Archive of Our Own

The story starts with a broken door.

More specifically, a screaming man was sent flying out of a club building, smashing through the door and slamming into the wall of the building opposite. Before he could regain his bearings, he was grabbed by the collar and yanked up by a young teenage girl wearing white trousers, a short jacket and nothing but bandages covering her chest, showing off the glowing pink tattoos all over her. The girl smiled widely, before looking through a book in her hand.

"Hm! Indeed, mine vengeance shall be carried out on this fine night! Consider thyself lucky, ye nefarious miscreant! I still have enough time to make thee pay before returning to PAR-TAY!" She turned back to the man with a smirk. "Now then... STEEL THYSELF!" And with that, the beating began. For the next ten minutes, the sickening sounds of bones breaking and fists impacting flesh were heard in the alley, finally stopping after the ten minute mark. The man was battered black and blue all over. "Stop! PLEASE no more, I didn't know you were from the Middle, I promise!"

"I care NOT! Thou hath clearly deigned to ignore mine disinterest in thine advances in favor of further harassment! To offend a member of the Middle is a prime example of the most nefarious of villainous acts!"

"P-Please let me go! I have a family!" He begged.

"Thou already have a family!? And yet thou darest to flirt with another woman instead of appreciating the love thou hath already possessed!?"

She began to brutally beat his face in again. "OH COME ON! I PAID MY PUNISHMENT ALREADY!"

"Thou hath possessed the sheer audacity to admit to my face that thine relationship with thine loving wife and children was as sacred to you as the dirt on mine shoe hath been to me. That is MORE than grounds for adding more of thy sins to mine Book of Vengeance!" And then she stomped down hard on his balls and grinded her foot into them for good measure. She smirked, pulling her Book of Vengeance out and opening it, pulling out a pen. "HM! Page 63, Row 7, shattering of testicles for preforming cheating of sexual offense in the presence of a Middle member and making them uncomfortable! Let thine punishment slowly kill thee as thou reflect upon thine choices." She turned around and walked back into the club, leaving the man to suffer in the dirty alleyway alone.

She smirked to herself. She hadn't felt this satisfied since she gave that pig-like idiot with the nametag that said 'Andrew Preece' the cement shoes treatment! Big Brother was most generous to aid too! Especially with the insult that pig pointed towards his luscious hair! Entering the club again, Don chuckled as she expertly weaved around multiple beautiful women attempting to hug her, blowing them a kiss and winking, making them swoon before returning to her drink at the table, just as a massive hand slapped her on the shoulder, Big Brother Ricardo praising her for such a swift revenge.

"Not half bad, sis, ya sure showed that chump what for!"

"Aaaah, to be praised by Big Brother so earnestly! Oh, beat still mine heart! It's an honor to earn such grand praise from you, Big Brother!" Don exclaimed with starry eyes, getting her hair ruffled as Ricardo chuckled.

"NAY! Such a lowly miscreant deserveth not thine attention, Big Brother! Prithee, stay thine hand and let us Little Siblings handle the small fry! Besides! Haves't thou not an important announcement to make?"

"Huh. Yeah, I guess you're right." Ricardo remembered. "Thanks for the reminder, sis!" He patted Don's head. "You wait here for Sinclair and Meursault, I'm gonna go and fix up my hair, gotta look good for the big presentation, right?" He messed up her hair, then walked away as Don dutifully stood by and waited, as instructed.

Moments later, a pat on her shoulder alerted her, and she turned to see her fellow Little Sibling, Sinclair. "Hey." He greeted casually as the gigantic form of the ever quiet and emotionless Meursault loomed behind him.

"Fie, Brother Sinclair, Brother Meursault! Such a joy to see thee back from thine no doubt marvellous adventures! Have thou spread righteous vengeance and therefore couldn't make it sooner?" Don was eagerly bouncing on her heels in anticipation of their answer, hoping for an intense story.

"Hm. Vengeance has been delivered according to the regulations of Title 33, Section 25, to a total of 359 people in the Backstreets, 4 families in the Eastern Districst, 22-"

Don proceeded to gradually slump and lose her enthusiasm as Meursault bored her excitement to death with his usual thorough analysis, before eventually collapsing to the floor face down and butt up, smoke rising from her head.

Sinclair snickered as he took a seat, crossing his legs. "Slow down with the analytical talk, bro, you're gonna fry her poor little mind."

Meursault nodded. "I apologize. I'll be sure to keep thorough explanation to criticising others' cooking." He then narrowed his eyes over at the kitchen. "I'll have to check on them soon..."

"Yeah, no kidding. Seriously, I am NOT in the mood for another lethal dinner after what happened last week." Sinclair agreed, looking down on Don Quixote still on the floor. The blonde slowly rose up, shyly twiddling her fingers.

"F-fie...what reason dost thou have to give me such a gaze, Brother Sinclair?"

"You're the one who put chocolate and oranges into what was supposed to be a seafood broth, Don." He rolled his eyes. "And the week before that, you put grease in PUDDING."

"B-b-b-bu-but I hath found mineself in severe lack of milk! A-and both contain fat, so naturally they must be the same, no?!"

Meursault, true to his nature as a FRENCHMAN, proceeded to rapid fire a word salad consisting of over 100 reasons as to why that assumption was wrong in every sense of the word, causing Don to collapse yet again while Sinclair laughed his lungs out. "NEVER a dull moment with you guys around, I tell ya!" He clapped a hand against Meursault's shoulder, then knelt down to pat Don's head. He rose back to his feet. "So, where's big bro at?"

Don's enthusiasm immediately recovered at those words as she eagerly popped back up. "He's departed to prepare for an important announcement that all must hear!"

"Did someone steal his hair coupons again?" Meursault asked. Don huffed and lightly slapped at his shoulder to chastise him.

"Still thy tongue! Big Brother's careful maintenance of the most supreme lusciousness of his hairdo is a highly important matter. There's a reason why stealing coupons is worthy of total extermination within the Book!"

"I hear that." Sinclair agreed with his fellow little brother. "I'm not gonna diminish the importance of it to Big Bro, I'll punish anyone that steals the... But I'm a bit sore about having to chase guys through three Nests and into the Great Lake for HAIR COUPONS." He heaved out a sigh. "Thought I'd never be dry again..."

"Aye...that I must agree with...but, it was for Big Brother, and as such, it was for a good purpose. And we'd do it again, for we are all family...ah, it is starting!"

All three turned their attention to the stage as Ricardo rang a glass with a spoon to catch everyone's attention.

Ricardo cleared his throat. "Attention, everyone, attention! Hey, whoever's recording this, make sure you zoom in, get a good shot of my hair, capture the absolute embodiment of lusciousness! Oh... Hold on..." He checked his sunglasses and cringed at how dirty they were before tossing them away and pulling out a brand new pair, putting them on with a smirk. Most of the room stared at him awkwardly, hoping he wouldn't spend the next hour prettying himself up again. He patted himself off, adjusted his jacket, looked at a nearby camera and flexed a little, flashing a grin, with his shiny white teeth glistening in the light, before he ceased his diva behaviour. "Hello to all my sweet, hard working little brothers and sisters!" He said with all the doting kindness and affection of an older brother.

Don let out a soft squee and clapped her hands together as he continued. "Throughout my time here, I've really come to value each and every one of you, and I really do appreciate all the hard work you've done. Serving righteous vengeance on those who have unjustly wronged the Middle and proving the bond that keeps us all together... And so, I figured all that time working your asses off to keep the family safe nets you a reward!"

He grinned and raised a finger up. "We're going on vacation!" A moment of silence... And the whole room burst into applause. Ricardo waved his hands to get the cheers and claps of his siblings to grow louder, with Don in particular being so excited she was blurring while vibrating in place. Sinclair was actively backing away a little with an unnerved expression. Meursault was completely unaffected as always, clapping with a flat face that made him seem like he couldn't care less.

