A/N for all previous readers : First of all, it's good to be back ! I have decided to re-upload past chapters as I felt that they needed a bit of work. I took on board the advice you had given me in the reviews -which I still appreciate greatly-, and have modified a few details (although nothing that would alter the main plot line). So I do encourage a second read-through. On another note, I have merged the previous second and third chapters because I found them a little short.

I hope I didn't offend anyone by making the changes. Happy reading !

"Whoever loves becomes humble. Those who love have, so to speak, pawned a part of their narcissism."- Sigmund Freud

As I strode down the corridors of the tall office building, I felt so powerful. People would move for me, ask me if I wanted anything to drink, admire my booming career as if I was as divine as the Fal'cie. I wouldn't have been surprised if they all started worshiping me on their hands and knees. Although the amazing feeling of supremacy was a beautiful gift on this dreary Thursday morning, I was too modest to proclaim my success to the world. In my mind, however, I could infinitely praise myself.

Of course, being the top assassin in all of Cocoon was a huge accomplishment at the mere age of twenty-one, but I needn't bathe in my glory as weak assistants and pathetic understudies took note of my every action in the hope that, one day, they would throw me from my seat of power.

Assassination wasn't the path I'd chosen, in fact it was fairly ironic how I found myself working for such people. When I was seventeen, I'd decided on working for the Bodhum security regiment. It took a lot of training to take care of the citizens of this world, but I found my way eventually. Then, as I was finally getting settled in, I was recruited by one of the top assassination offices in all of Cocoon. I was skeptical at first, but the little perks won me over soon enough. The pay was far better than what I was earning before, and I would have been doing the exact same thing but from a different angle.

It wasn't a rogue, independent elimination office, however. They worked in part with the Guardian Corps division of the security services offered by the Sanctum. We handled the rebellious souls elegantly, without causing too much of a stir in the media.

The first couple of months flew by quickly. I picked up the tricks of the trade rapidly, and found myself dealing with very important jobs at an early stage. I was known for my capability to destroy a target within the first day of the mission, so for all the more pressing matters, I was the perfect person for the job.

I avoided the crowd of amateurs that surrounded me daily, asking me many questions in futility, as I was needed elsewhere. My boss had informed me early that morning that there was a very troublesome young man that I needed to sort out.

I made my way to his office, which was located on the very highest level of the building and knocked confidently at the door, not afraid to unmask my unnerving and formidable presence.

Yaag Rosch, second president of the company since it's foundation, greeted me with a daunting smile as he appeared from behind a very large glass desk. A few years prior to my arrival, he was second in command to Jihl Nabaat, lieutenant colonel of the PSICOM forces, whose main priority was to prepare for a potential attack from Pulse. But since the War of transgression, things have been relatively calm, rendering the PSICOM soldiers inexperienced, useless and embarrassing. As a good part of our targets were anti-Sanctum rebels, the job interested him greatly; for whatever concerns the Sanctum, concerns the Fal'cie. He was seldom at the offices, as he still spent a large portion of his time guiding the military and licking Miss Nabaat's boots clean.

"Ah, Lightning." He rose slowly, examining a folder, his finger still grazing the page.

I made my way over to him, before staring over the glossy slab that separated us to catch a glimpse of the papers.

"So, what's the situation ?"

I had made a solemn vow to myself to never kill a target if I deemed it wrong to do so. In consequence, the most important part of my job was getting my facts right, and learning everything I could about the person in the quickest time possible. It would have been a redoubtable challenge for most men, but it seemed to come very naturally to me. I'm still not sure if that was a blessing or a curse.

He looked at me quizzically and handed me the folder, without further conversation.

I sat opposite the desk in a very large black love seat, and crossed my legs before looking at the papers.

The first thing I saw was a very attractive young man. Although he looked slightly ragged, past the shaggy blond hair and the stubble that graced his jaw, he was undoubtedly handsome. And those eyes... They seemed to come out of the picture.

"Snow Villiers." Rosch's voice startled me. "He killed an assassin last year. Since then we've tried to get hold of him by sending out our best and brightest, but he got to them before they even had a chance. He knew they were coming for him. That's four men we've lost, so far."

He roamed the room as he spoke, his hands folded behind his back and his gaze brushing the floor.

"We don't have an address. It seems that Mister Villiers is a bit of a nomadic creature. Nevertheless, we have a few leads."

"So, from what I understand, we're dealing with a crazy, hobo, serial-killer who refuses to give up the fight." I couldn't help but smile slightly at the phrase that had just escaped my rosy lips, and silently admire the young soul's determination.

I crossed my arms whilst waiting for the reply.

"Crazy... indeed. He likes to call himself a 'Hero', remarkably. But we know he's just looking for fame and glory, and is stirring the crowds in doing so."

I stopped listening as my mind turned to another matter.

I brushed away a couple of strands of my pink hair that were irritating my face, and cocked my head to the side slightly.

"What makes you think that I can do what so many others have failed to ?"

He looked me up and down before standing straight in front of me.

"You've got something that will make this job so much easier for you, something that none of the others had. You, my darling, are a women."