Hello again, it's been a while, about a year but it seems like the only time I am able to continue my writing is during the summer, and even then it's such a hassle.

Well onto the story, if there is some inconsistency, apologies ahead of time X/

The disappointment of losing is huge. - Jack Youngblood

Millie and Elly trudge on through the muddy wasteland, her own heart feeling painfully bittersweet. Onibi had decided to scamper ahead of them, given that they were in familiar territory and Onibi probably wanted to go home. If a home exist that is.

They didn't walk far before guards soon swarmed around them.

"In the name of the X-Laws and the Capitol, you two are a danger to our society for the involvement the HAO attack! Please come with us quietly and no harm will come-"

"Like I'll ever believe in those lies!" snapped Elly, as she felt a guard handcuff her. She struggled and started to curse.

"Elly," whispered Millie, "please...just stop," as the guard tugged Millie away.

Elly continued to fight before she was knocked down by the captain.

Hitting the ground, she spat out some mud and glared up before being dragged by her knees away.

Prison was as dank and miserable as Sally had described, so why should Millie be surprise at the condition they were in?

Millie looked up and plugged her ears to avert hearing Elly's screams as the guards torture her. They have been here for hours, and she hated it. She was too tried to even cry anymore.

Elly was finally thrown back with Millie.

"That will teach you to try to fight with us lady," sneered one soldier.

"Keep it up and we'll have to ruin your pretty little face too," laughed the other. The two soldiers then left laughing.

"Elly?" whispered Millie as she crawled to her friend. Elly was gasping but standing up.

"I'm fine Millie," she replied coldly.

"But your back is bleeding..."

"So, it's not like it hasn't happened before."

Silence fell between them, only the sound of tortured interrupting it.

"I wonder if Sharona and Sally are doing okay."

"Let's hope they are..." muttered Elly. "Millie...how many days have we been here?"

"I...don't know, I think only a couple days."

Elly chuckled and leaned back against the cold prison wall, "Millie...if I don't live-"

"Don't say that!" Millie snapped furiously, "I won't forgive you if you d-did...I already know."

The sudden sound of the prison door opening made both girls turn around, and look with aprehension at their visitor.

Standing in front of them was the captain of the X-Laws, Marco.

Millie and Elly both glared at the tall blond man, while Marco gave them a disdainful look.

"Come with me," he spoke, his voice cold and hard.

"Where is Sharona and Sally?" asked Millie bravely. Marco gave her a steely glare. "Come."

Elly and Millie decided that it was best to not further aggravate Marco so they stood up and followed him obedienty,

They passed by other miserable prisons, filled with people in pain and sadness, hands reaching out desparately as if their life depends on it.

"Sinful," muttered Marco with disgust.

Millie noticed that Elly was clenching her teeth at Marco's comment.

They traveled through a dimly lite corridor until them reached a room with wooden chairs, and a desk. there were a lot of people in the room. A middle aged man, sitting in the desk, a couple uniformed X-Laws, and to her surprise Lyserg.

If Lyserg knew Millie, he sure didn't show it. His face remained stoic like the rest.

"Sit," commanded Marco curtly.

Both girls sat down.

"We have the police chief of the capital Tobais Locke here before you. Your crimes are conspiracy against the Capital, treason, destruction of justice and peace, arson, (Millie flinched at that word, Tilda did rant them out after all) attacking soldiers, associating with HAO, and stealing."

Tobais gave a bitter sigh, "I must say the worst bunch of females yet. You two know the law for such crimes? Death or imprisonment forever-"

"Tobais," interrupted Marco. "You forgot about repentance."

Tobais looked slightly annoyed but nodded.

Millie only looked down, her whole body shaking, "I'm-I'm sorry-"

"Don't Millie," snapped Elly angrily. She glared at Tobais and Marco coldly, "It was all of my fault, don't place any blame on her. I forced her to do everything, she wasn't even there when the dam broke, but I was."

"Ahh, taking the blame I see," smiled Marco, he quickly pulled out his revolver and placed it against Millie's head.

The rest that followed was chaotic. Millie froze stillm while Elly was slammed by the other X-Laws as she attempted to attack Marco.

"You son of a bit-" the rest was cut off by Marco slapping her in the face.

"Elly!" cried Millie.

"Silence sinner," ordered Marco as he placed the gun on Millie's head again.

"Now, tell us the truth Elly, repent for this child's sins if you must."

Millie's eyes was begging Lyserg now, but Lyserg still remain stoic. Tobais on the other hand had a pained look, and was struggling to not let his own emotions show as the scene unfolded.

"No?" Well-"

"She's innocent," declared Lyserg as he stood up, his face still not showing any emotion. "She was never there at the time of the explosion, in fact she even tried to help me."

Marco lowered his gun and glanced dangerously at Lyserg, "Are you telling the truth, Lyserg?"

"Yes."

"What about this Elly?"

Millie tensed up, hoping he'll save Elly too.

"I don't think so."

