Kill or be Killed, Anytime Anywhere…

A few hours before Adrian and Evelyn flew into the storm, their airship cruised into the port attached to the town of Halvil, it was filled with a wide variety of ships all sporting the same insignia of a storm chaser. A group formed shortly after the storm began its warpath across the world. A high risk but even higher paying job, the storm chaser's main objective is to chart the storm’s path for the general population and issue evacuation orders. Their secondary task being the collection of a drug laced in the storm’s rainfall, Overdrive. The drug is able to enhance the user’s abilities and is greatly demanded from the likes of the assassin’s league to a simple plantation worker. Their airship docks snuggly between two others and Evelyn is the first out.

She slides down the railing of a ladder and touches ground, letting out a small stretch. “Ah~, finally, solid ground…”

Adrian follows soon after and without the bulky suit, a silver plate embedded in his neck catches the sun’s rays, a number reading “1050” across it. He ties his metal bat around his back and starts to walk

“Let’s get this over with…” His tone unenthusiastic

Evelyn rolls her eyes at his response and skates behind him, eventually overtaking him. “You can pout all you want, but it ain’t gonna change my mind, dude.”

“Oh I know, I’m just looking forward to the look on your face when they turn us away. Cause I don’t know about you but I’ve never seen a Ravage become a storm chaser.”

Evelyn had always hated that word, Adrian always used the title with pride, a blanket term for the majority of people who have lost their homes, businesses and even families to the storm.

“Well we’re not homeless anymore.” She motions to their airship getting smaller and smaller in the distance “That’s not the title they’ll be focused on anyway.”

The two make their way down the dirt road and deeper into town. Unlike the usual buildings, these have tracks, able to move at a moment's notice at the storm chaser’s discretion. The Ravaged in question are also nowhere to be found as none are stupid enough to travel this close to the storm that took everything from them. Soon the two follow in line with a cluster of people all entering the same building with the storm chaser insignia painted on the front. Once they enter the building, they’re greeted by a modest room, mostly empty with the few items inside nailed down.

A receptionist sits at a counter “Next” they say with monotone.

Evelyn rolls over to the counter with a grin “Hi! Name’s Evelyn!”

“Pilot or crew?”

“Pilot!”

The receptionist points to the right. Adrian follows behind her “Crew.”

“Uhm, sure, okay… To the left please.” the receptionist gives a sheepish reply, eyeing the silver plate in his neck.

Adrian ignores the order and follows his friend to the right. They move down a thin and long hallway. The walls are decorated with awards of different storm chaser’s achievements that Evelyn can’t help but marvel at.

“Wow, this place is pretty decked out, huh?” Evelyn calls from over her shoulder.

“Pft, we’d probably fill this place up in a week” Adrian replies, getting a laugh from Evelyn

“Oh? What happened to Mr. trust issues?”

“Still right here. But I’m not gonna lie, getting some credit for once would be nice…”

“See? That’s why we need to join up with these guys. Some street cred can take us a long way.”

They reach the end of the hall and enter a much wider space, the room filled with dome-like machines with a chair in the center. People sit in the chairs and the mechanics inside jostle the person from side to side. Some of the domes glow a bright red light, others glowing green, determining if the pilot has passed.

“Ooo…” Evelyn rolls over to one of the machines. “Never seen one of these in person before. Think it’s like the real deal?”

“Nah, probably a lot easier. With the storm being the storm and all.”

A man with salt and pepper hair comes between the two with a clipboard. “Good afternoon, I’m Brent, your instructor for this test.”

“Oh, hello! I’m Evelyn.” She shakes Brent’s hand with a small smile before she has a look of realization. “Wait a sec… You were on some of the awards coming in!”

Brent lets out a small chuckle. “Yes, you’re correct, though it was when I had much better knees!” He laughs loudly at his own joke. He then eye’s Adrian, taking note of the silver plate. “Ooh, a member of Thunder blade? It’s quite rare to see an assassin wanting to also be a storm chaser. Didn’t get enough thrill from the hunt?” He laughs loudly again.