He patted his microphone once again. "All right now, quiet down, everyone. Now, I'm sure you're wondering, just where exactly are we going? The Great Lake?" The crowd erupted into boos, and he chuckled. "Of course, I know you're tired of seawater! N Corp, perhaps?" The brothers and sisters looked amongst themselves, cringing at the thought of being around those ableist Nagel Und Hammer lunatics. "NO!" Ricard exclaimed. "I have arranged a special trip! A trip to a place no one in the Middle has ever stepped before! A fresh place, filled with music, art, knowledge!" He reached into his coat... and pulled out a small ball of what seemed to be green goo and herbs mashed together. Everyone looked at him, wondering where he was going with this.

"Does anyone recognize what I'm holding here?" Ricardo asked. Some of the newer members murmured amongst themselves, uncertain what was so special about a tiny lump of goo and grass. Sinclair, however, raised an eyebrow.

"Where'd he get his hands on a Bolus? Those are only found in... Hongyuan... Wait..."

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH! FIE, COULD THIS BE TRUE!? ART WE TRULY ABOUT TO WITNESS THE BEAUTY OF HONGYUAN!? THE MAGNIFICENT LAND OF IMMORTALITY AND FAN DANCING AND ART AND FAN DANCING AND FOOD AND FAN DANCING AND-" Meursault gently clapped a hand over her mouth to quiet her so that Ricardo could finish his speech.

Ricardo laughed, appreciating the enthusiasm. "Yes, indeed we're heading off to vacation in the one, the only, HONGYUAN! Within the next of H Corp! The place where immortality is real, where beautiful pink flowers bloom on the trees every year and rains of pink petals drift in the wind, where the air is fresh and clean, free of charge, where the skies are blue every single day!" He looked at the excited, trembling Don Quixote and sighed with a smile. "And of course the beautiful women fan dancing."

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Don squealed, and the entire club descended into cheers. Ricardo waved them all to be quiet, before lifting his book.

"Now don't forget, vacation doesn't mean slacking off. Whoever wrongs the family over there is getting punished for it. Just because we're taking a break doesn't mean we're gonna drop any and all vengeance." He smirked. "No matter where we are, you mess with the bull, you get the horns!"

"FORSOOTH! NOT ONE FOOLISH MISCREANT SHALL BE LEFT TO WANDER FREE FOR HARMING THE MIDDLE! WE HATH SWORN UPON IT, AND THUSLY WE SHALL-FGMGHMMM!"

Sinclair rolled his eyes with a smile. "Alright, we get it Don. Calm yourself." He gently patted her shoulder with a light chuckle. "When will we be headed out, anyway?"

"We leave tomorrow!" Ricardo declared. "Not like we have much luggage, so we can board a limousine to Palanquin immediately without wasting time! I pulled some strings for fast transport, had to rotate a few ankles." The entire room let out another cheer, just a quick one this time. "Oh, and keep the Books close. Wouldn't want you to lose the limited edition Hello Kitty stickers I got you, that'd make us all sad."

He even shed a tear at the mere thought of it. The Brothers and Sisters all looked among themselves and nodded, determined not to let such horror pass. Don grabbed her book, covered to the brim in sparkling Hello Kitty stickers, nodding with a resolute expression. 'Mine Big Brother's sacred gift shan't be squandered or lost! A MOST HORRIBLE vengeance shall befall thee who steal mine stickers! Mark mine words...er, thoughts, fiends!' She tightened her hold on her book, then raised a fist into the air. "THEY CLAIM OUR STICKERS, WE CLAIM THEIR LIVES!"

"THEY CLAIM OUR STICKERS, WE CLAIM THEIR LIVES!" Cheered the other siblings.

Ricardo looked at the entire club, sobbing and wiping a tear with a smile. "Ah...ah, my heart...you make your big brother proud...I'm so glad to be part of the family...ah..." He sniffled. "I...I need a moment..." He pulled out a tissue and used it to blow his nose before tucking it in his pocket. "Y-you go back to partying everyone. I-I need some time to...ah...to process...thank you guys! You get new Limited Edition stickers tomorrow!" He said as he left the stage. The Bolus he brought dropped to the floor, rolling off the stage and on the floor, getting picked up by Sinclair who examined it. Don leaned in to look as well, her eyes practically sparkling like the stickers.

She began to reach for it, frantically flailing her arms at it as Sinclair held it just out of her reach. "Let's mine tongue consume it!"

"You wanna be turned into a half animal freak? You're already insufferable as you are! Hell no!" He held it up in the air, and she began to whine and jump for it.

"Nooooo! Unfair! UN! FAIR! How art thou of lesser height than me yet so easily have-UGH!" A punch knocked Don to the floor, Sinclair closing his eyes with a vein on his forehead and a smoking fist.

"Don't call me short..."

"Ughuuummmm..." Groaned Don Quixote, twitching on the floor.

Meursault picked her up. "Well, I better take her home to help her get packed."

"Heh, ya mean her action figures and Fixer merchandise?"

"Precisely."

"Yep, knew it." He sighed and shook his head. "Well, I better go and get packed up myself. See ya later." And with that, he turned to leave. And...then he stopped. He looked at the Bolus in his hand, feeling like it...called to him. He popped it into his mouth. "Hm...chicken. GHUMP!" Sinclair coughed up brown feathers, looking behind to see if anyone saw that, before quietly turning and running off. This just left Meursault to deal with the unconscious Don. He looked over at the sleeping, oblivious form of his little sibling, then sighed and walked off.

The very next day, he was walking down the street. Carrying Don. As well as her thirty suitcases worth of merchandise. How was he doing this? Because me was Meursault. Meursault can do anything.

"And thou hath demanded I not consume it! Pretentious, Brother Sinclair! Pretentious!"

"UGHEH!" He coughed up more feathers.

"...On second thought, I appreciate thine sacrifice. Thou shallt be remembered most sincerely!" She clapped her hands together in a praying motion and bowed her head.

"Stop treating me like I'm going to die, dammit!" Sinclair snapped, just in time to feel a hand on his shoulder. The trio looked to see Ricardo gazing down at them curiously.

"Hm? Sinclair? Did you enact vengeance on a chicken? The Middle takes stuff seriously but we almost never target animals." Sinclair attempted to answer him, but ended up coughing up more feathers.

Before any of them could say anything else, the sound of footsteps approaching grabbed their attention. They turned to see their ride to H Corp, the Palaquin... Empty cars with no engine and no tires, carried by people with paper bags over their heads. Several other Palaquins were carried in, and immediately, Don proceeded to deposit her entire set of merchandise filled luggage into the trunk, before climbing in herself by using one person's bagged head as a stepping stool. The man in question feebly squeaked out "Why me...?" as Don reclined and made herself comfortable with a bright, cheerful smile on her face.

Don whacked him upside the head. "Still thy tongue! You dare raise your voice in protest to a Middle member?! Why, the worst of punishments have been handed out for far less!" And of course, immediately after her, the two muscular titans that were Meursault and Ricardo climbed in as well, with Sinclair entering last while coughing out a slew of feathers at one of the men carrying the car. All in all... It was destined to be a living hell for the poor bastards that had to lug all these people around the entire trip. And indeed it was. The carriers had to push themselves beyond their limits to carry the excess weight of the four people + room's worth of useless merchandise. And in the end, either they die from exhaustion...or slow the ride down, and get killed for wasting the Middle's time. Either way, not a happy ending.

Such was the life of those who were foolish enough to cross the family... Not that they cared. Ricardo was spending his time adjusting his hair in the rear view mirror. Sinclair was attempting to stop himself from spewing more feathers. Don Quixote fell asleep mid travel.

