Even by Black Glove Pirate standards, dinner was chaotic. Minerva's husband Pong helped Morgan sort through the ruined supplies and prepare some semblance of a meal, a large portion of which was seafood caught by Miserie, and remained in the galley afterwards to feed his 18-month-old in peace. Minerva, on the other hand, instantly connected with Lyn, chugging alcohol while telling larger-than-life stories. Cain had fashioned a crude wheelchair for Oya - Theo unenthusiastically agreeing to work on a more independent form of transportation in the future - and wheeled her wherever she wanted.

Having slept enough to recover some of his energy, Alexander chowed down while swapping tips with Nancy on covert operations. Gwyneth's initial surprise at how unfazed Miserie was by their macabre conversation swiftly vanished, glee taking over as Miserie earnestly replied regardless of how ghastly her statements were. Perang had refused to leave Damien's side, eating while carefully watching over him. Kurina sat apart from everyone else, rudely rebuffing anyone who tried to strike up a conversation with her.

Weariness set in earlier than usual due to everything they had gone through, and Cain soon announced that he had refashioned the cabins temporarily with the promise that he would work on them more tomorrow. Cassandra made it very clear that she and her crew would be in the aft cabins, the others would be in the forecabins, and Oya would join Damien in the sick bay so their doctor could keep an eye on them. Although Perang protested, he still left the sick bay in the end. Theo had to be physically carried away from TITANIDE, whining that HERA's self-healing was limited and how she needed to analyze its magnetorheological dampers and metal foam internal structure all the way to the bedroom.

"Is this the plan for the future layout of our quarters?" Morgan asked, looking over his surroundings.

"It's been the plan for a long time." Cassandra tipped backwards on the thick cushions in the center of the large room and bounced when she landed. "Dusky didn't have enough room. This ship is too small for Theo to service TITANIDE, so this makes a good trial period for our real next ship. If I recall, we had plans for additional rooms for me and Lyn, you, Aisha, and possibly Cain depending on how his watch duties disturb the rest of us."

Lyn snuggled up close, her head on Cassandra's chest. "Our room'd only be for me and Cee to have alone time. Otherwise, we'll be here."

"Miserie still has the bilge"-she rolled around to swath herself in sheets-"but she wants to sometimes be with her nakama."

"So really, the permanent residents of the main bedroom are Theo, Hothead, and me," Alexander said. "The rest of you are guests. I know his unofficial second bed is in the sick bay, but he's forced to be there, so it doesn't count."

"Didn't you want to be in the women's quarters?" Aisha asked.

Theo yawned widely and rubbed her eye. "Sure did. Then I spent three years being treated like a girl away from everybody I cared about. Something else is more important to me right now. Besides, I can always change my mind if I want since I still have some really bad days with gender dysphoria."

She yelped as Cassandra swept her feet out from underneath her and caught her before she hit the floor. "Good to see you remember condition seven. Anyway, I'll throw out some ground rules. If someone is asleep in here no matter what time of day it is, try to keep the volume low. You don't have to be completely silent, just respectful. If you have watch duties, don't sleep in the dead center of the room. Theo, you'll get a personal pantry like I promised. I would strongly prefer any food be kept on the side of the room closest to the door, but that's so Morgan doesn't have to do unnecessary work. People are still allowed to want privacy in here, like if you're upset but don't want to be completely alone. Feel free to chime in."

"Damien won't really be much of an issue," Cain stated. "He was barely ever in the men's quarters in the first place."

"Are you gonna have your desk in here?" Lyn asked Cassandra, embracing her from behind.

"No, that'll be set up somewhere else, probably a room connected to our personal one. I really want this to be a space for relaxation first and foremost, but again, this is mostly a test to see if the concept works for us. If it doesn't, we'll figure out what combination is the most comfortable, whether it be men's and women's quarters or some other arrangement."

Alexander smiled. "Welllll, while we called them the men's and women's quarters before Theo joined, it was really just your and Lyn's room and the rest of us had our own spaces. You just refused to see it that way."

