.

6: Sortie

The wind on her face, the roar of the engine, the smell of exhaust, Carol's motorcycle brought her a special kind of freedom not many appreciate nowadays. Well, usually. This time, as Carol rides through Dragon Valley, the adrenaline is noticeably absent. Instead, Carol's stomach turned at the thought of what's going to happen next. If she didn't have to focus on the dirt path in front of her, Carol would have gone crazy from the anxiety.

The pressure of having a passenger also helps her focus, Milla had her scrawny little arms wrapped around Carol's waist as she sat behind her. Occasionally, they hit a bump in the road and Carol could hear Milla whimper and feel the dog's forehead on her back. After a few minutes, Carol grimaced before finally addressing her passenger.

"Hey, doing good?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine!" Milla shouted over the engine.

Yeah right.

Well, it's not like there's any reason to stop right now, even if the ride is bothering Milla. Carol still couldn't fight the guilt though, so she said, "It's just a little further, hang in there!"

No verbal response from Milla, but Carol felt the dog's grip around her waist tighten.

Before Carol could say anything else, a sudden flash of light shined from her left and forced her to briefly close her eyes. Upon opening them again, Carol met with the sight of Lilac sprinting ahead. With a grin, Carol accelerated in order to catch up with the speeding dragon. But just as it looked like Carol would pass, Lilac became enveloped in a flurry of sparkling lights and boosted forward like a rocket once more.

Carol needs her bike in order to keep up with the amazing physical feats that dragons such as Lilac are capable of. A fact which use to frustrate her when she first met Lilac.

That image of all powerful dragons immediately vanished as soon as Carol noticed Lilac suddenly stumble and fall behind. Eyes widening, Carol hit the brakes on her bike and swerved left, earning a frightened gasp from Milla, and parked perpendicular to the dirt road. Looking back, Carol beheld an alarming sight; Lilac doubled over, leaning on her knees, and holding her chest.

Heart leaping up to her throat, Carol let out an involuntary gasp, leapt off her bike, and sprinted to her best friend's side. Lilac squeezed her eyes shut and took labored, almost agonized breaths. Carol even noticed beads of sweat trailing down the dragon's face.

At least she isn't freaking out or anything like that. Still, the sight of Lilac like this made Carol grimace and clench her fists. The sound of footsteps behind her prompted the wildcat to straighten up and pull an about face, rewarding her with the sight of Milla frowning as she stared at Lilac with her hands clasped together and her tail between her legs.

Carol's face softened into a frown as her chest tightened. She didn't want to worry Milla, but she couldn't just leave Lilac alone. The sound of Lilac's pained breathing shook Carol from her thoughts and overrode her anxiety, spurring her to turn back around and place a hand on Lilac's shoulder.

"Hey, you okay?" Carol asked. It's out of her hands now, what happens next is up to Lilac, a fact which filled the wildcat with dread.

"Yeah, just..." Lilac weakly answered as she looked up at Carol, only to wince and look down again. "A little...out of breath..."

Carol didn't know what else to do that wouldn't seem suspicious in front of Milla, so she just put her hands in her pockets and gave Lilac some space, she couldn't help a frown though. Lilac doesn't usually tire this easily. Carol wished she could ask more, but with Milla here...

Lilac sighed and stood up straight, catching Carol's attention and said with a clearly forced smile, "I'm fine, so let's..."

The dragon took one step and stumbled with a gasp, prompting Carol to rush forward and hold her upright. Mentally cursing, Carol forced her frown away in an attempt to lessen the discomfort Milla must be feeling right now. This proved difficult upon looking at Lilac, who resumed her heavy breathing. A sharp pressure froze Carol, this isn't right, this isn't Lilac, it's...

"Lilac?"

Carol's ears perked up in response to Milla's timid call. No time to think, gotta say something! The wildcat put on a smile and faced Milla, nearly faltering at the sight of the pup's worried frown, and said, "It's alright, she's just tired from the trip!"

Milla started fidgeting and approached Lilac. The latter still struggled to catch her breath, but she managed to stand up and put on a smile. For a moment, Carol just looked between the two, before clearing her throat.

"You know, we could just walk the rest of the way to Shuigang's border," Carol explained as the other two faced her. "It's not that far. We can catch a bus into town once we cross."

"Carol, I..." Lilac started as she reached for Carol, making the wildcat turned and give a soft glare. Carol's heartbeat accelerated, the ball is in Lilac's court. Please, Carol thought, just go with it before Milla gets even more worried. Eventually, Lilac frowned and scratched her head before finishing her sentence. "...think that's a good idea."

Carol let out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding in until now. But clearly, Lilac didn't share this relief. The dragon's gaze dropped to the ground, but she quickly perked up and put on a smile upon glancing in Milla's direction, who still looked worried.

"It's okay, Milla. I'm just a little tired," Lilac assured in a soft voice.

That seemed like more than a little, Carol thought as she involuntarily clenched her fist.

Milla didn't return Lilac's smile, but her frown vanished and her tail started wagging lazily. She replied with, "Well, we did travel quite a ways. I wish you didn't have to run."

"Yeah, that's what I get for having this awesome boost ability!" Lilac replied with a giggle. A small smile formed on Milla's face before she gave a giggle of her own.

Carol glanced off to the side and smiled, crisis averted. At the same time, though, Lilac's fatigue gnawed at the wildcat. Yeah, Lilac hasn't been taking good care of herself as of late. But this still seems a far cry from the endurance Lilac had before...

"We should get going," Lilac suddenly proclaimed, yanking Carol from her thoughts.

Carol's ears perked up before she replied with, "Hold on a sec."

Carol strolled on over to her bike and flashed a grin before pressing a button on one of the handlebars. The bike came to life, folding in on itself and compressing into a much smaller shape, resulting in some kind of disc the size of a large dinner plate light enough for Carol to hold with one hand. Three large crescent blades adorned the disk, which Carol rotated as she admired her weapon.

"That's still really cool!" Lilac commented with a smile as Carol strapped the disc to her hip. Carol smiled back and gave a nod after rejoining her friends.

