The sun had not yet risen in the sky when Mira awoke with the worst headache she'd ever had the misfortune of experiencing. Her mouth was dry and parched, and though she desperately buried her pounding head in the pillows to reclaim sleep, her thirst could not be ignored for long. She rose from her nest of blankets and pillows on shaky feet, fumbling in the dark to get to the small fountain of freshwater against the far wall. Cupping her hands, Mira drank deeply; the cool liquid soothed her throat and eased her into wakefulness. Moonlight streamed into the main chamber, but her room was dark due to the sheer hangings blocking much of the pale light.

Idly, she scratched her arm, grimacing at the gritty texture. That gold powder needed to come off pronto. She grabbed her clothes and peeked through the hangings; all was quiet in the main chamber. Mira stifled a gasp when she almost tripped over Braig's sleeping form outside the doorway. A few tense seconds passed, and she didn't move a muscle. He hadn't changed back into his regular attire, leaving his chest exposed. He shifted and rolled over. To her relief, no scars remained on his back from where he'd been flogged. She tiptoed down to the bathing pool in the center of the room, dropping off her clothes, then checked to see the state of Miguel and Tulio. If their loud snores were any indication, both were sound asleep. She breathed a sigh of relief. If she was quick enough, she could bathe undisturbed.

Stripping out of the jewelry and silks, Mira gasped sharply as she stepped into the water. Goosebumps erupted over her flesh, and she shivered. Never again would she take indoor plumbing and hot water for granted. Even so, the brisk water did its job and woke her up. Bits and pieces from the feast came back to her, but much her recollection was fuzzy. The food had been delicious, and she'd drunk quite a bit of a sweet fruity beverage – whatever that was, she needed to stay away from it. There had been music and dancing and so much energy that she'd been swept up in it all. But how had she gotten back? Mira furrowed her brow, massaging her temples as she tried to remember. She was getting bits and pieces of talking to Braig about something... But she couldn't recall for the life of her.

Mira set to work, furiously scrubbing the gold from her skin; taking a deep breath, she plunged below the surface. Being underwater reminded her of times she and her mother played in the ocean; there was something calming about the water's embrace, and she stayed under until her lungs burned. Surfacing, Mira gulped mouthfuls of fresh air.

A sharp intake of breath cut through the silence.

Mira slapped a hand over her chest and sunk lower in her bath, heart pounding. "Wh-who's there?"

"Shit, sorry Princess I didn't mean to – I didn't know it was you." Braig turned abruptly. He'd changed back into his clothes again. She must've woken him up after all.

Her cheeks burned in mortification. "I thought you were sleeping..."

"I was but..." he scratched the back of his head, "Nevermind. I'll just go-"

"Wait!" she blurted out. "I... there's something I need to ask you..."

"How about you get dressed first?" He shoved his hands in his pockets and moved toward the exit.

"Obviously," she muttered under her breath. Mira stood and reached for the silk fabric, cringing at how loudly the water splashed into the pool. Patting her skin dry, she wrapped the cloth around her and retrieved her clothes. Once dressed, she padded to where Braig stared out on the sleeping city. The buildings glinted under the light of the moon, but the effect was far softer than in the day.

Wordlessly, he led her outside, taking a seat on the top step, resting his arms on his knees. "What's on your mind?"

"Just wondering if..." she trailed off, gulping. "Did-did anything... interesting happen last night?"

"Interesting?" Braig let out a snort and bobbed his head. "You'd know – you were there, after all. Unless," he raised a brow, "you had a little too much to drink and can't remember?" The grin that followed was positively gleeful. "Totally understandable - if I imbibed that much alcohol, I'd have problems remembering things too. I never would've thought you were a lush-"

"I'm not!" she hissed. "I thought it was juice and it tasted good! I didn't mean to-"

He snickered, waving his hands in a placating fashion. "I know, I know. I probably should've cut you off earlier, so that's my bad."

Mira exhaled sharply through her nose. "You're not responsible for me. I'm an adult, you know. Just tell me if anything happened."

Braig huffed. "Miguel tried hitting on you a few times, but no biggie - I sent him packing. Aside from that, not much happened..." he glanced slyly at her out of the corner of his eye, "other than when you kissed me."

"I - what?"

"Yeah, it was cute." His lips quirked. Lips she'd kissed. "I never thought you'd have the nerve to accost me like that-"

Mira groaned and put her head in her hands. "You can stop, I get it."

"It was an honest mistake - I'm not mad or anything. If it makes you feel better, it was only a quick little kiss." He chuckled. "You really don't remember?"

"No," she mumbled. Whether that was a blessing or a curse remained uncertain.

He hummed. "That's a shame. But now that you're sober," Braig lifted her chin, bringing his face close to hers, "I could give you a kiss you'll never forget, if you want."