"I am aware," Cassandra deadpanned as Lyn giggled and kissed just behind her ear. "So is everyone okay with trying out this arrangement?" Various noises of agreement. "This leads to the second issue: bathrooms. Who here is uncomfortable with the idea of sharing bathrooms, even a little? Not at the same time, to be clear, just accessing the same facilities. Ignore what you may have gotten used to in the past three years; this is about your comfort moving forward. Aisha?"

"I only ask that at least one of the bathrooms has a shower I can fit in and Cain can't. No offense, but your shower was too big for me to relax."

He nodded. "Of course. Would you want it to be exclusive?"

"I don't care who else uses it as long as you don't."

The corners of Cain's eyes crinkled. "Yes, ma'am."

Raven appeared on the wall nearby. "Damien's body temperature is rising, and it is still unclear how long it will take for him to recover. His separation from the spirits he channels is unprecedented. While Perang's statement that Damien has not slept since his imprisonment is likely an exaggeration, it is entirely possible that he has not had much meaningful rest in the past three years. Kurina confirmed Damien joined neither the Hybodonts nor the Lignites and was thus under constant attack from both sides.

"Oya claims she can See the Truth when her eyes are open, but she is completely blind to external stimuli. While her prehensile neck muscles are still strong, the rest of her muscles have deteriorated significantly. She retains a minimal amount of feeling throughout her body, but she was unable to move anything but her right index and middle fingers."

Cassandra pinched the bridge of her nose. "I know she can move more than that. For someone who wants to live, she sure seems to enjoy pissing me off. Is she like that with any of you? Who's talked to her?"

"I did!" Lyn rolled on top of Cassandra. "She's really stubborn about saying anything useful, knows way more than she should, and is sometimes intentionally and annoyingly hard to understand. A couple years ago, though, I met this total babe on Alamentia who did the same thing, so I'm used to-"

"As I was saying," Cassandra cut in as her crew nodded in agreement, "don't be surprised if she vanishes one day. Because I killed her. I'm being absolutely serious. The instant she stops cooperating with me, I am putting a bullet through her head. There will be no negotiation or second chances. I'm sorry in advance if we come to like her, and I will try not to do it in front of you, but nothing anybody says will change my mind on this. If that moment comes, do not get in my way or I will hurt you. Any of you. That's a promise."

Lyn hugged her tightly, and Alexander patted her leg. Grim understanding darkened Morgan, Cain, and Aisha's faces, while Miserie and Raven stared at her as if she had warned them she was going to cut her hair when it grew too long. Theo opened her mouth, but Lyn spoke first. "She knows everything - literally everything - important about all of us. Do you want the whole world to know our deepest, darkest secrets?"

"No," Theo admitted.

"Until that happens, though, she's going to be sticking around," Cassandra said. "She wants to join the crew, and I agreed on a probationary basis. If she doesn't prove herself useful on the next island, she's history." She didn't think about what she had said until Theo stifled a snigger. "One more thing about her: I do believe she can See the absolute Truth, but that doesn't mean she will always tell the absolute Truth. Lies can be devastating when the teller's proved they know hidden truths."

Alexander coughed. "As you know from personal experience."

She smacked him with a pillow. "We are not that similar."

"It is odd that she would ally herself with someone who very badly wants to kill her, yet continues to provoke them," Morgan added. "What do you think, Raven?"

Raven remained silent for an unusually long time. "That was a joke," she identified. "The Moon Sisters' repeated attempts to murder Cassandra differ from her current lack of intent to harm Oya until the aforementioned scenario occurs, which weakens the comparison. That difference is ignored for the purpose of the joke because Oya could not withstand even a single one of Cassandra's attacks, so a true parallel is impossible in the first place."

"Exactly," Cassandra said as her crew hid their amusement with varying degrees of success. "I, however, will be the mature one and not rise to her provocations. What do you think of the allies who have not shown an interest in joining the crew?"

