A New HQ!

Kai was sprawled on the couch, a book open in her lap as the muffled chatter of the television played in the background. After another long day at school, she'd planned for a quiet evening to herself, savoring the rare downtime.

The sound of the doorbell shattered the stillness. Kai's head snapped up, her brow furrowing. She closed the book and set it aside, glancing at the clock. It was late in the afternoon, and she wasn't expecting anyone. Rising from the couch, she made her way to the door without a word, her curiosity growing with each step.

When she opened the door, her expression immediately shifted to a mix of confusion and annoyance. Standing there were Nyota, Sage, Kilo, and Aurora.

"Hey, Kai!" Kilo greeted enthusiastically, stepping forward before she could react. He strolled into the house with the ease of someone who'd been invited, casually glancing around as though it were a routine visit.

Kai blinked, still holding the door open. "What the—Kilo! You can't just walk into someone's house!" she snapped, turning to glare at him as he made himself at home.

Kilo grinned and flopped onto her couch, leaning back with a satisfied sigh. "What? It's cozy in here. You've got great taste, by the way."

Sage, standing just outside the doorway, offered a polite nod. "Sorry for the unannounced visit. We… should have called first."

Kai looked from Sage to Aurora, who stood with her hands in her pockets, offering a small, apologetic shrug before stepping inside after Sage. Nyota lingered at the back, his hands shoved deep into his jacket pockets, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

Finally, she looked at him with a deadpan expression. "Care to explain?"

He stammered, "I tried to tell them—"

"Nyota, I hardly know these people," she mumbled, though her tone grew sharper. "I'm just a regular schoolgirl. I've said it before—I'm willing to help you, but I am not a part of whatever you've got going on, okay?! As far as I'm concerned, we've never met. I mean, I hardly know you!"

Though slightly touched by Kai's words, Nyota's mind was focused on minimizing the conflict that he was largely responsible for. "I'm sorry, okay?" He exhaled. "Just… We won't show up unannounced again, and I'll keep them under control. I promise."

"This is on you," Kai finally exhaled, stepping aside to let him in. "You're all unbelievable," she muttered, shutting the door behind him.

Kilo, now fully stretched out on her couch, pointed at the TV. "Ooh, you're watching this? Nice. Haven't seen this show in years."

Kai turned to him with her arms crossed. "Kilo, get off my couch."

"Technically, it's your fault for leaving the door unlocked," he quipped, earning a glare from her.

"Kilo," Nyota said, his tone sharp enough to make Kilo sit up—though the grin on his face never wavered.

Kai sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "What do you all want?"

Aurora stepped forward, her calm demeanor balancing the tension. "We wanted to talk with you about… a few things. But mostly, we just wanted to spend some time with you. If that's alright."

Kai raised an eyebrow, glancing at Nyota. He looked like he wanted to disappear into the floor. "This was your idea, wasn't it?"

Nyota shook his head quickly. "Not entirely."

Kilo snorted. "Sure it wasn't."

Kai sighed again, leaning against the arm of a nearby chair. "Fine. But if you're staying here, you follow my rules. No raiding the fridge, no touching my stuff, and no crashing here overnight."

"Understood," Aurora said with a slight smile.

Kilo gave a thumbs-up. "No promises about the fridge, though."

Kai rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."

As the group settled in, Kai's initial irritation was evident in her crossed arms and furrowed brow. She stood by the doorway of her living room, watching the others claim spots on her furniture like they'd lived there all their lives.

Kilo, as expected, sprawled back on the couch, still grinning like a mischievous child. Sage, more reserved, took a seat on an armchair near the window, leaning back casually as he scanned the room. Aurora leaned in the open doorway between the kitchen and living room, her arms crossed, exuding an air of calm authority.

Nyota sat stiffly at the edge of the couch, as though trying to minimize his presence entirely.

"So, what's the real reason you all decided to invade my house today?" Kai asked, her sharp tone cutting through the relative quiet.