Meursault sat still like a statue. You'd think he was a wax figure with how still he was. He did occasionally give the ones carrying them a brief glance, as though silently pitying their miserable situation, but that was about all he did. Eventually, after hours of driving, Sinclair picked one feather off his jacket and tickled Don Quixote's nose.

"Hm hm hueh huEH HUAAAAACHOOO!" Don Quixote snapped awake in surprise. "Fie! What was that for, Brother Sinclair?!"

"We're - UGHAAAAH..." Sinclair spewed out more feathers. "...here." He says, pointing out the window at the gigantic rectangular black and white complex that is Hongyuan's exterior.

CRASH

Instantly, Don Quixote smashed through the car window, causing Sinclair to yank her by the hair and back into the Palanquin. She blinked several times at what just happened, and then huffed and crossed her arms over her chest indignantly.

"You can't go and barge in yet." Sinclair said. "I know you're excited, but keep it in. You'll give the Middle a bad look." Don Quixote deflated and looked down with a sad whine, anxious to go in and start her vacation already! "If you stay still, you'll get a premium sparkling sticker." Ricardo calmly said.

Don suddenly copied Meursault and turned into a statue. Sinclair nearly got whiplash from the sudden change, before coughing up more feathers and deciding to entertain himself by smacking his head with his own Book of Vengeance. "WHY! IS! THIS! HAPPENING! TO! ME?!" He exclaimed before coughing up more feathers.

"Because you were impulsive and ate the Bolus without thinking. A logical punishment."

"Gee, THANK YOU, Captain Rub-It-In-Ya-Nose!" Sinclair snapped, picking a feather out of his teeth.

After a few more minutes of being carried around, soon the Palanquin finally stopped at the entrance. Ricardo stepped out first, patting Sinclair on the back, while Meursault followed after him, carrying Don Quixote in his hand by the fur of her jacket while she herself was a rapid blur attempting to escape and run in without registration. She could already see the beautiful women in her mind's eye and she was way too excited about it! Ricardo walked in first, as the Big Brother, and naturally, he did what anyone civilized person would do when getting a permit to enter. That is, he lowered his glasses and raised a lusciously maintained eyebrow at the person manning the entrance. The man fainted from fear, accidentally pulling the lever that opened the entrance and letting the Middle in.

You don't stall the Middle. The entire gang walked into the building, and Don Quixote only got even more pumped up and excited, to the point where even Meursault was having slight difficulty holding onto her. So, with a nod from Ricardo, he promptly chucked Don Quixote over the entire crowd, and the blonde flew with a "LOOK YE MIGHTY, FOR I FLYYYYYYYYYYYYY!", soaring overhead and crashing face first down into the street. Sitting up, she shook her head...and gaped with wide caramel eyes at the fluttering pink petals falling through the air.

She hopped to her feet and held her arms outward, basking in the falling Sakura petals. "Oh, glorious Sakura Blossoms, you bless me with your radiant presence!" She looked around some more. People in shiny silk clothing, chattering on the streets. Trees both vibrant green and brilliant pink littered the streets and the faraway environment in the distance. Don took a deep breath in, and collapsed on her back. FRESH AIR! IT'S SO COOLING! AND CLEAN! This... was going to be the best week of her entire life!

"KHAGH!" Sinclair coughed up more feathers, approaching and looking down on her. "Hey... Big Bro and Meursault are out at the bar, and I'm in charge of babysitting, you, so if you could just go light on the shenani-" In the time he was talking, Don slammed her foot into the street and sprung up with a wide grin, giving Sinclair just enough time to put on a helmet as Don grabbed his arm and yanked him through the city at high speeds, his helmet shielding him from the many lampposts she slammed him into without paying attention. "Mind slowing down a little bit there?!" He called out, slightly concerned.

"NAY! I SHALL GALLOP EVER ONWARD!"

"You just missed the ice cream store three streets back."

"AAAAIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!" Don spun back and ran the way she came.

Meanwhile, at the Hierarch Evaluation

"Candidate Xichun of the Jia Family has passed the first round." Spoke Jia Zheng to a hall of gathered residents of Hongyuan, as Jia Xichun sighed in relief and turns around, walking away from the podium to the murmurs of the crowd.

She ignored the murmurs of surprise, scoffed at the murmurs of confidence in their own victory, and sneered back at the sneers of the audience. Approaching the door, she opened it and slipped out...before sighing and sliding down to the floor.

"Ah, my Lady. I see you've passed the evaluation." Spoke Wei, her devoted, ever wholesome and softhearted bodyguard, a perfect contrast to Xichun's temperament and no nonsense style that made her appreciate him so much.

She hummed softly in response. "Yes, it seems like it." She replied. "It wasn't really that hard..."

"I must say, using the River of Oblivion's water for a source of immortality was ingenious. I'd never have thought of something like that. With this, the other family children will be forced to acknowledge your foresight and-"

"All right, all right, I get it." Xichun chuckled with an amused smile. "Now... I think I'm going to take a walk. I'll develop ulcers if I stay near this building any longer..." She rose to her feet. "You don't have to follow me, I'm not going too far. Just stay here and keep an eye on things."

"Don't worry, my lady. I know you prefer to fan dance without me watching."

"Wh-You...I... Urgh..." Xichun stammered. Wei laughed softly, then obediently moved to keep watch as Xichun stomped off in anger, face red.

Walking out into the street, she grumbled to herself. "So what if I like to dance alone, it feels creepy when a person stares at me...unless it's multiple people. Then it's an audience. That's...better, I guess...agh, dammit Wei, stop being so considerate!" She crossed her arms over her breasts and let out a soft huff. "I can hardly practice in that tiny room they provide for me anyway, I need more space..." She looked up at the beautiful Sakura tree next to her as it rained down petals. Hmm... This was a good spot. A quick dance here wouldn't hurt. And she honestly didn't care what her cold, murderous siblings had to say either. Forget their demands for status and proper dignity, she was going to do what she wanted!

She closed her eyes, heaved out a breath, then took a quick look around, ensuring there was no one staring at her. And then, she began her dance. Opening her red fans, she fluttered them, and began to spin, slowly twirl, flow her arms and body like a river and like the wind, eyes closed as she let herself be lost in the moment. Of course she wound up gathering a crowd, how could she not?

Don stepped out of the candy shop, with ten bags of candy in tow. Sinclair, still coughing up feathers, was carrying most of the bags. Don turned to her carrier with a stern glare. "Thou best not be sullying my sweets with thy mouth feathers!"

"I can't-PFAGHAH-help it!" Sinclair complained. "It just keeps coming out! AND WHY AM I SUDDENLY CRAVING BREAD?! What did I eat, a chicken bolus?! UGHEH!" He let out a groan and shook his head. "Why does all the bad stuff always happen to me?!" He exclaimed in frustration.

"Say that not, dear Brother Sinclair!" Don exclaimed. "There hath been good aplenty since thou hath arrived in the Middle! Why, thine life was great too, forsooth!"

"Don, I came to the Middle because I was orphaned after a girl I trusted, Kromer, killed my family, genocided my town and left me an orphan because I was afraid of getting a prosthetic and ended up getting something worse when I confided in someone, that Kromer, about it." Sinclair recounted flatly.

Don blinked, then began to stutter as she tried to think of a counterargument. Nothing came to mind, and she slumped in defeat. "W-Well...at least the Family can now give thee the opportunity to bring vengeance upon that reviled cur of a maiden." She perked right up again after that and nodded. "Yes, you shall have thy just vengeance in good time, do not despair!"

"Oh, look forward to it." He smiled, his tattoos glowing. "Oooh, do I look forwaAAAGHUH!" He spat out more feathers. "Ugh...I gotta get rid of the feathers before that though...can't let her laugh at me..." He shook his head. "Not giving her the satisfaction, not a damn chance in hell..."