Lyn shrugged. "Everyone's cool but Gwyn, but she's more your kind of friend than mine, so I can't really judge. Perang's weirdly intense when it comes to Damien. Did you know that fishmen can't swim if they eat a Devil Fruit? They just sink, but they can't drown!"

"Gwyn is smart!" Miserie piped up. "She is definitely not as smart as Theo when it comes to machines because nobody is as smart as Theo when it comes to machines, but she says she knows how to make small, dangerous devices and what chemicals make good weapons. She also has a mouth like Miserie's!"

"Having a chemist on hand is useful," Cassandra acknowledged. "I can't wait until Minerva takes her family somewhere else."

"Yeah, this isn't a safe place for kids." Theo almost made it through her sentence with a straight face.

Alexander ruffled her hair. "At least not one that can't use weapons of mass destruction."

"It is impossible for a 18-month-old to pilot a battlesuit." Raven stared at him contemplatively. "That was another humorous statement."

They continued conversing while they prepared for bed, and a comfortable silence settled on them as they drifted off to sleep. Lyn rolled over without complaint and latched onto Morgan when Cassandra got up. One whispered exchange later, Miserie unwrapped her cocoon enough for Cassandra to entangle herself in the sheets and settle back to back. For the first time in years, Cassandra closed her eyes with all of her nakama at her side.

Maybe at some point, even just for one day, all of her Sisters could be present too.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Cain scratched his head. "Let me make sure I've got this straight. You want a sword, an axe, and a pair of daggers?"

"Those are supposedly the best for some of my most optimized stat builds," Minnow said, his wings fluttering nervously. His family in tow, he had somewhat warily entered the galley with a binder under his shirt, his blond hair in a tight ponytail, and makeup that accentuated his features. After his anxious explanation regarding the occasional day his gender identity changed, he was openly relieved when the worst reaction he got was Kurina's indifference.

"How do you plan on carrying all that?"

Min reached over, and his arm up to his elbow disappeared. After a moment, he pulled back with a water bottle in his hand. "I have a personal inventory I can store things in. My character window says I can upgrade it with more slots, but I haven't figured out how."

"You do remember that I'm a short-tempered and hyperviolent pirate captain who doesn't like not understanding things, right?" Cassandra asked.

"It's like a set of storage lockers that can each hold one type of thing," Minnow quickly explained. "I have 24 slots on top of my equipment slots for my weapons, head, body, hands, legs, feet, and a couple that I have to unlock." He accepted the offered knife and waved it about before it vanished. "That was me moving it from my weapon slot straight to my inventory. Whatever isn't equipment has to be taken out manually like you just saw with the water."

"That explains why you want so many weapons," Cain said. "Give me a moment."

Cassandra leaned in. "So what do you have in there?"

"Three days worth of food, water, and clothes for all three of us, hygiene products in two slots, tampons and pads for me and anyone who needs them, basic first aid kit, basic fabric repair, basic toolbox, and a spot is reserved for Reese's blankie. That's 16 more or less permanently occupied. Money is stored separately. It's not always clear what can go into the same slot as something similar, and things that are too big can take up more than one slot. There's a bit of trial and error."

"Give him his weapons and spar with him." Cassandra paused as she got to her feet, looking at the other piece of paper. "Is that what Gwyn asked for?"

Cain gave her the crudely-drawn weapon design. "I've never seen scissors used in combat, even that large, but I won't put anything past her. She's…"

"Batshit nuts?" Minnow suggested.

"…Rather unorthodox," he finished.

Cassandra laughed. "She's great, isn't she? Everything I hate about Damien and way more malicious."

"Yeah, she's something else." Minnow shifted uncomfortably. "Captain, are you-"

"Your job and her job will not have anything to do with each other," Cassandra assured him. "I may be short-tempered and hyperviolent, but I like to think I'm also smart enough not to have the activities of two wildly incompatible debtors overlap unnecessarily when they're repaying me."

