Operation Bosco: A Call to Arms, I

It was early in the morning, but the base camp was buzzing with activity. People were filtering about, forming a small queue up to the porch where, as with each morning, whoever was on kitchen duty was doling out portions for breakfast. Following this quick meal, most everyone was expected to meet in the open space of the yard where, in the dawn, before it got too hot, Xavier led some simple exercise training.

He was rather proud of this job. Shae smiled along with him when Astra handed the reigns of training the newbies over to him. The teen took it very seriously and it was endearing, to most everyone, to see how intense he could be over finally having a job.

And, the best part, since he had to get up so early in the morning to do it, he never got put on patrol duty.

Shae participated, some days, in Xay's little workout. It wasn't too strenuous, considering he was leading men and women who'd just been released from rather drastic conditions, but it felt like a good, low impact way to start the day. Plus...she found the teen rather endearing. He was very passionate, about their mission, but had been unable to provide real support in the new direction the group was going. She was thankful that Astra had found use for the boy, if only for his sake.

Astra herself seemed scarce in those days. Not that this was much different. Shae imagined she saw her the most, as they were still bunking together through technicality, but even that felt like it was coming to an end. It was nicer, in the summer heat, to sleep out under the stars with the newer members. And given Astra's shadiness as of late, she didn't want to seem too buddy-buddy with the woman. Not to mention, she found herself as taking watch a bit more often now, as Richard had run off for a week or so, back to his guild, to rally supplies and support, while Astra was out (obviously) and Xay was insistent his early mornings meant he must get to be the same (though she frequently found him goofing off with some of the younger guys).

That left her.

And, well, Locke and Haven.

They didn't quite want to put any of the newbies on patrol, given they were, now, probably the most wanted people on the property. Haven and Locke though, with the introduction of these new bodies, found themselves not quite seasoned vets, but certainly no longer the newest members.

They fell somewhere in the middle.

And were perfect for patrol.

The pair didn't seem to mind it much, when their shifts came up. Though Haven might grumble some, Locke only smiled through this. And they did it together. Even if this required doubling up on a shifts. Getting to walk around the edges of camp, away from the others, was nice enough for Shae, but she imagined it was even better with a partner.

Thought things felt rather uneasy at first, with some of the new people disappearing from day to day, this eventually evened out and, as Astra weighed the situation in Bosco, a new peace was found over the camp. Everyone got to know one another and there was a sense of anticipation that built up, as time went on, and they were in the dead of summer before anyone knew what hit them.

It was one of those hot days, as Xay finally found some people to escape down to the creek with, that Shae found herself mostly alone on the property. Astra was out as well as Richard and Shae found herself, along with one of the other women, whipping up plates for lunch. As the time neared, she sent the other woman off to fetch those who were down by the creek with Xay, while she took the short walk over to the barn.

With all the other other people about, when the temperatures weren't completely unbearable, they'd been able to continue fixing up the barn. Locke seemed rather interested in the endeavor. He'd had Richard, on some of his back and forth trips, bring him some books from his guild's library relating to medical magic and, along with a cot he and Xavier had bought on the cheap in the city, he now felt like something close to a practicing physician. He spent most of his days, in fact, locked away in the barn, making potions and things to relieve the many minor aliments of the newest members. While days drug on for others, they were flying by for the man.

For his girlfriend? Not so much.

She was who Shae looked to, after knocking at the cracked open barn doors, peeking wearily inside. The pair, after all, did seem to living in the structure and, well, she didn't exactly want to just walk in on them. It was Haven that called out to her though, the blonde having been pacing around the barn floor.

"Meal's ready," Shae remarked, stepping in to glance around. She couldn't place Locke at first and looked higher, spotting him sitting at the edge of the loft, feet dangling over the edge as he wrote something down in a journal. Frowning, she asked, "Are you doing that weird...spell thing? Again?"

"Huh?" Locke glanced up at her in surprise, having not noticed her previously. Still, he grinned a bit, blushing as he remarked, "No. I'm, uh, writing my parents. And Haven's. It's been a few months now and I don't want them to be worried or anything, so-"

"You're not writing my parents for me." Haven sent him a look. "You're dictating, from me, what to write to them."

"Why can't you just write it?" Shae questioned, but Haven only huffed in response while Locke hummed.

It felt like answer enough.

"Everyone will be coming up from the creek soon," the woman offered when the couple refused. "You could get your plates and escape back here before X sees you, or-"

"We'll eat with everyone else." And Locke jumped them, after tossing his journal and pen over his shoulder. "Being stuck alone with Haven all day mess with your brain."

"Shut up, Locke." Haven shoved him when he was close enough, but he was still grinning as he rubbed at his arm. "Idiot."

But she stuck around with him, anyways. Shae as well. They were sitting out in the grass when the others came up, Xavier immediately spotting them and rushing to grab his serving so he could join them. Shirtless and still in his trunks, he dried out in the grass beside them as he ate his sandwich, filling the three excitedly in on all they'd missed.

Not much, honestly, given there wasn't much to do down at the creek, but he told them about each and every splash of water or leer made towards another. Locke and Shae put up with this alright, but Haven, eventually, zapped him just enough to make the teen cry out and the others gathered around laugh with a bit of unease.

Though those left on the property of the new members were all grateful towards Haven, there was a constant air of uncertainty for many of them. Even for those who magic was common, Haven walking around with that demonic arm was frightening and while she'd tried to be approachable these past few weeks, she could tell most all of them skated around her.

But not Locke.

Never Locke.

If him becoming so friendly with Shae was annoying, watching him easily do the same with the new recruit only irked the blonde further. There was always a gap, a barrier, between her and those who she didn't view as directly benefiting her life. Back on the manor, she was so out of her element, so alone, that she was forced to become at least somewhat personable. Or at least try to be. She'd more lucked out in that regard, with Neeve being a rather kind person and the other woman who'd helped her, who she now knew as Freida, being so receptive to any thought of escape.