Marco smirked. "Good, then take the little girl away away guards. I'll interrogated the guilty sinner myself."

"Elly!" she cried and struggled, the guards merely roughly hauled her off and continued to drag her through the corridors until she saw sunlight.

The tossed her right out of the prison entrance, she landed on the ground.

"Stay out, if you know what's good for you!"

Millie glared resentfully back and the cold men in white, before staggering up. She wanted to run back, but she knew it was unlikely she'll get far.

She was about to say something when she felt someone grabbed her hand.

She turned around to see Lilly in front of her, relief in her face.

"Lilly?"

"Come on Millie, let's get out." Lilly never looked so disarray in her life. Millie didn't even feel like arguing, so she let Lilly take her away. She couldn't help but glance back at the formible prison with pain, Elly was still in there and probably being tortured...but Millie felt so hopeless at her situation to really do something. She felt Lilly squeeze her hand, and notice that tears were pouring down her face as they walked away from the building, past the streets, and into the ruined Slums.

Life seems so horrible for her at the moment. She hated the X-Laws and HAO for ruining her life, their life. But most of all she hated herself for being so pathetic and weak.

They stayed at a miserable damp shelter with the other homeless Slum people. Millie sat silently while Lilly tended to her wounds.

"It's a good thing the guards didn't torture you...it could of been a lot worse," stated Lilly quietly as she bounded Millie's ankle.

"Lilly...what's going to happen to Elly?" Millie's voice sounded hollow.

Lilly paused. "I don't know."

"I-I don't think I can stand this anymore," she whispered, her voice bordering fear and a breakdown.

Lilly stared back at Millie. "We will make it through."

Millie sighed, and got up. "I'm going out. I need to look for Onibi." Lilly looked uncertain on whether to stop Millie, but concluded that Millie would be alright. She did made it in one piece after all.

She ran through the Slums, water sloshing as people ferry on makeshift boats, she climbed up on a side railing, and started to jump from roof to roof.

"ONIBI!" she cried out. Panting she continued to yell out into the Slums. Her voice echoing through the despair.

Lyserg sighed as he laid down on his bed, it had been a few weeks since the interrogation with the female thief group, but he still felt this odd sense of guilt. The job of a detective is to follow a case presented to him, and he done that, but working as detective feels unsatisfying to say the least. He was within the grasp fo Zeke at the dam incident only to let it slip.

"Zeke," he muttered to himself bitterly.

Marco of the X-Laws wants Lyserg to join so badly that it even chills Lyserg. But why? Did the X-Laws really offer him the potential of seeing Zeke dead. Zeke is a manipulative criminal boss, not some demon, but maybe perhaps the X-Laws are right...maybe Zeke is the embodiment of evil, after all wherever Zeke goes, death and destruction follows.

Lyserg sighed, he doesn't follow the X-Laws' philosophy but it is very appealing. And there is the Rebels, Lyserg frowned on them. They mean good, but without brute force and true disipline they are incapable of taking downt the HAO or offering reform towards the X-Laws.

"I just do know what to do now," he told himself in frustation. The thought of Millie oddly popped in his head. The raw guilt was still there after all the events, even though she was a criminal she view her group of female misfits as her family. Oddly Lyserg felt that he held some responsiblity for the breaking of her group.

Maybe it was the fact that she tried to aid him at the dam, maybe that was what vouched him to appeal in her defense during interrogation. Whatever the case it may be, hopefully she'll find some help and be safe.

Days went by to weeks, Millie felt part of herself was floating in oblivion as she started her day searching for her friends and Onibi.

She would get up and eat with Lilly and the rest of the Slum people only to comeback at night. Chaos was reigning through, people were being dragged out of their homes and shot by the X-Laws and HAO right and left. In a way neither side was safe. It's a miracle how the government is able to hide and ignore such blantant corruption and chaos.

Lilly considered joining the Rebels, the only side that seemed sane, but Millie felt distrustful of anything and anyone.

"Are you sure Lilly?"

"Yes, please Millie, some of us refugees are considering it, it seems sensible if we should seek help from Yoh and his Rebels."

"I don't care if the Rebels are helping with the disaster, or that they are launching attacks against HAO and the X-Laws...I just don't want to keep believing anymore...everyone is gone."

Lilly bit her lip, her eyes turning steely behind her glasses. "This is unlike you Millie. Very unlike you. Aren't you the one that's always having hope and a smile."

Millie stubbornly shook her head to deny it.

Lilly ignored her and continued, "I believe in you Millie, and I believe in the Rebels, please Millie don't lose hope."

Millie took in what Lilly said, her thoughts and guilt over what happen within the last month seemed to slightly fade in the back of her mind. She concluded that no matter what, she will find everyone, and rescue Elly.

Millie gave Lilly a small smile, which brought relief to Lilly's eyes.

The sudden knocking of the door and the frantic scrambling of refugees told them that something was wrong.

"In the name of the government, we are placing all of you under arrest for illegal camping!" came a booming voice behind the barred door.