“Something like that…” Adrian vaguely replies.

“Oh, he’s just a crew member, we run an airship together.” Evelyn adds.

A voice comes from behind the three, "Then you should be with the rest of the crew members signing up…”

Turning around, they see the knife wielding woman, glaring at the plate. “Just because you belong to the Thunder blade doesn’t mean you can do whatever you please. Besides, I smelled the Ravaged coming off you from a mile away… Makes me wonder how you got that plate in the first place.”

“And who the hell was talking to you?” Adrian replies as he faces her.

“I was and you’ll check that attitude if you know what’s good for you…” She shows him the hilt of a knife on her waistband.

“How cute, you gonna open a letter for me?”

Adrian smirks as his response gets a reaction. He’d always liked talking to fellow members of the assassin’s league. A secretive group, one with no sign up or home base, only able to join by taking the numbered plate of another. Weather by theft or combat. Adrian fell comfortably into place with these rules because there really weren't any. He could tell from a mile away that this woman was also a member, the way her eyes remained on his plate, regular people would’ve put their head down by now. Before either of them can say anything else

Evelyn clears her throat. “Could I take my test now, please?” She gives Adrian a look who backs off with a huff and his hands in his pockets.

“Y-yes, that’s right, this is a testing room not a combat arena.” Brent speaks up, looking over at the female assassin.

“You don’t intend on letting a Ravaged amonsts your ranks, do you Brent?” She says while silently judging Evelyn with her gaze.

“I’m not a Ravaged. Say it again and see what happens.” Evelyn retorts with a glare and her hands now balled into fists.

“You can claim to have an airship of your own, but the stench of Ravaged remains. Clinging to you like the filth you are.” The assassin sneers

It takes everything in Evelyn’s power not to knock this woman down a peg, taking a deep breath in and out. Adrian doesn’t show the same restraint however, his veins suddenly pulsing, glowing a bright teal.

“Overdrive…” He says with a smirk,

He’s in front of the assassin in the next instant, his speed catching her off guard, as Adrian winds up a swing with his bat. His blow connects hard with the woman’s face, the impact sending a ripple through the entire building, sending her through one of the walls. Adrian completes the motion with a wild grin as he rests his bat on his shoulder. The room is silent as everyone’s eyes are now on them. Before Adrian can do anything else, Evelyn grabs him by the throat, ringing out his neck with both hands.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! YOU STUPID CAVEMAN!!” She shrieks in his face,

“Y-you were gonna do it anyway-” Adrian manages to gasp out,

Evelyn slaps him a few times in the face, “Control yourself, fool! You’re ruining everything!”

“Alright! Alright!” Adrian yelps out and Evelyn finally releases him,

“Dang it, dude, now they all know we’re Breathers… I wanted to wait until after the first mission…”

Brent is still in awe, “A Breather in person… I had heard the rumors but…” He thinks to himself,

Breathers were a very rare and valuable type of person. Being able to gain the effects of the Overdrive drug without the physical need of it, achieved by constant exposure to the small traces of it in the air, the Ravaged a prime suspect for this phenomena. The assassin pulls herself out of the fresh hole and brandishes two knives in each hand. Before she can prepare to take revenge on her attacker, the door leading into the room swings open and a tall burly man enters, scars littering his face.

“The hell is going on here?!” He bellows.

“I-it’s the boy, Mr. Valcadin, he’s a Breather.” Brent informs him

Mr. Valcadin’s anger to be replaced by intrigue. “You don’t say…”

“He ain’t the only one…” Evelyn admits,

“Two? Now that’s something… Special. Could you two follow me, please?” Mr. Valcadin turns and walks out of the room.

Evelyn sticks her tongue out at the assassin before following behind. But Adrian remains for a moment

“You never said what rank you were by the way…”

The assassin scoffs “Some members like to keep their status a secret. It’s hard for an assassin to do their work when everyone knows they’re an assassin. You should learn that if you wish to continue being one for long...”

“What? I think it sends the message just fine…Kill or be killed, anytime anywhere.” Adrian leaves her with that statement, following the other two out of the room.