Now though, that everyone saw her as this mage with some sort of crazy demon power, they seemed to be overly cautious around her. She had saved them, yes, and those who'd glimpsed the scaled arm feared it and those who hadn't, but had heard the rumor, were conservatively curious. Haven had spent most of her life round other wizards, both children and adults, who had a better grasp on its implications.

And she couldn't even make friends with most of those people.

She was even more boarded off now, around tentative mages and those who grew up with, maybe, a lacrima, and now she was the oddity. Haven usually thrived as the outlier, but now that she was meant to make connections with others, she found this to be a drawback.

But Xavier was her friend. Or at least something close to that. She couldn't exactly call the teen her friend (there was too much distance between them), but she definitely recognized the placeholder he was keeping for her in her life. As she shocked him that day, it was equal amounts annoyance over his continued talking and perhaps a bit of anxiety relief, as Locke made idle conversation and she felt out of place.

"Richard told me he'd bring me a book too," Xavier warned the woman with a frown as he rubbed at where she'd zapped his arm. "About different types of magic. I haven't learned any spells since I was a kid, but once I know some more-"

"Just blast her," Locke suggested with an easy grin that made Haven want to shock him as well. "With your, uh, little shotgun. Who needs magic then?"

"That's right." He snickered then, the teen did, as he mimed holding the gun in both hands. Shae made a face as he pretend to cock it, but it was Haven he turned to face. "Right through the gut. Straight through."

Suddenly, Locke wasn't having as much fun. As he made a face though, turning from them, it was to find another coming to sit in the grass beside them, his own plate of food gripped tightly in his hands.

"Jed." Haven too was thankful to get away from the conversation. One of her hands patted idly at her stomach, where among the myriad of scars she held lay the most traumatic, but her eyes were on the man as he sat beside them, silent as always. "I'm so glad you came over to sit with us."

"Really?" The man seemed uneasy with this, but it was Locke's gaze, suspicious of his girlfriend, that felt the heaviest. "Is there...something I could do for you? Or-"

"No." Haven beamed falsely, hoping to force her happiness as she assured him, "I'm just happy to have a friend sit so close. That's all."

And Locke made a noise then, in the back of his throat, that sounded like choking, but not quiet. Shae gazed at him curiously, but he only shook his head, because she couldn't understand. No one could. That didn't have to put up with Haven constant.

It was his fault, anyways, for reading the first draft of his letter home to his girlfriend and citing all of the interesting people he was getting to know, from the first batch of slaves they'd freed, as he should have known what this would spawn. Haven, immediately, had launched into a tirade about being sure to include that as well, in her letter he wanted him to write, back to her parents. Only Haven hadn't seemed to be making much of an effort, from Locke's point of view, in getting to know others and form bonds, and when he mentioned this, he got the same terse response he always did from the woman, when pointing out one of her flaws.

He was actually kind of lucky, probably, that Shae showed up to call them to lunch with she did.

"You tell such interesting stories," Haven continued to insist, leaning over Locke to do so, as she stared at the other man with an intense gaze. She was trying to go for interested, Locke was sure, but she wasn't quite used to having that emotion in relation to other people. "Jed. Like that one you told me the other day. When we were both on dinner shift?"

"O-Oh. Yes." He nodded then, Jed did, in a careful manner. He was a rather reserved man, keeping to himself even among the others. Haven had never rightly asked what it was that got her locked down in the dungeon before her, but she couldn't imagine it had been purposeful. He seemed rather rigid. "I was speaking on my father's work. He was a botanist. For the Kingdom. My kingdom. Joya. He's passed on now, but-"

"See? I'm friends with a botanist," Haven seemed to brag to Locke.

"For one," her boyfriend retorted, "so what? For two, his father was the botanist. Do you even listen? And for three, I want you, right now, Haven, to explain to me what a botanist does. No one help her."

Xavier frowned, sitting back as he realized he couldn't if he tried.

"I… Shut up, Locke." Haven shocked him then, far more harshly, and he shoved her back with the same roughness, but as Jed (and others who were glancing over) watched in surprise, Shae only stared at Jed.

"You're from Joya?" she questioned with a frown. At his nod, she made a face and remarked, "I thought I'd asked everyone about their home country when they arrived. I don't know how I missed you, but-"

"I blend in rather well," he offered though his gaze was on where Haven and Locke were fully tussling now, their pent up need for such a thing having been repressed in their current locale.

Locke had felt poorly about all she's suffered, in Bosco, and combining that with them being in the presence of those not so used to guild life, they hadn't had a good brawl in quite awhile. His sympathy was completely killed off though with that first shock, as it was enough to make him see black for a few seconds there.

Shae hardly glanced at them though as, looking only to Jed, she said, "I'm from Joya as well. Do you… Did you live on the coast? Or in-land? Or… When were you taken? To Bosco? I'm sorry, I just… No one else from the manor was from Joya. I-"

"It's alright." He even smiled, a strange one, for sure, as the man seemed uncomfortable doing so. "I understand. It's...been a long time for me, as well. To see someone from our home."

And her hopes were dashed a bit then, Shae's were, as she remarked, "Then I suppose you wouldn't have known any, while you were in Bosco."

"Is there someone you were looking for?" Jed asked, but Haven, who'd finally managed to pin her boyfriend, only ground his face into the dirt as she glared over at the other woman.

"Jed's my friend, Shae," she threatened which, considering how she was treating Locke in the moment, the position didn't seem that highly coveted. "So-"

"My mother," the woman went on, ignoring the other. "I have a photo, actually, that I carry around. Here."

From her pocket, she produced a wallet or pouch of some sort, from which she then pulled a tiny photograph. Holding it out to Jed, Shae looked on with hope but, after the man studied it for a moment, he could only shake his head.

"I'm sorry," he offered, but she only returned the gesture as she returned the photograph to its proper place.

