Author's note: Pretty much just posting this after having written it - like [take note], it just sort of happened.
The first time Minako hears the words is when she's in an American bar one evening near the end of the year. She knows the day more for Pocky than anything else, but the solemnity of the English words catch her ears and pause her eyes.
"Thank you for your service."
The young man at the bar is still trying to pass the bartender his money but he's not making any headway against the bartender's palm, more shield than surrender. "My dad was a Marine. It's why I'm here," the bartender shrugs with a half-smile. Minako suddenly recognizes the not-quite-Japanese features in the low light.
She tunes out the conversation along with the others happening around her, focused more on dampening her aura and searching for a darker one. The tip had been for this bar on a clear evening, and the moon was bright in the sky, rivaling the lights of the city. But her quarry had yet to appear.
"You giving free drinks to vets? That means I get one too." The bartender eyes the grinning man, holding his gaze long enough to see the man sway. To Minako's surprise, the bartender doesn't ask for any proof, just glances at the customer's cup and pours him another. And repeats those five words once more.
The hand reaching out towards the cup pauses briefly but the grin is back in place, its width and brightness chillingly familiar to Minako. She's never met any of these men before, not the bartender, not the one seated at the bar nor the one now downing his drink with gusto. But she recognizes the look in their eyes, the silence on their shoulders - has seen both within her own self.
Her target arrives an hour later. Middle-aged salaryman by day, human trafficker by night. He orders a drink and tries to weasel his way into a conversation with the two American veterans at the bar, but they give him little leeway and soon he takes his drink elsewhere. Minako lets her aura loose slightly, just as he's turning in her direction. 'Still got it,' she thinks as the darkness flares around the man.
Despite her coy smile, Minako is in no mood to draw this out, and within minutes has led him out of the bar. The smug victory rising from him nearly makes her gag. 'Men,' she thinks, barely keeping herself from rolling her eyes when he grabs her wrist and pulls her into an alleyway.
He's slumped down on the ground before Minako has even finished turning around. She rolls her eyes now, fishing out her phone and grumbles about the four hours she's wasted when she hears a noise at the edge of the alleyway.
"You all right?"
Minako recognizes the voice of one of the veterans from the bar. She nods, flashes a smile and a badge she'd swiped from the agency. "Just taking care of business," she answers back in English.
The men nod but make no move towards her. They're both a head taller than her but their auras are quiet, their stances relaxed.
"That was the best spinning elbow I've ever seen."
Minako smirks and gives a half-shrug. "I saw it in a movie once."
They share a short chuckle and shift to leave. No questions asked, because no explanation was needed.
She speaks like she usually does - without thinking - and the men pause, glancing over their shoulders at her. The younger one who complimented her technique nods. Minako realizes they were probably the same age.
His response is soft, barely heard above their departing footsteps. The moon is high and bright above them, painting their shoulders silver..
The words echo in Minako's head while she makes her call. "Thank you for yours."
Author's notes, pt 2:
Being part of a family where many members, including myself, have served in the military, I've always had mixed feelings about Veteran's Day and the "celebrations" around it. But I think the heart of the sentiment is valued. (Now that I think about it, it probably was because of that stint in the military that I started to be more curious about Minako and her being leader...)
Fun facts:
- 11/11 is known as Pocky (and Pretz) day in Japan. Why? Because of the shape of the sticks.
- The idea of Minako doing a side job is inspired by the bit in Salvasti's "Belated Birthday Tidings" on AO3
Thank you for reading - and if no one's told you yet today, thank you for being you, for being here.