"We missed you," Kilo said with a mock pout. "It's been, what, days since we saw you?"

Kai shot him a glare. "I'm serious."

Aurora cleared her throat softly. "We thought it would be a good idea to check in with you—especially after how much you've helped us recently. Consider this our way of saying thanks."

Kai narrowed her eyes. "You're saying thanks by showing up uninvited and making yourselves at home?"

"Pretty much," Kilo said, earning a smack on the arm from Sage.

"What Aurora means," Sage interjected smoothly, "is that we wanted to spend time with you somewhere that's not… you know, chaotic or tense. You've been there for us, and we figured it was time to return the favor. Even if we're terrible at planning ahead."

Kai's expression softened slightly, though she kept her arms crossed. "That's sweet and all, but it doesn't mean you can just waltz in here whenever you feel like it. I have a life, you know."

"Really? Because it looks like you were just sitting on the couch reading and watching TV," Kilo said innocently.

Kai grabbed a nearby pillow and threw it at him. "And I was enjoying it before you showed up!"

Kilo ducked, laughing. "Point taken."

Nyota finally spoke up, his voice quiet but sincere. "Look, Kai... this wasn't my idea, okay? But now that we're here, I just want to say we really do appreciate you. I know it's annoying—we're annoying—but we mean well. If it's too much, we'll leave."

There was an awkward pause as everyone looked at Kai, waiting for her response.

She sighed, running a hand over her face. "You're all lucky I like you. Fine, you can stay. But if this becomes a habit, we're setting some ground rules."

Kilo fist-pumped. "Victory! Man, I'm gonna love this as my new HQ."

Aurora smiled faintly. "Thank you, Kai. We'll try to keep things... manageable."

"Doubtful," Kai muttered.

Aurora continued. "While we're here, shouldn't we talk business?"

"Sure thing," Nyota nodded before turning to Kai. "You run into anything new?"

"I did, actually. But the four of you are going to want to listen in pretty closely, no?"

Altogether, the energy in the room came to a focus. Kai left for her basement for a moment to grab a few items. When she returned, she sat on the floor in front of the living room coffee table, which was stationed in front of the couch.

She placed and opened her laptop on it, along with a notebook and what appeared to be a map and a blueprint of sorts.

The living room buzzed with quiet intensity. Nyota, Sage, Kilo, and Aurora gathered around the coffee table, a blueprint of a complex building spread before them. A map of Lunanova and its neighboring territories lay next to it.

Kai referred to a collection of articles on her laptop. "After doing some digging, I've learned of some prolonged issues around the country. One pertains to a series of government-sanctioned factories that produce consumables for public use, particularly mouthwash."

"Mouthwash?" Nyota asked with a chuckle. "That's so… bizarre."

Kai nodded. "There have been countless reports of the line causing many bodily problems—itching, dizziness, nausea, and other pains. Naturally, the government ignores these instances, opting instead to take articles that report them off the internet. That's what I'm reading from now—just more government archives."

Kilo shook his head. "I don't know. I'd expect our first jab at Noriko to be a bang, one she can't ignore, you know? Not much I can imagine with factories."

"This isn't just for show, Kilo," Sage reminded. "We're trying to send a message. Plus, no use in fighting when we just don't have the power for that yet."

Nyota agreed. "We need to gain a following while remaining anonymous. I say we start small and then get bigger. And I think this is just the perfect way to start."

After some thought, Kilo nodded. "Eh, if you say so. I guess I'm down for blowing up a factory."

Kai laughed aloud. "That's hilarious! Blowing up a factory—you can't possibly be serious about doing something so crazy." Her laughter faded when she saw the sincere expressions on their faces.

"...Right?"

No response.

"No way…"

"Where could we start?" Nyota continued.

Kai swallowed before answering, pointing toward the southern region of Lunanova on the map. "You could start in the city of Blueport. There are a couple of factories down there. I traced back and found those to be the closest ones around."

"How long is the travel?"

"Blueport, huh…" Aurora placed her hand on her chin. "It's about a six or seven-hour train ride."