"Don't be," she whispered, as she had so many times before, but it stung in the pit of her stomach each and every time. "I'll find her one day."

Though their tussling had started rather light hearted, Locke and Haven ended on sour terms and when she mentioned she was heading down to the creek, it was with the clear implication that she intended to be alone. Considering even her boyfriend seemed to have no interest in following, no other seemed to either. Even Xay.

Which, unfortunately for Locke, meant he intended to spend the rest of the day bothering him.

He made some check-ins, the hopeful medic did, with those who's recovery period was a bit more drawn out. People filtered in and out of the barn after lunch as Xavier paced around it now, in place of Haven, though rather than an aggravated gait, he did so as he tossed a rubber ball around, bouncing it off planks and boards, not always managing to catch it before it bounced to the ground. Locke had grown up with no true younger siblings, but had placated as a pseudo older brother to enough of the younger guys in the hall that he knew an attempt for attention when he saw one.

"Is Haven actually stronger than you?" the boy asked eventually during a down period where Locke climbed back up to the edge of the loft, to begin his long letter home once more. "Or were you just letting her win? Before?"

"She didn't win anything," he grumbled, a bit bitter. The concept, after all, had been ingrained in them since they were young children. There were no winners or losers between Haven and Locke, when they fought; just remorse and lack of it. "The fuck are you talking about?"

Xavier grinned, hearing the harsh tone from the older guy so rarely, but only continued to toss his ball around as he insisted, "You let her pin you down."

"She fucking shocked me," he griped back. "And she didn't for very long."

"But you probably couldda kicked her ass, huh? Just one on one? And you let her feel like she won?"

Locke didn't like his questions and, frowning as he looked down at the younger guy, he questioned, "What are you asking me, man?"

"Well… You know when we went into the town? Last week? And I kinda flaked on you and Haven, while you did the shoppin' for the group and all?" Xay missed the ball that time, not even moving to catch it as it fell from above and bounced, rather high, two more times, before rolling off, under some unused wood off in a corner. "I kinda found some other kids- Well, not kids. I'm not a kid. Other appropriately aged teens-"

"You're making this weird," Locke whispered and, considering his guild, he felt he was the expert on such things.

"Well, there's this girl that, sometimes, when we go into town, if her and her friends are in the park, I try to meet up with," Xavier explained as he'd stopped pacing then. Instead, he stood before where Locke perched himself on the loft, head tilted back as he stared up at the older guy. "And I asked Richard about how I should, you know, get to know her better. 'cause I like her. But his advice sucked. She did not like any of the jokes he told me I should tell and I think she thought I was a creep, so I wasn't even sure if she'd let me hang out with them, when I ditched you and Haven last time, but she did. They did. Her and her friends. They were playing handball and I'm great at that and I thought if I creamed her, then she'd see how great I am at it and probably think I'm cool or whatever, but eventually none of them wanted to play with me at all and I'm not sure if it's 'cause I creamed them? Or something else? But you let Haven cream you and-"

"Stop," Locke finally complained, "saying creamed."

"I just meant that you let Haven kick your ass," Xavier explained. "Should I let her beat me too? Do you think that would work? Or would she think I'm a wimp? I thought you were supposed to be, like, the best at something. That's how you get girls to notice you, right?"

"I mean… I guess. Maybe." Locke went back to his writing. "Girls aren't all one being, X."

"Yeah, but-"

"You shouldn't purposely...cream someone either," Locke told him with a frown. "If you're better at someone, fine. But don't rub it in. No one likes that. Especially not girls."

"You just said not all girls are the same."

"Fine. Yes. Some girls might like having their faces shoved in your accomplishments, but I'm betting it's not many."

Xavier looked a bit devious as he questioned, "Did you like when Haven shoved your face in the ground?"

"Shuddup." Shaking his head, Locke said, "All girls are different, but… When I was your age, they really liked when I showed off my magic. Or sometimes would just write them nice letters."

Again, still devious, he started to question, "Do you write Haven-"

"Don't make me stop helping you."

Deflating some, Xavier asked instead, "Did you get a lot of girls?"

"All the ones I wanted," Locke assured him before admitting, "for awhile. They always kind of lost interest in me eventually. Other than Haven. Because of Haven, probably, actually, now that I think about it. She was kind of possessive for just a friend-"

"So you just show them your magic?" the boy insisted. "And that's it?"

"No. I… You gotta have a good, happy demeanor. Or at least I did. And have a good smile ready on the go. Girls also used to like that I made my own money, so I could take us on dates. Buy them things."

"I don't have any of that!"

"Yeah, you do," Locke insisted. "Maybe not the money, but the rest of it's all… Just how you are. How a person is."

"What do you mean?"

"It's all about the charisma.," And he smiled then, Locke did, absently, reflecting. "Like your overall personality. The first girl I ever really liked, when I was thirteen or fourteen, she… She wasn't from my guild or anything. Just another one of the girls who lived on my street growing up. And I spent like a month, not going out on jobs or training with my friends, just so I could sit on my front porch and wait for her and her mother to come back from shopping- They were always shopping. Or catch them headed to the market. And I'd offer to carry their bags, all of their bags, and she'd always laugh and her mom would tell me I was so helpful and cute and-"

"You stalked her."

"What?"

"You watched her house for her movements," Xavier pointed out. "And figured out her schedule. So that you could alter your own to match it."

"I did not." Locke felt stricken then. "Did I?"

"I think I could do that." Xavier snickered, tossing up an arm. "Nothing going on here anyways, other than my early morning training sessions. I could go into town and figure out when she goes to the market and-"

"No, don't." Now Locke was uncertain of how much of his story was tainted equally by nostalgia and the nativity of a young boy. "It sounds really bad, hearing it back."

"But it worked for you."

"Look who I ended up with." Locke went back to his letter. "Find someone else for girl advice. I'm clearly not great at it."

