September 27th, x778

Tull was an 80 year-old carpenter for the island of Sevii. It wasn't a big island with less than a hundred people, but the beach was splendid, and the bridge connecting it to the mainland was one he'd built with his own two hands. It was old and wooden, with stone covering the pillars beneath the water to keep it from toppling to the elements, but it was a good bridge. It had lasted for decades at this point. That bridge was his pride and joy.

Sadly, he was too old to maintain it properly, his back was hunched and his muscles long worn out from decades of woodwork. So he did what other islanders suggested and made a job request. A simple plea to have some younger folk patch up the aging beams on the bridge. Two mage had shown up the day prior, a girl with white hair and a buoy with blue. They said they woud fix the bridge.

"Hey, stop! White-haired girl! Would you stop taking so many planks with you!? You'll tear another hole in the bridge! One at a time!"

Instead the girl broke three support beams and was now on her way to breaking a fourth. She was also on her way to giving him a heart attack, since nothing he said seemed to get her to stop. It just made her angrier, "Butt out, old man! I can handle it!"

She was on her way to giving him a heart attack.

"These damn youngins are going to break my bridge." Tull murmured as he watched with growing frustration as the girl, white haired and stronger than an ox, carried enough planks on her back for ten men. He would be lying if he said it wasn't impressive, but that wasn't the problem, it didn't change the fact that it was too heavy.

The bridge wasn't meant to hold that weight. Case in point, the girl's foot broke through the wood beneath her and punched a new hole in the bridge. It's creaking sound echoed in his ears along with the girl's reaction: "FUCK! Hold on! I got it!"

"No you don't!" Tull's shouted as he sat on the beach and watched the girl ignore his cry and pull her leg out of a new hole in the bridge. Tull watched in a new silence, hope filling his chest, because it looked like the girl was on her way to proving him wrong.

"Yes white haired girl! That's it! Keep doing that!"

The girl had shifted half the load from her shoulders to her left arm, and the other half to her right. She was balancing the weight as if she was carrying the world's heaviest groceries. It was impressive, but more importantly it was taking some of the weight off of the bridge. "Perfect!" Tull yelled excitedly for the first time today. "Now bring it back-"

Tull's words caught in his throat and his excitement came crashing down as he watched the girl throw half the planks back to shore. The snapping of wood echoing as the planks shattered under their own weight, followed by the girl's loud apology.

"Shit! Sorry! I'll fix it later!"

That was it. Tull was going to die early. He'd do it right now so at least there'd be some bridge left to carry his body back to the mainland.

"Can you please take her and leave," Tull asked the boy sitting next to him. The boy had blue hair, white clothes, and had come in yesterday with the white haired girl. Only difference was that he'd seemed to have gotten injured sometime between yesterday's attempt and this morning's one. Since his face was exhausted and his tone matched, "The brute said she refuses to leave until she fixes the bridge..."

Tull watched as the boy rubbed the back of his head, dusting off flakes of wood chips before glancing at the white haired girl with a tired expression.

"She also said she'd drown me if I tried to help." The boy said plainly, with a dull tone that made Tull unsure whether the threat were true or not. A part of him still thought the boy was trying to get out of work, but either way it didn't matter. Tull already decided that his bridge was more likely to survive with the boy in the mix than not.

"Tell me boy, can you swim?" Tull asked. The boy answered, "Yes."

"Then make sure she doesn't destroy my bridge!" Tull yelled as he watched the boy frown. The boy narrowing his eyes and murmuring, "I don't think that's a good idea... she said-"

"It doesn't matter what she said! My bridge isn't going to survive!" Tull yelled as he pointed at the girl who was about halfway down with fixing a single beam and halfway to destroying another one, "Go help! Don't come back till my bridge is safe!"

Tull watched as the boy glanced at him with a blank expression, before sighing and turning to the bridge. If Tull had to guess the boy was probably annoyed, but that wasn't his problem at the moment. Nor was the distasteful murmur that left the boy's lips.

"I don't think this is a good idea..."

The girl had already broken another plank while they were talking.

