Orion hung with the gang until just prior to evening. Vi took charge, eager to prove herself and assert her domihrough solid leadership.

  "It's pretty simple. Wait until he closes, I'll smash the windows- you guys keep hug the sludge," Vi firmly states, gesturing at Orion and Cggor. "Powder will keep watcase the owner or enforcers e around."

  "What about Mylo?" Cggor asks, tilting his head slightly toward him.

  "Oh, don't you worry. I'll be painting my masterpie his fancy sign!" Mylo smirked from his usual lounged appearan the couch. "But how's the new guy going to help? We only have two buckets, and I'm using one! We agreed on that!"

  Orion shrugged, "I'll get in the al, scoop it up to Cggor. He's stronger- he huck it better."

  "So you'll just be standing there half the time? What use you are? Do we really have t him?" Mylo pins, throwing a look at Vi.

  "Yes, Mylo. We are," Vi retorted matter-of-factly, leaving no room fument. "Vander said it- and I'm saying it. You aren't much better, plus I paid for the paint, remember? It came out of my pocket!"

  She raises her voice causing Mylo's eyes to dart away guiltily as he mumbles under his breath, "It was just two bronze..." Sighing, her frustration with Mylo evident, before turning to Powder. She nervously held her new explosive with a pink Poro sketch drawn on.

  Vi's voice softens. "It will work this time, trust me!" She gives Powder's hair a pyful ruffle, her eyes lighting up in response.

  "Let me be clear, if Powder spots someone approag, we split. We 't risk being caught together." Vi said, her tone anding. The gang nodded with approval.

  Orio some doubt, but Vi o grow. It was established that Orion is back-up. If an outsider started throwing in disagreeing opinions, it may alienate him from the group.

  " you do that Powder?" Mylo said sarcastically, earning an immediate response from Vi, though her tone was gentle and directed at Powder.

  "Yes, she . You've got this, right?" Powder looks up at Vi with wide trusting eyes, starting to bouh excitement again as she grinned. "Yeah, I've got it!"

  Cggor joined in, gring at Mylo, while Orio his expressioral. His doubt had him relutly agreeing with Mylo.

  Mylo rolled his eyes, muttering, "Guess we'll see how long that sts."

  -------

  Evening was in, and the vandals were out. Up in Promenade, a resident could see the st rays of sunlight from the streets. Iresol, the rooftops were the best hope. The streets emptied and grew silent before the dangerous nightlife started to take over.

  Just like a typical gang, Vi led the way. Cggor carried the empty bucket, Orion trailed in the rear, and Powder fiddled with her device as they walked. Mylo had taken off in the opposite dire for the fancy advertisement billboard with a bucket full of red paint.

  The gang stopped at the end of an alley to observe their target. The shop was closed and no signs of life were around. Cggor shook his head, in his voice, "Do we really want to do this?"

  "Why wouldn't we?" Vi asked, gng ba disbelief.

  "What if we get caught?" Some doubt entered Cggor's voice. Vi's fidence didn't falter as she responded, "We won't. We got this! Just be ready to run if things get dicey."

  Cggor hesitated but nodded, and the crew moved forward. Orio down onto the narrow ledge of the al, leaping over the toxic stream running through.

  The sludge, thid toxic, could ruin any surface or coating on walls, ters, and fl. Drinking from it, for stupid reasons or out of desperation, could mean an unpleasah or siess. It was the unfortue of many Sump rats.

  Vi observed the windows of the shop, a mischievous grin on her face.

  "Let's get started!"

  She picks up a rod smashes the window, shattering along with the silence. Powder bounced iement as she kept watch, her head darting side to side like a hyperactive squirrel, clutg her gadget tightly.

  Cggor handed Orion the bucket and they got to work. Orion scooped the sludge and passed it up to Cggor, who hurled it on any and every surfaside and out. From outside, Orion heard Vi's destructive rampage eg, causing him to chuckle softly, and Powder joined in with a giggle.

  "Oops." Powder muttered, distracted after the tenth pass and giggling. She dropped her gadget. which rolled under some debris. Fetting her role, she crouched trying to retrieve it.

  It was Cggor who spotted the approag enforcers before turning his head, his voice urgent, "Vi, Powder- we gotta go!"

  Orion looked over and froze briefly. Two enforcers had turhe er, their imposing silhouettes cutting through the haze. What about me?! Orion thought aggravated. They hadn't noticed yet, this was good! Cggor rao the edge and dropped Orion the bucket. Alright, still unnotic-

  Jinxed. Powder, her curiosity getting the better of her, wao see if her explosive would work. She pulled the pin and threw it. The device rattled across the street surfading at the enforcer's feet with a loud tig noise.

  They froze, their iron masks tilting downward just before the explosio off- sh them in harmless blue dust. For a moment they were fused. Then, their iic goggles snapped up. Silhouetted figures in the al and street in front of a vandalized shop.

  "Run!" Vi yelled, grabbing Powder by the wrist and booking it into an alley. Cggor and Orion followed suite, sprinting along the al. The enforcers' heavy footsteps echoed behind them, apanied by harsh, muffled ands.

  Orion's lungs screamed from the toxic fumes of the al mixed with smog. He pumped his arms and legs hard as hard as he could, jumping over streams of sludge. As they rounded a bend, Orion heard Cggor shout. He gnced back to see Cggor had tripped and gotten his foot stu a gutter. The enforcers caught up, ughing.

  Shit, Orion thought, as he cleared some distance before climbing out of the al. If he left Cggor behind, the group would most certainly oust him. Slipping into an alley, he doubled back tgor, trying to catch his breath as he went.

  He peered out cautiously and saw Cggor, still stuck, but the enforcers were gone. Orion ran over, his voice low "Cggor, are you okay?"

  Cggor jumped, his fear fading when he saw Orion. He was scared of who might approach while stuck, "Thank god you came back! Help me out, please!"

  Orion nodded, using all of his strength to lift the gutter enough for to slip his foot free. It was then Orion recalled Vi telling Powder rooftop stories in Are, and a soft smile tugged at his lips.

  istaking it as camaraderie, sighed in relief. "Thanks! I don't know how long I would've been stuck there."

  Leaning against the wall, trying to catch his breath, Cgg Orion with a sheepish grin, "You know, I was starting to think you wouldn't e back. Mylo's always calling you a charity case."

  "Yeah. And you?"

  "At first," Cggor paused, rubbing the back of his neck before tinuing. "But you're not half-bad. Mylo would've probably left me there."

  A faint chuckle escapes Orion, "Fair enough."

  Cggrin widened, "You handle yourself- and Mylo- pretty well! You need some thick skin to deal with him. Maybe we'll keep you around."

  Orion smirked but said nothing as he leaned up against the wall o Cggng at the hazy sky. Cggor early adds, "Seriously though, thanks. I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't e back."

  Sighing, he hesitated before speaking, "Yeah, no problem..."

  Cggrin faded, his eyes locked on Orion for a moment, studying him during the silence. "Would you stay?"

  It caught him off guard, given Cggor's earlier words, but Orion nodded, "Yeah, why not? Who'd turn down such a g family?"

  The word "family" visibly struck Cggor, his eyes softening before he gave a slight chuckle, "True. But we should move. Vi, or worse Vander, is going to kill us if we don't make it back soon."

  Orion nodded, his eyes returo Cggor as he straightened up, chest tightening, "You're right, let's go."

  With that they slipped into a nearby alley, making their way back to the Last Drop.