"I know that you know I can hear you, asshole."

Xavier jumped, as the barn door was shoved open and Haven stalked him. She was glaring at her boyfriend, but Locke only seemed intent with his letter then.

"Look who I ended up with," she kept up. "A loser writing home to his mommy and daddy because he misses and loves them."

"Yeah, Haven," Locke replied with a frown. "That's a normal human response. Struggling with those, huh?"

"Shut up!" Her arm sparked, but it seemed to be absently as, just as quickly, she was glancing over at Xavier. "What were you guys talking about anyways?"

"Noth-" the younger guy tried, but Locke only shrugged.

"Xavier has a crush on some girl in the town we shop in." As he felt the hard gaze of the other guy, Locke only looked at him with another shrug. "Anything you tell me goes back to her. Vice versa."

"I mean, he's wrong about the last part," Haven assured the younger guy. "But the rest of it-"

"Don't be weird," Xavier cautioned with a frown, but Haven shook her head some as she approached.

"What's weird about it?" Haven even shrugged. "It's primal."

"Oh great," Locke muttered as Haven gently slugged the younger guy.

"Primal?" Xavier didn't like that word. "What do you mean?"

"Instinct," Haven explained. "People wanna get with other people. It's normal."

"Don't," Locke insisted, "listen to her. Whatever comes out of her mouth next, ignore it. I don't know what it'll be, but-"

"Shut up, idiot." Haven shot him a look. To Xavier, she said, "Anyone I want to be with, I get with. Or I did. I'm, uh, kinda tied up with a moron now, but-"

"That's different." Locke made a face. "For women. Seriously, Xay, it is. Haven's a chick. A reasonably attractive one."

"Reasonably?" Haven carped, but he was still not in much of a giving mood, considering their tussling only an hour or so previously.

"If she throws herself at a guy enough," the older guy finished, "then she'll land him. Doesn't work that way for us."

"I don't...throw myself at men anyways. Idiot." Haven, actually, seemed bothered by the implication. "And women work at relationships too, loser. I think I'd be the better person to tell him about what a girl would like, anyways, from a guy considering, you know, I was one."

"When?" Locke harked back, but Xavier only nodded at the assumption.

"I guess you're right," he agreed. "So what did you like? Haven?"

"Well," she began while her boyfriend only rolled his eyes, "to begin with, toss out whatever Locke told you before I came in. He was a loser when we were kids and anything he did only worked because others took pity on him."

"You," Locke growled, exasperated, "dated me! I was the first guy you dated! So what are you saying?"

"I," the blonde assured him, "pitied you."

"Haven-"

"But what did you like?" Xavier insisted to which the blonde only grinned.

"I," she insisted, "and every other girl worth your time, like strong guys. Like, not just physically. You can't be a little wimpy weenie like Locke and cry about literally everything. You have to be able to take it, you know? If she insults every single thing about you. Or attacks you. I don't like a guy that I can't fight with. Or refuses to admit it when I pinned them. You have to admit when you lose. But don't lose too often, 'cause then she'll loose interest. There's no point in being with someone if you're stronger than them."

"There's stronger mages than you?" Locke questioned then. "Haven? That's what you're saying right? That you're some puny little woman who needed big strong men in her life?"

"No."

"That's literally what you just said-"

"I said I lose interest when I find out that I'm stronger than they are." She tossed up an electrified fist, making Xay jump back. "Which always eventually becomes apparent." As she dropped her arm though, she admitted softly, "But if he was stronger than me, then I guess, eventually, I'd come to resent that and eventually plot to steal his magic from him. If that wasn't my ultimate goal the entire time. It probably was. So-"

"I'm confused," the teen admitted with a frown.

"Yeah," Locke agreed, but it was with more of a sigh as he continued writing something down. Absently, he said, "She has that affect on other people."

Glaring up at the other guy, Haven ordered, "Get down here and say that to my face."

"Nope. I'm gonna stay right here. Above you."

And that couldn't stand.

"What do you even like about the girl? Xay?" Haven was turning then, to go climb up the loft ladder. "Huh?"

"W-Well…. She's really cute. And I her perfume. And the way that she says my name. And laughs. And when we were playing handball the other day, she was really, uh, jumping around and I guess-"

"Don't be gross about it." Up on the loft, Haven came to sit right beside her boyfriend, who made a face at this, but still allowed this. As she glanced over at his current draft of the letter though, she frowned. "And Locke, don't put that in the letter."

"Why not?"

"Because you didn't fucking win."

"Uh, I did, so-"

"I'll push you off this loft."

"Do you think I should stalk her? Haven?" Xavier was asking then. "Like Locke said?"

"I didn't say that!"

"Well," Haven said with a shrug, "it's how he got all of his girlfriends before me."

"You thought so too?" Locke dropped his pen as he let out a long, exasperated sigh. "I guess I was-"

"A creep." Haven patted his shoulder. "I just kept it from you 'cause I like you so much."

"You like me?" he questioned, raising his gaze, but this only got him slugged and it was just as well.

As the two fell more into making up than the problem at hand, Xavier found himself leaving them to it, exiting the barn to walk the property instead. People frittered about now and he liked to imagine they were the same people who did, not too long ago, when Astra wasn't who they looked to for leadership alone.

But maybe it was better. The change. He found himself missing those who'd been around before, but were gone now, less and less.

Still, he was thankful to find Shae around, sitting on the porch steps, having that same vacant look she'd had since lunch. As he sat beside her, he felt like he should make some sort of mention, an apology, maybe, towards her dashed hopes, but he found he frequently balked on these sorts of things. And, when she sighed, glancing over at him, he only smiled warmly.

"Shae," he asked as she stared, "how do you...you know, tell a girl that you like her?"

She smiled too then and it felt just as warm, maybe, but quickly she was shaking her head.

