She placed her hand on the sheets next to Rosmontis, waiting for the other girl to make the first move, leaving the option open. She knew better than to try and ever shove something onto Rosmontis. Her cheeks slightly warmed when Rosmontis interlaced their fingers, but she put it aside, focusing on the matter at hand.
"Kal’tsit already checked." Amiya said gently, giving her hand a squeeze. "She made W go over the locations and some other operators who have been there even verified it. It’ll be okay. I’ll be okay." She could tell Rosmontis wasn’t convinced fully. "W doesn’t have the best... Track record… But she deserves a second chance. She has good in her. I know she does."
She couldn’t push the hopeful gleam in W’s eyes out of her mind when she watched the Sarkaz pitch the idea. It was something so painfully familiar.
Rosmontis hummed distantly.
Amiya brightened. She nuzzled her face against Rosmontis cheek, delighting in the smile that the action drew out. No words needed to be exchanged between the two, as their actions said plenty for them. It was always incredibly elating to see Rosmontis smile. It wasn't like sparks flying, it was something quieter and more wonderous. Like an eclipse. Blinding in a different way.
Amiya wouldn't trade it for the world.
Mornings officially fucking sucked. An additional condition Kal’tsit had added at the last minute was leaving early in the morning to arrive into their hotel rooms on time. W was half-convinced it was just to spite her. The only reason W wasn’t 100% convinced was because of Amiya.
They were estimated to arrive soon, and W couldn’t wait to officially be released from Rhodes for just a while. She wasn’t lying when she said that she really needed a break. The urge to nap was strong, but the paranoia of possibly falling asleep and being open to attack on the plane was stronger. A pressure against her shoulder made her jump. She looked over, startled, only to see Amiya leaning on her shoulder with her ears folded, clearly fast asleep. W stared. She stopped the instinct that screamed to shove her off. She glared at the ceiling of the plane, settling herself in for a long flight.