Mira was going to fix this stupid bridge if it was the last thing she did. Sure she broke a plank or two on the way, but in her defense she was having a tough time controlling her strength at the moment. She kept thinking back to the dickhead that woke her up in the middle of the night just to mock her. The anger was making it harder for her to focus.

"Stupid blunt asshole," Mira grumbled as she took out a hammer and nail from the pouch she tied to her waste. She wasn't good with requip magic yet, the old fashioned way would have to suffice. It also made her feel better since she'd be have quick access to the hammer in case her partner showed up.

"I'll show him... I'll finish this mission by myself."

Mira narrowed her eyes in concentration, she was sitting beneath the bridge by latching onto one of the frames built between the pillars sticking up out of the ocean. She was working on a supporting beam, moving the nail close enough to the wood that held together a support beam before slowly, tenderly, lowering her hammer. She might as well been trying to tap a baby's nose with how gentle she was being, everything had to be perfect with her strength.

Careful...

Mira gulped as she saw the hammer inch its way downwards. Her concentration shattered at the last moment as an annoyingly dull voice echoed above her, "Hey Brute, I-" only to halt because Mira's hand had flinched in response; her fingers followed, and before she knew it, the hammer smacked against the nail. Cracking the wood beneath it and punching a hole into the support beam, the force was so heavy that she heard the entire bridge creaking. Its weight shifted until it splintered and collapsed.

Goddammit.

Right on top of her.

Hours Later*

In a hotel in Nublar, the closest city to the island of Sevii, Siegrain sat on his bed with an exhausted face and sore ribs. His fingers were clasped beneath his chin as he heard the brute's snores from the bed across the room. He couldn't sleep, partly because of the snores and partly because his ribs still hurt from when she threw him through a wall the night before. Mostly because he was deep in thought.

I think... she's mad at me.

The fact that she had challenged him to an impromptu fight after the bridge collapsed and chased him like a debris-covered hell hound through the island was proof enough. It was the reason they were in Nublar. They had been banned for fighting throughout the island and scaring some of the residents. They were labeled as safety hazards.

This is bad...

They also got no pay from the mission since they collapsed the bridge, so money was tight. It was the reason they were splitting a room again. They might starve if they didn't have one successful mission soon, or worse, the guild master might find out. There were only so many missions they could mess up before the guild master had to get involved.

We need to have a good mission soon.

Siegrain shivered at the thought of the consequences if they didn't, specifically getting on the guild master's bad side before he collapsed back onto his bed with his hands to the ceiling. Threads stretched from his fingertips, and he played with them, twisting them and coiling them into various shapes that bent to his will. He was lost.

How do I get her to not be angry at me...

Siegrain was stumped because he had done what Vera suggested. He had asked the brute why she was bad at missions, and she threw him through the wall. Now, she was mad at him for reasons he still didn't fully understand. He'd only asked a question. He couldn't see why it backfired so heavily. Maybe it was the fact that he woke her up.

She must not be a morning person.

Siegrain noted that he shouldn't wake her up unless necessary, a rule tested immediately as he heard her snores pewter out into soft whimpers. Siegrain's gaze tilted to the side and witnessed the same frantic flickering beneath her eyelids as the night before. Except this time, he wasn't in a hurry to wake her from her slumber so he could analyze the phenomenon more thoroughly. He could see the slight fluttering from the night before growing into frantic jitters beneath her eyelids and the way her breath faltered occasionally.

So she has them too...

It didn't take long for him to piece together the details.

Nightmares.

Siegrain's gaze turned somber at the thought as he sat up, rubbing the back of his neck as he let his threads dissipate. He watched the brute squirm around in her sleep for a few moments, unsure of what to do because he had gotten lucky last night. He had probably woken her up at the beginning of her malicious dreams. Now, she was in the thick of it.

What should I do...

Siegrain wasn't sure. He had horrible dreams every night, but he'd grown numb enough to them that they rarely ever showed up in his sleeping expressions. Vera didn't dream often, so he rarely had them, which meant Siegrain didn't know what to do in this situation. He was lost.

What did Seven do...

So he went back to something he knew.

