(A/N): Happy Tuesday! This time, we're bringing you Unlucky Alis' amazing Kory Anders, because we're on a warrior princess kick, mkay?

Thanks as always to our writers who reviewed and to Slim Summers2002 and TheRaspberryVigilante41 for being awesome and continuing to support us and get hyped as the story goes on!

Chapter Twenty-One - Plan for the Future You Might Not Get to See

SHIELD Base, District Twelve

Kory Anders of District Twelve

Written by Unlucky Alis

"Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose." – Lyndon B. Johnson

Sometimes, Kory missed wandering like she used to do. Just going out on her own and exploring places she never would have seen otherwise. She didn't have much time for it now, with how much was going on — fighting, training the kids, and training herself took up most of her time. Her time off was spent with the Titans and Dick's family — she still held a modicum of hostility towards Bruce, but he hadn't done anything else to make her mad, so she was willing to look past it.

Wandering the halls of SHIELD wasn't quite the same. It was less thrilling than slipping through the Seam of Twelve, lurking in the places she didn't belong. But without the looming threat of the Sentinels, it wasn't as satisfying as it used to be. Everything had changed so much.

Kory had gone out into Twelve twice since coming home. The first time, she didn't feel ready to really go home and gave the merchant's district a wide berth. She went out with Dick and showed him all her favorite spots. The mines that she never got to explore but still wanted to; the rundown places that felt dangerous and daring before she experienced real danger, where the two of them stuck out like sore thumbs; the fence she almost climbed before the Games — the same fence that Kate climbed.

It was a pleasant day out. Dick only asked her once about her family — and then dropped the subject entirely when he saw the way her jaw clenched at their mention.

At the time, Kory hadn't wanted to face them, not yet. It wasn't really fair to her parents. They were good people who loved her, but there had always been a distance between them. Kory hadn't thought of them much since their goodbyes. Komander had occupied her mind plenty of times, though.

For her second foray out into the district, Kory had steeled her nerves and gone straight home.

Her feet carried her home without thought. Kory could probably find her way back to her family's shop from anywhere in the district. It used to be the center of her world, but now, it hovered on the fringes, an afterthought, a pale reminder of before.

She hesitated on the street just outside the store. Normally, when coming home from one of her ventures, she would go up the stairs at the back and straight into the apartment above, traipsing past her parents and sister without a care. But this wasn't one of her little escapades and, in a startling moment of comprehension, she realized this was no longer her home.

The district would always be special to her, the land more than the people, but this house was too small for her now. After everything that happened, and with everything that was going on, she couldn't really imagine coming back here with the intention of staying.

Kory had a lot of questions about what would happen when the fighting was over, and none of the answers were to come back and take over her parents' business.

And there was always the question of Komander.

Kory closed her eyes and shook her head, as if she could cast away all thoughts of her sister. She didn't want to see her parents for the first time since the Reaping while she was angry. Squaring her shoulders, she marched up to the front door and strode inside, the bell chiming as the door swung open. She glided down the center aisle, ignoring the luxuries that stocked the shelves. Luxuries for Twelve, at least. The soft fabrics and flavorful dressings the Anders family stocked paled in comparison to anything from the Capitol.

Locking her gaze on the back counter, Kory saw her mother, Lu, taking candles from a box and arranging them next to the register. There was a heaviness to her, in the sag of her shoulders, the way she kept her head bowed, even as she straightened up to move the box off the counter.

Kory worried her lip. She wasn't sure what to say. What was she supposed to say to her mother after surviving the Avenger Games, joining SHIELD, and avoiding home for far too long for it to be considered an honest mistake?

Not to mention the whole 'my boyfriend was dead, but it's okay because he has a new body now' thing.

Whatever inadequate thing Kory was going to say, it all slipped from her mind when Lu looked up and froze, the box slipping in her grip. Lu recovered at the last second, her hands jerking down to follow the box as it fell, catching the edge before it could crash to the floor.

"Kory," she said, eyes glistening. She rushed towards Kory and tossed the box onto the counter with a little too much force. The box slid across the counter, teetering off the edge, and crashed to the floor the same moment Lu pulled Kory into a crushing hug.

"What happened to you? When the Games ended like that, we thought you were dead." Her mother's voice trembled as she squeezed even tighter.

