I dodged to the left as a shiny iron blade passed my left cheek, narrowly a permanently open jaw. I wasn't worried though, this is what I did.

"Damn it!" Mercy rook another step forward, thrusting her right, slightly longer dagger, while coving a slip. "Why. Can't. I. Hit. YOU!"

On her final thrust, I took ahold of her arm, pulling her forward and into the hot sand. She face planted, barely making time to cover her eyes.

Exceeding my expectations, she kicked her feet around, without looking, might I add. She nearly got me, but I managed to jump just in time to avoid her attack. I took a step back, giving both of us space to readjust ourselves. She stood, crouching in ready position.

"Shameful really," I innocently commented. "Even your forms off." I picked out small details that only a master, such as myself, would notice. "Your shoulders are too far back, your so low that your putting much too much pressure on you knees, and your footing. Igor puts you to shame."

Levi called out from the crowd, distracting me for a millisecond. "Who?"

"Doctor Frankenstein's assistant," Mercy filled in.

I looked back to her, noting that everything I'd pointed out had been gracefully corrected. I gave the kid a look of approval. Not only for her expert footing, but for her movie knowledge too.

"Who?" Bryce asked, stupid as always.

I stopped and gave the idiot an I-can't-believe-you-don't-know-this look. He glared at me, giving me the say-anything-and-you-die look.

"Obviously," I started, a snakes smile sliding across my lips, "he's a character from a blockbuster movie."

"Wasn't he in the book too?" Mercy asked, using the distraction to charge.

I brushed her by, hiding the struggle that I had maneuvering my left fingers the way I did. Bitch actually went for my left arm.

"I never got the chance to read it." I pushed her back, once again, turning her face into a sandcastle.

"So wait," Mila said, gripping her firmly to her chest, "both of you have seen this movie."

"I did, at least." We looked at each other.

"Oh, great,"Bryce commented, once again, "the twins have both seen illegal movies and now they even speak the same. Great, just what we need."

My hand 'accidentally' slipped, sending a light blade flying from my long, dark green sleeve.

"Whoops. My bad."

"Shadow," Theo warned.

I gave him my best doll eyes, "Me? What did I do?"

"You know what, now isn't it time we got moving?"

I looked up. At this point, we were about a mile away from the place. The sun was just barely falling below the edge of the world. We'd dropped our horses off a while back and started walking. If I had to guess, with Mila especially, I'd say it'll take us an hour to reach the rebel camp. Another half an hour if we tried to be stealthy.

"Nah, we have plenty of time. Now come on, Pooh Bear, let's get you used to that sword."

"Again? I just sparred half an hour ago. Make Mila go."

"Oh, come on Mister, I'm in charge here, spar me."

He glared at me, then stood up anyways. Taking the five or so pound claymore in one hand, he approached me, entering the ring we'd drawn in the sand.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that, Pooh Bear?" I gave him a snakes look as he glared at me.

He made the first move, as always. His right foot touched down as his right arm came back, making way for the massive sword. When the metal flashed on the last of the night's light, I acted. That sword is too mush of a bulldozer for me to handle. So, I did the logical thing, I stepped back.

The giants weapon collided with the ground, sending up a spew of sand and rocks. To defend my eyes, I brought my left hand up. When I'd moved my hand out of the way, Theo was another step closer. Too close.

Smiling at my own skill, I took a step forward. My face was a mere inch from his own when he reacted. His body naturally flinched away, turning the one inch space into four or so feet.

"You're still falling for that?" I taunted, tilting my head slightly to my left and showing off my pearly white teeth. What? Just because I was poor doesn't mean that I don't respect personal hygiene.

He clicked his tongue in disapproval , a habit of his that I'd noticed. It wasn't often, but he did that when he was irritated.

He charged again. Again, he stepped with his left foot. Again, he swung at my left. And, once again, I got close to him. When I was a foot away from him, I'd noticed the smile playing on his lips.

"I win," he announced to the others. Pride radiated through his before he made the finishing blow.

"Not quite, Teddy," I whispered back.

