Her cast made and abnormally loud thump admits the bustle of the cafeteria. At least she wasn’t the only one looking like they’d lost a fight with a very angry bear, spotted amongst the people in the hall where a select few like her – their faces inspiring and almost instinctive want now to grab the nearest weapon. She huffed slightly knowing she’d have to get over that, they were all Hunter’s now and she was Mist, she could end up working with any of them. It’s why she’d bothered coming all the way out here to eat instead of holing up with her dorm kitchen.

…Still just because she planned to socialize didn’t mean she knew what to do once she got down here. Did she take an empty table? I mean…. that was kind of loner-ish and against the whole purpose of this but she really didn’t know anyone and they all appeared to have their groups worked out so she didn’t want to interrupt them and get on their bad side-

“Oi newbie! Quit fretting and park yourself here.”

Lee almost spilled her drink from how hard she jerked in surprise at the loud voice right near her. Looking round she spotted her caller and gave a small baffled smile, it was table full of fellow Mist and a few Moon Hunters if she was remembering her Divisions right. The large greying man who had given the call scooted over, patting the seat beside him. Hesitantly the twenty-four year old sat, a sudden feeling of overwhelming shyness seizing her.

“Yeash, no need to look like we’re going to eat you! We’re all on the same side now. I’m Hale, and this band of miscreants here are part of my team. Stick with us and you’ll be good kid.”

“Miscreants who are you callin-”

“Your team? Who died and made you boss!”

Lee smiled, heh, maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as she thought.

---

Lee’s vision faded in and out as she felt herself being dragged over rocky terrain, badly jostling her wounds.

“Dang it kid, you still with me? You gotta wake up and get moving.” Hale’s voice was hushed and held a hint panic that she rarely heard.

“T-thiink I’veee… broken… ugh, my a-ankle again.” Lee slurred in reply trying to get her body to respond to her.

The laugh she received in reply was verging on hysterical, “What’s that, the sixth time? We need to replace that thing.”

Lee’s head lolled to the side, unable to hold it up any longer, “J-Just leave meee. You ge-et the other’s and beat thiiing.”

“No way kid, we’ve gotta look after each other in this war. I aint ever leaving one of you behind, that’s a promise.”

“B-buut the job…” a snort from Hale was the last thing she heard before her vision finally gave out.

---

A let laid sprawled out in front of her, well-worn from reading. Next to it sat her phone, a simple text displayed upon its screen.

Hey Kid,

Hope the bed rest isn’t boring you too much; the others can’t wait for you to get back out here. Susan’s complaining that the boys are leaving her with too much work without you around to scare them into shape. The boys funnily enough deny any such thing and beg that you don’t do anything to them when you get back.

Oh! Right, Bianca’s just reminding me the point of this thing. I’m writing to tell you that thanks to you and that Death kid we should be able to bust this thing by the end of the week. I know you hoped to be here for it but we have to get moving on this.

I’ll send you another letter once it’s over, or if you hurry up on the healing you can get the update yourself!

-Hale

The twenty-seven year old let out a quiet sob.

We regret to inform you-

---

The Moon brothers had survived, too good at their jobs to die themselves. They had told when she asked for more and more dangerous missions, “Don’t you go chasing to meet the others yet Lee. You promise us you’ll live long enough to retire with us, ok?”

Her silence at that had received a hard glare. They were just as old as her, surely they got it. She wasn’t suicidal anyway, it’s just this was war and the job came first. So what if she now had a medical record long enough to have its own draw. She could still fight.

If she could just stop feeling so cold, she didn’t know why it was so cold-

“No.”

She wouldn’t be able to complete her job; she wouldn’t be able to keep her promise.

Everything was broken.

I'm Sorry.