She shouldn't have come. That was all Kory could think while her mother held her. There were times when she felt closer to her teachers than her parents, but her mother obviously didn't think the same. Seeing Kory in the Games had taken a toll on Lu. For Kory, seeing Lu struggling to hold back her tears made her realize there was something cruel about visiting now.

Kory had no intentions of just abandoning her parents and never seeing them again, but it felt like they were in completely different worlds, galaxies away. There was a chance Kory could die fighting for SHIELD before the war ended. If that happened, her parents would be losing her twice. She should have waited.

"Your father will be so happy you're home," Lu said. "And your sister. Oh, Komander hasn't been the same. She's been throwing herself into working at the store, trying to distract herself. She's so distraught."

Kory ground her teeth, holding back a hiss of anger. Komander wasn't distraught. She was trying to take Kory's place. But that wasn't really her place anymore, was it?

"They're out right now, but they'll be back soon. I'll close the store, and we can wait for them," Lu said, finally letting Kory go and rushing to the front of the store.

Kory nodded, hugging herself. She felt cold now that her mother had stepped away. Letting out the deep breath she had been holding, Kory moved around the counter to clean up the candles that broke when they hit the floor, the thick chunks of wax scattered across the tile. She swept them back into the box and set it upright.

In her hand was a chunk of black wax. Curling her fingers around it, she dug her nails into the soft surface at its thinnest point until she cut straight through it. She needed to have a talk with her sister.

Kory slowed to a stop as she was drawn out of her ruminations. Someone was standing in her path just down the hall — a young man. He faced Kory on her side of the hall. If she hadn't slowed down, she probably would have run into him. Or she might not have noticed him at all. But there was something... off about him, although she couldn't place what it was.

The man was admittedly handsome and looked somewhere around her age, give or take a couple years. Dressed in casual SHIELD wear — everyone had an outfit like his — there wasn't much of a reason for him to stand out, except that he wasn't moving. People were always moving in the base.

It wasn't in an eerie way, like he was holding himself so still he didn't even look alive. In fact, his stance was perfectly casual, like he just happened to be standing there for no reason other than he could.

Kory caught his gaze and frowned. His eyes were bright green, not unlike her own.

The young man moved first, shifting his weight from one foot to the other before loping toward her. When he was a few meters away, he crossed to the other side of the hall. Kory thought he was going to pass without sparing her another glance; he had that sort of disinterested air about him. But when she turned her head to follow him, he looked back at her and flashed her a wide, almost manic grin.

It stretched across his face and showed a little too much white, like he was baring his teeth at her. Then, his head snapped forward again, and he continued on his way, swaggering along until he rounded the corner and disappeared from view.

Kory's frown remained firmly on her lips. She knew that she was missing something, something important. She could almost taste it on the tip of her tongue. Before she could dwell on it for much longer, a familiar voice called out to her.

"Kory Anders!"

Kory's eyes widened in surprise as she turned to face the voice. Noh-Varr, white hair and all, was crossing the hall in long strides, smiling pleasantly at her. One thing Kory could say with absolute certainty was that she never expected to see her former stylist again, especially not the SHIELD base in Twelve.

"What are you doing here?" Kory asked, realizing a moment later how rude that sounded. "I mean, it is most wonderful to see you again, Noh-Varr."

She met him halfway, absently wondering how he would react if she hugged him. Their interactions in the Capitol had been limited, but Kory liked him, and she hugged people she liked. So that's what she did… and she was pleasantly surprised when he not only hugged her back but spun her around enthusiastically.

"Why are you here?" Kory asked when she pulled away. "I am sorry, but I did not take you for a fighter."

"You would be surprised. I'm here because not everyone living in the Capitol was on the Capitol's side. People underestimate stylists, and some of us have been with SHIELD for a long time, getting information on Hydra," Noh-Varr explained.

Kory was suitably impressed. It never failed to amaze her how spread out this side of SHIELD was. The resources weren't a surprise — SHIELD was originally the military of the Capitol — but until her rescue, Kory just thought of its members as a different kind of Capitolite. Pleased with their place in the world and overly weaponized.