The trio continued their journey on foot, with Carol keeping eyes on Lilac and Milla at all times. The latter stuck unusually close to the former and occasionally smiled, Lilac would either respond with a tired smile of her own or a gentle pat on the head, prompting Milla to wag her tail. Carol just stuck her hands in her pockets and attempted to appear neutral as she walked alongside.

That proved more and more difficult as the walk dragged on, Lilac struggled to keep standing upright and frequently had to stop and catch her breath. Milla dutifully stood buy her side whenever this occurred, seemingly more confident now that she knows it's just exhaustion. Thankfully, Milla neglected to ask why Lilac is getting so tired.

This did little to abate Carol's own worry, though. The cat remained alert to any movement coming from Lilac. Every stumble, every twitch, every abnormal breath could be a sign of Lilac losing control, and it kept Carol on constant edge. There would be no excuse to get Milla to leave, no hiding from her, so what to do? No good answers, no ideal outcomes, only anxiety and frustration, which Carol kept to herself.

After a few minutes of walking through a more densely forested portion of the valley, the trio came across an ornate wooden bridge over a wide stream, which flowed from a nearby waterfall. A soft "wow" from a spellbound Milla caught the attention of the other two. Carol couldn't help a grin at how easily impressed Milla is, most things must seem so big and wonderful to someone like her.

Lilac suddenly stepped forward, catching Carol's attention, and leaned on the bridge railing before saying, "Sorry, I need to take five again..."

Carol's smile faded and she tensed up before joining Lilac's side on the bridge, Milla followed and flanked Lilac from the right.

"It's okay, I'm getting tired too!" Milla assured with a soft smile. Lilac smiled back and ruffled the pup's hair, earning a giggle from her.

The tightness in Carol faded as she gave a quiet sigh, looks like things are still cool. Still, she wants to stay close to Lilac, so she leaned on the rail with her.

The trio spent a long and quiet moment on the bridge, just staring at the water below and letting their thoughts wander. Carol glanced in Lilac's direction and took note of the dragon's content smile. Lilac always liked swimming or just hanging out near bodies of water, maybe the stream and waterfall are helping her relax. Carol gave a smile of her own at this sight, whatever helps.

Carol leaned forward so she could get a good look at Milla, the hound leaned over the railing with wide open eyes as she stared at the fish darting around in the water. Perfect, she's distracted! Noticing one of Lilac's hands resting on the rail, Carol seized the opportunity and gently grabbed it. Lilac turned to face her and her smile widened, as did Carol's. In truth, this was more for Carol's own benefit than Lilac's, it felt like so long since they were able to touch like this.

Lilac squeezed Carol's hand, prompting the wildcat to shake off her thoughts and give Lilac her full attention. The dragon's eyes had opened more and it seems she can stand up straight again. This more vigorous sight filled Carol with warmth, but as if that wasn't enough, Lilac silently mouthed the words "I love you." Carol felt heat rush to her cheeks and she struggled to suppress a chuckle, only letting a toothy smile through. Why can't Lilac be like this all the time?

After a few seconds of gazing at each other, Carol felt it now appropriate to ask something. She retracted her hand and cleared her throat, catching Milla's attention as well.

"So, you think this 'Mort' guy is gonna be any help?" Carol asked.

Lilac's smile faded before she answered with, "He did agree to a meeting over the phone. That's a good sign, right?"

"I guess," Carol said as she faced forward and stared at the waterfall. "His name sounds familiar..."

"When we were in the Red Scarves, Spade signed us up to fight in his arena," Lilac explained. "But then we took our extended vacation."

A chuckle escaped Carol. Maybe it's just because Milla is present, but it's nice to hear some levity from Lilac for once. This didn't last long, another issue came to mind.

"What are the odds Mort actually knows anything?" Carol asked as her gaze dropped.

Silence followed, making Carol form a fist, before Lilac finally said, "He's been doing business with Spade for a while now. If he doesn't know where the Scarves are hiding, maybe he can point us at someone who does."

"Kind of a flimsy plan," Carol commented, not convinced in Lilac's confidence.

"Yeah," Lilac admitted, Carol picked up on her voice lowering. "But he was the only one who agreed to meet us."

Carol felt a knot form in her stomach. Great, now Lilac's good mood is ruined. The wildcat faced her now frowning friend, but Milla spoke up before she could say anything.

"But it's going to be okay, right?" the hound said, grabbing everyone's attention. Milla stood up straight with a smile and her arms behind her back. "Even if this turns out to be a dead end, we can still figure something else out!"

Carol looked between Lilac and Milla before the former gave a giggle and replied with, "You're right, it's not the end of the world if this doesn't work."

Though initially taken aback by what just happened, Carol couldn't help another smile. Maybe it was a good idea to bring Milla along if she can keep Lilac's spirits up. It'd be a nice change of pace if Carol didn't have to do it all by herself...

Lilac looked back at Carol with a smile, catching the latter's attention, and said, "We should get going."

The rest of the trek proved a little easier for Lilac, she attributed this to Carol's physical encouragement and Milla's verbal encouragement from earlier. She didn't have to take any breaks since the bridge. Her lack of endurance still troubled her though, she use to not tire this easily. Having Milla around also felt a little embarrassing, which she hid from the others.

"We should see the border once we get past these trees!" Carol exclaimed up ahead.

Lilac turned to Milla, who kept up beside her, and gave a brief grin before running ahead, making sure to pace herself so Milla could keep up. She decelerated to a slow walk upon seeing Carol stop dead in her tracks. Lilac's smile vanished as unease took root in the pit of her stomach, she only barely registered Milla calling Carol's name. Carol didn't respond, prompting Lilac to glance at Milla, who looked back with a frown.

Not knowing what to say, Lilac faced forward with a frown of her own and approached Carol. The wildcat maintained her stare off into the distance, Lilac almost dreaded finding out what her face looks like right now. Finally, Lilac reached Carol's side. But before she could question her friend, Lilac's gaze fell upon the sight holding Carol's attention, and she froze as her mouth hung slightly agape. Milla caught up but didn't say a word, Lilac figured the hound was having the exact same reaction as her and Carol.

Situated on a hill, the trio caught a clear view of the border into Shuigang, and they never expected its current state.