"Hm! That be the spirit! Forsooth, thy vengeance shall be...oh?" Don paused, and she and Sinclair turned to see a large crowd gathering a street down. "Hmm... Quite the oddity... A large gathering like that isn't common unless... Could it be?! Dare I hope?!"

"Wait, what aaaAAAAA STOP DRAGGING ME I'M GONNA DROP YOUR DAMN CANDY!" Sinclair yelled as Don yanked him off his feet yet again. This time, they arrived at the edge of the crowd, Don attempting to peek over but being unable to due to her small size. "AGH! Move thy heads, ye fools! The Middle be behind you! Inconveniencing the Family be grounds for execution!" Naturally...no one heard her. She pouted, then crossed her arms and stomped her foot with a huff as Sinclair just thanked his lucky stars he'd managed to save the candy and wouldn't have to deal with her whining about it. Soon, however, the crowd began to clear as whoever, or whatever, was at the center started moving through. And there, dancing away with fans clasped in her hands, was the most mesmerizing young maiden Don had ever witnessed. With long black hair with two white strands, tied in an ox horn style and four braids down to her knees. A black cheongsam with long red sleeves, that pressed against and showed off her figure, and a single slit on the left leg to show beautiful pearly skin. Her eyes were a bright pink, slightly narrowed in focus as she danced, her fans flicking open and closed as she flowed like the wind, and pink petals swirled around her. Though there was no music, Don could practically hear a calming, mesmerizing tune play in her head to the girl's rhythm. And she was so distracted watching her dance, that she didn't realize the girl approached her, gently passing the fan under her chin as part of the performance. Don leaned in as the fan slid along her chin, before the girl abruptly pulled away and danced back, Don falling flat on her face from a loss of balance...still utterly mesmerized by the experience. Sinclair meanwhile narrowed his eyes.

He looked down at Don, and he noticed that her nose was bleeding as she stared at the woman intently, a wide, open-mouthed smile on her face that made her look like a total doofus.

The girl continued to dance away, before raising one arm high, snapping shut and dropping her fan, before catching it on the flat side of the other one, balancing it, before seizing it again, covering her lower face with it, and giving a wink, bowing and walking away as the crowd cheered and clapped. Don herself joined the celebration, utterly and profoundly stunned by the beauty.

"MARVELLOUS! TRULY MARVELLOUS!" She cheered. "HAVEST THOU SEEN THAT, BROTHER SINCLAIR?! WHAT BEAUTY!"

"Yup, I've seen it." Said Sinclair, pulling his pen and Book of Vengeance up. "Just gotta wait a few hours and that girl will be mincemeat by evening. I got you."

"NNNNAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY!"

Before Sinclair could even begin writing, Don suddenly took his Book of Vengeance and chucked it... It didn't fly far because it was chained to his pants. He looked at her with annoyance in his eyes. "The hell did you do that for?"

She grabbed him by the shoulders and started to shake him violently. "ARE YOU TRULY HUMOURING THE IDEA OF DESTROYING SUCH MAGNIFICENT BEAUTY?!"

"Hey, she publically embarrassed you and made your nose bleed after she made you fall on your face." Sinclair replied.

"Merely part of the show! It wasn't that bad! Surely not worthy of death!" Don insisted.

"Don, we have a punishment of dismembering people for stepping on our foot, and a punishment of flaying a person's arm for MAKING A BROTHER OR SISTER SIGH UNCOMFORTABLY." He looked at her, annoyed. "We've seriously done WAY worse for WAY less, and you expect me to just let this go?"

"B...But..." Don stammered. "But...she doesn't deserve it! I forgive her! Indeed, I do! T'was nothing, really!"

"You can forgive her by giving her her just desserts. NO ONE gets away with sighting the family."

Don stammered, but was unable to form an answer, before eventually slumping in utter defeat, a tear escaping her eye. Sinclair, though devoted to the Family's integrity, couldn't bear to see his fellow Little Sibling so crestfallen.

"Ugh...fine. You can still keep up the Family job without murder. Just...make her be your friend." He rolled his eyes as Don perked up almost immediately, hopping up and down and clapping her hands together excitedly. He smirked lightly to himself and put his hands in his pockets, standing back to watch the show.

"Aaaaah, indeed! A most worthy punishment! Forced friendship! Forsooth, I shan't be late! The fair maiden is most in need of mine friendship!" Don exclaimed, running off. She rushed right into the middle of the performance, paying no heed to the fact that the woman was still... well, performing.

Unfortunately, before she could even come one meter close to her, Don was suddenly dropkicked in the face and sent flying down the street, as a Mao Branch warrior landed on their rabbit feet, looking to see Xichun...still standing.

"Crap, I was aiming for her. Stupid girl got in the way." The Mao said, prepping for another kick, before Sinclair suddenly grabbed the Mao and pulled him away into an alleyway, nobody paying much attention. "Dropkicking a family member is grounds for legs getting snapped. Plus add to that a ruined friendship attempt, now you get knees skinned to the bone on top of that." The man's heart dropped into his feet at the realization that he had accidentally fucked with the wrong crowd. "Eh, you'll live, so no biggie. Just know better next time." Sinclair shrugged. "UGHAH...ignore that." Sinclair coughed up feathers, and the scene returned to Don, who was currently counting Sinclairs flying around her head, dressed like ninjas with chicken wings.

"Uuuuuuuuh...Father...I hath conceived an idea most ingenious..." Don groaned, rising up and shaking her head. She rose up...wondering what she was doing again. And just her luck, she had forgotten what she was planning to do just as the crowd dispersed and the beautiful dancer was getting away. "Ah! N-No! Don't leave!" She hurriedly rushed to try and catch up to the girl, not wanting to lose track of her. Following her towards a bridge, Don used as much speed as she could to try and step in her way and stop the girl from crossing it...except the girl suddenly turned left, and Don instead ran up the bridge...failing to see initially that it had a huge hole in the middle, as well as missing the "Under Repair" sign next to it. Don promptly plummeted through the hole and into the rapid stream below it.

Don's rear end stuck out of the water as the rest of her body was completely submerged. She slowly pushed her upper body out, revealing a frog was innocently sitting on her head, letting out a croak. "Oh! Most adorable! Here, little one! Don't let mine presence interrupt thy day in the warm Sun!" She says, and elsewhere, a certain group of Hongyuan Elders suddenly felt offended that someone called their artificial light above Hongyuan an actual, filthy Sun. Don meanwhile leapt out of the stream...and slipped and fell back in when she landed. She pushed herself up once again. "A minor setback! I will not be deterred, the lovely maiden shall be mine yet!" She declared.

She leapt back out...fell in...out...in...out...in...out. This time she stayed. "Aha! Mine labors hath proven successfuuuUUUU-" SPLASH! The water from her previous attempts soaked and loosened the newly placed cement, causing it to melt and lose stability and make Don fall back into the water...which now glowed purple due to Don's tattoos. She emerged once more with a gasp, her eye twitching. "I will ensure this damned body of water is drained dry." She said flatly. Climbing out, she sighed at her own state of being wet like a dog, squeezing some of the water out of her jacket...and gasping and hugging herself with a blush when she realized her sarashi was now wet and transparent.

She hurriedly put her jacket back on and looked around wildly with a snarl on her face to make sure no one was watching her in such a state. 'Whosoever hath witnessed mineself in such a state will have their entire family be cooked and eaten in a cannibal restaurant in District 23! ...Unless...hmm, the fair maiden I hunt...I suppose she may be...a LITTLE worthy.' She giggled and twiddled her fingers together with a slight blush at the thought of the most beautiful woman she had ever seen witnessing her in such a vulnerable state.

"Ehehehehehe...t'would be most ideal...heheheh...AH!" She suddenly gasped, remembering she's trying to befriend her! But where did she go?! Had she lost her?! She whipped her head around wildly, searching everywhere in hopes that the girl might still be around. She then suddenly grabbed a random woman passing by, holding her by the neck! "YOU THERE!! Haves't thou seen a beauty most profound so much so that the very universe shall bow before her trudge upon this very gravel beneath mine and thine feet?!"

