Ipê Branco

Sunshine.

Midway City Airport was chaos. Not as much as the city, she reminded herself. The wind picked up, and she welcomed the next person into the tent. The line of victims only seemed to grow. People were not only desperate to seek physical help but also to leave the place. The military shouting at each other a few meters away, and the bunch of misfits between them was not helping to calm anyone's nerves.

She applied the bandage on the man's leg when a blue bird flew into the tent, dropping a beautiful dandelion onto her lap. Her eyes fell on the yellow flower only to follow the bird leaving a few seconds later. Smiling to the man, she stood up, cleaned her hands, and headed to the lined-up soldiers.

As soon as she left the tent she had to shield her eyes from the sun. Its rays warming her amber skin and hopeful soul. Giving her a rush of confidence.

"Excuse me?" Many eyes looked her way. "I couldn't help but hear your conversation-"

"This isn't a civilian reunion, Lady. If you'll excuse us." The man narrowed his eyes at her before looking back at the group in front of him.

"I'm sorry." She took a couple of steps his way, making him glare at her and the others to show many levels of surprise and amusement. "I know, and it's why I'd like to volunteer-"

"Volunteer?" He asked, surprised. "What exactly do you think is happening here? If you want to volunteer," his voice was full of sarcasm, "you can go to one of the medical tents over there and-"

"Oh no! I want to go with you guys. I know you are going to stop whatever is causing all of this ruckus."

Harley lifted her hand before saying, "I think she should come." She waved to the woman in front of them. "I mean, look at her!" And they did. "She looks as crazy as any of us."

"You mean as crazy as you, Harley." Deadshot pointed at them.

"There will be no volunteering," Rick addressed the group, completely ignoring the woman. "Now get your asses in the helicopter."

The group walked past her, and Deadshot shrugged her way while Harley mouthed an "I'm sorry."

The helicopter came to life, and Rick finished his conversation with the pilot. He turned to give the group of criminals his orders when he noticed the woman sitting next to Captain Boomerang and the pair chatting amicably.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" His hands landed on his gun. "And why didn't any of you let me know she boarded, huh?"

"She said she only wanted to volunteer." Harley winked at her.

"Look, Flag." Deadshot started speaking and counting on his fingers. "She's got no gun and no weapon whatsoever. She's not even wearing shoes." When everyone looked at her, she wiggled her toes and smiled at them. "I'm sure she's not going to cause any problems."

"She's a civilian in a suicide mission." Rick approached her and bent to be face to face with her. "We don't have time to babysit anyone."

"Oh no, Mr. Colonel Flag." Deadshot laughed, Captain Boomerang chuckled, and Harley smiled. "I don't need anyone looking after me. I promise not to cause any trouble, okay?" She lifted her hand, and he looked at it as if it were an alien. "Pinky promise!" She unabashedly smiled at him.

"Oh my God! How old are you? 5?" He rolled his eyes when her smile fell, and she seemed hurt.

"Just tell Waller we have one more, and let's get on with it, Flag." Deadshot didn't look at him and kept his eyes on the woman.

Flag radioed Waller, and Harley, seeing the woman still had her pinky up, laced her finger with hers. "I'm Harley." She tilted her head.

"I'm Prim. Nice to meet you!" Prim's face lit in happiness.

"I like her!" Harley stated to the others.

"Of course you do," Chato spoke from his isolated place. "Crazy knows crazy."

"What?" Prim asked with her finger still laced with Harley's.

"Look, Lady," Flag started to explain. "If you really want to join our merry group, you'll still need to get tagged."

"Sure thing."

"I wouldn't be so eager, crazy girl," Deadshot warned her, but she simply laughed. "What's so funny?" His brows furrowed.

"I'm not a baby." Something lurked on the undertone of her words. "Although I'm more used to dealing with children than adults. So I apologize for my childish behavior."

"Whatever," Flag said. "You better not do anything funny, or I'll kill you without a second thought."

"it's alright, Mr. Colonel Flag."

"Don't call me that. Flag is enough." He ignored her when she smiled at him.

"Here," Deadshot handed her a gun, "you'll need it."

"Oh no, thanks. I don't do guns."

Captain Boomerang faced her. His face had all kinds of questions when he asked her, "You are going on a suicide mission without guns?"

"How are you going to kill the bad guys?" Harley asked, amused.

"I don't need guns to kill." Chato, who studied her, noticed a glimpse of something dark deep inside her leaf green eyes. "No one needs guns if they really want to kill someone. What do you think poisons are for?" She smiled at them.

"Or baseball bats." Harley patted her weapon.

"Or swords," Slipknot said his first words since the conversation started. His eyes on the katana near Flag.

After the initial commotion, the conversation died down, and Prim looked outside the window. Her eyes on the destruction on the streets and the ring of energy in the sky. She did her best to hide her fingers digging the seat under her and the slight tremble of her legs. Glancing around, she felt the seed of a tiny doubt try to settle in her mind. It had been just a few hours, but Prim knew she would have a lot of work to do.

Lost in thoughts and in awe with the sky turning dark, she didn't notice the first bullets hitting the helicopter.

When they landed, or more precisely, crashed, she left the helicopter and stood a good few meters away. Panting and making sure she had earth beneath her feet's soles.

Everyone gathered near her, and Rick called one of the soldiers over, who brought a small black suitcase with him.

"Here," he said to Prim and opened the case, "this will make sure you don't do anything stupid. Now let me see your neck." Harley caressed hers and seemed a bit anguished.

Prim took her time to study what exactly he had in his hands, and when he continued his speech, she approached him. "It's curious you happened to have an extra with you, no? Afraid one of the others will fail?"

"Wanna put it to the test?" She flinched when he injected her. "I dare you." He smiled a wicked smile at her.

"Oh no. Just thinking thoughts." She showed him a smile of her own.

"It can be dangerous, Sunshine." He threw the injector to the soldier, grabbed his gun, and ordered everyone to follow him.

Closing her eyes and digging her toes into the dirt, she sighed, and before following them, she prayed her decision had been the right one.