Lines of people encased in a fenced in area, guards patrolling up and down the crowd, it looked more like a prison camp than a border entry. But the most striking sight took residence in the sky above the lines; a massive warship flying Shuigang colors hovered overhead, its cannons aimed down at the crowds below, as if waiting for an excuse. The sight sent a deep chill through Lilac, she knew about Shuigang's current hostility for outsiders, but she never expected something like this.

Preoccupied with the sights, Lilac gasped and ducked when the wind suddenly stung her eyes, squeaks from either side told her Carol and Milla had done the same. Soon the source of the wind announced itself, a pair of Shuigang military choppers soared overhead and began patrolling over the border entry. Lilac held her head and squeezed her eyes shut, her chest pained as her breathing grew irregular.

This isn't the first time she encountered Shuigang attack choppers, they were also at...at...

Explosions sounded off from every direction, Lilac shivered from the cold of the snowfields surrounding Brevon's grounded dreadnought. So many robots, there's no way she's reaching Brevon alive. This was a mistake.

"Lilac! Hey!"

Carol's voice elicited a gasp from the dragon and she forced her eyes open. For a split second, Lilac couldn't remember where she is or what she's doing. Then she looked at Carol, who stared back with a worried frown, and it all came back in force. But despite being aware and mostly lucid, the sounds of helicopters off in the distance made Lilac's chest seize, her legs shook and nearly buckled.

Swaying and wobbling, Lilac would have fallen over if Carol didn't grab her by the shoulders. Carol said something, but Lilac couldn't hear a thing over the helicopters, which sounded closer than Lilac figured they actually are. The snowfields crept back into the dragon's view, then quickly vanished when Carol's grip on her tightened almost painfully. Finally, Lilac could make out what she's saying.

"Not now, not now!" Carol hissed through her teeth with a glare. "She's right there!"

Lilac's heart plummeted like a meteor and her pupils dilated before she quickly looked over her shoulder to face Milla. The hound covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut, seemingly unaware of what's going on around her. That's not going to last.

Lilac faced Carol again and attempted to stand up straight on her own, to no avail. Milla's proximity didn't help, making Lilac go lightheaded at the thought of discovery. Choppers and explosions in the distance again. Going to die. Milla. Too much.

Now shivering, Lilac finally made eye contact with Carol and managed to quietly plead, "Help me..."

Carol closed her eyes and grimaced for a few seconds, then gently set Lilac near a tree before rushing to Milla's side. Lilac leaned against the tree and hugged herself as she looked away. The choppers sounded distant, making Lilac relax with a brief sigh. Then the sound soared overhead, prompting her to gasp and frantically snap her gaze skyward, heartbeat going from zero to ten. Strangely, the skies were clear.

Hyperventilating, Lilac only barely heard footsteps heading her way. A quick glance in their direction yielded the sight of Milla walking towards her with her head tilted, making Lilac's heart leap up to her throat. Lilac's head grew numb at this sight, and she swore she would have fainted had Carol not grabbed Milla's attention again.

Lilac's eyes remained glued on her two friends, Carol tried chatting up Milla in an attempt to keep the latter from seeing Lilac, asking if she's okay and all that. Milla's proximity forced Lilac to not move a muscle, all she can do is lean on the tree and keep hugging herself. The dragon's breathing stabilized once she realized something; she can't hear the helicopters anymore.

Still hugging herself, Lilac slowly inched away from the tree with her eyes nervously scanning the sky. Eventually, she hesitantly let her arms drop to her sides and took a deep, shaky breath. Though still not convinced the choppers are gone, Lilac still found the strength to approach her friends. Carol bought her time by distracting Milla, but now Lilac needs her feline best friend.

Lilac finally reached Carol and Milla, put on a weak smile, and said, "Hey!"

The two stopped talking to each other and faced Lilac. Before Lilac could say anything else, Milla stepped forward with a worried frown and asked, "Are you okay? You don't look so good!"

Lilac's stomach tightened.

"Y-Yeah, I'm still tired from the trip is all," Lilac answered as it grew more difficult to hold her smile.

She looked to Carol, who seemed to be trying to look casual, but her stiff shoulders and widened gaze told a different story. Carol's gaze finally met her own, prompting a flinch from the former before she cleared her throat, grabbing Milla's attention once more.

"Well, we can catch a bus into town once we cross the border," Carol said with a smile, "We can all have a nice long break then!"

The words "thank you, Carol" frantically chanted in Lilac's head.

Milla looked back and forth between her two friends with a seemingly neutral face. She then nodded and asked, "Are we gonna be able to get in?"

Lilac glanced at the fences and lines down the hill. She winced at this rather unnerving sight, but recovered her smile before looking at Milla and saying, "Of course! We still have those passports the Magister gave us, we'll be fine."

It all made sense, but a cold dread still filled Lilac as the trio made their way to the lines. The airship held her attention nearly the whole way there, glaring back with its cannons. Lilac would have froze if she didn't feel Carol's hand brush against her own. She then took a quick breath and pressed on before flashing a quick smile to Carol, who responded with a wink.

"Isn't Dragon Valley a part of Shuigang, though?" Milla asked, grabbing their attention. "Why is the border here?"

"Maybe they think us simple country folk aren't worth the effort," Carol answered in a hammy accent, earning a giggle from Lilac.

A small booth just outside the fences marked the beginning of the line, manned by a lone canine Shuigang soldier and flanked by two more. Lilac glanced down at Milla, who stared at the booth for a few seconds before looking up at Lilac with a frown.

"Scared?" Lilac asked.

Milla flinched and replied with, "N-No!I just don't know what to do is all."

Milla's stumbling and fidgeting betrayed her, making Lilac briefly bite her lip before smiling again.

"It'll be alright," Lilac said, "I'll go first so you can see what to do, okay?"

"Okay," Milla replied.

The hound looked forward and gave an audible exhale, making a lump form in Lilac's throat. Lilac doesn't get to be scared right now, not with Milla so uncomfortable. She stood closer to her canine friend and gave her a gentle pat on the head.