The wooden weapons Minnow received from Cain promptly vanished. "Have you decided how I'm going to pay you back?"

"The first thing you're doing when we hit land is figuring out where you want to live. You won't perform your best if you're constantly worried about your family. I don't have anything for Aisha to do, so she'll probably help out if you ask her to. Don't think that's me pretending to be mean while actually being nice. The only people who always have immediate orders when we hit land are Doc and Morgan. The rest are more on an as-needed basis. Cain, for example, will take it upon himself to forge weapons and armor for everyone who needs them, but not because I told him to. When I tell you to do something, I expect you to do it even if you're in the middle of family time."

A distant crash drew her attention. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be."

She ran to the galley, where Gywn was holding the front of Morgan's shirt. "So you don't think I'm pretty?"

"I never said that," Morgan replied. "You're-"

Cassandra grabbed Gywn's knife-bearing hand and hooked her arm around Gywn's neck. "Just what do you think you're doing?" she hissed.

"Forget-Me-Not! How's the captaining?"

"Surely you haven't forgotten that I can kill you at any time."

Gwyn twisted free, but just as she made as if to lunge at Cassandra, she straightened up and let the knife embed in the floor. "Lighten up; it was just a joke!"

"I know you want to survive, so enlighten me as to why you keep pushing your luck."

"There's no need to always be so serious!" Gwyn's gray tank top rode up as she stretched. "You need to play around some!"

"You can play around all you want when you're not confined to a ship filled with people I want to keep alive," Cassandra snapped. "For now."

"But I am pretty, right?"

"Yes, I-"

Gwyn darted forward, the stitches on her cheeks breaking as her smile split her face from ear to ear. "How about now?"

She turned as a fork bounced off her head. "Nope, that's cheating!" Lyn announced from where she had been watching the whole time. "Cee has a scar fetish, so-"

"I do not have a scar fetish," Cassandra interrupted as Gwyn turned back to her, eyes alight with curiosity. "Don't listen to her. She lives to annoy me."

"Oh, really?" Lyn said. "I could have sworn I keep having to forcefully stop you from kissing my scars when we're having sex."

Gwyn's grin seemed to somehow get wider. "That is not what happens," Cassandra insisted. "Morgan, help me out here."

Even with his back turned as he washed dishes, she could tell he was smiling. "It's true. I have never borne witness to her scars distracting you too much to have sex with her."

Cassandra pinched the bridge of her nose as Gwyn and Lyn burst out laughing. Lifting the knife from the floorboards with her foot, she caught it and flicked it behind her as she left the galley, Gwyn catching it in her teeth. As amused as Cassandra had been eavesdropping on the other argument taking place elsewhere on the ship, it had attracted another participant and seemed likely to escalate further. Ascending to the main deck, she kicked the forecastle cabin door open and leaned on the doorframe. "Having fun, everyone?"

"She got me sentenced to life in Eutopia!" Kurina snarled. "She said I'd never be able to reform enough to enter the Spheres!"

Cassandra's gaze slid over to Oya before swiftly remembering visual prompts were not going to work. "Anything to say, caged jurat?"

"The squeaking of a greased wheel will only cease forever when it has been removed."

"And what if Captain had not arrived?" Nancy asked. "Kurina would have remained there until her death."

Oya scoffed. "History will show the walls surrounding you now to be made of wood instead of glass."

"My life could have been so much better if I had been allowed to leave Eutopia!"

"As much as I hate to side with Oya, you aren't there now," Cassandra said. "How about you have a nice chat with Miserie about how hard your life in Eutopia was? I'll warn you now that she doesn't have great control over her emotions or her strength, but I'm sure your Fruit will prevent her from hurting you too much."

Kurina gnashed her spindly teeth. "So you expect me to act like nothing happened?"

"I assumed that was obvious. You are under my command for the time being, and while we're at sea, vendettas are put on hold. Argue all you want when we hit land."