Before he had time to recognize his mistake, I'd already brushed away his oncoming left hand. By now, both of my hands were pressed firmly against his chest. Using all my strength, I pushed the gentle giant away. With a rib breaking yelp, he fell on his behind, kicking up dust storm.

He fell onto his back, making a little sand angel where he laid. "I just don't get it. How in the hells do you react that fast?"

"React?" I asked. "That wasn't reacting."

"Are you psychic?"Mila asked from the sidelines.

I shook my head, but couldn't help but chuckle at her joke. At least, I hope it's a joke.

"No, I'm not psychic, and no that's not reacting. That's knowing."

"What?" Theo whined from his now wider sand angel. "How'd you know I'd predict your movements?'

"Because your smart," I replied holding my hand out to him. "You think things through."

"So that entire attack plan was based off a guess?" He took my hand and allowed me to pull him up

"I told you, it wasn't a guess."

"So you are psychic," was Mila's conclusion. Yeah, I really hope this is one of those jokes someone thinks is funny for way too long.

"No, I'm just better than you."

"Yeah," Bryce said, tossing me back my dagger, a bit to hard, "that's how we managed to catch you."

"Yeah, you backstabbing little-"

Theo covered my mouth. "I don't even wanna know where that sentence's going."

"I don't know," Levi said, "I'm curious. Please, my beloved Shadow, finish that sentence."

Grinning under Theo's hand, I did the one thing that I could. I stuck out my tongue and licked his hand. Surprisingly calloused and rough, his hand tasted like salty sweat.

"Disgusting," I murmured to myself, spitting in the sand.

Theo was cradling his hand while cleaning it off with the bottom of his shirt. "I can't believe you did that."

"I'm amazed you weren't expecting it," Mercy said, watching us casually from a seat in the sand. In the moons new light, her blond hair and blue eyes were sparkling, glowing almost.

Twins might not have been that far off. Out of everyone here, Mercy and I looked the most alike. We had matching hair and eyes, though she was noticeably younger than me. If I had to guess, I'd say that she's about seventeen. We have the same features though hers are cleaner, her skin's not as rough and her eyes aren't as worn. We had the same face, round and pudgy. Our noses were both little Disney princes noses, perfectly rounded at the tip.

"Love?" Levi asked, snapping me from my trance. "Are you alright?"

"Uh...fine," I replied. "Mercy, can I ask you something?"

She looked at me not really caring, but waiting patiently. I gave the same face when I was tired. I took it as a go ahead.

"What's your last name?"

She stared at me, shocked for some reason or another. The atmosphere of our group wavered for a second. I could tell that I'd clearly caught the attention of the others, especially the unusually curious Theo.

"It's...Smith," she replied, looking me dead in the eyes.

Well, she wasn't really lying, but she'd left something out. I've been in enough black market trades with Ravi to catch a tell when I saw one. I could clearly see she wasn't lying, but by the shock, there was something more to it than that. I wouldn't badger her for information, not until she trusted me more.

"Alright," I stated, crossing my arms. "All of you get some sleep. I'll take first watch."

"Sleep?" Levi and Bryce echoed.

"Who're the creepy twins now," I said, glaring at wannabe pretty boy.

"Shadow," Theo interrupted. "You want us to sleep? Don't we have a rebel base to invade?"

"Patience, young padawan," I laughed. "Seeing as wee don't have any detailed schematics of the rebel base, and we have four whole days, I'll be sneaking in and taking my own."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yep."

"N-"

"I'm sorry, but who outranks who here?"

"Whom," Mercy cut in.

"Don't English teacher me! Now, back to my main argument, I outrank you. This is an order, Pooh Bear. As your commanding officer on this mission, I order you to stand down. Whether you like it or not, I'll be making my own schematics. Now, stand down."

"Where in the hells do you learn these things?" He asked, obeying his commanding officers orders. I feel compelled to add that there was a sigh and a head shake in that sentence.