She gulped, letting out a shallow breath. "Wh-what are you talking about – that's not – I don't-"

Braig grinned and let her go. "Just kidding. You should see how red you are."

Her heart dropped. He was teasing her, like he always did. Except... Her lip trembled against her will. "You should see how much of an asshole you look like," she hissed.

"Ouch - no need for harsh words, Princess."

Mira scowled, grey eyes narrowing into slits. He raised his hands in surrender. "Alright fine – if you're set on being mad, then let's put all this pent-up frustration to good use and do some training. Wouldn't want to terrify the locals with an angry goddess."

She was going to refuse. It was better to be away from his presence to cool her head – at least for a little while. But the prospect of fighting him and regaining a shred of her self-respect was enticing. After she was done with him, he'd forget all about teasing her.

The clearing they found outside the city was perfect for training; it was just far enough that the guards likely wouldn't patrol there but close enough that they could return quickly without the use of a corridor. Trees surrounded them, casting long shadows on the forest floor as the sun rose. Unseen cicadas sang their songs loudly, providing the perfect cover for the sounds of their training.

Mira gripped her keyblade tightly, casting a quick reflega to block Braig's attack. He disappeared and she whipped around, dropping to the ground to dodge the kick he sent her way. His ability to bend space allowed his attacks to come from any direction – regardless of where he was. It was as frustrating as it was helpful, but her reaction time was already improving. With each round, she learned a little more about his fighting style. It was better to force him to engage directly, putting him at a disadvantage. It was when he got distance that she was in trouble. Like her master, he didn't wait for her to recover whenever he landed hits on her. Instead, he taunted her and kept her on her toes. Regardless of her ire with him, she appreciated that he took her seriously. Even better was that her keyblade had only disappeared on her once!

Mira dashed toward the sound of rustling fabric, deflecting another shot and swung her keyblade madly at the sharpshooter. The blow collided with his midsection, drawing a pained groan from his lips and sending him sprawling across the dirt floor, disturbing fallen leaves and other debris. Braig rolled onto his back, chest heaving. Mira leapt toward him, holding her keyblade at his neck.

"Alright-alright, you got me," he wheezed, grinning.

Mira didn't move. "Do you yield?"

He raised a brow. "I said you got me, didn't I?"

She scowled. "Oh I heard you, but I'm not falling for that again." She believed his words in the last round, and in a second, he had her flat on her behind, stealing her victory out from under her. The battle was not over until there was a clear victor.

Braig grinned slyly. "Good, you're learning, Princess. I yield, now can you help me up?"

Pulling back her keyblade, Mira gripped his wrist, preparing to hoist him up only for his leg to sweep under her feet and knock her back. The ground kissed Mira's elbow, drawing a wince from the girl, and she dropped her weapon. "Braig you dirty cheat-!"

Using his superior physical strength, Braig reversed their positions, caging her between his body and the unforgiving earth. Mira glowered up at him. "In a real battle," he murmured, "your enemy won't always fight fair. Anything is on the table."

Heart pounding, Mira clenched her fists, glaring into his golden eye. He'd pinned her legs, preventing her from kneeing him in the groin. One of her arms was squished beneath her, and he held the other in a vice above her head. With his entire weight bearing down on her, she had only one choice. Steeling herself, Mira slammed her forehead into his nose with a sickly crunch, and he cried out, his grip weakening. She was blinded with white-hot pain; spots danced in her eyes. Flooding her head with healing magic, Mira soothed the aching pain with a sigh. She wasted no more time, kicking him off and scrambling to her feet. With shaking hands, she encased him in a reflective bubble – something Aqua had done once to contain Terra. With no way out, he'd have to surrender for real.

Braig clamped a hand over his nose. "Damnit - what the fuck?!" His voice was nasally, edged with pain, and tears leaked from his eye. His gloves were soaked with sticky blood, and she grimaced at the macabre sight.

"Do you yield?" Mira yelled, panting. Simultaneously healing her head and holding him captive was too draining. If he didn't give up, she wouldn't be able to maintain her victory. "For real?"

"Yes! For fuck's sake!" Braig glared through the reflective barrier. Mira released the spell and sank to the ground, chest heaving. Braig joined her, pinching his nose to staunch his nosebleed. He let out a pained groan. "Guess that leaves us two for two. I'd congratulate you, Princess, but..."

"C'mere then," she grumbled, pulling magic into her hand. He leaned in, letting out a sigh as she healed him. Guilt flickered within her briefly. Perhaps she'd gone a little overboard...

When the damage was gone, Mira stared at the sharpshooter; his eye was still closed, and he'd leaned his head fully into her touch. She glanced at his lips. It would be so easy to-

Mira snatched her hand away as if burned.

