Palace of Greed, El Dorado (Library of Ruina)

You stare at Mao, frowning. She stares back, eyebrows cocked. God. What does she want from you? You can't figure her out. When you first saw her this afternoon, she was sitting slouched on an armchair, scarfing down on a piece of cake without a care in the world. But the moment you both met Sun, she acts as though the world itself revolves around the client. She said it wasn't an act, that it's real, but – ugh. Your head hurts just thinking about it. And now she wants you to speak up, bring up something. Bring up what? There's nothing you need to know, or want, for that matter.

You recall your little conversation with Mao on the way here. Maybe there's something. "How did it happen?" you ask, turning to Sun. She blinks. In the corner of your eyes, you catch Mao shooting you a look. "What made you break up with…" you gesture vaguely. "Him."

"Oh."

Besides you, Mao hisses out a sigh. "Of all things, that's what you want to ask? Really."

You scowl. "You told me to bring up something."

"Yes, and I'm quickly regretting my decision," Mao shakes her head. "Listen, Miss Sun," she says, softly. "You don't have to answer my brick of a junior's question."

"No," she shakes her head stiffly, staring down to her lap. She fidgets. "It's fine. I mean… you two deserve to know, right?"

"Not really," you say.

Mao purses her lips. "… It looks like you need to get it out of your chest."

Sun smiles, giggling under her breath. "You're right, I think. It's –" the smile vanishes, and she shrinks into herself. "Miss Lily, you asked what happened, right? Nothing happened," you blink, tilting her head. She smiles, a bitter edge to it. "His name's Moon, and – yeah, I know," she giggles at your flat look. "We laugh – laughed about it a lot, but it was too much."

You tilt your head. "What is?"

"Him," she whispers, her face falling. "He's too much. Moon's so sweet, and nice, and gentle, but – I can't. His love was so intense, like how we first met, but that was a long time ago," she raises her head, staring at Mao, and then at you. "And before I knew it, I realized I couldn't love him back."

You blink. "Wait, that's it?"

"… Yes," Sun mumbles, looking away. "I guess that's it."

Somehow, it feels like you just said the wrong thing. Call it instinct – or maybe it's the way Mao's staring at you from the sideline. "Well, it's just," you add quickly. "I mean, I thought he like, betrayed you or something, y'know? But by the way you put it, it's the other way around instead? I don't get it," you muse, tilting your head.

Sun fidgets. Then, her shoulders sag, eyes closing. "I don't either."

Mao sighs. "… Y'know, sometimes it feels like I'm working with emotionally stunted children – and you're not helping that impression, Lily."

You blink, surprised at the sudden edge in Mao's voice. "I'm not – " Mao shoots you a look. You frown, crossing your arms. "What did I do? I was just asking."

"Ms. Sun," Mao mutters softly, squeezing Sun's hand. "Please ignore my dense junior," you grumble under your breath. "Come on, look at me."

"… It's just – I don't know," Sun mumbles, opening her eyes, focusing to her attention to the table. "Did I do the right thing? It feels like it's not. Feels like I abandoned him. I couldn't love him back, but maybe I should've tried more. Tried to talk things out. Maybe –" her voice breaks. "Maybe none of this would've happened."

"No, please don't say that," Mao shakes her head. "You did the right thing, Miss Sun, and I'm not saying that because it led you to hire us," she smirks, chuckling.

Sun smiles, but it's a dead glassy thing, you realize – like those eyes your neighbors have.

Mao lowers her head, her free hand toying with the rim of her hat. "Love is complicated. It's not exactly something I could put into words, but if I have to try –" she pushes her hat away, splaying her palm wide open against the table. "It's business; a transaction. Kinda like this worker-client thing we got," she gestures at Sun, then at herself and you. Sun's dull glassy eyes follow them. "You pay us accordingly, and we protect you accordingly. But, say that we're being paid for a Star of the City job – no way in hell can we deal with that level of threat, can we?" she muses aloud, tone dry. "It's the same with love. If his affection was too much to handle, and you can't even try to return it… then you see where I'm going, yes?"

You blink, and – and you realize you do. You knock your knuckles against the table, and Sun's attention jumps to you. "Mao's right," you still don't get 'love'. Like, you understand what it means, but why anyone would go for it befuddles you. Why anybody would 'open up', and the worth of 'affection'. It seems to only lead into a world of hurt, and disappointment. Shit, from how Sun puts it, that 'hurt' doesn't even have to come from getting stabbed in the back. But if there's one thing you do know – did know, it's gratitude. Feelings of indebtedness.

Landlord Lin flashes to mind. You hate him, but long before that, there was gratitude. A feeling of indebtedness and wanting to pay it back. And then you started drowning in it. "If you did nothing, he'd drown you with that 'affection'. It adds up. Piles up, to the point that you're trapped. He'd hold power over you, and there'd be nothing you could do," you mutter, scowling. "… I still don't get it, but I was wrong. It ain't just 'that's it'. And 'sides, you just reminded me. Dude sent you threats, and now hired a buncha Fixers to hurt you," you point out. "Guess the reason don't matter ultimately, 'cause it sounds like you dodged a damn bullet."

Mao hums. "I was about to remind you that, yeah," she nods. "From how you talked about it, and how your ex reacted, that relationship was inevitable to get poisonous."

"A-ah," Sun hiccups, a broken-up laugh. Her eyes look suspiciously wet, but at least she's not going to burst into tears. She runs her wide sleeve across her face instead. "T-thanks. I – it feels like," she shakes her head. "It's weird. But it feels like I needed to hear that. From both of you. Thanks."