She was looming over Cassandra in a heartbeat with her fists clenched. "I spent two decades watching people worse than me get freedom."

"Okay. Do you want a gold star?"

Kurina drew her fist back, but paused as Nancy held a needle against her neck. "That would be a most unwise decision."

"It's fine, Nancy," she said, waving him away. "Although he is right, that would be unwise. Only my crew get to attack me without repercussions."

Nancy frowned. "They do?"

"No, I'm lying for personal amusement. Don't forget that I own your ass for the foreseeable future, Kurina. You owe me for letting you come along. If you want to fight me or anyone aboard, if you don't like my rules and orders, if you want to leave, I completely understand. I'm not an unreasonable woman. You're free to go."

She glowered at Cassandra. "You'd really let me go?"

"Of course. The ocean's over there. Have fun walking to the next island." Kurina glanced through the porthole. "My help includes boards beneath your feet, a Pose to navigate by, and food in your stomach. If that sounds appealing to you, then shut up and ignore Oya. Got it?"

After a few heavy breaths, she shouldered past Cassandra and disappeared belowdecks. Nancy stared after her. "You'd really let her go?"

"I'm not going to fight to keep her under my thumb. I have better things to do."

"Eh eh eh. How free a mouse must feel when it is released from its cage onto the floor of an aviary."

Cassandra smiled broadly. "That's another matter entirely."

Nancy scratched his chin. "Ah. I see."

"I will honestly say, however, that I'd put up a bit of a fight for you. I can get muscle anywhere, but people willing to be loyal to me with your skills aren't hanging out on every street corner."

"It will take some time to integrate myself," Nancy said.

She swiped her hand dismissively. "So long as you're actually working to help me and don't disseminate any information about me or my crew, I'll wait as long as I nee-"

"All hands on deck!" Alexander shouted, his voice echoing through the HT snails. "I repeat, absolutely all hands on deck! Even you, Perang! Some people think we're all worth a pretty beli dead or alive!"

Everyone rushed to the poop deck, Nancy handling Oya's wheelchair. "'The Amaranth Blooms Once More'," Morgan read from the newly-delivered newspaper, everyone briefly checking Cassandra's impassive expression. "'Thought to have perished during Bol's Aftershock, a clash three years ago between Marines and pirates on the Sabaody Archipelago where justice prevailed, Cassandra Libera has made her presence known. After attacking a prisoner transfer ship, she has gathered her crew to again terrorize the seas.' Ha. Prisoner transfer ship indeed."

"We all got bounties," Alexander said as Cassandra snatched the paper to continue reading the article, "including you five. The pictures are only your entry mugshots, but that's to be expected."

Wanted

Dead or Alive

"Skeleton Key" Nancy Mandora

150,000,000 Beli

"It could be worse," he said, then noticed Cassandra's expression. "No offense, Captain."

Wanted

Dead or Alive

"Warleader" Perang

150,000,000 Beli

He smirked proudly. "Now that's what I call appropriate."

Wanted

Dead or Alive

Mitsu Kurina "the Fittest"

150,000,000 Beli

Kurina turned away, but not before everyone could see the tiny grin on her face.

Wanted

Dead or Alive

"Respec" Minerva Maximilian

50,000,000 Beli

"No, I said I wanted respect!" Minnow emphasized. "That's bullshit!"

Pong exhaled in relief. "I was wondering if I would get one too, but I guess they decided you dragged me along. Also, what have I said about swearing in front of Reese?"

He hung his head. "Sorry, dear."

Wanted

Dead or Alive

"All Smiles" Gwyneth Plaine

150,000,000 Beli

"They get me!" she shouted happily. "Everyone looks their best when they smile!"

"What about us?" Aisha asked. "What did we get?"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Hirini nearly dropped the plate he was washing when his mom let out a scream filled with more anguish and rage than he had ever heard. "THAT- THAT FUCKING LIAR! WHY DID I EVER THINK… FUCK!"