"Princess? What's wrong-"

Her voice was clipped. "We should get going. There's supposed to be a 'reverent ceremony at dawn,' remember?" What had gotten into her?

Mira and Braig stepped out of a dark corridor into the temple, but it was empty; Miguel and Tulio had already gone. Mira poked her head outside the pyramid only to find a procession of people marching along a path out of the city proper.

A hand snaked around her waist. "Looks like we're late. We should hurry." Braig grinned, and darkness engulfed them. For a moment, they were alone in the dark, pressed close together. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears; could he hear it? Then she blinked, and they stood atop a stone pathway overlooking a maelstrom.

"My lady!" came Chief Tannabok's startled exclamation. "We searched but were unable to find you..."

Mira pulled her eyes from the whirlpool and stepped away from Braig. "I uh..." Nearby, a bedraggled Miguel and Tulio shuffled out of a grand palanquin; Chel sprinkled violet petals in their path, face twisted with unease. "I was... getting acquainted with the natural splendor around me." That is, if fighting and scrabbling in the dirt with Braig counted as such.

Tannabok looked her up and down, gaze sliding to Braig, and his eyes widened. He bowed low. "My apologies, my lady. We will not disturb your time with..." he glanced at Braig again, "nature."

Her cheeks flamed scarlet. "That's not-!"

"Thanks, chief."

Tannabok dipped his head and excused himself to stand beside Miguel and Tulio. Mira whirled on Braig, glowering fiercely. "What the hell was that? Now he thinks we're-"

"Sleeping together?" Braig raised his brows. "Yeah, I got that."

"And that's okay with you?!" she hissed.

He shrugged. "It works in our favor; now, no one will think twice if we disappear for a couple hours. Besides," he crossed his arms, looking her up and down, "it'd be more effort to convince him we're not - especially considering how delightfully red you are and how messy your hair is."

"I have half a mind to push you off this platform if you keep it up."

"Aww, don't be like that. You know you like me too much."

He smiled at her, and her heart skipped a beat. Mira ducked her head to hide her own smile. "You keep telling yourself that."

Braig laughed and opened his mouth to reply, but Tzekel-kan strode onto the platform with his hands raised high in the air. "Showtime, Princess." Braig feigned a reverent bow and backed away from her.

"This city has been granted a great blessing!" Mira winced at his volume, repressing the urge to cover her ears. "And what have we done to show our gratitude? A meager celebration?" Tzekel-kan snarled, shooting a poisonous glance at Chief Tannabok. "The gods deserve a proper tribute!" Servants marched forward, carrying an immense platter laden with a tied sack. "The beginning of a new era, the dawning of a new age..." Dark tendrils swirled around the bag when the servants placed it on the ground. "Demands... sacrifice!" The bag burned away, revealing a kneeling man bound at the wrists.

The crowd gasped in horrified amazement, Mira among them, and Tzekel-kan pulled the man up without touching him – as if on a string. He, too, was adept at using the power of darkness just like Cortes... What were the odds of running into two users of darkness in such a short time? Where was it all coming from? Brandishing a jagged sword, Tzekel-kan pushed the man closer to the steep drop and raised his weapon.

"No - stop!" she cried, summoning her keyblade and parrying the blow. The priest froze, staring down at her in confusion. Silence fell over the crowd. "This isn't... I mean-"

"This is not a proper tribute!" Tulio boomed, marching up to them. She let out a sigh. Miguel followed close behind, catching the would-be sacrifice.

"Y-you do not want the tribute?" Tzekel-kan breathed, aghast.

"N-no! We want tribute!" Miguel affirmed. "It's just that um... Tulio, tell him!"

If looks could kill, Miguel would've been the new sacrifice, but thankfully for all their sakes, Tulio was quick on the uptake. "The stars are not in position for this tribute!"

Both Tzekel-kan and Mira looked to the sky. "Like he says," Miguel wheezed, pulling the man, "the stars – can't do it. Not today." Mira breathed deeply through the nose, taking back her relief and gratitude. They couldn't have sounded less convincing if they tried – not that she had much room to talk. Floundering for words like a fool. Perhaps she and Braig should've added that to their bet – whether she would be the one to ruin their cover.

"Ah... perhaps it's possible I misread... the heavens," Tzekel-kan mumbled, bowing his head.

"My lords and lady!" Chief Tannabok called out. "May the people of El Dorado offer you our tribute!" He signaled to the serving women behind him, and they stepped forward bearing platters laden with golden treasure. The precious metal glinted in the sunlight, casting a warm glow around them. "Does this please you?" Mira raised her brows at the concentration of wealth on display. Dazed and awestruck by the riches. Miguel and Tulio only sighed, gazing at the gold with undisguised avarice.