Sometimes, it was really easy to forget that lots of people living the Capitol — most of them, probably — were just people. Lucky enough to be born in the lap of luxury, unfortunate enough to be raised into a colorful, mindless throng content with their bloody entertainment and opulent lifestyle.

And then, there were the people like Noh-Varr and the real SHIELD. Kory didn't know if Noh-Varr was born and raised in the Capitol, but she assumed he was. She hoped he was, because it would mean there were other 'normal' Capitolites that could see what was wrong with the world.

Until she saw Kate Bishop fighting in the previous Games, Kory wasn't so different from some of the Capitolites. Pleased with the benefits of her family's station, resigned to the state of her district. But not anymore.

"What are you doing now?" Kory asked.

Noh-Varr grinned, swaying the way he did when he was listening to a good song. "Jubilee and I are getting married."

It took Kory a second to remember who that was — Dick's stylist in the bright yellow jacket. A grin broke out across her face. "Congratulations. When are you getting married?"

"As soon as we can find the right moment… and someone to officiate the ceremony," Noh-Varr said. "There's probably someone around here who can do it."

"You will not be waiting until... after?" Kory spoke tentatively.

Noh-Varr understood what she meant, and his smile softened as he answered her. "In war, it's not wise to wait for peace to bring you happiness. Not when you might just lose that someone you seek happiness with."

Kory nodded slowly, turning Noh-Varr's words over in her head.

"Speaking of Jubilee, I was on my way to see her. It was nice seeing you again, Kory. Remember what I said." With a parting wave, Noh-Varr headed off in search of his fiancée.

Kory resumed her walk, running her fingers through her hair. Noh-Varr and Jubilee were getting married. In the middle of a war seemed like the worst time for such an occasion, but Noh-Varr made an excellent point. The idea of forever was nice, but it was not a guarantee when there were so many things that could cut it short.

Her fingers caught on a loose knot, and she proceeded to untangle it. Marriage wasn't something she used to think about. She never really pictured any of her old trysts being anything more than that. And yet, if there was one person she would ever consider marrying, it would be Dick. She couldn't imagine losing him twice or leaving him behind.

There were a lot of things she needed to think about.

Kory and Lu were sitting at the dining room table when Mya and Komander returned home. Kory's hands were wrapped around a mug of coffee. It was more than cool enough to drink now, but she hadn't even taken a sip yet. She needed to prepare herself.

Lu meant for Kory's arrival to be a surprise. She wanted her husband and daughter to walk in and see Kory the same way she had, but as soon as she heard the backdoor opening, she was up on her feet.

"Lu? Why's the store closed?" Mya called.

"Kory's home!" Lu answered.

Mya's response was immediate. His heavy steps thudded down the hall, and he burst into the dining room. He didn't even take his shoes off.

"My little star!" Mya shouted, sweeping Kory into a hug. Despite Mya being stronger than his wife, hiss hug was gentle. It was all about warmth and relief, not the same clinging desperation as Lu's. Kory allowed herself a moment to sink into the embrace before stepping back and peering around her father.

Komander stood in the doorway, a heavy scowl marring her face. She was openly glaring at Kory, although her expression quickly smoothed out when Lu grabbed her eldest and dragged her to the table.

"You can't imagine how much we worried," Mya said, guiding Kory to the chair opposite Komander's. "I tried talking to my connections in the other districts and the Capitol to get some news, but I couldn't even reach them."

Kory frowned. "No, I would imagine not."

"You can't imagine how worried we were," Lu repeated her husband's words. "What happened? Where have you been?"

"That doesn't matter. All that matters is that she's back. The family business is still yours to inherit." Mya grinned proudly down at Kory. Komander started to rise, but Lu's hand on her shoulder kept her seated. Kory met her sister's hateful stare and refused to look away first.

She decided it wasn't a mistake. What she had to say next might break her parents' hearts, but she couldn't put off seeing Komander.

"I am not back," Kory said.

From beside Komander, Lu blinked. She leaned forward and reached across the table, taking Kory's hand. "What do you mean?"

"I am back. But I will not be staying here," Kory continued. "There are things I need to do, and I cannot do that from here. I am sorry."

"What's going on, Kory?" Mya's large hand dropped onto her shoulder, squeezing gently. Kory was forced to drag her gaze away from Komander so she could reply in earnest.