The house shook as she stormed out the front door and slammed it behind her. Reasoning that the dishes could wait a bit, he made to follow her out, only to stop when he saw the torn pieces of paper on the floor. What remained of the front page had a headline about a pirate, but the rest was scattered in too many pieces for him to easily read.

Footsteps thudded down the stairs and suddenly stopped. "What's the matter?" Dillan asked.

Hirini didn't look up from putting the paper back together. "No idea. She's never sounded so pissed. Something here must have triggered her. Help me figure out what."

His datemate knelt to assemble a different sheet of the newspaper. His shirt drooped off their slim shoulder, revealing fresh hickeys, but even that wasn't enough to distract Hirini. He needed to get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible, unwilling to be left out of the loop yet again.

"Hey, boo," Dillan said eventually, "is this who I think it is?"

Hirini shuffled over, and the world fell out from underneath him. Despite his mom having destroyed all pictures of his other parent nearly a decade ago, it was impossible for him to forget her face.

Wanted

Dead or Alive

"Misotheist" Aisha Rasul

24,000,000 Beli

"Ummi…" he whispered, trailing his fingers along the picture.

Dillan wrapped their arms around him and leaned in for a better look. "That's her?"

Hirini nodded, unable to keep the tears from his eyes.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Hotoke flung the limousine door open and took off before her chauffeur had set one foot on the street. His alarmed shouts chased her into the fast food restaurant, where she immediately located the booth containing her friends. It was always weird seeing So1o and SpWai without their respirators, even weirder seeing Gianna without her newest fuck doll hanging off of her, and weirdest of all seeing Abcde without booze in her hand.

Jabu scooted over so Hotoke could sit down. "Is Katie out yet?"

She shook her head and shooed her chauffeur away. "I'll tell her later. Isn't this fucking awesome!"

Everyone pulled out the bounty poster when she smoothed hers out on the table. Anou definitely looked older in the picture that looked like it was taken for an ID badge, although she was still adorable. The long hair on the left side of her head partially hid her artificial eye, but her utter disdain for the photographer was more than evident on the rest of her face.

Wanted

Alive Only

"Runaway" Theodora Alram-Mah IX

229,000,000 Beli

"Does everyone still have the message she sent a while back?" SpWai ducked Abcde's swipe. "What? We don't have to hide it anymore. What's she gonna do, get in even more trouble?"

"What about us?"

Gianna shrugged. "Receiving a video message isn't a crime, and it didn't have anything the feds would care about. I'd like to see them try to definitively prove Anou sent it."

"We can at least call her by her real name," Abcde said.

One of Gianna's perfectly sculpted eyebrows rose. "So you'll start doing that now?"

"I guess not." Abcde reached into her jacket, but came back empty. "Past me is a whore."

"No, past you listened to past me because past, present, and future me don't want you causing a scene for no reason," Hotoke reminded her. "Anousheh is one of her middle names anyway. You know what this means, right?"

They all mirrored her evil grin. "We gotta step up our game," Jabu asked. "We still on for tomorrow?"

"No, I spent millions because I'm afraid of big numbers in my bank account," Hotoke shot back, lightly shoving him with her shoulder. "Let's move to a better location. Gigi?"

Their eyes followed Gianna as she positioned herself in the cameras' nearest blind spot. "OMIGOD, THERE'S A BOMB IN HERE!"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Constance blearily opened her eyes when the hammering on her door didn't stop. As tempted as she was to drop her nightstand out of her window onto whoever was disturbing her on her day off, she grumbled under her breath and climbed out of bed. Throwing on a robe, she went downstairs and was pleasantly surprised to find her husband had already walked and fed their dog.

"I have a shell phone," she snapped when she opened the door. "What the fuck is it?" She snatched the bounty poster from Candy's hand and held it up at a distance she could read. Aside from a couple scars and a strange device around her neck, the picture looked like it could have been taken at the Mint State Casino.

