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Mornings on Deus Ex were quiet. Hush, even. There was something about the way the mist crept over the island at night that acted like a sort of blanket, only to be slowly pulled away as the sun came up. The relative peacefulness of the night did not lull the Hunters, however. Every sentry was wide awake with a sharp eye as they patrolled the Deus Ex Island, every fiber of their being alert and ready for action. It wasn't unusual for hunters to begin waking up at around this time, nor was it unusual for others to be going to bed. Deus Ex operated on a 24/7 basis; there was no such thing as a "set" or "normal" schedule that went across the board.

What was odd, however, was the sudden text message.



The message itself was short and to the point. Further to that, it arrived at 6am. Before had plenty of time to fully wake up and get ready for the meeting. That in itself was odd, as the Deus Ex leaders all shared the common habit of sending out summons less than ten minutes before the appointed time.

Something was up.

Aria's office was located in the main Deus Ex building, and was little used. The room was sparse, save for a few relics that looked African in nature. Aria was seated at the desk, her gaze concentrated on the paper before her. She didn't look up when Before entered, doing nothing more but giving him a vague wave that could be interpreted as Yes I know you're there, give me a moment.

It took the Mist division leader approximately three minutes and twenty-four seconds to finally look up and stare at the male Mist trainee. A moment of silence passed, then stretched into a minute. Then two minutes.

Finally Aria stood up and came around the desk, circling Before. "So, you're Milton Bates, also known as Before." Aria stated, looking him up and down. "Formerly of the Life Division, transferred to Mist. So." She stopped and leaned against her desk, arm crossed against her chest. "What did you do to H to get dumped into the Misc's? Don't give me that look. I am fully aware of the view most divisions view the Mists. You had to have done something to get here."

A pause. She raised a gloved hand and made a shooing motion. "You know what? Nevermind. Knowing H, he probably did it because he thought it would be funny." The disgust was clear in her voice as she shook her head, looking more annoyed than angry.

"As I'm sure you've gathered, I'm Aria. I run the Mists. We're the smallest division on the island, however we lose more members to transfers out than to casualties. You know why?" She leaned forward, staring into Before's eyes. "They can't handle it. Being a Mist means more than wearing a coat. Being a Mist means learning everything and everything. You need to handle weapons just as well as a Sun hunter, be as stealthy as a Death, as defensive as a Moon, and as scientifically inclined as a Life. You're going to spend all of your waking time training and learning. Since you've transferred late, you have a lot of catching up to do."

She paused, her voice lowering. "And let me be honest with you. As a male, you are disadvantaged. The Mists are historically a mostly female division. You know why?" She didn't wait for him to answer. "Males can't handle it. Either it's too much, or they think they can do everything. They think they can handle it and know everything already. And before you know it, they're out on the field and get themselves killed with their over confidence. Teamwork is important. I highly doubt anyone else here on this rock of an island knows how much time and effort goes into learning and mastering everything except another Mist. I am already aware that you and another Mist have a... disagreement." That was putting it nicely. "If you can't tolerate one another, avoid each other. Neither of you want me to get involved. Are we at an understanding?"

Without waiting for an acknowledgment, Aria reached behind her and picked up the paper she had been writing earlier. She offered it to him. "This is just the start of your duties. Complete them, and maybe, just maybe you'll earn your place within the Mists. As far as I know, you'll be transferring out next week. I don't have time to waste training you if you will. Work hard and prove to me that you'll stay, and maybe your track record might start turning around. Got it? You're dismissed."