"How will we be able to spare time from our supervisors, though?" Nyota asked.

"Have you forgotten who you're with?" Aurora reminded. "I'm a Lieutenant, that shouldn't be a problem. I'll put in a request to have the three of you under my supervision for a couple of weeks. We won't even need that much time when it's all said and done. I'll just write a mission proposal, make up some business for us to tend to down there, and we'll be alright."

Kai's brow furrowed. Though she was determined to hear them out, skepticism still flickered in her eyes.

"So, let me get this straight," she said, glancing between them. "You're planning to sabotage a government-controlled factory, one that has the resources to retaliate if they even suspect who's behind this?"

Aurora leaned back in her chair, arms resting casually on its sides. "Yep! But this operation has such a low risk level in the grand scheme of things. They won't suspect us—not if we do this right."

"And if you don't?" Kai's voice sharpened. "What if this goes sideways? What if someone gets hurt? Do you even realize how much attention this could draw to all of you—to me?"

Nyota, who had been quiet until now, looked up from the blueprint. His steady gaze met Kai's. "We do. But this isn't just about making a statement, Kai. It's about stopping something that's already hurting people."

He pointed to a section of the blueprint where faulty equipment was labeled for shipment. "If all of this is true, these factories have been producing defective goods for a couple of years now. People are getting injured—some fatally—because of the government's negligence.

Complaints have gone ignored. And shutting it down through official channels?" He shook his head. "It's not going to happen. Noriko will continue to cover it up, like she does with everything."

Kai hesitated. "And you're sure you can do this without anyone getting caught in the crossfire?"

"We're not here to hurt anyone," Nyota replied, his tone calm but firm. "That's not who we are. This may be our first go-round, but every step we take is planned to minimize risk—not just for us, but for anyone who might be affected. If we thought for even a second that innocent people would be harmed, we wouldn't be doing this."

Kai studied him, the doubt in her eyes softening. "You really believe that, don't you?"

Nyota gave a small, reassuring smile. "I don't just believe it. I know it."

The room fell silent, the weight of Nyota's words settling over them. Finally, Kai let out a slow breath.

"Okay," she said, her voice quieter now. "I'll trust you. But if this blows up in your faces, I'm going to say I told you so."

Sage grinned, breaking the tension. "We'll make sure it doesn't. Besides, you're really going to miss out on all the fun."

Kai rolled her eyes but smiled faintly. "Someone has to keep an eye on things here. Just… be careful, okay?"

"We will," Nyota promised.

"We'll leave next weekend," Aurora declared. "That'll give us time to prepare our schedules and mentally prepare. Sounds good?"

Collectively, Nyota, Sage, and Kilo nodded with utmost sincerity. "Yeah."

As they returned to planning, Kai lingered by the window, watching them work. Though her skepticism hadn't entirely disappeared, she found herself hoping, for their sake and everyone else's, that they were right.

She remained there for a while longer, contemplating their plan, its possible drawbacks, and her affiliation with them. Whether they succeeded or not, she would be complicit, sharing their reaped rewards as well as consequences.

She wholeheartedly agreed with their cause, but, naturally, she remained terrified by the possible outcomes. Noriko was evil—no question, and challenging her was a dream. Sure, they were brave, but in this dream turned reality, were Zteel and her actions actually the right thing to do?

Kai's mind grew restless as she thought of all the things that could go wrong.

After a while, Nyota caught her attention.

"Kai," he called, gazing at her with a concerned expression. Sage, Kilo, and Aurora did as well. "Everything okay?"

Kai appeared visibly anxious. "Yeah… yeah, of course!" She tried to assure them.

Nyota stood with a smile. "I understand this is all a bit jarring for you. I think I speak for the rest of us when I say we have nothing to lose. But even then, I acknowledge you're not like us. You have a home. You have a family. I'm sure you have other people who expect to see you daily."

He drew closer, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. She looked down at it before meeting his eyes.