When I was scared.

Something familiar.

"Sorry," Siegrain murmured, his words softly echoing through the room as he stood up and walked over to the brute's side of the room. His footsteps were light, and he held an orb of light in his left hand to see clearly, but he was still nervous. He wasn't sure if this would work, and if it didn't, he was pretty sure she would try to drown him again, but the sight of her slumbering expression wrought with hellish dreams quieted his hesitation.

"This is the only way I know how to help," Siegrain mumbled as he gently moved the brute to the side so he had room to sit on the edge of the bed. Thankfully, she was a deep sleeper, so it wasn't a problem, and a few moments later, he sat on the edge of the bed with the brute's head next to his lap. His fingers carefully shifted through the strands of white hair as he layered them over each other, one after the other. His fingers moved carefully, precisely, never an inch too far as he watched her nightmares linger and decided to talk while his hands were busy.

"The world is really big..."

That was the most important part: talking. Seven had talked about everything and anything back in the lab, and they never failed to quiet his nerves or steal away his fears. She talked about the world and what it offered. She talked about trees, skies, and oceans.

"Sometimes, I still have a hard time believing it."

She talked to stave away his fledgling nightmares when he was a toddler and hadn't adapted to the lab. Back when the robes looked like ghosts, and the machine looked like death. Before he learned to numb his emotions and the pain along with them. She had talked.

"The sky is bigger than 49 tiles."

So he would talk as well.

"The ground is bigger than a few jumps across."

He talked about some of the things he'd noticed about the world.

"It gets cold sometimes, and other times it gets hot."

The world that was bigger than his imagination.

"It's incredible..."

He talked more than he was used to, and by the time he had recounted some of the tidbits he'd learned since the escape, he'd finished fiddling with the strands of white hair. Seven's trick had worked. The whimpers had stopped, and the brute's nightmares had faded. He took it as a sign to move his fingers from her hair before she woke. He'd try to figure out how to get her to stop being angry at him tomorrow, but for now, he hummed a last little note before getting up and going to his side of the room so he could sleep.

"I like this world a lot."

A snore was his only answer.

September 28th, x778

Mira woke up easier than she expected to. The light from a nearby window hit her eyes and blurred her vision as she slowly moved out of her waking dreams. It was strange; the nightmares usually didn't end until she woke up in a pool of sweat and tears, but she faintly recalled them shifting to something less painful. A dull reminiscence of when her mother used to do her hair as a child. It wasn't the peaceful nighttime rest she expected, but it was welcomed nonetheless.

Hah... take that shitty nightmare...

Mira halfheartedly chuckled, a sleepy yawn escaping her lips, before she sat up and noticed the window to her right. An hour or two after dawn was a perfect chance to get breakfast. Even the birds outside were chirping. The image was serene.

I should have enough jewels for some pancakes...

She was starting to think this was too good of a morning.

Wonder what the blue-haired bastard wants...

Mira scowled at the thought as yesterday's events caught up to her sleepy mind, and her mood instantly soured. She tilted her head to the left and noticed the blue-haired asshole who mocked her, then proceeded to drop a bridge on her, was still sleeping. Softly snoring as if she hadn't chased him around an island the day prior, trying and failing to beat him to a pulp.

Nevermind...

Mira didn't know what pissed her off more, the fact that the dickhead ruined her chance to fix the bridge and prove that she wasn't 'so bad at missions' or the fact that she couldn't even make him pay for it. Either way, she didn't want to talk to him; she just wanted food.

He doesn't deserve pancakes.

Mira huffed, scratching her head and jumping out of bed without a second thought. She learned quickly that she didn't have to be quiet whenever her partner was asleep; he slept like a dead log. That's why she went to the window and opened it casually, jumping out with a parting, "See ya, asshole," before making her way towards the street vendors. She immediately toured a cafe nearby, and her sleepiness was fully out of her system when she sat down and ordered her food. "Pancakes, please."

"How many?" the waitress asked. A young woman with bob-cut brown hair and a pleasant smile, her pleasant smile immediately fell once she heard Mira's order: "Two dozen."

"Uh... are you sure?"