Lilac would have said something if she didn't hear shouting up ahead, the sudden noise made her jump and snap her gaze down the line beyond the booth. After a second of frantic scanning, Lilac noticed a pair of Shuigang soldiers grabbing a male cat by the arms. The cat struggled fruitlessly as the guards hauled him away from the line.

"He said I could pass!" the cat cried, Lilac could make out tears streaming down his face. "Please don't do this, my wife needs me in Shuigang!"

Lilac's mouth went agape as her eyes followed the unfortunate feline, her face grew hot and the muscles in her limbs tightened. Eventually, the trio disappeared into a small building. This isn't fair, what did that guy do to deserve that? Lilac felt the urge to charge forward and tell off the guards, and would have if Milla didn't grab her hand. Looking down rewarded Lilac with Milla staring back with wide open eyes, prompting an irregular beat in the dragon's already agitated heart.

"Why are they..." Milla trailed off.

Lilac gently grabbed Milla's shoulders and said, "It'll be okay, they're not going to do that to us!"

"B-But..."

"Listen, we just have to do what they say until we get to the end of the line, alright? Don't be scared!"

"I'm not!"

Yeah, right. Despite Milla's words, Lilac picked up on the hound's arms trembling. Even so, Lilac couldn't ignore Milla's willingness to keep going even though she's clearly afraid. So instead of pressing the issue, Lilac smiled and gently held Milla's cheek, making the hound's gaze soften and seemingly lessening her trembling.

Content with the situation, Lilac briefly rustled Milla's hair and turned her attention back to the booth. Footsteps off to her right indicated Carol stepping closer, prompting Lilac to turn and meet her gaze. Carol stared back with a raised eyebrow and her hands on her hips. Knowing what Carol wants, Lilac responded by frowning and lowering her gaze. She then looked forward again and allowed Carol to step closer.

"What are the odds that guy actually did anything wrong?" Carol whispered into Lilac's hearing aid.

"Less than Neera warming up to us," Lilac replied with a sigh. "Don't say anything to Milla, she's already nervous."

"Sure you ain't talking about yourself?"

Lilac froze and her chest seized. Just once, she would like to get something past Carol. She then felt warmth envelop her hand, it didn't take long for her to realize Carol is holding her hand. Feeling the wildcat's thumb gently stroke the back of her hand, Lilac gave a quiet sniff as the tension slowly faded. This feeling reminded her of the agreement she made with Carol, it's okay to trust her.

It's always been okay to trust Carol.

"Next!"

The booth guard's call made Lilac jump and snap her gaze forward, drawing her attention to the empty space between her and the booth. It's her turn.

"Girls, passports!" she instructed as she stepped forward.

While fumbling to get her passport out of her pocket, Lilac tried not to think about that man who got hauled away. There seems to be more people getting in than not, but that didn't make her feel better. What if there's something wrong with their passports? What if they decide to arrest Carol and leave Lilac all alone with Milla? This is a mistake, they should just head home.

"Documents, please."

Lilac jumped again and snapped her attention forward, meeting eyes with the red panda guard in the booth. Now aware, Lilac noticed her breathing getting out of control and quickly composed herself, though her heartbeat remained erratic.

The guard seemed just as eager about this encounter as her, he leaned forward on his desk and stared at her with half open, slightly bloodshot eyes that screamed "give me coffee or I'll die just to spite you." Weirdly, the guard's apparent misery calmed Lilac down a little, better than actively hostile. Being separated by glass also helped.

"Documents, please," the guard repeated with an almost unnoticeable glare.

Lilac cleared her throat and responded with, "Uh, right. Sorry."

She hesitantly slipped her passport under the booth window. The guard quickly retrieved it and began his inspection with a tired sigh. Lilac fidgeted the whole time, not taking her eyes off the guard. There's not a whole lot to look at on that passport, why is this taking so long? Just standing here makes Lilac feel as if an axe is about to drop.

After what felt like years, the guard raised an eyebrow, making Lilac's heart race even more, before looking up and saying, "Your skin looks lighter than in the photo."

Uh oh.

"I-It's an old photo," Lilac stammered with a forced smile, suppressing the urge to run.

The guard's gaze repeatedly switched between Lilac's face and the photo, eventually he gave a quiet "hm" before resuming his inspection. Lilac quietly sighed and basked in the warm glow of relief. Thankfully he's just the right amount of lazy.

"Huh, says here you're only half dragon," the red panda guard suddenly said. "But your father's species isn't listed?"

Oh come on!

Reeling from her relief being annihilated, Lilac struggled to maintain her composure and said, "My egg was stolen before I could hatch. I never knew my parents, so I have no idea what else I'm half of!"

The guard's glare narrowed, making Lilac fidget again and drop her smile. Her legs started to shake and she gulped. This isn't something worth turning her away over, right? If he's lazy enough to excuse the photo, then surely he can let this slide too! Try as she might, Lilac couldn't calm herself down. A million excuses poured from her mind but none of them filled her with confidence.

A sudden ripping noise yanked Lilac back to reality. Under the booth window sat her passport and a small slip of paper.

"Show this ticket to one of the guards at the end of the line," the guard droned as he sat back in his seat.

Lilac's face lit up with a smile as she took her papers back and said, "Oh, thank you so-..."

"Next!"

Her smile quickly vanished before she awkwardly moved on beyond the booth.

Once a fair distance away, Lilac quickly turned back around in time to see Milla approach the booth. The pup timidly handed over her documents and held her arm with a nervous frown. After a few seconds, Milla turned and met eyes with Lilac. The dragon felt a lump in her throat, unable to take her eyes off Milla. The urge to run to Milla's side filled Lilac and made her head pound.

Milla abruptly faced the man in the booth again with widened eyes. Her mouth hung open as she appeared to be trying to say something, only to close as Milla suddenly flinched. Lilac didn't need to hear the guard to know he's grilling Milla about something, which made her blood boil as she scowled and clenched her fists. The longer it went on, the more Lilac wanted to rush over there and dragon boost through the booth.

Actually, that doesn't sound like a bad idea...

