Chandra ended up practically living with Layla. The two girls spent a lot of time together and Chandra met her older sister as well. Her older sister had much less of a presence in the house. She was rarely ever there. When she was Chandra felt uncomfortable. Something about the woman seemed off to her. Layla's older sister, Silica, had a harsh and jealous personality that Chandra didn't trust.
"Layla your room isn't clean," Silica stated coldly.
Layla sighed, "I asked them not to clean it every day."
"Why?" Silica asked harshly.
"So that it seemed more like home and less like a clinic," Layla explained politely.
"Well tell them to clean it now," Silica stalked off.
Chandra glanced at Layla, "That was kind of mean don't you think?"
Layla shrugged, "She's always like that. It's fine."
Chandra nodded, "Alright." That doesn't really excuse it. But I guess if you grew up with that kind of thing…and never really minded it, unlike me, then it'd be fine. She stayed until dinner and ate before leaving. She wandered around Ravnica before deciding to wander off. I think I've spent too much time in one place. She wandered through the multiverse. 'It's easy to tell when someone's in pain even if they try to hide it from the world.' "She can always tell when something's wrong with someone," Chandra shook her head, "It's crazy." But she never digs any farther than I've ever really wanted her to. Sure I didn't want her digging at all at first but it was kind of nice after a while. She smiled, "I'll back to visit her eventually."
Most of the next few weeks were spent just wandering. She visited worlds she had never been to and worlds she had. All she did was look and walk and wander. It was nice to not really have a care in the world.
Chandra arrived back to Ravnica in the middle of the night. She was near Layla's house. Muted screams reached her ears almost the moment she arrived. She shot towards the house and threw the door open. She had to dodge a knife that was thrown at her.
"You are not allowed to just barge in," Silica snarled.
Chandra's eyes widened before narrowing, "I knew there was something wrong with you."
"Oh really," Silica stood. Layla fell limply from her grasp.
"You're her sister!" Chandra cried in sudden rage, "How could you?"
"She's an obstacle just like every other member of this pathetic family," Silica shrugged indifferently; "I don't see what the problem is."
Chandra's eyes narrowed.
"You'll pay for this," Layla's brother snarled. He could barely stand but anger and intense hatred fueled him.
"Oh be quiet," Silica snapped. She tossed a knife at him casually.
Chandra stepped in the way and it imbedded itself into her leg. She recognized the sudden exponential pain that shot through her veins. She fell to her knees, "This?" It's poisoned. I remember this poison. She squeezed her eyes shut.
"Well, well, aren't you strong willed," Silica smirked, "Your refusal to scream disappoints me."
Chandra pulled the knife out of her leg. "You make me sick," her voice was icy cold. It also held a dark warning. She pulled a knife out of her boot as she stood, "She's your sister. She trusted you to protect her from the pain and horror that this world holds." The tips of her hair started to spark and flames danced in her eyes.
Layla's brother stared at her in shock, "You're a mage?"
She didn't appear to hear him as she stalked angrily forward.
"Why aren't you writhing in pain? You shouldn't even be able to stand," Silica snarled.
Chandra met her gaze. Her eyes were cold even though the flames inside them made them very bright, "I don't care."
Silica back away from her but backed herself into a wall.
Chandra shot forward and plunged the knife into Silica's neck, "Consider that payback." She pulled the knife out quickly. She growled and resisted the urge to fall to one knee. Instead she turned to Layla's brother, "Can you stand up?"
He nodded and struggled to his feet.
She led him out of the house and through a few alleys before she couldn't stand anymore. Dammit. Not now.
"This should be good enough," he slid down a wall and sat on the ground.
Chandra sighed, "Whatever." She sat against the wall next to him and passed out quickly.
He shook his head, "Damn she's tough." And more than a little frightening. He glanced around. Is it here? Dammit. Star! Can you hear me?
"Loud and clear," Star dropped from a nearby balcony. She lifted the redhead up and looked around.
"Thanks."
"Anytime," Star nodded, "Wyvern's nearby and on her way. We could hear screaming from a good distance away." She looked at the girl she was holding, "She's good. She even managed to pass us up without us knowing."
He nodded, "That's crazy. She refuses to join up?"
Star nodded, "Yep."
Wyvern landed next to them, "I apologize for the wait."
"No need," he shook his head.
"Let's go ahead and take her back," Wyvern said after looking Chandra over once, "Member or not she's still important."
Star nodded. She turned to Layla's older brother, "Rose, can you walk?"
"I'm not sure," Rose shrugged, "I got pretty damn beat up."
Chandra opened her eyes to a quiet dark room. She was lying on a relatively comfortable bed and under warm blankets. She sat up and looked around. Her leg was wrapped in fresh bandages and was no longer in any pain. Her head was spinning slightly but otherwise she was fine. Well I would say that this is a definite improvement from my previous encounter with this poison. She climbed to her feet and opened the door. The hallway was brightly lit. Chandra shielded her eyes with her hand, "That's bright."
"Good morning Sunshine," a tall man with sky blue draconic features leaned against the wall next to her.
Chandra looked at him, "Sunshine?"
"Yeah why not?" he shrugged, "I'm Dragon by the way."
Chandra nodded, "Alright, I'm Chandra."
"Dragon, that's enough. Leave the poor girl alone," Chandra recognized the black dragon, Lily.
"C'mon I didn't even do anything!" Dragon whined.
Lily glared at him, "And? She probably doesn't even want to talk to you. Not after you called her Sunshine."
"You heard that?" Chandra laughed.
Lily nodded, "Yep. We are assassins after all."
Chandra met the woman's gaze, "I want to talk to Eclipse."
"Sure," Lily darted at her. She lifted her up and carried her through the air past the stairs and all the way up. "There you go," Lily set her down and dived back down. Chandra knocked on the door quietly.
"Come in Chandra," he said.
Chandra sighed and opened the door. She walked into the room and closed the door behind her, "I want to join this guild."
He didn't look surprised. "What caused the change of heart?" he asked curiously.
"I've decided what I want to fight for," Chandra stated simply and I want to be able to do it myself."
He nodded, "You'll have to begin training."
Chandra nodded. Her eyes narrowed, "You just don't get to order me around like I'm some puppet."
"Of course not," he seemed slightly insulted that she would think he'd do such a thing, "You will have jobs but you will also have the freedom to do what you wish."
She nodded.
"Come with me," he led her down the stairs. Though his voice seemed like a whisper when he spoke every single person in building gathered into the room, "I'm going to introduce our newest member."
"Hey!" Lily grinned.
"I wonder what her name'll be," Hawk whispered.
Falcon shrugged, "I can't really think of one that's very flattering."
Chandra's eyes narrowed. I can hear you two.
Hawk noticed and swallowed nervously, "Sorry."
A small smile lit Eclipses face, "She's Crimson Phoenix and I'm going to be mentoring her." He disappeared.
"Oh great," Chandra sighed.
"Lucky!" Dragon dropped from the air next to her, "He hasn't trained anyone. Ever."
Chandra sighed, "And that makes me special how?"
Lily hit Dragon in the back of the head, "Yeah, that doesn't make her any different from the rest of us."
"Well yeah it's just I got stuck with you," Dragon stuck out his tongue.
Lily's eyes narrowed significantly, "Oh really? Do you want me to make your life worse?"
"No!" Dragon said quickly.
Chandra sighed, "It's nice to have people that care. It doesn't really matter who they are or what they're like." She walked up the stairs. I'm going to look around.
"What was that all about?" Dragon asked.
"When someone's lost people important to them and gotten over the initial response of trying not to connect to anyone else they value the people that they love and that love them," Wyvern said.