The woman just stared at her weirdly. "Uuuuuuuhhhhh... I saw a pretty woman walking that way...?" She pointed behind Don.

"Hm! Thank thee most dearly! Thou and thine loved ones hath been locked out of the Book of Vengeance for the next month!" Don nodded with a grin, letting go and running off in the direction shown to her. The woman looked after her with a raised brow, then shook her head and walked away from what she considered to be the weirdo to end all weirdos.

Meanwhile, back with Xichun, the heiress hummed as she enjoyed a stick of ice cream. Munching on the chocolate crust, she took a bite...and gasps, pulling back and spotting needles inside the cream under the chocolate crust. Xichun slumped. "My turn in the First Round has only been over for an hour, how are my brothers already trying to kill me...?" She sighed, throwing the ice cream into the trash and walking away with a slump and a sad expression.

She hated this part of the Family Hierarch Evaluation. The moment the first round was over, she and everyone else gained coins, and were now at each other's throats trying to acquire each other's coins. Xichun sighed, already contemplating on which Heishou Pack she planned to-

"MMPH!" She was suddenly yanked into an alleyway by a hand over her mouth, and reacted by using the momentum to enter a spinning kick to the face...that was caught. "OOOH! Forsooth, to use thine momentum from such a disadvantageous position to seamlessly transition into a fierce martial arts strike! Mine good lady, thou would make a most wondrous Fixer indeed!!!" Xichun blinked twice at the strange blonde woman in the suit that was currently holding her leg with a bright, cheery smile. And then the blonde woman's eyes wandered downward and looked directly up her qipao. "Hm? Lingerie? I had thought that a Qipao is worn with nudity in mind, no? Be not shy about thine figure, you are a most beautiful-"

THWACK

"MPFGH!" She was planted into the pavement. "Oooh...that goes in mine Book of Vengeance...and thine punishment is...FRIENDSH - STOMP - PFGAH!" Now her head was completely planted into the ground while her butt was sticking up in the air in an extremely undignified and humiliating manner as Xichun panted heavily... then pulled back her foot and delivered another powerful kick to her upturned rear. "OWIEEEEE!" Don yells, her voice muffled by the ground her head was entombed in. "There hath been no need for thee to kick mine posterior with such fervor, m'lady! Thou art making it increasingly hard for thine name to stay out of the Book of Vengeance!"

Xichun stomped her foot down on the woman's rear end and grinded her heel into it with a cold, unfeeling death glare. Don wasn't going to say she LIKED it, but she also wasn't going to say she DIDN'T like it... "Thou art making mineself experience some very unusual feelings." Don said. "Ah, right! Prithee, wouldst thou be so kind as to free mine head from the asphalt?" The response she received was a firm stomp on her rear end that sent her legs sprawling to the ground, causing her to let out a cry that was only very slightly out of pain.

"Aiyaaaaaah! Thou art hurting meeeeee! Mine body AND mine heart!" She yelled, her Middle tattoos glowing pink as she planted her hands on the ground and ripped her head out of it. Getting up, Xichun quickly swung one of her fans for a strike...and was punched in the wrist EXTREMELY hard, causing her to yelp in pain. Subsequently, she was also seized by the throat and slammed into a wall, now facing...a pouting teenage girl.

"It is QUITE rude of thee to be so dismissive of mine advances!" She yelled. "I hath even smoothed out mine hair to look presentable!"

Xichun momentarily choked on the grip around her neck, before kicking her in the chin and causing the girl to let go and back off. Falling to a knee, she held her throat.

"Ugh...ghah...th...the Middle...ugh...I should've known...ah...that my brothers would stoop so low as to hire a Syndicate to kill me." She cracked her neck. "Who sent you? Is it Jia Qiu? Or maybe a different family? That maniac of the Xue? Or that snivelling snake Shi Yihua?"

"Eh?" Don blinked. "Nay, thou misunderstand! I haven't been hired by-"

"You know what, don't answer me. I don't care." Xichun said, opening her fans. "I'm just gonna send you back to whoever sent you in a bodybag." She finished, leaping into an axe kick Don blocked with her arms crossed above her. Pushing her off, Don attempted to reason.

"Please, if thou would-"

THWACK

She didn't finish, getting a fan's wooden edge to the jaw and spinning a little, before Xichun headbutted her, kicked her in the chin and did a palm thrust to her stomach. Don's tattoos glowed, and she merely staggered from a hit that would otherwise leave her coughing blood.

But instead of continuing to reason, Don...grinned.

"Oh, indeed! We must get to know one another! And no better way to learn about each other than a kerfuffle!!!"

"Who even uses kerfuffle in this day and age?!"

"Enough talk, m'lady!" Don yelled. "Have at THEE!!"

With a burst of power, Don glowed purple through her tattoos, throwing a left-right-left-right combo. Xichun dodged the first three, and tried to parry the fourth but was pushed back, the punch being too strong. She did a limbo lean back to avoid a sweeping kick, transitioning into a backward flip and catching Don's head between her ankles, before flipping again to throw her against the wall. Getting up, she narrowly blocked an elbow, entering a struggle as the two girls pushed against each other. Xichun ended up spotting the girl's gaze softening.

"Thou fight with spirit, yet...I sense some deep resentment in thine strikes. What ails thee, who bears such pain betwixt such beauty and fighting will?"

"What the Hell is your problem?!" Xichun yelled. "Take this seriously!!"

"Very well." The girl said calmly, pushing Xichun back. And before Xichun could react, she found herself swept off her feet by a low leg sweep, and a glowing pink fist heading for her gut. She shut her eyes...

THUD

CRACK

...and...felt no impact.

"Oww..." Besides the back of her head hitting the pavement, with the girl's fist planted in the ground at her side. She looked up to see the girl smiling like she wasn't just about to kill her.

"Hm! I win, it seems!" She rose up, and leaned down to extend a hand to Xichun.

Xichun stared up at her, and then back at the hand that was offered to her, and then looked at the woman suspiciously. "...This is some kind of trick, isn't it?"

"Nay! Of course not, what sort of cowardly wretch dost thou take me for?! The Middle only fight honest and clean, I promise you this!" Don insisted.

"...You torture and kill people for getting a small amount of dust on your shoes." Xichun said flatly.

"Tis an unforgiveable sin to commit against the family, we pay for only the finest clothing this world hath seen, and to sully it with filth is unforgivable!"

"You people are out of your damn minds, how do you possibly justify the cement shoes over something that petty?!"

"How unusual... I imagined a fair maiden such as thee would understand the importance of maintaining one's pristine attire, you are the very picture of radiance, beauty and elegance, I imagine you'd be quite enraged should some heathen be bold enough to sully that image thou hast concocted for thineself."

"I wouldn't KILL anyone over it!" Xichun exclaimed. "Sure, I'd kick them in the face and make them pay for my dry cleaning, but I'm not gonna just ruin someone's life over something like-"

"We mustn't waste time on such idle talk!" Don cut Xichun off, causing her to narrow her eyes and seethe as she clenched her fists. "Mine future betrothed has informed me that there are others that seek to claim her life, and this is something I simply cannot stand by! Pray tell, my beloved, whom is the vile miscreant that is destined to suffer a fate most gruesome?"

"Oh, come off it, I can handle it myself, I don't need you getting involved, I've held out this long, haven't I?!" Xichun exclaimed.

"WHAT?! YOU IMPLY THIS LOWLY BEAST HATH BEEN MAKING ATTEMPTS ON YOUR LIFE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME?! THIS WILL NOT STAND!" Don roared, clenching her fists. "Thou MUST inform me who is responsible! The proper punishment must be dealt!"

