A Rosy Thorn

Chapter One

Gazing at the doors to the assassination guild's doors, Rosette lightly drummed her fingers on the bar counter. Her patience ebbed steadily away as time ticked by.

"Care for a drink?" the bartender asked, leaning against the counter. "You've been waiting an awfully long time."

As she opened her mouth to politely decline, she watched her gang step through the doors- they were the other assassins on her level that conveniently happened to be her friends. She waved the bartender off. "That's quite alright. They've arrived."

"Hey, Rose!" AJ greeted cheerfully, slinging an arm around her.

Veto rolled her mechanized wheelchair up behind AJ. She gave Rosette a curt nod in greeting, saying nothing else.

Several other people in the guild ducked out of the way as a fuming metal woman stormed in after Veto. Tossing her metallic hair over her shoulder, she leaned against the counter next to Rosette. She glared around her at Veto. There was no acknowledgement from her.

"Hello, Kyanite," Rosette greeted, sarcasm laced in her tone.

"Shove off," the robot growled back threateningly.

Slipping into the group followed Kai, who awkwardly stood off to the side of the others.

"So." Kyanite stared expectantly at Rosette. "Who's the guy?"

Removing herself from AJ, Rosette pulled out a thin folder and set it on the bar counter. Everyone crowded around her to look at it. "His name is Taiho. He's nothing more than an average thief. This won't be a difficult task."

"Hey, he's goin' to a party!" AJ peered over the folder. "Do we get to go, too?"

"Where do you see that?" Veto asked in a slight growl, ticked off that he'd found something before she had.

"In his hand!" AJ pointed to the picture included in the file. Looking closer at the picture, Taiho had a slip of paper in his hand. 'Skylark Annual Ball' were the words visible.

"A freaking ball?" Kyanite groaned. "Are you serious?"

AJ nodded excitedly. "Yeah! We-"

"Skylark." Veto reached up and tapped the word. "That's-"

"The primary organization against us. Correct."

"Great." Kyanite grinned with sarcastic enthusiasm. "This'll be so much fun."

"Shut up, motor oil," Veto growled lowly, glaring at the robot. "None of us like this idea. Quiet."

"I like it!" AJ piped up before Kyanite could retaliate.

Sighing, Rosette put away the folder. "Can we please focus? The ball is held the same night every year- it's tomorrow. We only have a day to prepare."

"Gee, I never would've guessed."

"I suggest we start preparing now," Rosette continued, ignoring Kyanite. "It'll be at their headquarters, the mansion on the hill. We must ready ourselves."

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Veto wheeled herself around, heading out the door. "Let's get moving."

Kyanite followed her out, grumbling under her breath. AJ grinned, taking Kai's arm and dragging him out after them. Rosette sighed again. Idiots. She thanked the bartender before heading after her group.

AJ was babbling something or another about suits to Kai, who was quietly nodding along. Rosette came up beside them and motioned them to quicken and catch up with Kyanite and Veto, who were far ahead of them. The occasional passing pedestrian paused to stare at the group oddly, but a simultaneous glare from everyone sent the bystanders quickly away.

"So, where are we going...?" Kai quietly asked, nervously directing his question to Veto, as she was in front of the group.

"Skylark."

"Veto, hold on." Rosette sped up to cut off Veto's path, emitting a growl from the latter. "We can't go at this moment."

Veto scowled. "Why? It'll take a while to get there, why not go now?"

"Do you really think the Skylark guards would let us enter their grand annual event dressed the way we are?" Rosette gestured around the group at everyone's dark, beat up clothes and combat boots, plus the knives Kyanite had strapped around her belt. "We'll need to gain formal attire before we have a chance of being let in. And besides, the ball isn't even until tomorrow!"

Veto rolled her eyes, but didn't try to shove past Rosette. "Whatever."

"Okay, but where are we going?" AJ repeated Kai's question, tilting his head. "None of us have any fancy clothes."

"We're in a town, idiot." Kyanite slapped his arm. "There's tons of shops we can take from."

"Buy from," Rosette corrected. "We're not stealing anything."

"'We're not stealing anything,'" Kyanite mocked, brushing synthetic hair from her face. "Tch."

With a roll of her eyes, Rosette sighed. "Come on. I know a place."

"'I know a place.'"

Why do I put up with these morons. Ignoring Kyanite, Rosette turned everyone around and led them back to the center of town.

Most of the way there, AJ continued excitedly talking to Kai about getting a suit. At some point Veto was fed up with it and whacked him hard over the head with her fist. "We get it."

Rosette turned around to glare at her. "For once in your life can you stop acting like children? You're master assassins, yet you behave like toddlers."

"He started it!"

"You're such a kid."

"You're one to talk, metal head!"

"Cripple!"

"Dead weight!"

"Guys-"

"WHAT?!" Kyanite and Veto swiveled around in unison, heated glares now directed at Kai.

Kai flinched and ducked his head. "Never mind."

"We're here," Rosette said for him, pushing open the door to a small corner store. She went up to the front desk, frowning when she realized no one was there.

"Huh. Guess we'll have to take what we need and leave. Bummer, eh Rose?" Kyanite shrugged, strolling to the back of the store to find herself a suit.

Rosette sighed. "Indeed."

"C'mon, Kai, we're here!" AJ darted eagerly off after Kyanite, dragging poor Kai with him.

"Lovely." Rosette looked down at Veto. "Would you like some assist-"

"No," Veto spat shortly, wheeling herself after AJ.

Rosette watched her, concern laced with humor masking her face. "I suppose I'm the only one here who's aware what a woman is expected to wear to formal events." She glanced over to the racks of dresses, disgust filling her expression as she did. "Sadly."

With a heavy sigh, she strode to the first row of dresses, beginning the search for what she needed.