Wanted

Dead or Alive

Miserie "the Siren"

369,000,000 Beli

She blinked a few times. "I'm sorry, what? Wasn't her past one like 3 million?"

"I know, right? That's insane!" Candy exclaimed. "What the hell did she do to get that kind of price on her head?"

Constance decided against mentioning how much their former boss had spent to buy Miserie in the first place. "Well, she is special. Always been impossible to ignore."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Lord Zematsal whistled merrily as he stared out from Belyy Massif. After several weeks of the less important seasons, the oncoming return of nearly a year of winter was more than welcome. Ice crunched beneath his shoes as he ambled along the mountain trail, and the chill seeping through his clothes livened him up immensely. How fortunate he was to rule such splendid territory.

The retired soldier and the guard at the top saluted crisply as he approached. "Greetings, your lordship."

He nodded at them. "How are your ears?" The pair looked at each other in confusion. "So you don't know. I thought Bertha would have asked you about it by now."

Their eyes widened, and a quick glance at their shell phones revealed several missed calls from the Alcides matriarch. "Please, my lord," Ymir pleaded, "tell us what happened this time. I'm sure you know what happened when we found out Cain was imprisoned."

"I may have heard a rumor or two," he jested, relenting when he saw the mortification on Donar Sr.'s face. "Their conniving captain got them out, and the government is not happy about it. Here."

Wanted

Dead or Alive

"Natural Thief" Morgan Zematsal

31,000,000 Beli

Wanted

Dead or Alive

Cain Alcides "The White Mountain"

30,000,000 Beli

"I'm so sorry, sir," Donar Sr. said instantly. "Cain should have-"

"Cain is doing exactly what he's supposed to be doing, just as he's always done," Zematsal assured him. "Morgan is still alive. More than that. Look at him. Even from a mugshot, you can tell he's completely different from the sheltered punk who ran away years ago. He needed to see what the outside world is really like."

"So you wanted him to run, sir?" Ymir asked.

Zematsal laughed. "Of course not, but it worked out, didn't it? Let him have his fun. I'm not stepping down anytime soon. Everyone seems to have forgotten that as spoiled as he was, he had a mind sharp enough to cut himself every so often. He'll come back when he's ready. He knows that he's a prince above all else."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Storm went through each bounty poster again to confirm his understanding of the situation. The article mentioned Cassandra Libera's crew consisted of ten people, including herself. There were sixteen bounty posters associated with her crew. While five of the people who were not on her crew got bounties merely for escaping, the sixth was listed as a direct accomplice. She was evidently a snakeneck, but she looked too dry and wizened to be alive and her grin showed no remaining teeth. Furthermore, it was evident she was completely blind.

Wanted

Dead or Alive

"Terminarch" Nawi Oya

225,000,000 Beli

There was, however, a confusing poster for one of Cassandra Libera's crew members. Its picture was a black blur in front of a white building.

Wanted

Dead or Alive

"Doctor"

10,000,000 Beli

While his older sister's use of the anatomical and physiological knowledge possessed by every member of their family for medical purposes was but one of the many reasons the traditionalists wanted her executed, her deviant lifestyle had prompted more and more of their family members to covertly experiment in taboo activities as well. From what little he understood of bets, Storm imagined he would make a great deal of money wagering that the number of people engaging in said activities was going to sharply increase.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Christie squeezed the desk so hard she wound up with two handfuls of splinters. "I FUCKING KNEW IT! I knew it! There was no way he died. How is he hotter every time I see him? I told you-"

She turned and belatedly noticed that the office had been hastily vacated. She didn't understand what the big deal was and why everyone thought she was crazy for believing her dream would come true. She had been just as brainwashed and deluded as her boyfriend and their best friend, and she was now one of the youngest rear admirals in the last decade. Given time, Hothead's power and Songbird's skills would definitely be fighting for justice. She had no doubt.