Movement in front of Lilac brought her attention to Milla. The pup retrieved her papers and gave a quick nod before turning and running towards Lilac. A previously unnoticed pressure suddenly dissipated in Lilac's forehead, dazing her and making her hold her head with a groan. Lightheaded and tired, Lilac felt as if she just ran a marathon across the planet. The sight of Milla approaching prompted some mental cursing on Lilac's part, she quickly stood up straight and put on a smile for her small friend.

"I did it, Lilac!" Milla exclaimed with a smile and a wagging tail.

Lilac patted Milla on the head and said, "See, what'd I tell you?"

Milla made her way to Lilac's side, allowing the dragon to gently grab her by the shoulder and pull her close. Now that Milla is here, safe and sound, Lilac felt she could finally relax. She didn't even want to think about how she almost lost it, just enjoy the relief.

There's someone who still isn't having a good time, Lilac noticed. Carol stood slouched with a blank stare and her hands in her pockets as the booth guard inspected her passport. As time went on, Carol seemed to grow more impatient, tapping her foot and occasionally tilting her head back to give an audible groan.

Though nothing too dramatic happened, Lilac's imagination ran amok. Carol could be turned away and Lilac would be left alone with Milla, a possibility that made Lilac sweat and nervously rub her arm. Without Carol, Lilac could have a breakdown in front of Milla, or make more stupid decisions and get both of them killed. Lilac just can't function without Carol...

Luckily, those fears seem unfounded. Carol snatched her papers and trotted in Lilac's direction, giving the booth a certain obscene hand gesture as she moved. The resulting relief put a small smile on Lilac's face, she didn't even care about Carol doing that in front of Milla.

"Real class act, that one," Carol huffed as she approached and crossed her arms.

"I don't think he likes his job," Milla commented.

"Eh, still a jerk."

Lilac rolled her eyes, then froze upon seeing Carol staring back at her.

"You good?" Carol asked nonchalantly.

Lilac's mouth hung open at first, but she quickly collected herself, put on a smile, and replied with, "Yeah, I'm just still a little tired."

"Hm."

Carol's neutral frown remained, which didn't fill Lilac with confidence. That cat knows Lilac isn't having the best time right now. Well, nobody is. But Lilac especially.

Not wanting the awkwardness to drag on, Lilac immediately shepherded the group further into the checkpoint, using the crowd as a guide since she didn't exactly know where to go. As they traveled, Lilac felt the sting of contemptuous glares from the guards. The worrisome part is she and her friends aren't the only ones receiving this treatment. No matter who they looked at, the guards seemed to be looking for an excuse to harass someone. Lilac even caught glimpses of people being shoved without provocation, and overheard whispers of slurs for migrants and such.

As if it couldn't feel worse, Lilac and company soon found themselves enveloped in an oppressive shadow. At first, Lilac figured they were in for some heavy clouds. But a glance skyward reminded her of an alarming feature of this checkpoint. This shadow belonged to the aerial warship seen earlier, still hovering overhead with its cannons staring down at the unarmed crowds. To complete the experience, the guards further in the checkpoint toted more intimidating small arms, fingers already on the trigger.

Feeling her heart race, Lilac instinctively glanced at Carol, which did nothing for her growing anxiety. Carol avoided eye contact with the guards and kept her head low, a far cry from the frustrated defiance at the booth. Lilac suppressed a whimper, not something you want to see from someone who's needed for this scenario. If Carol of all people can't handle this, then what's going to happen if Lilac freaks out? For the first time since she confided in Carol, Lilac felt isolated.

Before she could dwell on it further, Lilac felt someone tug on her arm, making her jump slightly and look in her guest's direction. Milla looked back at her as she nervously fidgeted. Chest seizing at this sight, Lilac almost forgot about Carol. Almost.

"Are you sure we're going to make it through?" Milla asked timidly.

Lilac hesitated to speak, letting her mouth hang open, before forcing a smile and replying with, "Of course! We just have to get past the lines and show our tickets."

Milla broke eye contact and glanced around, then suddenly dropped her gaze with a quiet yelp. Lilac bit her lip at this sight, internally growling at herself for not being able to help. Yet she managed to quickly recompose herself for Milla's sake.

Lilac took a step closer to Milla, who glanced back up at her, and softly said, "Just stay close to me, alright? We're going to be okay."

Milla stared back in silence for a couple seconds, before finally giving a hesitant nod an scooting closer. Lilac gently grabbed Milla by the shoulder and allowed a brief exhale. She couldn't explain why, but the anxiety from before seemed to lessen. Maybe it's from keeping herself busy by taking care of Milla, or perhaps she finally grew numb to the oppressive environment she currently finds herself in. Okay, that last one is wishful thinking if Lilac's ever seen it, but she quietly hoped the feeling would stay for just a little while longer.

"It's going to be okay," Lilac whispered, both to Milla and herself.

"Hey, I found the lines!" Carol shouted from up ahead.

Lilac guided Milla in Carol's direction with more haste than what's probably necessary. The sound of Carol's confident voice triggered an automated response in Lilac, she has to be with Carol. Once they caught up, and Carol flashed a warm smile in Lilac's direction, Lilac felt a pressure suddenly vanish from inside her.

She's with Carol, so all is right with the world now.

Lilac hoped the lines would be less intense. Sadly, the opposite proved true. Heavily armed guards herded countless entrants into lines like cattle, barking orders all the while. Chain link fencing crowned with barbed wire separated each line. Another pair of military helicopters circled above the scene like hawks about to dive bomb their prey.

All of this sent a chill through Lilac. This is just suppose to be a border checkpoint, and yet Shuigang brought enough firepower to hold off an invasion. Why? What do they think a bunch of unarmed entrants are going to do? This much overkill would seem comical if Lilac didn't find herself right in the middle of it all.

"Come on, let's get in line!" Carol called above the chaotic noise of the crowd.

Lilac shook her head and glanced at Carol, who stared back with a frown. Maybe the cat noticed something off about her, Lilac couldn't tell. But instead of worrying about it, Lilac gently grabbed Milla by the shoulder and guided her to one of the lines with Carol in tow. Whatever Carol wants to say is gonna have to wait until they get past this checkpoint.