Feeling rather proud of myself, I watched as they all laid down on a blankets that they'd each packed in their small bags. Sitting in the sand, I pulled out my canteen. Seeing as we were in a middle of no where desert, I'd returned to Orchid's rationing system for those without proper plumbing. Minimal water, no matter the circumstances. Ah, so homely.

Laying back, I had nothing better to do than to watch the stars in their homes in the sky. Home. God damnit, now I feel all home sick. Ironic, I normally felt more sick a home. And cue random drum sounds.

---

At what I guessed was three or so in the morning, I woke Levi for the next shift, figuring he'd have no complaints if I was the one who woke him.

"Morning Love."

Knowing I was right, I headed off into the desert, using the stars as a compass South. Something grabbed onto my sleeve, drawing my attention back to the red head. He wasn't smiling when he looked at me. A more solemn mood fell over him.

"Really though, be careful. I'll be the first to admit, we're all gonna worry when your gone. Some of it'll be deep down, Bryce even deeper, but it's there. Probably."

"I'll keep that in mind," I whispered as I marched off into the distance, leaving my bag behind, but keeping my water canteen with me.

---

I'll admit it, I was a bit stunned by what this little rebel group had done out here. They had a castle like structure completely under their control. Guards stood at the front drawbridge like door, standing straight at attention. My eyes drifted over the distant surface, finding paths between large rocks, cacti, and medium rocks.

Smiling merrily, I began my game of life-or-death hide-and-seek. However, I never died and I wasn't planning on it tonight.

I hugged my body against the rock, my dark green shirt and black pants camouflaging me in the dark night. Peeking out from the side of the rock, literally a bump on a rock to them, I watched, making sure that no one was looking my way. When it was clear, I dove for a cactus, careful of it's prickly thorns. I continued this process between a count of nine rocks and cacti in total.

I snuck to the side of the building, moving swiftly and silently. When I finally reached the side of the outer wall, I checked its height. If I had to guess, I'd say it's about ten feet high. The white stone had many foot holds and I easily scaled the side.

I waited, perched firmly on top of the ten foot wall, taking a mental note of the area. Buildings; ten, two large, six medium, two small. I wanted an better idea of what the buildings where. I took a step to the right, one foot in front of the other as I ran the foot wide wall.

First, the two large buildings. I'd work my way down from there.

The one I wanted to survey first would be the most complicated. It sat dead center in the middle of the area. It's time I flaunted my name. I took off, reaching a building that I could easily step on and from. Taking a small one foot leap, I jumped from my wall to the shingled roof. Fancy. My feet easily glided over the medium building as I then leapt to another.

As I neared the building's closer to the center, I heard voices. My body reacted naturally, silently dropping onto the roof and waiting for them to pass by. Not, however without catching some of their conversation.

"-and she's just as good in-"

And we're done with that.

I waited for them to pass, easily drowning out their disgusting teenage boy hormones talk.

When I felt safe, I stood again, jumping onto the next. I sized up the big building. It stood about seven feet higher than the medium buildings. I could easily reach the roof. Taking a running start, I jumped, grabbing onto the roof and using all my upper body strength to pull myself up.

Leaning over the edge of the first tall building, I peeked in one of the higher windows. What I saw nearly made me loose that balance.

A red sword crossed by a blue sword.

The sound of gunshots rang through my mind, just like they did many times after that night. Blood splattered the walls from her head. She was dead and so where they. So was everyone.

I was torn back to earth by the sound of more talking. Quickly pulling myself back onto the roof, I fell down. Not on purpose, my knees just felt weak, just like all of me.

I felt so weak.

Taking in a breath, I quickly surveyed the rest of the buildings.

One, I'd taken note of in particular. I this building, the girl named Rosey Carnez slept peacefully in a feather bed. A small building with a single desk and two windows, closed. I could've easily broken into them without a worry.

I was tempted to take her now, slit her throat and end it all. No one's in danger. But I needed her alive. Not for the government, not for the sake of anyone but myself and her. I needed this woman alive.

I turned back, falling back down the wall and taking my path out of the new guards sight.

By the time I could make out my little camp of trainees, the sun was already biting at the horizon.

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