"WHY DO YOU SUDDENLY CARE?!" Xichun snapped. "I DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU! I'M NOT EVEN PART OF THE MIDDLE! I'm not your family, so why are you suddenly on my case?!"

Then, she blushed. "AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY FUTURE BETROTHED!? YOU YANKED ME INTO AN ALLEYWAY AND NEARLY STRANGLED ME?!"

"OH, FORSOOTH!" Don gasped. "I HATH FAILED TO INTRODUCE MINESELF?!"

"THAT'S what you got from my yelling?!"

Don ignored her and backed off, clearing her throat and striking a dashing pose, her fingers in a peace sign over her eye while she lets out bishie sparkles with a wide, sunny grin. "Hello there, o' ye fair maiden of the lush lands of H Corp.! Mineself be named Don Quixote! A proud Little Sister of the Middle, and thine newest friend-to-possible-future-wife!"

"..." Xichun flatly stared at her. "You are insane." She said, getting up and patting herself off. "I don't have time to waste on your nonsense."

"AAAEHEHEHEM!" Don cleared her throat. "It's common courtesy for one to receive the name of another after introducing themselves!"

"..." Xichun stared at the girl blankly, observing her wide, sunny grin and shining caramel eyes with a scrutinizing gaze, as if attempting to see if she was hiding anything underneath. But... nothing was there. Just... honesty. Embarrassing info, but... honest nonetheless.

It... felt...

Refreshing.

"Uuuuuugh, fine..." Xichun rolled her eyes. "Xichun. Jia Xichun. Of the Jia Family. Currently running to become the next Family Hierarch alongside my brothers."

"Jia Xichun! Hmmmmmmm!" Don swooned, hearts flying around her. "A most wonderful name! Why I'd say it's..."

POP POP POP, the hearts suddenly popped into nothing.

"Thou havest brethren?"

"Well, kinda, um..." Xichun sighed. "They're not ACTUALLY my brothers. I only had two, one of them left and I hate him, and the other one... also left. There was a third one, but he was adopted after the second one died and he left too. I only have Jia Qiu here, and he's... never been much of a brotherly type."

"Then..."

"The "brothers" I'm talking about are the other Hierarchs from the other families. It's... I guess I'm so starved for a brother that I started calling them my brothers by accident-wh-why am I even telling you this?! Why am I being so vulnerable all of a sudden!" Xichun sputtered, pulling at her hair. "Aaaagh, forget this! I'm leaving! Leave me alone!"

"Ah! No! Wait!" Don lunged forward and desperately grabbed Xichun by the leg. "Thou must stay!"

"Get off me!" Xichun growled as she tried to walk, but was weighed down by the other woman's weight.

"Nay! I cannot bring myself to leave your beauty, your radiance!" Don insisted.

"You're gonna have to at some point!" Xichun growled as she began straining with all her might to break the girl's grip. "Get... OFF!"

"But I must stay by your side! We must be together forever!"

"Stop that, it's creepy, you're acting like we're a couple or something!"

"Oh, but we are! I've fallen for you quite hard, and that means that you are now my betrothed, and we shall be married by the end of the year!"

"As if! I'm not looking to marry anyone! And falling in love with someone is not immediately the setup for marriage! People date, they break hearts, and they cheat! And I am about to do that second one to you! GET OFF ME!" She began to kick her leg as hard as she could, but this damn nutjob had a freaking vice grip on her! How strong WAS she?! It was insane!

"NAAAAAAY! I CAN'T LET THEE REJECT ME! It is for thine own good! If thou break my heart, thou may end up dead within the Book of Vengeance! I cannot let my Brothers and Sisters get ahold of thee!" Don had comical tears spilling down her cheeks and snot running down her nose, and all Xichun could think was how sad and pathetic this worthless little simp was. "Pwuuuueeeeeaaaaaassseeeeee...." The girl begged. "I don't wish thee to diiiieeee... thou art a light I haven't had in mine life since I joined the Middle... please, accept at the very least a date, so we may try this dynamic out and see if thou object to it!'

Xichun growled and narrowed her twitching eyes as she glared straight forward. What the hell even were her options here?! This bitch was not letting up, and she was part of the damn MIDDLE, so rejecting her very well COULD result in her violent and unbearably painful demise!

So...

"UUUUUUUUUGH... FINE! Tomorrow, around 7! We're visiting a NORMAL RESTAURANT, and YOU'RE PAYING!" She looked at the girl with a flat, deadpan expression as she hopped to her feet and clasped her hands together with wide, starry eyes and an open-mouthed smile that made her look like the biggest doofus on the planet.

"Ooooh, mine dreams of a fair maiden that mine glorious justice-dispersing self would sweep off her feet and carry off into the sunset art becoming real! Forsooth, all I am now missing is mine own armor!"

"And a horse?"

"NAY! I have Rocinante!" Don pointed enthusiastically at... a pair of dirty, worn, yet somehow still functional running shoes. "I wear them to bed, to sea, and never take them off! Why, the very thought of doing so truly be absurd!"

Xichun stared at her flatly.

"You... wear those... to sleep? They... They look like they bathed in dog poop and, like, a dozen mud puddles, and is on the verge of tearing. You wear THOSE to bed?" She wrinkled her nose. "I bet they smell rancid, keep them away from me!"

"Hey, don't offend Rocinante! He is sensitive!" Don yelled back, quickly beginning to gently coo and comfort the running shoes. "Don't listen to the beautiful flower, Rocinante, she just hasn't met thine magnificence in person, she didn't know... who's a good steed, oh yes you are, yes you are... ehehehe..." Xichun could only stare at her in silent, building horror at the realization that she had agreed to go out on a DATE with this complete and absolute WEIRDO!

'I need to call the date off, if they see me with this lunatic I'll-' Before she could finish that thought, she was seized in a vice grip embrace by the girl, who was nuzzling her face with a cheek.

"Mmmm... it be fine, fair lady... thou art simply too beautiful to be angry at! Even for the Middle I guarantee the to seldom find yourself within the pages of a Book of Vengeance!" Oh. Right. If she called off the date, she was going to die. ...Would that really be any worse though...? She began to genuinely consider it. Unfortunately, she didn't get to. Because the blonde slid in front of her, lifting up her own purple book and pen.

"Naaaaames...?"

"No."

"PRITHEE, BUT THOU MUST!" Don demands. "WRITING THE NAMES DOWN WILL ENSURE THAT THINE BROTHERS ARE SWIFTLY DEALT WITH!"

"I am trying to be an honest and fair winner so I can prove to be a good Hierarch. If I sicced a syndicate onto my competition, I'd be a monster to the people. Buzz off." And then Xichun quite casually swatted the book out of Don's hand and sent it falling over flat on the ground. Don stared at the Book of Vengeance on the ground, lying silently. Her face was blank. Xichun scoffed. "Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'd-GUH!" She didn't get to finish, as despite Don not putting any of her Middle enhanced strength in, the grip around her throat was still quite crushing.

Xichun began to squirm and struggle against her grip, eyes narrowing, refusing to show even the slightest amount of fear in the face of this unhinged loony. Don lifted her hand, and with a flat look, delivered 6 slaps to Xichun's cheeks with a WHAP WHAP, WHAP WHAP, WHAP WHAP. Normally, slaps wouldn't do much, but given they were supernaturally strong, each slap bruised Xichun's cheeks and got some blood on Don's own face. After they were delivered, Don dropped her and let Xichun fall to her butt, coughing as she picked the book up and wiped the blood off her own face.

"Thou shouldn't be rude. If it had been any of my brothers and sisters, thou would most certainly have been dead. This is the lightest punishment the Middle can give. Please, don't be like that. Mineself is only trying to help thee." She looked over the book with a frown, making sure it wasn't damaged in any way. "Ah... Thou art most fortuitous. The book is fully intact. Thou get to live another day."