The trio inspected the lines, not entirely sure what to do next. Their tickets didn't have an assigned line or anything. Other entrants seemed confused as well, until they awkwardly migrated to a line or were shoved into one by an agitated guard. Lilac decided to follow the lead of the former and led her friends to the nearest line, designated "Line Two" by a nearby sign.

"You there, Line Three!"

Lilac froze and went bug eyed from the guard's booming voice, but quickly composed herself and turned to face him. The armed panda guard's glare kept her grounded in place, she almost didn't notice the other guard standing behind him. Holding her breath, Lilac figured these two are looking for any excuse to make life difficult for her and her friends.

Rather than start a scene, Lilac exhaled and said, "Right. We're sorry."

Another glance in Carol's direction revealed a scowl on the cat's face, prompting Lilac to gently elbow her in an effort to get her to behave. Milla, on the other hand, nervously stared back at the guards as she fidgeted. Lilac tapped her on the shoulder, prompting Milla to meet eyes with her and quickly put on a smile. Though Lilac knew better than to think Milla isn't scared, she decided now is not a good time to press the issue, so she just smiled back.

But before the trio could take more than a step forward, the guard suddenly held his hand up to stop them.

"Not you two, just the mutt," he ordered.

...What?

Lilac stopped breathing. The world around her still went on, but her senses couldn't process it, not even her hearing aids helped. Though her vision blurred, Lilac could still make out Milla, as if only the foreground is visible in an out of focus photo.

Milla continuously looked back and forth between Lilac and the guards, eyes widened and mouth agape. This sight changed something in Lilac, restoring her senses and bringing her attention to the guards. No time to freak, Milla needs her.

"W-wait, she's with us!" Lilac stammered.

The guard's glare narrowed before he replied with, "Doesn't matter, she goes in Line Three."

Not knowing what to do now, Lilac just stood there, barely noticing Milla inch behind her. Carol abruptly stepped towards the guard with a glare, but the guard rolled his eyes and shoved her aside before she could say anything. Lilac instinctively lurched forward and called Carol's name, then gasped and turned back around just in time to see the guard pulling Milla by the arm.

"Stop! Let me go!" Milla shouted, grimacing and planting her feet as she pulled away.

Gritting her teeth, Lilac broke out into a sprint with Milla locked in her sight. Before she could grab her friend, a gloved hand grabbed Lilac by the shoulder and stopped her dead in her tracks, before effortlessly shoving her to the ground. Stunned from the sudden fall, Lilac grunted as she struggled to prop herself up. Her vision cleared, and the sight of Milla being dragged away sent jolt through the winded dragon. Milla's cries drowned out any other noise.

Lilac hastily rose to her feet, then hissed from a sudden headache and fell to her knee. Weak, hyperventilating, and tearing up, Lilac could only watch helplessly as the guard dragged Milla away. Lilac's mind screamed to move and help Milla, but her body refused to listen.

"Lilac!" Milla cried from a distance.

Realizing Milla had been dragged out of sight, Lilac fruitlessly screamed her name as tears finally started flowing.

Someone suddenly grabbed Lilac by the arm, getting her attention. Carol looked back at her worriedly as she tugged at her arm.

"Come on!" Carol urged with a noticeable crack in her voice, "We have to move!"

But Lilac didn't want to. Instead she looked ahead and frantically scanned the crowd for any sign of Milla, to no success. The other guard, who Lilac just now realized is still present, walked into view.

"Get in line, you half-breed freak!" he shouted with a glare and his hand on his holstered sidearm.

Before Lilac could say or do anything, Carol forcefully pulled Lilac to her feet and whispered, "Don't give them an excuse. Let's go, now!"

Carol gently pulled on Lilac's arm and guided her back to Line Two. On the way, Lilac still produced tears, yet she maintained a furious glare with the guard. She wanted to cry, yet her blood boiled at the same time. A mixture of rage and anxiety wracked her insides and worsened her headache, simultaneously urging her to act and rendering her unable to break free from Carol's grasp.

The pair eventually made it in line as other entrants trickled in behind them. Carol positioned herself in front of Lilac and firmly grabbed her by the shoulders. Still hyperventilating, Lilac didn't make eye contact at first. This changed when Carol tightened her grip on her shoulders.

"Lilac, you need to calm down," Carol said as she wiped away Lilac's tears, the crack in her voice still present.

"B-But...Milla..." Lilac stammered.

Carol closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then she opened her eyes and said, "Listen! Milla's going to be fine, alright? She'll behave herself and make it to the end of the line. But we need to behave ourselves too, otherwise they'll haul us off and Milla will be all alone. Is that what you want?"

Lilac looked Carol in the eyes for a few silent seconds. Milla still occupied her frantic thoughts, but Carol's now calm voice inspired a little bit of confidence. Lilac eventually closed her eyes and shook her head once her breathing calmed down.

"Okay, good," Carol said with a relieved sigh and a smile. She gently took Lilac's hand and guided her further down the line, which had moved forward a little. "I'll be with you the whole way. It's going to be alright."

Lilac didn't respond, not that she could if she wanted to.

The monotony of waiting in line left Lilac alone with her thoughts, she barely felt Carol holding her hand. The line moved at a snail's pace, sometimes Carol would have to get Lilac's attention whenever they had to move forward. Lilac kept her head down nearly the whole time.

A sudden scream up ahead yanked Lilac's attention forward. A pair of guards walked down the line towards her, dragging a shrieking and kicking female fox between them. Lilac's eyes widened and she couldn't look away as her mouth hung open. Carol's grip on her hand tightened.

"Keep your head down!" Carol hissed in Lilac's ear.

Lilac did as commanded, but her bug eyes remained. Every step the guards took closer prompted Lilac to hold Carol's hand tighter. The woman's panicked screams grew closer and louder, assaulting Lilac's senses and making her wince. The guards' progress slowed from their victim's struggling, ensuring it would take a little bit before they actually pass Lilac and Carol. Eventually, the woman's screaming morphed into tearful begging. She pleaded to remain with her son, who Lilac guessed is now unaccompanied, to no avail.

This is somehow worse than the screaming.