"You don't," she told him, perhaps ordered, as she looked back over the property. "We're gearing up to go to war with Bosco, Xay. Focus on that. Not girls. Trust me, they only get you in trouble."

He believed her. She was usually right about things, after all. But at the same time, though he nodded along, he wasn't so sure he intended on throwing in the towel just like that.

Richard would return that night, but any intrigue in that would be killed off by the appearance of another bright and early the next morning. Xay was busy leading the morning workout when, from the treeline, Luka appeared, alone and capless, but there all the same. And, just like the last time, she paid little mind to any of those gathered about and instead only bounded right up to the house where she entered with no request, no doubt going to seek out Astra.

And though he had to continue the workout, he could hardly contain his excitement. The appearance of the other woman surely meant another voyage.

Surely.

But he wasn't called to the meeting that evening. Astra finally emerged from the house only to request Shae get both Haven and Locke from where they'd gone off down to the creek together and bring them to the house; she and Luka wished to speak to the three of them.

"This is crap," Xavier complained to Richard, who he'd stalked over to when finding out he was banned from the meeting.

The older guy was very busy, having a conversation with some of his guild members he'd brought out to the base, who he claimed were going to help him look into building some more permanent structures, rather than the tents that dotted the land. But he turned from them, all the same, when the teen grumbled to him, his typical grin feeling just as wry as ever.

"Aye," he agreed with a nod. "The women conspirin' against us, eh? Locke too. That long hair of his. Women."

"That not what I meant!" As always, Xay turned on the older man rather easily. "And you know it! I should be in there."

"Is this dissent against Queen Astra?"

"Shut up, Richard."

"Captain Luka, huh?" He whistled then, the other man did, long and low. "They'll make ya walk the plank for that, kid. If I rat ya out. And you can just about count on it. I can't swim. Can't risk it for myself."

Xavier grumbled, but did relent to concept of waiting the others out. Which he did, in the grass, his trusted gun slung over his back, as he pouted.

Locke and Haven were a bit embarrassed, when Shae found them making out down by the creek, but she seemed less concerned with that as her eyes seemed more alight than the prior days when she informed them, "Luka's back. Meeting in the house. Just us."

And it was a bit of a race then, to get back then.

Locke felt a heaviness though, about being around Astra again. Or Luka, maybe, for that matter. The pair seemed rather aligned, from what he could tell, and Haven had an equally uneasy feeling from the latter woman. She'd told him as much. Luka had to, at least somewhat, have been on the idea of ditching Haven at the Ewings, and yes, they were all trying to move on from that now, but Locke always found it had to let things go. He could forgive, but the forgetting…

"I," Astra began the second they were in the house, standing around the table, "have procured entryway into the next manor. For all three of you."

She paused, long enough to gauge their reactions. Shae's, immediately, was one of joy, and Haven's mimicked it. Maybe. There wasn't nearly the same about of excitement now that she was reminded of the horrors of the Kingdom. But Locke's face was the hardest and, as he stared down Astra, he was the one to ask the first question.

"How?" he asked simply and Astra only sighed around her ever present smoke.

"For the two of them," she remarked, gesturing between Shae and Haven, "the only option is to be smuggled in as slaves. I know that you went through a lot, Haven, the last time, but-"

"I'm ready for it," she cut the older woman off, but there wasn't as much steel in her voice as usual now. It was far more resound. "Wouldn't be here if I wasn't."

Nodding, Astra looked to Shae as she said, "And you too? It's been awhile for you. Are you...going to be okay with that? Or-"

"Anything to get back over there. To speak to people." Shae's hand absently brushed the pocket she kept her wallet in, just the feel of it, knowing what it contained, comforting her. "Anything."

"What about me?" Locke asked with a frown

"You'll be different," Astra said. "The manor we're going to hit doesn't have any fields. Or use for male slaves. But he does frequently fall in and out of bodyguards and the like. I've gotten you a chance at being one of those. Then you'll be on the manor, getting insider information, while Shae and Haven rally the women. And you'll both be together. That's what you want, right?"

Haven glanced at Locke, who nodded, content it seemed, before agreeing, "Yeah. It is."

"Good." It was to Luka then, that Astra nodded, before saying, "She'll drop you in Bosco in the hands of some sellers in a group bound for the manor. I don't know them. And Luka only through connections. They aren't on our side. If something goes awry, Haven, I expect your...demon magic to help keep Shae, and any of the others that you're in the company of, safe. You have to get to that manor. Not another one. We're going to hit it in particular for a reason."

"What reason?" Shae asked with a frown.

"Tunnels," Luke answered then, speaking for the first time with a bright grin.

"Tunnels?" Haven question. "What-"

"How do I end up there?" Locke was more focused on that.

"That's the part you're not going to like," Astra said. "You have to leave. Immediately. For Bosco. Richard will accompany you there. Take you most of the way before returning. He and his guild did some work before, in Bosco, and he has some loose connections with some of the bodyguards. He's put in some good word about you and you're in. I want you gone tomorrow morning."

"What about Haven?" Locke asked with a frown. "When will she get there?"

Astra looked to Luka who only shook her head as she told him, "Won't be for another week or so, before I get get her and Shae to their drop point. Just enough time for you to get all cozy, huh?"

"I don't-"

"He'll do it." Haven wasn't giving Locke a chance to question much. "We both will."

But her boyfriend wasn't as receptive.

"What am I body guarding the guy from?" he complained. "And what's the manor like? If there's not fields, then… What is it? And what if Haven and Shae don't make it? How do I extradite myself? Just leave?"

"You're going as a Fiore resident," Astra informed him. "It's a job. You don't like the job? You leave. It's as simple as that. When shit hits the fan though-"

"We gave ya the easy shit, rook," Luka cut in. "You go down there, do what you're told, gain intell and trust of the top brass. Astra's afraid we might be in this one for the long haul. You stick around the manor as much as you can, make sure these two aren't roughed up too much, and be prepared to help them when the overthrowin' happens. A kid could do it. In fact, where's that kid anyway? Astraea? That hang around? Get him. Less questions."