Wanted

Dead or Alive

Damien "The Untamed Inferno"

377,000,000 Beli

Wanted

Dead or Alive

"Renaissance Man" Alexander

90,000,000 Beli

She happily hugged the posters to her bare chest. Fuck everyone who thought she was weird for still calling Hothead her boyfriend. Nobody understood their bond. She more strongly knew that he would never date anybody other than her ever again than she knew water was wet. Songbird wasn't just one of her absolute best friends. She shared a spiritual connection with him that went deeper than anybody but Hothead could possibly understand. She couldn't wait until they were both back in her life.

She dug her fingers into her skin. And when they were back, she would make sure they could never leave again.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Sister Atiqua sat back in relief. The fact that Lyn hadn't earned a bounty meant she was still the rebellious but loving young woman that had escaped so long ago, even if she hadn't yet managed to escape that monstrously evil woman's clutches.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

"This cannot go on!"

"There's no covering for her any longer, Eirwyn! Something has to be done!"

"The World Government is surely reevaluating their relationship with us! How can you possibly justify that risk?"

"Order will only be restored once she is unable to sow any more chaos!"

Eirwyn idly flipped through the report in front of him as the Black Glove Council made their voices heard. While he encouraged the rumor that he knew everything important there was to know, there were some details that were just too specific to verify without going through some very difficult hoops. While he did not directly benefit from the heiresses' exchange of information, Helen occasionally came back with some tidbit he wouldn't have learned any other way.

"Pay attention, gods damn you!"

"Please, continue," he said without looking up. "I have been hanging on every word."

"Yet you continue to oppose us at every turn without offering a single explanation as to why you allow her to threaten our existence!"

"Although she derives no small satisfaction in verbally threatening your existence," he continued, "I assure you your existence is completely safe from her."

"You know that's not what we mean," came the retort. "We know she is your daughter, but she is no longer in our Family. She needs to be dealt with."

He reread a line of text. "If you truly believe that she has to be removed from the seas one way or another and act upon that belief, I am sure Helen will be most pleased."

"Do you really think she can hold all of us off indefinitely?"

"You misunderstand. As Crimson Glove, she has some input regarding who is most fitting for a council seat. She is eagerly anticipating her participation in these discussions."

"She is a Black Glove Assassin. Our laws apply to her. They do not apply to Cassandra."

"The laws do not apply to people who have left this organization," he agreed. "Only council members who are able to explain their opinions can decide how to deal with the aforesaid outsiders."

The subsequent confused silence while they tried to unpack his statements was broken when the doors slammed open. Their protests died in their mouths as Helen strode in without her battlesuit, and even Eirwyn was struck by the open contempt twisting her features into an unimaginably alluring grimace. Scorn pressed her lips into a thin line, and her voice sounded like it was coming from one of the council seats when she spoke. "I swear, you douchebags get more senile by the minute. If they want to fuck around so bad, let them find out."

"One of the duties of the Family head is to prolong the lives of all family members regardless of personal feelings," he reminded her.

She snorted. "That's for idiots too young to know better, not out-of-touch old scrotes who exhale more dust than air. You saw her bounty, right?"

His face was completely still when he slid the poster out from under the report. Unlike the rest of her crew - save for Lyn and Raven - Cassandra had no mugshot. She was glaring coldly at the photographer, and the gloved hand reaching for the lens was connected to her glossy black forearm.

Wanted

Dead or Alive

Cassandra Libera "The Insidious Amaranth"

960,000,000 Beli

"I bet she's pissed she didn't make it above a billion. Just wanted to make sure you saw it." Helen paused on her way out and sighed, rubbing the blood red glove on her right hand. "You know, this is the first time I've really gotten how Cass felt when you bastards were too busy forming a human ouroboros chain to understand what she was doing with the Moon Sisters. You're so lucky Dad's right and I promised Cass I'd be the best Black Glove ever, so my hint is: really think about how safe you are behind someone else's knife. Cass isn't the only one who left."