Now squeezing her eyes shut and clenching her fists, Lilac tried tuning out the begging fox girl. No good, she's still being dragged closer at a snail's pace. The begging not only hurt Lilac's ears, it also reminded her of Milla. Alone in another line, surrounded by armed guards looking for an excuse to drag someone to who knows where, what would Milla do if she couldn't reunite with the group?

The fox girl's begging drowned out any other noise now, Lilac guessed she couldn't even hear Carol. The noise, the crying, the injustice, thoughts of Milla. It's too much, it needs to stop.

Gritting her teeth, Lilac forcefully ripped her hearing aids off her head.

Only silence remained. Lilac still heard the occasional muffle, but otherwise silence. This, combined with her closed eyes, invoked total sensory deprivation. With the chaos of the outside world gone, Lilac finally noticed she hadn't been breathing, so she took a few deep breaths before finally settling down.

A hand suddenly yet gently grabbed Lilac by the shoulder, making her jump a little, but she quickly recognized the gentle and warm grip.

"I'm fine, Carol," Lilac said, unsure of her volume.

Lilac felt Carol's grip loosen and slide down her arm. Carol then gently grabbed Lilac's hand and rubbed the back of it with her thumb. Good, Carol understands. Lilac sighed and gave a weak smile, before wrapping her arms around Carol's arm.

Still refusing to open her eyes or put her hearing aids back on, Lilac felt nothing but Carol's warmth. Carol occasionally pulled her forward whenever the line moved. Content, Lilac wished she and Carol could stay like this forever. All that's missing is...

...Milla.

Lilac dropped her smile. That's right, Milla's still all alone in the other line. The guards are looking for any excuse to arrest entrants, and Milla doesn't have Lilac's or Carol's protection. Deja vu suddenly hit Lilac like truck. The last time Milla got separated from the group was...

Brevon's...Dreadnought...

"You're forgetting something important about our troops," Brevon's voice boomed in Lilac's head, making her gasp. "They don't...need...oxygen!"

Lilac finally opened her eyes and inhaled, or tried to. Her lungs never filled, leading her to try again, and again, and again, to no avail. Still hanging on to Carol, Lilac went light headed and fell to her knees, her strength abandoning her. Shaking now accompanied her wheezing as her lungs felt ready to implode, both from lack of air and building panic.

Carol attempted to pull Lilac back on her feet with little success. Any time Lilac managed to stand, her legs would just give out again. All she could do was hang on to Carol.

There's no air, Lilac thought to herself as she went lightheaded. She's going to asphyxiate, she's going to die on this dreadnought. What happened to the water shield Milla gave her? It must have taken too many hits from Brevon's soldiers. She needs to find a new water shield.

She needs to find Milla.

Lilac released Carol and fell on all fours, before immediately crawling towards the fence to her left. She then felt Carol grab her and pull her to her feet. Though a little dazed, Lilac summoned what little strength she lad left and threw herself forward, escaping from Carol's grasp and collapsing against the fence.

"M-Milla, help!" Lilac feebly called as she hung onto the fence, "I can't...I can't breathe..."

Lilac scanned the crowd on the other side for any trace of her canine friend, but could barely see anything as her vision grew out of focus. She kept calling, her voice losing volume with each attempt, and still no response. Not even the other entrants payed her any heed. No matter where she looked, or how much she called, no sign of Milla.

"Please..."

Lilac suddenly lurched away from the fence as she felt a forceful hand on her shoulder. The hand forced her to turn around and face its owner, a glaring Shuigang panda soldier. Adrenaline suddenly surging, Lilac swiped the soldier's hand away and backed up as she went bug eyed.

"Don't touch me!" she shouted, glaring back and gritting her teeth.

The soldier pointed and shouted something at her. Lilac couldn't hear him, due to not having her hearing aids on, not that she cared what he had to say. Milla still occupying her thoughts, Lilac stared the guard down. He's keeping her from finding Milla, he's and obstacle, he needs to get out of her way.

Seething and out of patience, Lilac reached for one of her hair whips...

Before she could do anything else, Lilac's vision abruptly filled with green. She focused and could now make out the back of Carol's head. Carol must have moved between her and the guard. Lilac's glare faded as she looked back and forth between them, suddenly having trouble remembering what happened the past few seconds.

Despite the confusion, Carol's presence helped Lilac calm down. But without the adrenaline, Lilac became vulnerable to a sharp pressure in her chest as her legs gave out. She fell to her knees and supported herself with one arm, desperately gasping for air as she held her chest. It all came back; suffocating, Milla, the soldier. This all happened because she lost it again.

Feeling a gentle touch on her back, Lilac glanced up at the sight of Carol kneeling next to her, looking back with a worried frown. Lilac wanted to say something, but her heavy breathing kept her from doing so. Not that Carol payed attention for long, her gaze snapped back to the soldier. He said something to her as his hand hovered over his holstered sidearm. Lilac went bug eyed at this, but lacked the strength to move. Carol held her hand up towards the guard and said something back at him. For a few seconds, they just spoke to each other, the guard occasionally tensed and pointed while Carol just stayed put and remained calm. Lilac, her breathing finally stable, unsuccessfully tried reading their lips.

Eventually, the soldier turned and stormed off, prompting a relieved sigh from Lilac. She met eyes with Carol, who gave a soft smile and gently tugged on her arm. Lilac smiled back and slowly got back on her feet, with a little help from Carol. Carol then produced Lilac's hearing aids, prompting Lilac to frown before hesitantly putting them back on.

A little too use to the silence, Lilac winced when the noise assaulted her ears. Carol gently grabbed Lilac by the shoulders and stared into her eyes, getting her attention.

"You good now?" Carol asked, helping Lilac focus despite all the noise.

Carol's familiar voice warmed Lilac, getting a smile from her as she nodded. Carol smiled back and moved beside Lilac, before wrapping her arm around her shoulder and guiding her further down the line.

"Just hang in there a little bit longer," Carol whispered. "We'll find Milla soon, alright? It's going to be okay."

Lilac let herself relax in Carol's embrace. A smile found its way on her face as she let Carol prop her up. For awhile, she managed to avoid thinking about what just happened, but only temporarily. She thought if she completely cut off her senses, then nothing could set her off. But all it did was leave her alone to fret over the situation, and it brought back more awful memories.