"You don't know him that well," the other woman retorted to which Luka gave in with a nod.

It was true.

"Locke's backup, fine," Shae interceded, "but what do we do? Me and Haven? She said it was just luck that it all worked out for her the last time, right? So how are we going to get them to overthrow this guy? And which family is it? Is it on the coast?"

"In land," Astra answered.

"Then how are we going to get out of there?" Shae kept up.

But Lucke answered for her.

"You know how I'm getting you in?" she questioned, looking from Haven to Shae. "Because of the stream. The constant stream. You know it's actually outlawed? Right? Citizens of Bosco are not legally permitted to capture and pillage neighboring kingdoms or islands for slaves. There were wars fought over this, when slavery was, one by one, outlawed in said kingdoms and island. Yet, we do. Don't Astra? The wars were ended long before we were born and the poaching started some time after. Before we were born still, of course. It started slow. Slaver ships would leave Bosco and take unsuspecting people from their boats in certain areas. Some of the Kingdoms raised cane, but Bosco ignored them and threatened war, once more, and they backed off. It was just a few fishermen. Lost tourism boats. Here or there. Then...we hit the beaches. Of the islands. And who rallies for the islands? It's just the islanders. Then...we hatched plans, and schemes, getting bolder and bolder because some men like the women of Fiore, with their fair skin and hair. Some of the families prefer their works from Seven because they breed big, strong, men and women there who can clear boulders and rock easily.

"We just kept stealing them. People. From their homes. More and more. If we can get them across the water without the specific Kingdom they hail from taking note, then we're home free. A few mistakes, here or there, taking royals and such. Adjacent. But other than that… The other Kingdoms have become complacent. Perhaps conspirators. There's been raised questions of what the King of Bosco offers them, for their silence. Who knows? All I know, as trader, is that there's much money to be have in the slave trade...if you know the right people. And those people will never stop. For every body you brought back out of there, cargo, five more were returned in their favor. It ain't enough. Bringin' 'em out. You can't. Not all of 'em. Never."

"What are you saying?" Haven asked as it was mostly her, honestly, the woman was locking eyes with.

"You want to take over that country? You gotta stay in that country. Before a force in that country. You need a stronghold in that country." Smiling then, Luke said, "You take this manor down, we have access to a tunnel system that not many know about. Astra will be able to funnel in everyone from back here. Combined with those already in the property, why, it's almost like you'd have a small army. An untrained, small army that would easily be squashed by the Kingdom, of course. But-"

"Luka," Astra cut the woman off with a frown, "is getting head of herself. I find most of you do, here. Right now, Haven, Shae, all I want from you is to gauge the environment there. Get your info back to Locke and he'll be able to contact me. If we have to get you out of there, then we'll get you out of there. But it's my hope that after a few weeks, maybe a few months, the two of you can organized something similar to what Haven triggered within the Ewing manor. I had confidence in the success of that mission purely because I knew Ewing and his treatment of his slaves, as well as that of his wife and men. This place…I've never been. I don't know much about. But from what I do know… In regards to your treatment, Haven, by Ewing, here is… It's all..."

She looked away then, Astra did, plucking her cigarette from her mouth and blushing some. Luka looked away also and Haven felt she knew what she meant.

"Are they all this way?" Haven asked softly, feeling quite dumb for never considering it before. When she always had, as a child, she imagined the horrors of Bosco to be dealing solely with physicality, but as Astra shook her head, unable to answer, Luka found herself taking over once more.

"All the power in the world," she told the simply, "and complete dominion over someone else… They're all like this. Why wouldn't they be? They can have anything they want. You'd be surprised how many people you know and trust would do the same."

Shae snorted at this, but didn't disagree while Locke only frowned.

"What are you implying?" he asked. "I'm not...going to let them hurt Haven. If that's what you mean. Or Shae. Or anyone. If I'm around."

"Good." Astra looked back at him. "Then you'll do perfect."

There was a sarcasm in her tone and, as she dismissed him, it was with the instruction to pack lightly and prepare for the morning; he was going to be heading out at the crack of dawn.

Haven went with him to the loft where instead of packing, they just sat quietly for a few moments. They'd passed Xay, who'd tried to follow them on their way, but he'd been shoved to the side and ignored, the pair knowing they'd want to be alone for the night, not even planning on leaving the barn for dinner.

"Did someone… When you were in Bosco, last time, or the first time, Haven, did-"

"No," she answered Locke without forcing the full question out of him and the man seemed thankful for that, but not by much. "That's what they meant though. Luka's kind of right, I guess. It's just...a part of how things are there."

"Yeah, well," he remarked as they sat there, on their sleeping bags, looking one another in the eyes, "no one's fucking putting a hand on you while I'm around."

"I can look out for myself."

"Doesn't fucking matter. Shae either. And what the fuck? I'm just supposed to go over there and watch all of this go on and what? Huh? Say nothing? Do nothing? Fuck."

"Locke-"

"If someone's hurting a woman, hurting anyone, around me, I don't care who it is, I'll fucking-"

"You'll," Haven ordered, "do as your told."

"No. I'll-"

"Locke." And she was leaning over then, to grasp his jaw in her hand, glaring up into his red eyes, "You'll do as you're told. No matter what it is. Set your boundaries or whatever with them, if that works out, fine, but you're going in to work for this dude. You're not going to oversee him. You can't."

Locke turned his head away from her, frowning down at the woman as he insisted, "No one's going to be raping people around me, Haven. That's fucked."