"We would have housing if your government provided it!" yelled one bitter refugee.

"Silence!" barked the leader of the group of soldiers on the other side. "Showing any signs of hostility will require us to shoot! We'll give you 3 seconds to prepare yourself."

Millie felt her hand being tugged by Lilly.

"Millie," Lilly whispered, "it's time for you to go."

"What!"

The banging of the door was evident that the X-Laws would barge in and arrest everyone soon.

"I don't want to..."

"One."

"You must, you can fit through the small window...you're tiny enough."

"Two!"

"But I...don't know where to go..."

"Please Millie, go anywhere, anywhere from this wretched place."

"THREE!"

A horrible crunching sound can be heard, followed by screams of panicking people. Before Millie could react, Lilly grabbed her, open the tiny window, and tossed her out.

Millie cried out in shock as she hit the roof of the building, before tumbling down and landing in a pile of garbage.

She glanced back to the window, Lilly was peeking out before giving Millie a sad smile and disappearing back inside.

Millie didn't want to hear the sound of her fellow Slums and Lilly being taken away so she bolted. She ran while wiping the tears that fell from her face. She realize that she was alone.

Elly and Lilly are captured. Sharona and Sally are missing, and probably either jailed or dead. She never thought that the four girls that been in her life, that had always provided her security and friendship are gone within these few days...

She collapsed in the dark alley, trembling in the realization that she was alone, once part of the thief band known as the Lily 5, now nothing but just plain Millie.

She found a cardboard box, that seemed big enough to fit in, so she crawled in. Curling up, she prayed that this was simply all a bad dream and she'll wake up from it.

It didn't happen that way of course, but she woke up with something pleasant that made her day more hopeful.

"Yip!" barked Onibi, her fiery little fox.

"Onibi!" Millie cried out in surprise, rubbing her eyes she scrambled out and grabbed the fox, hugging it for her dear life. "Onibi! You scared me so much!"

She heard a light chuckle so she looked up from her embarrassing position, smiling in front of her was a young man.

He was a few years older than her, but he had kind eyes, though something about his features told her that he contained an unprecedented amount of spirit energy.

"Thank you for finding Onibi," she whispered softly.

The young man laughed again, and reached out a hand to help Millie up. She hesitated, but something was calm and assuring about the young man made her reach out.

"A little girl like you shouldn't be outside like this, do you have anywhere to go?" he asked.

She glared slightly, "I'm not a little girl, I'm almost thirteen! And why should I trust you, you're not one of those creeps or a X-Law are you?"

He chuckled. "No, I'm neither I guess, though some of my friends do call me creepy at times...anyways do you have a place to go?"

Millie bit her lip, maybe it was the fact that she hadn't spoken to anyone so nice in a while, or maybe it was the fact that Onibi had been brought back, or maybe she was just too overloaded to think clearly. Regardless, she shook her head to him, and started to cry.

The young man gave her a sad smile, and took her hand. "Don't worry little girl, I'll take you somewhere safe."

She sniffed and wiped her eyes, "I'm Millie by the way."

He smiled, "and my name is Yoh, leader of the Rebels."

She stiffen up, but allowed him to lead her through the maze of the ruined Slums. He lead her to a part that even she was unfamiliar with. She would usually never go with strangers but since Onibi trusts him, and the fact that she was more than capable of defending herself, she resolve that Yoh was safe. Besides unlike Marco's spirit energy, she senses no malice in Yoh's.

"You look familiar Yoh...aren't you the leader of the Rebels? And a friend of Ryu?"

Yoh nodded, "Seeing that you know Ryu, are you the Millie he likes to talk about?"

Millie turned red at Ryu's acknowledgment and nodded, "he probably says weird stuff about me, didn't he?"

"Nah, just that you really like you friends, and that you were a good person at heart."

Yoh said it so casually, that Millie gave him a funny look. "Seriously? Are you lying?"

Yoh gave a chuckle. "Honest."

Millie grinned, the first time in a while. Something about Yoh puts her at ease, she feels like she can put down her guard when she was around him.

"By the way, how did you find Onibi?"

Onibi perked at being called and yipped with enthusiasm. Yoh smiled, "ran into the poor little bugger a couple of days ago, I think Onibi was looking for you-"

"Yeah...I think you're right, that was when me and Elly got captured for interrogation..." she swallowed and became quiet again, the horrible memories flooding in.

Yoh nodded and continued, "Onibi started to follow me though...did you know Onibi is a fire fox?"

"Yes, but we have a past that goes beyond me just keeping an illegal magical creature Yoh. I view Onibi as my friend and companion."

Yoh said nothing else on the matter, and within a few more minutes they reached the headquarters of the Rebels.

Author's Rant: Okay, I know there are probably some grammar mistakes too, but it's alright. This summer has been pretty bad so far, actually really bad, I just feel so down that I'm spending my time moping and reading fanfics :/ So might as well try to be a little productive.