"Things are changing. I am still in Twelve, for now. I am staying with my boyfriend, Dick." She didn't think it would be a good idea to tell her parents about SHIELD. Kory took her hand back from her mother and patted her father's hand before lifting it off her shoulder. "You would have seen him in the Games."

Komander's eyebrow quirked, and she crossed her arms. "Wasn't he killed by that crazy guy? Kory, are you sure you're alright?"

A sickly-sweet tone was laced through her words, sounding anything but sincere to Kory's ears. Her parents were oblivious.

"Oh, honey, you've been through so much," Lu said. "Just come home."

Kory sighed. "I intend to visit if I have time. I would very much like to bring Dick with me next time, as he is a wonderful young man. But I am most afraid that I cannot come home. I am sorry. I should be heading back soon."

"Kory," Lu pleaded.

Mya, however, was examining his youngest daughter. He could not deny that there was something different about her. She had always had a fiery spirit, but she wasn't the same sweet, little star anymore.

"You would have done well with the business," he said.

Kory smiled. "I am certain I would have. Kammie will be sufficient."

She felt a burning satisfaction when Komander bristled at her words, her jaw tensing, her fists clenching beneath the table. Kory just smiled.

"I would like a moment to speak to my dear older sister, please," she said.

Mya nodded and rose from his seat. "We should reopen the store."

Lu looked uncertain, but after a reassuring smile from Kory and a half-hearted pat on the arm from Komander, she stood up as well. As soon as the elder Anders were out of the room, the atmosphere shifted.

Kory's easy smile melted off her face, replaced with a dark scowl. She folded her arms on the tabletop, her knuckles white. Komander's glare returned in full force and she sat up straighter in her seat, tilting her chin up.

"Seeing your boyfriend die must have been so terrible. Then again, you were not awake when it happened, right? So close, but unable to help."

Kory's anger spiked, but she did her best to ignore the barb. She stretched out her aching fingers and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Your last words to me were that I had not been a worthy opponent for you. I am sorry to have disappointed you back then. Please, let me fix that."

Kory was up and lunging across the table as soon as she finished speaking. Komander reeled back, rolling out of her chair and away from Kory's vicious charge. She grabbed the chair and swung it around, and Kory was forced to duck, but she didn't stop her advance. She slid under Komander's swing and kicked out, connecting with her sister's ankles.

Komander yelped as her legs were forced apart and her balance was thrown. She gripped the counter behind her and jumped up to avoid Kory's next kick, dancing away to put some distance between them. Kory refused to let that distance grow beyond a few feet.

Fighting Komander was nothing like training with Dick. Komander didn't have proper training, but she was skilled in her own right. Rather than a dancing give and take of blows, it was a fast and brutal chase.

Komander was an adequate fighter; Kory was better. She threw herself at Komander, wrapping her arms around her sister's torso so they both went tumbling to the floor. Komander's head smacked against the cabinet, and she struggled to escape Kory's grip.

It was useless.

Kory pinned Komander to the floor, one arm across her throat. She only put enough weight down to keep Komander from properly catching her breath, especially with most of Kory's weight pressing down on her chest.

"My final courtesy to you, sister, is to release you from your own deception," Kory hissed. She leaned down, positive she was wearing a truly ugly expression, and grabbed Komander's chin, forcing her to keep her gaze forward. "You thought I was not a good enough opponent for you. You failed to consider that you are so far beneath me, you are not worthy of being my adversary. Calling someone like you my enemy is a waste of breath."

Kory punched the tile next to Komander's head, making her flinch, and rose to her feet. She straightened out her hair, smoothed the wrinkles from her clothes, and brushed her thumb along a forming bruise on her cheek.

No matter; she had had worse.

Komander lay on the dining room floor, her chest heaving as she gasped for air, eyes wide and wild.

Kory left the house without looking back.

Kory stopped again, closing her eyes and dropping her arms at her sides. She took a deep breath and held it as long as she could before slowly letting it out. If she really wanted to look to the future, there were some things from her past she had to let go of.

Her version of letting go just happened to involve a healthy dose of righteous fury and a cathartic beatdown.

Kory opened her eyes and grinned, feeling a little better than before.

"We are done, sister," she hissed into the empty hall. Now Ivy was all that was left.