"There's something called greater good, Locke. And I didn't say that there would. That is fucked." She turned then, to crawl across the small area to where his pack laid before dragging it over. "Now pack. Like Astra said. And finish writing the letter to your parents. And mine. Make sure that you tell them you may not be able to get back to them for a few, so they don't worry. And-"

"This isn't what I meant, you know," he cut her off, not even moving to take his sack. "About us sticking together. We might end up back together, fine, but she's separating us first. You don't find that a bit suspicious? And you're going to go on a slaver ship? No. Haven, I… I'm trying really hard at all this. You know I am. But-"

"Are you going to keep this for me?" She was moving then to take off her necklace. The man frowned, but she still forced it into his palm. "I won't be able to take it with me, into Bosco. Not the way I'm going. But you can, can't you, Locke?"

And she was chopping his name in that way that made his stomach knot, but it wasn't in a good way for once as he only nodded, being rewarded by the woman leaning up to press a kiss against his cheek.

"Things always work out, don't they?" she asked him.

"In Fairy Tail," he answered. "We're not in Fairy Tail anymore, Have."

"You're always in Fairy Tail." And she pushed a hand against his chest, where she imagined his heart lay beneath. "Always."

He nodded, but still swallowed heavily.

"You have stop being so nervous about this shit too," she insisted, her tone losing it's softer undertone. "Locke. You're not like this out on jobs. What's the big deal? Consider it a job. You go on ahead, get settled, and I'll catch up. What's there for you to be worried about? I won't let anything happen to you."

It was his turn to lose something as the woman managed to drag something else out of him, sitting up a bit taller as he griped at her, "Is that what you think? Haven? That you protect me?"

"I mean," she retorted with a bit of a shrug, "I was the one that won our fight earlier."

"The fuck you did."

"I did."

"No way."

"Yes. I pinned you. I-"

"If you won," he alleged, "then I let you win."

"I pummel you right now, Redfox," she retorted. "Try me."

This wasn't settled with wrestling, but rather some pressing of their foreheads against one another, roughly pushing against the other's skull before, eventually, mutually, in time with one another, they both relented, sitting back to stare away from the other.

"I protect you Locke," she finally told him. "Just like you protect me. Remember? We protect each other."

"I know," he agreed though, silently, he knew this was different. It felt very different.

"When we see one another again," she began then, her tone becoming playful, "you can't just jump my bones, you know. Like you usually do."

"Think I can go a few days without seeing you, thanks, Haven."

"Can you though?" She made a noise of doubt before remarking, "I mean it though. When we see one another again, out there in Bosco, you'll be the big, bad bodyguard and I'll be the poor silent."

"Yeah, well- The silent?"

Shrugged, Haven looked uncomfortable as she said, "I don't like...slave. It so...harsh. And it makes sense, because it's a harsh thing, but… It's just what I call them. Me. When I'm with them."

Locke sat there for a moment before holding his open palm out, to the woman. When she pressed her own against it, he remarked simply, "It'll be something to see then, I guess."

"What?"

He closed his fist around her hand as it curled. Grinning then, Locke said, "You being quiet."

She made a face at him before falling forwards some, just enough to brush her lips against his before pulling back to whisper, "You're gonna be fine, you know."

"I'm S-Class. Of course I'll be alright," he agreed with a nod. Shaking their clasped hands once before releasing them, he moved to finally dig into his bag and decide what was going with him. Softly though, he assured her, "And you will be too."

It felt strange. Reversed. Haven seeing him off. Richard and he would be crossing the board through standard means, which meant boarding a train and going to the physical crossing point. Part of Haven wanted to go with him, all the way there (she wouldn't have much to do for the next week anyways), but another part of her was fearful of Ewing somehow having people on the look out for her and, well…

For all the shit she gave Locke about needing to give her space, she knew that she needed to give the man his own as well. He was right. He was an S-Class wizard. All he had to do was show up somewhere and play along for a few days until she got there. He was a bit goofy and a tad bit too trusting for her taste, but overall, Locke was a really good person and a really great mage.

So she didn't worry about him.

But the loft was a lot colder and she surprised herself, each time she raised her hand to her neck, to find nothing resting there. She'd promised Locke that she'd mail the letters he'd written though and headed into town the first day he was gone to do so. Xavier tagged along and Haven ribbed him some, over that girl he was hoping to see, but when he found she wasn't around, the blonde laid off a bit.

"If you really like her," she offered simply, "you should go out and save Bosco. Like you want. Everyone's into a hero. You'll be so marketable then, you probably won't even have to settle just for her."

The boy grumbled at her, but did seem pleased with the idea.

Richard arrived back without Locke and Haven had never experienced it before. The waiting. The wondering.

Being left behind.

But she had something new to focus on and spent each day practicing out different transformations in the barn. She had to pick an easy one, not so different from herself, that she could hold for hours at a time, while still be unrecognizable. Xay helped her decide.

"What happens if your magic runs out?" he questioned once. "Then you'll loose the transformation, right? What if you're in front of someone? Even if they don't, like, recognize you as the person from the Ewing incident, you're still going to look awfully suspicious, aren't you? And you won't even have your magic to help protect you. What happens then?"

"I'm fucked, I guess," she said with a shrug as she walked around in her current transformation. She'd picked one of the other women from the new members, altering things just a bit to make it an easier transformation. "But I mean, Locke'll be around. And Shae."

"I should go," he said for not the first time. "With you. Like how Locke did. I bet I can find some sort of position and then, if anyone comes after you, bam! Right through the gut."

"Who even gave you a gun?" Haven questioned instead of, as they'd all done the past few days, crushing his dream of tagging along. "X?"

"Bam," he remarked, instead of answering, as he'd slung the weapon back around, to hold it in his hands. They didn't shake now, as they did when he was around real danger, and Haven was more fearful of him accidentally firing it while playing than anything else. "Right through the gut."

But Xavier wasn't allowed to go. He knew he wouldn't have been. But still, he sulked the day that Shae and Haven headed for the coast, pissed that he was, once more, being left behind. So far in the new regime, he was worthless.

