Just an idea that I couldn't get out of my head, so I'm going to go ahead and write it down. Set in the early part of volume 8, so some spoilers ahead. Enjoy!
Joanna doesn't think much of it when she first spots the girl.
She's had a busy night, after all. When the evacuation to Atlas had been halted, and it became clear that no efforts were being made to restore Mantle's heating system, the Happy Huntresses had sprung into action, evacuating the citizens to the Crater where they'd be safest.
As much as she'd like to figure out what happened to Robyn, right now they don't have the time to worry about her. They simply don't have enough huntsmen and huntresses to evacuate the city and protect everyone as well as try to send someone to search for her. Robyn's a capable huntress, after all. They'll just have to trust her to look after herself.
The sun has just started to rise and Joanna is looking for stragglers when she stumbles across the girl in the alley. She's standing a few feet from a door that looks like it's been busted open from the inside, which is—odd, but not terribly concerning. It could have happened in all the panic last night. The girl herself is odd, too, standing barefoot in the snow without so much as a shiver. She's not wearing a jacket, either, just a pale gray shirt and matching pants that look like a set of hospital scrubs. With her gaze fixed on the sky, she doesn't even notice Joanna approaching.
Surely, she can't have been out here long. The cold of Solitas is infamous. No way an underdressed civilian without an activated aura would have survived more than a few hours out in the elements.
"You alive over there, kid?" she calls in lieu of a greeting.
The girl instinctively turns to face her, and Joanna gets a look at her face for the first time. She's thin, which isn't exactly uncommon for the residents of Mantle, and young, probably not more than sixteen at the oldest. Her hair is short, ending just above her shoulders, and dark, with hints of a lighter color at the ends. Pale gray eyes stare at her curiously.
Something about her seems oddly familiar, but Joanna can't quite put her finger on what. She forces herself not to think much of it. It's not like she can get a great look at her in this alleyway anyway, and she has been awake all night. Best not to read too much into random strangers right now.
At first, the girl doesn't say anything, clearly surprised. Then she smiles at Johanna. "Yes," she says quietly. "I'm okay."
"You want to get out of this cold?" Joanna suggests, shifting her weight from foot to foot impatiently.
The girl seems to think hard for a moment, going silent again before nodding. "That sounds nice."
"Follow me, then." Joanna gestures for the girl to walk with her, and the kid immediately falls into step behind her. She's got to be absolutely freezing, walking through the snow with no shoes, but the girl doesn't so much as flinch in response to the cold. Odd.
"It's beautiful," the girl murmurs.
When Joanna glances back at her, the kid is looking up at the sky again, eyes focused on the clouds far above their heads. "I suppose it is."
Weird kid.
They rejoin the group that Joanna has been evacuating, and she manages to track down some warmer clothes and a pair of shoes for the kid, who accepts the items gratefully, despite still not seeming to even notice the cold. Maybe she's in shock. Or she's just a weird kid. Whatever she is, she's safe now.
"You got a name, kid?"
"Huh?" the girl replies, looking confused at the question. "What do you mean?"
Joanna frowns. "Like, something people call you?"
"Oh!" The kid's puzzled expression clears. "My name is Seven."
"Seven, huh." An odd name for an odd kid. "Well, Seven, my name is Joanna Greenleaf. I'm one of the Happy Huntresses of Mantle, and I'm going to get you somewhere safe."
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