"Yup. Oh, and a lot of syrup, thanks." Mira said with a sharp grin as she dropped some jewels in the lady's hands. Was it bad money management to order this much? Yes. Did she really need some good food after the shitty week she had, also yes. She figured she could splurge a bit, especially since the allowance Jose gave her and her family for food always came on the first of the month, so she wouldn't be without too many jewels for long.

I'll never get out of debt with just the allowance, though...

Mira frowned at the thought, the reminder that she still hadn't completed a mission without a deduction to her pay drowning her good mood. She didn't want to let it get to her because that wasn't what a badass would do, but it was difficult. She had wanted to get a mission done without fucking something up, and the bridge seemed like the best chance.

What am I doing wrong...

Then, she stopped paying attention for a few seconds on the first day and broke some support beams. On the second day, the blue-haired dickhead distracted her, and she ended up destroying a bridge. It felt like no matter what she did, things went wrong. She felt like shit.

The next one...

She wanted one mission. One mission without breaking something she wasn't supposed to.

I'll do the next one perfectly.

That's all.

Then I'll shove it in that blue-haired bastard's stupid face.

Mira gnashed her teeth, determined to make the next mission go well before she was brought out of her thoughts as the waitress finished counting her jewels. "Your order will be right out," the lady said, pocketing the jewels before giving a parting compliment: "By the way, I really like your hair. It's cute."

"Thanks," Mira smiled as she watched the lady smile before walking away to place her order. She didn't get many compliments, but when she did, it was usually about her hair. It was soft and white, just like her mom's. She liked it, although it got in her face most days more than she wanted it to. Today, it was behaving better than usual. It did feel a little tight, though.

Did I forget to...

Mira's thoughts stalled as she trailed her fingers through her hair and hit something she didn't expect. Her eyes widened as she moved her hair over her shoulder to see it. She was greeted with a French braid she hadn't noticed and didn't remember doing.

What the hell... did I do this?

Not that she was complaining.

No, there's no way.

The braid was beautifully done, layered, and tied off at the end with thread. Its quality was how she knew it wasn't her who did it; she usually had her hair loose and messy.

Who the hell braided my hair...

Mira raised an eyebrow as she scanned her hair for clues. Her mind stopped as she reached the thread and realized who had done it. She didn't really know how to feel about it; embarrassed was the first emotion that greeted her, but more than anything, she was confused.

Why did the blue-haired... why did he braid my hair?

Mira fiddled with her hair a bit longer. Her cheeks were flushed slightly before she heard an explosion at a jewelry store across the street. Her stupor ended as she saw a group, only seven or so in number, come out with half-filled bags of loot. It must have been a dark guild, and the man at the front with a long-sleeved tight black shirt was probably the leader. He was a tall man with lanky arms and a bird tattoo on his nose, cackled at the top of his lungs, "We're not done yet, boys! You know our motto!"

Mira didn't know if she was grateful for the interruption or annoyed, but she got out of her seat. She used her magic, only enough to turn her right arm demonic, which was the most she could comfortably control, and walked out of the cafe. The skin beneath her right eye cracked, her right ear became pointed, and one of her canines became a dagger-like fang that highlighted her feral smile. It sucked that she would have to wait to eat breakfast, but she didn't mind.

"Let's plunder till we're full!"

The food would taste better after a workout anyway.

Siegrain woke up quietly. His eyes blearily opened as he yawned and glanced around the room. It was empty, and the window was open. That's why he could hear the sound of battle echoing nearby. The sound was so unusual for a morning buzz but so common in his case that he almost fell back asleep.

The brute must've gone to get breakfast...

Siegrain sleepily closed his eyes and nearly went to sleep again before he flinched and remembered that they weren't exactly good on money. If the brute got into a brawl, he didn't mind it; that's what she usually did anyway, but it was the most likely way for them to be charged for damages.

Ugh... stupid brute.

Siegrain groaned as he got out of bed, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he jumped out the window and headed over to the sounds of violence. It didn't take long for him to locate it, outside a jewelry store and a small cafe, where onlookers were crowded around a mosh pit of flying fists and magic.