"But we really are grateful for your help. None of this could be possible without you. Granted, we have yet to actually execute anything, which is why I'd like to remind you that you don't owe us anything. If you really can't do this, you can walk away at any moment," he continued.

"It's like you said: you're just a regular schoolgirl, so there's no need for you to get caught up in all this. If this isn't what you want, I won't be upset, and I'll understand."

Kai reflected on Nyota's words, a sudden warmth flowing through her. She shoved his hand from her shoulder with a chuckle and a roll of her eyes. "Please, I'm so much more than that."

"Hey—your words, not mine!" Nyota laughed. "But seriously—and you don't have to make your decision now—but what's the verdict?"

After another moment, Kai finally answered. "Thanks for considering me. Of course, I still have other obligations like school and whatever else, but nothing's changed. I'm still down to help. I'll continue to do research on Blueport and everything, as well as give you any other necessary information or tactical advice. But again—I'm not a part of Zteel."

"Message received," Nyota grinned. "No problem."

"We're glad to have you on the team," Sage joked.

Kilo, in his playful but persistent way, added, "Maybe not now, but I'm confident you'll join us eventually. Every team needs the 'brains' of the operation, and gods forbid I have to be stuck with Sage in that role."

"In all seriousness," Aurora concluded, "your perspective and insight are invaluable. No pressure, of course, but I don't really know how far we could get without you. We were struggling earlier; I'd say Nyota met you with superb timing."

"Consider yourself a godsend," Nyota quipped.

Kai felt a warmth spread across her cheeks as she listened to Nyota's words, especially his teasing remark that seemed to linger in the air longer than the others. She wasn't used to being complimented so openly, and the way Nyota said it—so effortlessly—made her heart flutter in a way she hadn't expected. She quickly shook the thought away, trying to maintain her composure.

Despite her inner reaction, she gave a small, appreciative smile, though she raised a light fist and struck him on the shoulder. "I'm supposed to be mad at you," she said.

"My bad! My bad!" Nyota raised his hands in defense.

His words weren't easy for her to brush off. They felt different, as if she were stepping into a new role she hadn't prepared for, yet one she was reluctantly drawn to.

Kai cleared her throat, regaining her usual composure. "Well, I'll keep doing what I do best, but let's keep the pressure to a minimum, okay? No need to make me blush any further." She glanced at Nyota, her eyes flickering for a moment before she quickly turned away. It wasn't until the others laughed that she realized just how much she'd allowed herself to fall into the moment.

She raised an eyebrow, her smile playful as she looked around the group. "And, if we're really talking about being part of the team, maybe I should hold out for an official title before I join in full force."

Her words were light, but there was a certain depth to them, a subtle recognition that this could lead to something bigger—something beyond her usual role of providing research and occasional advice. There was a shift, a pull in her heart that she wasn't quite ready to name, but it was there.

Her uncertainty lingered for a moment, but she pushed it aside, letting her mind wander back to the conversation at hand. There was still so much more to figure out.

Sage leaned forward, breaking her thoughts. "Great! To celebrate, how about I make dinner for everyone tonight? You've got a decent kitchen, right, Kai?"

Kai raised an eyebrow, surprised at the sudden shift in tone. "You can cook?"

Aurora chimed in. "Sage? Cook? That's news to me."

"Only the best in the land," Kilo grinned, "though he's as obnoxious as they come."

"Absolutely golden, coming from you," Kai quipped with a smirk. She chuckled despite herself.

Sage shot back. "Better than Kilo can, which isn't saying much."

"Hey!" Kilo protested.

Kai shook her head, smiling more than she'd intended. "Fine. But if you burn anything, you're cleaning it up."

"Deal!" Sage grinned, already standing and heading for the kitchen, leaving a trail of light-hearted banter behind him.

It was a simple moment, but for Kai, it felt like a step forward—like maybe, just maybe, there was a place for her here with these people, even if she wasn't ready to commit fully yet. But for now, she would let herself enjoy the connection, however uncertain it might be.