Disclaimer: I am not Bungie, GOD Games, or any of the other people who own Oni. Therefore, it is not mine. This Disclaimer was brought to you by the Department of Redundancy Department. This is an AU.

The making of Konoko and Kantor

Mai Hasegawa, nine year-old street urchin and unknowing victim of the World Coalition Government, tucked the bottle of stolen medicine into an inner pocket in her threadbare clothes. Her twin brother Muro would need this medicine if he was going to have any hope of getting better. Muro had come down with a strange illness when they were both six, one that made it nearly impossible for him to retain body heat.

The worst part of the illness was that it sometimes made him cough up blood. Mai hoped that this new batch of medicine would cure her brother, but she had grown painfully used to disappointments over the last three years. Mai darted into the shack where she and Muro had been staying for as long as either of them could remember. Muro was in the same place that Mai had left him, laying on the pile of stolen clothes and blankets that were the only things keeping him warm.

Or at least less cold. Muro was shivering again, and Mai was already thinking of places where she could swipe another blanket for him. There was dried blood smeared on his chin and lips, more of it than there had been when she'd left, so Mai knew he'd been coughing again.

"Muro?"

Muro's still-bright green eyes opened. "Mai?" he groaned, setting off another fit of coughing.

"Shhh, don't try to talk." Mai took out the bottle of medicine. "I've got some more meds for you."

Muro nodded weakly. Mai walked over to his makeshift bed, opened the newest bottle of medicine, and poured about half the dull green liquid into his mouth. For a few seconds, it seemed as if the new medicine would work, but then Mai saw Muro start to twitch spasmodically. His eyes grew wide and panicked, mouth opening in a silent scream. As if he can't – Oh God!

"Muro!"

Mai grabbed him under his thin shoulders, pulling her brother out from under his collection of covers. Only his lower legs were still covered, and Mai moved her hands so that she now held Muro's left shoulder with her left hand and supported his head with her right. Muro heaved, great quantities of bright red blood spilling out of his mouth. Not again, please not again, Mai begged silently. She had searched long and hard for that stupid bottle of medicine, hoping it would make Muro better. Stupid meds, she thought bitterly, throwing the container against the wall to shatter and land among the remains of many, many others of its kind.

As soon as Muro had calmed down, Mai tucked her brother back under the covers she had collected for him.

"I'll be back soon, okay? Try to get some sleep," Mai said, stroking her brother's dark purple hair.

"Cold," Muro moaned weakly, shivering.

"I know, I'm going to get you a new blanket."

Mai saw Muro's eyes close. She didn't know if he was really sleeping or just faking it so she wouldn't worry, but she hoped he would at least get some rest. Mai made sure to be quiet on her way out, not wanting to disturb Muro if he really was sleeping. Mai, since she had been sneaking around this place for almost her whole life, knew all the secret hiding places in the city where she lived. She used them to avoid the notice of those weird guys, both the ones who wore that armor that had the letters "TCTF" on it, and the other guys that wore the tan armor and talked about something called the Syndicate.

As Mai walked, or occasionally ran, through the streets of her hometown, she was already planning to swipe one of the thicker blankets from the store she'd seen on her way home. Once she managed to get inside the store, Mai headed directly to the place that the blankets were piled. There were a lot of them, and Mai figured that whoever ran the store wouldn't miss just one. What Mai didn't know was that she had been spotted, by the person who ran the store no less. Mai's concern for her brother was starting to make her careless.

When she felt someone grab her left arm, Mai reacted on instinct, an instinct honed by a lifetime on the street. She slammed her fist down on the spot where she felt the pressure of the hand holding her.

"Ahhh! You damned stupid brat!"

Mai didn't stop to exchange insults with the jerk, instead hauling tail out of that shop as fast as her legs would move. She had her prize, but was inwardly cursing herself for not being more alert. I should have seen that moron before he got me! Stupid, Mai. That was really stupid. She sighed, lately her brother's condition had been occupying her thoughts more than making sure that they were both fed, or staying away from the TCTF and those Syndicate guys. That wasn't good.

Once Mai got back to the place she and Muro called home, she was weary. Mai felt as if she could curl up beside Muro and sleep for the rest of the day. But first things first, Muro still needed to eat, and he would need some water after all the blood he had just lost. Mai walked over to where she had stashed the food and bottled water she'd stolen. Mai had made sure to take foods that wouldn't need any special storage. Mostly crackers and other stuff like that.

Picking up an open box of crackers and a half-full bottle of water, Mai walked back over to Muro's bed. She'd already covered him with the new blanket, and he wasn't shivering as badly as he had been doing when she left.

"Thanks, Mai," Muro said quietly, trying not to irritate his throat.

"Of course." Mai smiled. "Do you think you could hold down some water?"

Muro nodded, and Mai sat down by his head and tipped the bottle so that the water poured into his mouth. After Muro was done drinking, Mai gave him some of the crackers she was holding. When they were both finished eating, Mai put the box of crackers back where it was supposed to be. Then, shoving her own meager pile of blankets over to Muro's much larger one; Mai curled up and fell asleep.