Lilac's smile faded, she's not safe no matter what she does or where she goes. Her problems will always find a way to intrude in her life. She's a prisoner of her own broken mind. Her thoughts inched towards more self loathing, prompting Lilac to sink further into Carol's one armed hug. Carol's company and earlier assurance helped keep these thoughts at bay.

At least she has Carol, Lilac thought to herself.

At least Lilac calmed down, Carol thought to herself.

Carol held Lilac close as they slowly moved with the line. After that last outburst, Carol grew more restless, eager to get Lilac out of this crazy place. She could've sworn the line didn't move this slow before the incident. One can only imagine what this is doing to Lilac, more time spent in this line is more time for her to stew over what just happened.

Getting worried, Carol glanced at Lilac. The dragon leaned on her shoulder with a frown and half open eyes. On one hand, Carol hated seeing Lilac like this and hoped she would grow numb to it already. On the other hand, Lilac seemed too worn out to do anything else stupid. Deciding to focus on the latter, Carol gave a revealed sigh and looked forward. Small blessings.

Despite this comfort, Carol couldn't take her mind off of one detail from the incident; Lilac coming close to throwing down with that soldier. The look on Lilac's face, the glare, the teeth, Carol could think of only one other time she'd seen it. Perhaps a lot more intense than with the guard, but still.

Brevon.

The crying and screaming were bad enough. At least then, Carol could get Lilac under control. But if this thing can make Lilac prone to the unholy retribution she unleashed on Brevon, would Carol be able to contain her?

Carol tightened her grip on Lilac and pushed such thoughts away, she'll just have to hope it won't come to that. Actually, no, it won't come to that. She won't let it. Besides, what happened back there couldn't really compare to Brevon, right?

"Tickets, now," a guard ordered, pulling Carol from her thoughts.

A pair of guards replaced the line in front of her and Lilac, both glaring. The girls showed their tickets and the soldiers stood aside. Once they made it past, they found themselves in a clearing devoid of any fencing. Entrants flooded the area after finally having their tickets checked.

Well, the ones who made it, anyway.

Lilac suddenly lurched forward, and would have escaped if Carol didn't keep a firm grip on her.

"Hey!" Carol called with a furrowed brow.

Lilac turned towards her with a frown, noticeably less tired looking, and begged, "Please, I need to find her..."

Carol's glare vanished and she bit her lip. Waiting in that line, while worrying about Milla, must have been pure hell for Lilac. What if Lilac had been separated instead of Milla? How would Carol have handled it? For some reason, Carol found this scenario uncomfortable, and stopped thinking about it.

"Okay," Carol said under a sigh, before putting on a less tense glare. "But stay close."

Lilac nodded after a few seconds of silence, prompting Carol to hesitantly release her. The pair ventured further into the crowd, either shoving or being shoved. Lilac called Milla's name, but Carol could barely hear her over everyone else. Eventually, the crowd thinned, and Carol got a more clear display of Lilac's desperation.

The dragon randomly darted in all direction as she kept calling for Milla, her voice growing louder. Carol joined the search, but kept her eyes on Lilac. Soon, Lilac stopped calling and just looked around, hyperventilating with her hands clenched and trembling at her sides.

Carol cursed under her breath and rushed to Lilac's side. Lilac looked back at her with bug eyes and mouth slightly agape. This sight prompted Carol to gently grab her by the shoulders and say something, but her mouth just hung open. No words came to mind, what in the world could she say? Sorry that Milla got arrested but everything's gonna be hunky-dory?

"Lilac? Carol?"

Carol's ears perked up as she looked over her shoulder, looking for whoever just called their names. After a quick search, a certain young basset hound made her way into view, looking around with her hands nervously clasped together.

"Milla!" Lilac shouted, running past Carol.

Carol didn't even care that Lilac nearly knocked her over, she just stood there and watched as Lilac dropped to her knees and pulled Milla into a tight hug, which Milla returned with equal vigor. Carol noticed Milla squeezing her eyes shut and wagging her tail.

After giving a quick sigh of relief, Carol approached the embracing pair for a closer look at Lilac. The dragon had her eyes closed, but otherwise seemed fine.

Lilac pulled away from Milla, looked her in the eyes, and asked, "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine!" Milla answered, Carol swore she heard a crack in her voice. "It was scary, though..."

"It's okay, we made it. It's okay..." Lilac said as she pulled Milla into a more gentle hug.

For a little bit, Carol just stood there with a smile and her hands in her pockets, relieved that Lilac finally calmed down. She couldn't even bother to imagine the worst case scenario. After all that nonsense, Carol just wanted to let Lilac have this relief.

It didn't last long; Carol's ears perked up in response to something unpleasant.

"Mommy? Where are you!?"

Carol turned in the voice's direction, and felt a lump form in her throat. Just outside the lines, a little fox boy wandered aimlessly with a tear stricken face. He had to be half Milla's age, at most.

"Where's my mommy!?" the boy cried, now sobbing.

Wide eyed, Carol finally put two and two together. This kid is probably the son of that fox woman who got dragged off. Carol just stood there for a few seconds, stunned, then composed herself before joining Lilac and Milla.

"Hey, we should probably get moving," Carol said with as little urgency as she could.

The pair looked up at her briefly before rising to their feet, with Lilac helping Milla up.

"You're right, we should hurry and catch a bus," Lilac mentioned with a weak smile.

"Yeah, I don't like this place," Milla added somewhat dejectedly.

Lilac gave Milla a quick hair ruffle, earning a giggle from her, before the trio set off through the crowd. As they walked, Carol swallowed and tried not to think of that kid. That could have been Milla if Lilac had been arrested, or the other way around if Carol didn't stop Lilac from attacking that guard. There were far too many opportunities for things to go belly up back there.

Suddenly, Carol felt a pleasant heat emanating from her left. Carol looked and was rewarded with Lilac walking close by, smiling at her.

"Thank you, so much," Lilac whispered.

Carol smiled back and whispered, "Any time, Ms. Heropants."

That was all Carol needed.

It's been more than a year since I last updated. I want to say it won't take as long for the next update, buuuuuuuuuuuut...