The conmen collected themselves at last, pretending as if they hadn't been drooling over the gold. "Yeah, very nice. It'll do." What an inspiring abundance of gratitude for the generosity shown to them.

"The gods have chosen! To Xibalba?"

Xibalba? That sounded familiar... then it clicked – Chel had mentioned Xibalba the day before but hadn't gotten around to explaining what it was. Without a thought, Tulio and Miguel agreed heartily. The serving women lifted their platters in the air and tossed all their precious gold into the swirling waters below. Glinting chalices, jewelry, and so much more glimmered and shined as they plummeted into the maelstrom. In a way, it was beautiful. Mira moved closer to watch.

Within moments, Miguel, Tulio, and Chel joined her, shoulders hunched and forlorn. "Hey Chel," Miguel began, "um, what are they doing?"

"They're sending it to Xibalba: the spirit world," she snapped.

"Spirit world..." Tulio mumbled numbly.

The young woman snapped her fingers. "I'll take care of it." When Mira turned around, Chel was already in deep conversation with the chief. Nearby, Tzekel-kan glowered at the proceedings with open disdain. She bit her lip; they had denied his offering in favor of another of Tannabok's. They needed to do something to smooth over the slight. She found Braig standing further down the platform. Even from the distance, his frown was apparent. Had he realized as well?

"Stop!" Tannabok bellowed, and everyone froze. "They wish to bask! Take the tribute to the gods' temple!" Chel strutted up to them with a smirk.

Tulio looked her up at down. "Impressive." Mira offered a thumb's up, which the young woman returned.

Miguel and Tulio returned to the palanquin; Mira held back, however, despite Miguel's earnest invitation to join them. Chel followed the gold back to the temple, but not before passing by Braig and saying a few words Mira was too far away to hear, but the sharpshooter paid her little more than a brief glance. Still wearing a pensive frown, Braig moved against the crowd and stopped in front of the maelstrom.

"We need to do something about Tzekel-kan," Mira murmured low enough only for him to hear. "The two are in competition with each other, and we can't afford to alienate either of them."

Braig grunted. "Huh. How far down do you think that goes?"

Did he not hear her? "Who knows? I've never seen one of these in person. Anyway-"

"Do you think someone would survive if they fell in?"

She raised a brow. "Hard to say. Thinking of taking the plunge?" she asked drily. He didn't reply. "Braig, what is it?"

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he let out a sigh. "I don't think you realize how close you came to finding out, Princess."

Mira glanced at the maelstrom again. "What do you mean? When?"

"The whole 'stopping the sacrifice' thing? Ring any bells?"

"I don't think-"

"Exactly." Braig turned to her, gripping her hands. "You didn't think."

She bristled. "I don't know what you're getting at – I had to do something! He was gonna kill that man-"

"Yes," he punctuated his answer with a nod, "and that's bad. But do you realize how easy it would have been for that priest guy to throw you in? Especially using the power of darkness?"

"He thinks I'm a goddess or something – he wouldn't dare."

"Don't put too much faith in this fragile superstition. The second you do something wrong, they'll turn on you."

"I'm aware. But that risk shouldn't stop me from doing what I feel is right."

Braig scoffed, rolling his eyes. "That's relative. What's more important? That guy's life, or discovering why darkness has such a strong foothold in this world? Better yet," he pulled her closer, "is his life more important to you than your own?"

She ripped her hands from his grasp. "Oh shut up - you act like I'm completely helpless!"

"You act without considering that some risks aren't worth taking!"

Her breath hitched. "How can you be so callous? We're talking about a man's life! He's probably got family or people who care about him-"

"So do you!" he snapped, running a hand through his hair.

"Ah right, how could I forget that you're my master's little errand boy! I know you're only here to make sure I come back in one piece so you can get a 'job well done-'"

"Is that what you think?" His voice was low and quiet. "That I need you to get that keyblade?"

"Well, you have to want something! Because you sure meddle a lot for someone who goes around telling people not to stick their neck out for others. But in case it escaped your notice, I don't need you."

Braig took a deep breath, letting it out in a loud huff. "I've had enough of this. But a word of advice: try not to alienate your allies," he growled coldly. "You don't have a lot of them. Later." He bent the space around him and disappeared.

Mira stared at the spot he'd occupied before throwing her hands up in the air. If he wanted to go and sulk somewhere, then so be it.

How could someone so enticing infuriate him to this degree? To throw his concern for her well-being right back in his face, and insult his good intentions? He was only looking out for her – just as he had been since they'd arrived, and even before. Mira had a good head on her shoulders, but the fact remained that if she didn't reign in her impulsivity, they were going to have problems with the people on this world. She was empathetic and kind; but that was a luxury they couldn't always afford when treading close to the darkness. The more involved she became, the more she'd likely get hurt if things turned sour.