"You and I got better things to worry about," Richard assured him, far more kind when the teen was clearly upset. As they stood together on the porch that early morning, watching the women disappear off the property, the burly man bumped elbows with the teen, forcing his gaze. Once he had it, Richard insisted, "You gotta train these people here, eh? Soon enough, we're going to be at war, kid."

But soon enough felt like centuries away and, for the time being, he was now stuck with patrol and the morning workouts.

Haven and Shae left alone, making the short trek about the same way the blonde had with Astra not too long ago. Only, instead of a comfortable silence, this one felt rather awkward. Shae was friendly with Locke and, through that, had spent more time with Haven in the past month, but that hardly made them friends.

Luka's ship awaited them on the dock, where it was being unloaded by her men. She watched this from her typical perch and, at the sight of Haven and Shae, welcomed them aboard.

"Cargo goes," she told them simply, "below deck."

Haven and Shae both could only nod though, between the two of them, there was still some hesitance about this.

Before they'd left that morning, Astra had come out of her room and run over the plan with them once more before placing the mark on their arm. The black tattoo now sealed their fate once more and though it meant little to those they passed, still in Fiore, the second they were forced out in Bosco…

Astra made Haven test out her transformation, to be sure it would hold. To be sure she had it down. Her new look, a dark haired woman with deep brown eyes, felt memorable enough without changing her facial structure much. She'd tested out, the day before, if she could hold it for the entirety, even in her sleep, and she found her magic held, with enough to spare should she need it.

That day on the boat though, as Shae and Haven settled in, she thought to conserve all she could of her magic, until they arrived. She had a sick feeling in her stomach though, residuals from her last journey, and she wasn't too shocked to see it mirrored in Shae's face.

Haven sat atop a crate while Shae stood around, clearly antsy. Eventually, Haven remarked, "You might as well sit. This took over a day, last time I was down here."

Shae hardly glanced at her, remarking simply, "I know how long it takes."

"Well… Did you want to talk? Or go over some sort of plan? I mean, I don't really know exactly what we're going into, but I did just leave the Ewing place and-"

"Can we just not talk? Please? For awhile?" Pacing about, Shae shook her head some. "I just...really need you to be quiet. Right now. Please. I don't like boats. Alright?"

She raised her eyebrows, the blonde did, but figured it was for the best. Silence awaited them. It was better to get started early.

When Luka came down for them hours later, it was with a plate of food...along with one of her men.

"Eat up," she offered, setting the plate down on one of the large crates. "Both of you. I don't know when you'll get another chance. And after..."

she trailed off, a slight grin as she nodded to the guy behind her.

Shae and Haven, who'd spent the past day or so awkwardly not speaking now had something of a bond as they exchanged concerned glances. Both imagined there'd only be more in the coming days and weeks.

Luka had her man bind them, with thick chains, and the sour feeling in Haven's stomach only grew, but she continued to push it back down. These were the kinds of things she was going to have to deal with, every single day, if she was going to do as she wished. Help those in need. Taking in deep breaths, she transformed finally, back into the woman she'd picked out. Though her electricity felt trapped within her and was by far her primary magic, it felt comforting to realize she was still able to transform. That the demon, while nestled now, could be awoken at any time.

She was safe. Where she was going. And Locke would be there. Doubly safe. But when she looked to Shae, who also seemed a bit nervous over this direction, she forced a grin.

"Locke and I are both mages, you know," she offered the other woman. "We'll look out for you."

"I can look out for myself," Shae assured her simply. "I escaped once and if I have to, I'll escape again."

"No one's escapin'," Luka remarked as, after locking their wrists into conjoined cuffs, her man took a step back. Grinning, the older woman insisted to the others, "The two of you are gonna drive out Harval from his property and I'm gonna get access to his tunnel system. From there..."

She laughed then, Luka did, but it was a short one and didn't seem quite meant for any of those listening.

"One of my guys up top will load you into a row boat," Luka explained then, take you into shore, trade you off into a group headed for Harval's place. From there… Do you know all the top families? In Bosco? Harval's a special breed. Take care of yourselves. And remember, cargo doesn't talk."

Staring into the eyes of the older woman, Haven let out one of those deep breaths, but said nothing.

It was finally time.

The rowboat was tiny, rickety, and full of splinters. Haven also wasn't so sure what would happen, should she and Shae, conjoined by their chains, fall into the water. Bound the way they were, there was no way for them to swim and they'd certainly sink straight to the bottom. Water had never been Haven's friend and she sat stock still, feeling each and every motion of the boat in a way that was hidden on the ship.

"Name's Frank," was the blunt remark of the man in the boat with them. He was a big guy with a thick neck and, as he spoke, a vein bulged. Even more so as he took a paddle in each hand and began to row them ashore. "No hard feelin's to either of ya. Cap says I take ya to the meetin' spot, get some cicles, and the two of you will take it from there. I've heard stories about Harval's place. You ladies don't' strike me as the type, but… You're sure you want me to drop you there?"

Haven glanced at Shae, but the other woman had her eyes closed, praying it seemed like, silently, as the tiny boat swayed heavily. Turning her own head, Haven only glared passed the man, who snorted in return.

"Suit yourself." He nodded then, down, and though it was a broad gesture, Haven knew he meant it towards their markings. "Prisoners here now, the both of you. Hope you accomplish what you come for."

Haven pulled her chains up then, to scratch at her nose and this movement, finally, forced Shae to look at her as the chains pulled her as well. It was still strange to her, to see the blonde as something different now, but some how more palatable then, when Haven smiled at her, a knowing one. She wasn't keyed in to how exactly Shae was connected to Bosco, but she knew enough to know she was int eh same place as her. With markings on both their arms, truly, they were joined together. And as the chains tugged again, when Shae raised her own hands and she smiled as well.

The look they shared was observed by the man who, continuing on row, only shook his head in doubt, but they knew. Eyes towards the looming rocky cliffs of Bosco ahead of them, they knew all they needed to.