Plotting

"It's been 2 weeks and we're just sitting around," Yuto interrupts their flirting, "-and where the hell is Dunder, he said he had to go to the outpost 3 days ago!"

Yuto, in an aggravated tantrum, types a pin into their radio, a military-grade, hunk of metal. He takes the phone from the top, "Squad number 206, requesting information on the location of Captain Daniel Dunder. Identification number 643111."

Noise interference rings through the device. The transmission comes in, through the horrible signal they hear the words, "Complete the mission on your own, Captain Dunder has other obligations"

"Understood," Yuto sends back, gritting his teeth. After the transmission ends he yells in a fit of rage, "Obligations? He's our Captain, we are his obligation, they want to send us in blind!"

Yuto changes the atmosphere quickly from light humor to a toxic mixture of fear and anger.

"To think we would all be Military dogs, Is this what my family thought they were sending me off to?" Chance says, a twinge of humor and dejection in his voice. "Alright, let's finally get to work then," Nel says in an optimistic tone, eager to move on from this cramped and smelly apartment.

They spend the next twenty minutes strategizing. Yuto hovers over a spread of wanted posters, teasing at his black hair as he thinks. "Ok, but we don't know what the leader looks like, are we just supposed to wait for something to happen?" Chance asks. "We're just going to have to guard the banquet. They won't have their underlings, we can take the leader out when they make their attempt at the vault. Christopher and Chance, you guys stay back. You," Yuto points at Christopher, "can't fight without nature and Chance can't fight without blowing something up. He's probably not the greatest soldier to use near the elites of society."

"What?" Chance objects. "fire mana isn't permitted in places like that, you know the rules."

"This is blatant discrimination," he pouts and crosses his arms. Christopher pats Chance's back, "It's okay, you can stay back with me and…. Guard the radio," he comforts him sarcastically.

"Let's change our clothes, we'll stick out too much like this. Did you get the supplies?"

Xiao shoves a black duffle bag into Yuto's hands. He opens it, revealing several black suits. "We can't bring weapons into the Hall. Get rid of all your weapons now."

Yuto had a concerning amount but Xiao by far had the most hidden weapons. There was her butterfly knife in her boot, the crafted blade in her belt, a small shiv in the pocket of her cargo pants, another knife in her chest pocket. She removed the last and final shiv from the inside of her breast wrap. "You've got issues Xiao…" Yuto says.

Xiao takes the bag back, and in an irritated tone, she says, "Hurry up, we need to shower. You both smell like shit."

Nel looks at Chance with pleading eyes as he is pushed out of the door with Xiao and Yuto. They shower in the Roccia public showers and dress, placing their uniforms back in the bag.

Xiao and Yuto's suits were nicely complimented by their black hair; Nel's dirty blonde hair served well as an attractive contrast of color.