A pleasant dream of fireworks in the skies of China was taking place. The air was a little humid, but a gentle breeze had occurred every now and then. Celebration over the freedom of their world and the dismantling of the Empire brought a new high of joy and pride to the people, and paper dragons soared in the sky. Colors of green, blue, and red erupted in the sky in a dazzling display to the people all across the city. The populace danced and sang, the children ran around with fried treats, and the destroyed gear of the Empire was tossed around jokingly. No more fear, no more oppression, just the freedom brought back to their home. The Emperor would rest in peace knowing that his people were safe and ready to prosper once again. In her dream she was sitting on a large hill outside the city, a warm smile of pride across her face. She was a hero who helped save the world she was born in and the world she loved more than any other, yet her heart wasn’t on celebration, but on a confession. The footsteps of her hopeful beloved had alerted her. With a deep breath Lin had gotten to her feet and turned around, facing a boy with no distinguishable features. 

Awoken by a harsh yell, Lin moaned quietly and sat up from Shizuka, rubbing her eyes and detecting the moisture atop her head. Not thinking very much of it and instead smacking her face a few times, she slowly got up and stretched her arms with a very audible groan. Ace was serious about what was coming up next, so she wouldn’t say anything about how rude it was to wake them up like that. She followed after Shizuka and Ace, remaining silent and trying to wake herself up while simultaneously thinking back to her dream. A near-future where she helped save China and became a hero like Mulan, which was always a part of her goals. Yet there was also a boy there, she had found feelings for someone on her journey and wanted to bring them there. The throbbing of her heart told her that it was related to really strong feelings, telling her that it was now or never. When the war was over, there was time to talk about her future, and it was something she hoped to share with someone special one day. Blushing to herself, Lin kept her dream to herself and joined the others in this special cart thing. The world here was much different than China, and she knew it would be redundant to continually ask “What’s this? And “What’s that?”

The briefing was short and to the point about what was going to happen tonight and Lin didn’t immediately think anything of it. If her brother was around, what would he might’ve said about the plan? Maybe, just maybe, it was a little bit…

[b]“Desperate,”[/b] Came a voice at the very rear of the compartment. Multiple eyes averted behind them, including Lin’s, to behold the sight of a beautiful young woman with admittedly gorgeous green eyes and a figure that made Lin incredibly envious. The blonde was rested against the farthest wall and had her arms crossed, but a disc-like object was in her right hand between her middle and forefinger. [b]“Absolutely desperate, Ace. You may as well be asking everyone here to commit suicide now, because that’s what it’s going to be.”[/b]

Lin bit her lip, wanting to believe in Ace’s plan out of friendship and confidence, but the way this woman carried herself told her to listen. She had a disapproving gaze about her, almost as if she was regretting revealing herself. Lin had looked around the entire compartment before they got in, how long was she back there? 

[b]“So let me keep this short: You have no solid intel of the place, no idea what’s waiting inside, and you still want to rush in there? Stupid.”[/b] Rika scoffed and shook her head, wondering what the hell that Aeva woman saw in these guys. They had no stability, all of them seemed to amount to a bunch of angry teenagers wanting to play with guns because of it. Ace’s plan was going to cost them a lot of lives, amounting to nothing but ‘let’s hope this goes great!’ and little else. Making her approach through the compartment, the alluring figure of the woman had attracted plenty of attention among the masses. She was beautiful and a true prize to anyone, but that wasn’t her focus right now. At least if they were going to die tonight, they’d have looked at the sexiest thing on the world at the time. Coming beside Ace and waving the disc in front of his face, Rika held it there and shrugged her shoulders.[b] “Told you I’d get it. Don’t ask questions, just start rethinking your strategy. For starters, I’ll be the infiltrator, everyone else can be on the assault team.”[/b] The blonde turned around, looking to the people Ace was willing to sacrifice tonight. No matter how he put it or sugarcoat it that was what he was asking people to do. 

[b]“I’m no hero like any of you are trying to be, but I can say that tonight I’m looking to fight for something that I can get behind …and after a little encouragement by a ‘mutual friend’ of you Unbound, I’m on board for this ride. Theft, intel gathering, cutting a man’s throat, lying to your face without you knowing any better …that’s my field, and I’m the very best, bar none. If any of you want to make a case against me, you’re more than welcome to try, but believe me when I tell you that before you finish that sentence I’m more than capable of killing you several fucking times. Rika Masaki is the name, mind your manners and your blood stays in your body.”[/b] Rika nodded to Ace and relocated herself beside Shizuka and a Chinese girl whose eyes never left her. Several swallowed nervously, uneasy but minding themselves. You didn't just make a claim like that and not be able to follow up, and Rika sure as hell wasn't laughing when she made it.

[i]‘So cool!’[/i] Lin gushed to herself, wondering if that’s how much authority she’d have over a situation once she was old enough. Her words given, it was a case of whether anyone would say anything against this Rika, and she doubted anyone was willing. Rika had left Ace to bring up new information and rethink his plan a little further, and Lin broke her contact with Rika to look to Ace. He was still the leader, and this was the time to change his plan one last time.