"Y...you...ugh..." Xichun coughed, nursing her purple cheeks. "You...maniac...you say...you're in love with me...and you...do this...? Isn't the Middle...ugh...loyal to those they see as family?" Don turned to look back at her with a tilted head, and she just glared back defiantly. She wasn't going to back down, she was being coerced into a relationship she didn't want and she was not going to just become subservient and submissive!

"Oh, but thou aren't family yet! Once we marry, indeed, you may never experience this again! But, thou hath simply needed to be taught a lesson! Disrespect against the family is simply unforgivable, even for our most beloveds should they not be part of the Middle! But, now you've learned thine lesson, so you'll avoid such a mistake in the future! I merely wish thee to be safe! Some tough love is indeed necessary!"

"Tough love... as if... you're just... being a bully! OW, my face..." Xichun yelped, both her hands clutching her purple cheeks because they hurt SO MUCH! Those brusies wouldn't be leaving for days! And... were her gums bleeding?! She whipped her attention back to the woman. "So now I'm stuck on a date with an abuser, WONDERFUL."

"Hm? What dost thou mean, fair lady?" Don tilted her head. "I am by no means abusive! I would never lay a hand on thee once the two of us hath married! Thou would be part of mine family, and family never strikes one another!" Xichun could only stare blankly at the sheer audacity of this idiot to say that IMMEDIATELY after hitting her.

"You... you are OW... an idiot..."

"Hm! I hath been told that numerous times by Brother Sinclair! I have no idea what that word could possibly mean!" She said... without a hint of lying. Xichun just groaned out loud and her palm met her face with a loud, audible smack. She needed to find a way out of this mess... Luckily, she didn't have to, as Don's phone rang. She pulled it out and began chatting with who was no doubt a sibling of the Middle. Then, after she hung up, she quickly turned around and bowed. "I am terribly sorry, mine maiden, but I find mineself called for lunchtime by mine siblings! I hope that this lesson sticks with thee, and I cannot await to meet with thee at our date! Fare thee well!"

Xichun narrowed her eyes. "I'll be dreading it every waking moment until then." She said flatly. Unfortunately, she didn't even finish the sentence before Don literally left behind a cloud shaped like herself as she ran off. Xichun felt tears in her eyes at the pain, and spat up some blood and a broken tooth. "Eugh... ow... I need Wei... to get me a K-Corp ampule... OW that hurts... my face feels like it'll fall apart..." She turned away and began to storm off. "How can I get her out of my life without getting the Family sicced on me?!" She thought, and contemplated, and spat up more blood... and ended up coming up blank. There was nothing she could do beyond just... play along and be nice.

CLICK CLICK, Xichun heard, eyes widening as she spotted several journalists snapping photos of her in her damaged state. Now the stupid Little Sister had indirectly damaged her reputation as a royal Family Hierarchic too!

Thankfully, however, salvation came in the form of a dark figure appearing and yanking Xichun away, leaping over rooftops and stopping behind a candy shop. Xichun was unceremoniously dropped on the floor, on her face. "UGH! Could be more... care... ful..."

Standing over her was one of the Heishou. Her hat possessed two strips of green fabric hanging off, so she was a Mao (Rabbit). The woman leant down, and puffed smoke out of her cigar in Xichun's face. "Z.I.T. Your bodyguard sent me cuz you were being late, princess. Y.W." Ryōshū said flatly, speaking in her usual cryptic acronyms.

Xichun looked at the Heishou, then heaved out a sigh of relief. "Well thank God, I'm dying to get the hell out of here already..."

"Hm. Good. M.J.I.D." Ryōshū says, spitting her cigar out, lighting a new one, and turning away. "Go down this street, turn left, and then just go forward until you see Wei standing at the door. L.N." And with that, Ryōshū leapt onto the roof and hopped away. Xichun watched her go, then heaved out a sigh and rose to her feet, shaking her head and grumbling under her breath as she followed the directions she was d, when she came upon the door...

"Ah, My Lady... wait... are you okay?!" Wei ran up to her immediately, pulling out a capsule and injecting Xichun with a K-Corp Ampule. Immediately, her face restructured itself to its previous state, and Xichun grabbed her jaw, sighing in relief at the fact that she also regrew that tooth she lost.

She rubbed her jaw, then narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "Just... ran into an insane person..."

Wei narrowed his eyes. "Miss, I know well when you are trying to hide things from me. Come on... what REALLY happened?"

"... The Middle. The Middle, Wei! THE DAMN MIDDLE HAPPENED! And now I have a date with a Little Sister soon, because she's head over heels for me!" She began to pace back and forth, yanking at her hair and letting out a scream of frustration. "WHY?! WHY ME?! WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE A MESS LIKE THIS?!"

Wei sighed. "The Middle... even if you were to kill her, the rest would track down and kill you in return. I suppose... we may as well discuss this matter over tea and decide what to do." He spoke, placing a hand on Xichun's back and guiding her through the gate and into the palace.

Xichun heaved out a sigh. "Right... Tea... Might prolong the grey hairs for a bit..." She muttered.

So, after a while, the two sat down, and Wei began talking.

"So, tell me everything. How exactly did you enter this predicament? You merely left for a walk."

Xichun scowled. "I did a performance for the people, and she was a part of the crowd. And I made the stupid mistake of getting too close to her to tease her a little bit not realizing she was with THEM."

"I see. She didn't try to kill you?"

"No, but apparently, a Little Brother was with her in the crowd, and nearly wrote me into their book. She stopped him cuz apparently I accidentally seduced her!" She slammed her head into the table and let out a loud, long groan. "I can't tell if I'm really lucky to be alive or really UNlucky to be stuck with her... I mean, I guess I at least have a chance to try and figure out a way out of this mess..."

"Hm... I see. Was she at least nice to you?" Wei asked.

"Yeah, right up until the part where she slapped the shit out of me." Xichun grumbled.

"Ah. The Middle doesn't hurt unless provoked, so... did you do anything that warranted an attack?"

"Well, she didn't respond to insults... but I did throw her Book of Vengeance on the floor..."

Wei hissed and winced. "Well, that'll do it... They... don't respond well when their authority is questioned."

"So... what do I do?! I don't wanna be a doormat who will just take the abuse and smile!"

"Then... do your best to not invoke her anger. The Middle, again, NEVER ATTACKS UNPROVOKED. Their provocation bar is low, sure, but as long as you're being a nice person, you will be fine. If she was nice to you up until you wronged her... I'm sure you two will reach a balance. Why, the fact that she brushed your insults off instead of attacking you tells me she's already more lenient than her Siblings."

Xichun scowled and rested a hand on her chin. "Not a very high bar..." She muttered.

Wei blinked. "Pardon? What do you mean, not a high bar?" He asked.

"Uh... Cause it's the MIDDLE? The same people that'll enslave your entire bloodline if you accidentally bump into them on the street?" Xichun rolled her eyes.

"No, no, not enslave." Wei says. "Just eradicate off the face of the City."

Xichun opened her mouth... before pausing and humming. Wei gave her a flat look. "No, my lady, we will not employ the Middle to eradicate your bloodline, no matter how horrible and willing to eradicate entire families for pure sadistic fun they may be."

Xichun stomped her foot. "Oh come on, we can pit two of the worst factions on this planet against each other and see them wipe each other out!"

"With you and me caught in the crossfire." Wei said. "Not to mention, my lady, how you've SWORN to bring the people of Hongyuan a better, happier tomorrow as a benevolent Hierarch who would rule with peace, not fear. How would the people see you that way if they knew that you called one of the Five Fingers in to destroy your entire rest of the competition?"

Xichun pouted and crossed her arms. "I mean, obviously I wouldn't TELL them it was me that set it up..." She grumbled, clearly defeated in the argument.