"Whatever," you grumble, looking away. "My bad for raising it up. 'Nuff with the sappy shit –"

"You're right," Mao cuts in. "Now's the time for juicy shit –" and at that, she leans into your side of the table; hand resting below her chin. "So, Lily, what's your preferences?"

You lean back, blinking. "Wha?"

"Y'know," she drawls out, wiggling her brows. "Boys, girls – maybe both?"

You choke, sputtering. You glare, gnashing your teeth. "The fuck? I ain't answering that shit."

"Ohhh," Mao intones flatly, her voice stretching the word. "So, you tellin' me you could dish out the dumb questions, but couldn't answer one yourself, eh?"

You growl, clenching your teeth. "Fuck off, that's not the same –" across the table, Sun covers her mouth. You shoot her a look, and she ducks her head instead, fucking giggling. "Well, how about you –"

"Girls," Mao answers. You blink. She smirks. "I like girls. Miss Sun?"

"E-eh?" Sun blinks in surprise. "I-I mean. Um," she looks up to the ceiling. "… Both?"

Mao turns back to you. You open your mouth, and then closes it. She grins. "Fine, if you're not gonna answer that, what's your type?"

You stare uncomprehendingly. "… Type?"

"Mine's tall, lanky, and nerdy to hell."

"Um," Sun fidgets, unprompted. "Someone who could eat, and likes sweets? I don't think I'll be looking for anyone for a long time."

You suck a breath in frustration. "Look," you growl, feeling your face burn. What even the fuck. "I don't know, alright?" Mao raises an eyebrow, and you groan. "I know what's handsome, and what's beautiful – but that kinda shit just never comes up, 'kay? Sorry, but not sorry. I don't know what I'm into, and I don't got a type."

Mao looks surprised at that. "Huh," she intones, blinking. Her lips immediately transform into a smirk. "Well, can't believe my little junior is this –"

The door rings. "Miss Sun! Are you in there?!" a rough voice calls out from outside.

Sun blanches, her smile slipping away instantly. You stiffen for a moment, before sagging in relief. "Fucking finally," you mutter, jitters coming in. "Here I thought they wouldn't come."

Mao hums, previous humor gone. "Sounds like someone you know, Miss Sun?" Sun shakes her head. "Thought so. It's too late for friendly vistations anyway. In that case, please hide behind me," at that, she pats the spot behind her. Belatedly, as Mao slings her rifle to her lap, you realize that Mao's position lets her to directly face the door. "And here, wear these," she commands, taking off her jacket, before placing her hat over Sun. "You're not going to need it, but just to be safe," she nods quickly, donning Mao's jacket, and scurrying behind her at the same time. Sitting down, you've forgotten about it, but now you're suddenly reminded just how tiny Sun is. If you thought her sweater was oversized, then Mao's practically devours her, and with her making herself as small as possible behind the Fixer, she's practically impossible to see even at your angle. "And Lily, go greet our guests."

"Me?" you ask in surprise, before shaking your head. You grin, feeling your blood pumping. 8th​ Grade Fixers are still one Grade above you. Head on, you could still die. But that's the kind of dangers the Backstreets have prepared you. If things were that easy, you would never have suffered. At the very least, compared to Ran or Mao, these people ain't shit. "I guess I'm closest to the door," you climb to your feet. "But then what am I supposed to do?"

"Miss Sun here wants to do things peacefully, but the ball is on your court, Lily," Mao chuckles. "Consider this where the real trial begins."

Your mind is at a whirl as you move towards the door. You run her words over, and over, trying to puzzle out some hidden meanings. You realize almost immediately the pointlessness of that activity. It only makes your head hurt. You glace to your side, down at your tightly gripped crowbar, and when you glance back up, you're already standing right in front of the door. Bang bang bang! The knocking grows louder. You can hear the people standing behind the door. You did not notice it before, but both the door's peephole, and even the slits beneath the door have all been boarded, and duct taped.

"Wait, that's it?" was that what you said? Ugh.

You glance back to the living room – and at this angle, you notice, Mao's rifle is well hidden, and Sun unseen.

"Miss Sun!" Bang bang bang! "We know you're in there," bang bang bang! "So please open the door – "

"Shut up!" you snap, scowling. "Stop knocking for just one second, for fuck sake!"

… You can take a few guesses what kinda face Mao's making behind you right now.

There's silence, at least. You feel the hair on your back rising.

[Instinct Roll. Medium Difficulty: Roll 5 to Pass. You roll 6 (5+1).]

You could hear the hushed silence behind the door. The proverbial ticking countdown before they decide to kick the door open. Five – no, six people. That's a lot of people just to deal with one girl. Sun's ex must've wanted this something fierce.

Article:

[] Violence Hour. Sun wanted do end things as clean as possible, and – well, that's not your style. There's gonna be a lot of red by the end of this. Strike first and strike hard. You'll be like both a bulldozer, and a brick wall. If they wanna get through, it'll be your cold dead body. Fortunately, with a Veteran Fixer playing support behind you, you doubt it'll go that far.
-[] Focus on Defense – make sure they're not going to slip through you.
-[] Focus on Offense – they can't get in if they're dead. Genius.

[] Talky Talk Time. Sun wanted do end things as clean as possible, and – well, that's not your style. You could botch this up, but you guess it's worth trying out. If it fails, it'd sacrifice the element of surprise, and with you standing right in front of six odd numbers, it's going to be hell for you. But if it works out, then it works out. Mao'll back you up on this.