She's been busy.

Siegrain scaled to a nearby roof to better view the action. Head tilted as he noticed three men passed out on the ground nearby. Meanwhile, four others were trying and failing desperately to surround the brute and take her down.

Poor idiots...

Siegrain sighed as he sat on the roof's edge and watched the battle. He would've jumped in if the brute looked like she needed help, but these were nobodies. She could beat them in her sleep.

Wonder what they have for breakfast...

Siegrain idly pondered his next meal as he tilted his head towards the cafe. A groan brought his attention back to the battle, and he saw a new man lying out flat on the ground. The brute was already moving onto the next person. Her face contorted in a feral grin, and her eyes locked on a tall man with a bird tattoo on his nose. He didn't look strong.

I guess the braid's staying in place...

He was probably a guild master, though. Maybe that's why the brute's fist was trembling so badly. Every time she reared back a hit to try and knock the guy into next week, her fist would tremble slightly, and then her muscles would stiffen. It was a bad habit she probably needed to break.

Hope she finishes this before it gives out.

It gave her intentions away slightly. The tall man seemed to be able to read it, too, since he would continuously dodge out of the way with a feather-light footstep. It wouldn't work forever, but she made it longer by clenching her fist so hard. The frustration was giving away in her face.

Why is she doing that...

She looked... strange.

She doesn't have that problem when we spar.

Siegrain furrowed his brows. His eyes narrowed on the fight as he heard the two other goons try to run away. He didn't even move his gaze as he sent two lightning bolts to shock them unconscious. His eyes were glued to how the brute was fighting.

I don't get it...

The brute was getting closer, and her fist was still trembling. He didn't understand it, but there was an instance where he had a guess. Once he witnessed her throw a punch that the man slipped, he noticed it, the second the man was out of the way her fist stopped trembling. It made no sense.

Is she having trouble controlling her strength?

Siegrain didn't get it, but it happened every time. The fist trembled before the person but didn't when he dodged. For an instant, he thought that maybe she was saving her energy, but then the man dodged, and Mira blew another hole into the jeweler's store, so he knew that wasn't true.

Why though? When we spar, she doesn't...

Mira was trying to hit the man, and obviously, she had enough force to knock him out. It's just that every time she clenched her fist, it gave away her intentions. Her demonic arm would tremble, and the man would know to dodge. Her gaze would waver for an instant, so short she probably didn't even notice it, and the man would get out of the way. Her eyes were...

When we spar, she's never...

Her eyes weren't like they were during sparring.

She's never been able to hit me.

From the beginning to its fateful conclusion, Siegrain watched the battle like a hawk, and by the end, he figured out what she was doing. It dawned on him so clearly that he didn't even notice that he'd climbed off the roof and ignored the fallen thieves. He didn't notice the tall man soaring past him and burying himself into the wall behind him. He only noticed the frustration that flickered across the brute's face at breaking something else.

"There you are, blue-haired bastard," Mira said, the look flashing away in an instant as she played it off and glanced toward the two thieves she'd missed. They were twitching unconscious on the ground, "Thought I heard you. Thanks for the-"

"Hey, brute. I have a question." Siegrain interjected, stalling Mira's words in her throat. She responded with a frown, and a slight glare since she didn't like being interrupted, and a part of her was still irritated. The bridge being dropped on her was still fresh, and the new fuckup of breaking a jewelry store wall wasn't far behind. Still, that fight was the first time she hadn't had hair flying across her face, and it was because of the braid, so she ended up settling for crossing her arms and asking with only a little bit of sass.

"What? Make it quick. Pancakes are waiting."

She figured she could keep her annoyance at bay for a little bit. At least until she ate breakfast, but that was a mistake because what the blue-haired bastard said next ruined her morning. It made her blood run cold, her breath quicken, her face pale, and her stomach turned in knots. In an instant, she felt like the walls were closing in, and she needed some air. She needed to get away.

"Are you afraid..."

She felt like she was going to vomit. No, she was going to vomit.

"Of hitting people."

She chose to do it all over Siegrain's shoes.