"You mustn't fall to that level, my lady. Don't be like your brothers. Be better. Be stronger. Prove you can win without resorting to dirty tactics. In fact, use this date as a chance to show off your resolve. Show everyone in that restaurant that you're kind and can befriend anyone peacefully, and you'll be unstoppable in the race."

Xichun looked thoughtful. "Hmm... Y'know, that's actually not a bad idea... If I get in good with the Middle, I can manipulate things from the inside and subtly guide them towards not being the actual worst!"

"There you go." Wei smiled. "That's better. Now, more tea? I've brought snacks, your favourites."

"All right!" Xichun cheered. "FINALLY, a moment of peace!"

The two continued to enjoy their two person tea party, talking away the hours. In the meantime, Don had managed to get back with Sinclair.

"So... she insulted the family, and you beat her senseless?" He says. "Good. Just wish she got a PROPER IN THE BOOK PUNISHMENT."

Don glared at him. "Bite your tongue! An exquisite beauty such as her shall never deserve to be slain in such a manner!"

"I'm just saying!" Sinclair raised his hands. "She can get a prosthetic, she looked rich! A few torn off limbs, a severed tongue and both eyes gone is nothing!" Don responded by backhanding him across the face. And subsequently, he was sent flying into a fountain behind the two. Two feathers were coughed up into the water, and he sat up, cracking his neck. "Ah... ya know, the last time a Great Sister attacked her fellow sibling, she ended up a permanently abandoned outcast from the family. You're a little sister, but the point stands. Can ya... NOT attack me again, please? I don't wanna lose the only Little Sister I enjoy being around."

Don crossed her arms over her chest. "So be it! Should I become a martyr in the name of love... Why, what a gloriously tragic romantic story that would be!"

"Aaaaand she is off in her fantasies." Sinclair sighed.

"Ooooh, forsooth, indeed, an outcast of a syndicate and a beautiful, tragic dancer of a world of wealth and status! A tragedy like none other! Why, mineself needs but a sunset to complete it!"

"Yeah, that'd take a lot of pointless effort to adjust the settings of the sun to set the mood for your romance that's probably not even gonna happen because you'll get bored and move on from her pretty much immediately."

"FIE! STILL THY TONGUE, BROTHER SINCLAIR!" Don gasps. "How DARE thee! Dost thou truly seeth me as that shallow?!"

"...You do literally the exact thing I just described every single year without fail. Sometimes multiple times in the same year. Remember your last boyfriend? The big buff guy with the sunglasses and the weird hair? Johnny Bravo or some shit like that? Guy's still trying to call you to this day, and you stopped talking to him like... three years ago."

"HE WAS INCESSANT! THE MIDDLE HAD HUNTED HIM DOWN AND HE STILL KEPT COMING BACK! HOW WOULDS'T I HAVE EVER COURTED THAT TITANIC TOWER OF MUSCLE AND MEAT IS BEYOND MINE COMPREHENSION! Also, Brother Ricardo and he got into a hairstyle competition and he won. Brother Ricardo was too heartbroken for our relationship to continue."

"See what I mean?" Sinclair asked. "You, like everyone else, are loyal to the family. SHE isn't part of the family, the moment she goes too far on one of us, you'll ditch her!"

"Nay! This one is special indeed!" Don declared. "A beauty of such magnificent caliber cannot be merely discarded like she be some mere wench upon the streets! Forsooth, I intend to stick to this one like s... uh, soup..."

"Super glue."

"INDEED! SUPER GLUE! I HATH REMEMBERED!"

"But I just... UUUUUGH, nevermind. Arguing with you is impossible! Let's just go back!"

"Ah, indeed! And whilst we walk, let me regale thee of a tale of this one Fixer Office-"

"Ooooooooh God..."

And so, Sinclair and Don headed back to their wealthy lodgings where Meursault, Ricardo and the rest of the Middle was housed. Climbing inside, Don was IMMEDIATELY chowing down on the available food, Sinclair barely even making it past the entrance when she already took her seat.

He trudged his way over the the table and groaned in exhaustion as he plopped down next to Don, giving her an annoyed look as she messily devoured her food.

"You are SUCH a pain..." He grumbled.

Don turned to look at him in confusion, her cheeks puffed out from all the food they were carrying. She tried to say something, but whatever it was, he couldn't say because of the mouthful of food.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, I don't wanna see your chewed up sushi."

Of course Don talked with her mouth full again.

All Sinclair could do was sigh and rub the bridge of his nose.

Ricardo was immediately interested, before immediately becoming concerned. "No, she doesn't have hair to rival yours like Bravo did." Ricardo was immediately pacified.

"Buuuuut, she won't stop ranting about her. Apparently, she's a pretty dancer she-"

Don gulps. "Nay! The maiden of mine heart be a Family Hierarch Candidate!"

PFFFFFFFFFFFT was the sound of Ricardo spitting out the wine he was drinking into Sinclair's face. Sinclair simply slumped his shoulders in defeat. "Why me...?" He groaned out loud.

"Uh... kid... ya know that's royalty, basically, yeah? If... if you seduced a future WINNER, the Middle could gain MASSIVE status in H Corp.'s streets! I know ya don't care for status, but... DAMN, you know how to choose 'em!"

Don proudly stuck her nose up in the air. "But of course her status had no bearing on my decision to choose her as my betrothed! It is entirely due to her breathtaking beauty and charmingly sharp personality!"

"Yeah, sharp enough to insult the Book of Vengeance!" Sinclair snapped. "Like I said, she's lucky Don is head over heels for her, otherwise she'd get a LOT more than a busted up face and six slaps!"

Ricardo looked thoughtful. "Hmm... Insulting the book is bad, but I don't agree with domestic violence in the slightest... Definitely a tricky situation, huh?"

"Mmm, forsooth, Big Brother... my loyalty to the Family comes first, but that girl... that impeccable beauty, these blooming feelings within mine heart... they are real. Not like mine previous loves, nay. These feelings like they'll linger past death."

Ricardo teared up. "EPIC, little sis! Love like that is something you only get once in a lifetime, and you should chase it to the ends of the earth no matter what!"

"AIIIIEEEEEE! BIG BROTHER HIMSELF HATH VALIDATED MINE PURSUIT! See Brother Sinclair?! Forsooth, thou art in desperate need of a reprieve from thine rigid adherence!"

"GHAH!"

"And feather coughing."

"Good news... ughuh... it's calmed down... I'm sure I'll... walk it off..."

"More like sleep it off. C'mon, let's eat up and go snooze. Meursault went to bed early. Somethin' about a sleep schedule, I didn't listen past that."

And so, the Family members had their dinner, and then, it was time for bed.

And as soon as Don entered the room, first of course...

"Eh? EEEEEEEEEEEHHHHH?! B-B-BUT IT STILL DOTH BE DAYTIME OUTSIDE!"

"The Sun will get switched off in a minute." Ricardo shrugged. Sinclair nodded. "So go to bed." The two boys casually took the chance and took off their heavy clothes, entering pajamas and laying into bed.

Don... was frozen still. Eyes wide. Staring up at the ceiling. What was she thinking about? ...TOTALLY not Xichun seducing her or anything like that, not at all.

"The Sun... turns off... my goddess... turning... the Sun off..."

"Quit being horny and GO TO BED!"

"A-AH! FIE! INDEED!" She immediately rolled onto her side and pulled the blanket over herself, bundling up and attempting to get to sleep.

"You're not in bed, idiot."

"AH!" Don gasped, getting off the floor and climbing into bed. THEN she immediately rolled onto her side and pulled the blanket over herself, bundling up and attempting to get to sleep.

And while she did indeed fall asleep...

She wouldn't stop giggling in her dreams about a certain Hierarch and whatever... unsafe for eyes activities they were doing in her head together.

"God dammit..." Sinclair hissed out.