Malia

"That's the plan, do you understand?" Sina asked the two men with serious eyes.

Jack, the district blacksmith and Sud, the heir to a business that just closed due to foreign occupation. Malia's mind was blown with how carefully Sina chose their allies.

Sud had a horrified look on his face. "This plan is insane. Who came up with this?"

"I did," Malia said proudly.

"And I fool-proofed it," Sina grinned.

"Why am I not surprised?" Sud groaned, looking between them like they were mad. "I've never heard anything this crazy in my life."

"Look, are you two in or not?" Malia asked annoyedly. "We need to be there in less than an hour."

"You've got my participation," Jack said, crossing his muscular arms. Malia watched the bulge of his biceps slyly. "Just know I'm not taking the fall for anything if we get caught."

"We won't get caught. Like I said I fool-proofed it," Sina assured.

"And if we do get caught, just run like Hell." Malia grinned.

"What a foolproof plan," Sud said and rolled his eyes.

Malia started putting the potions inside the belt around her waist, carefully strapping them closed. She handed Sud, Jack and Sina black bags and each of them tucked them into smaller bags.

"Remember, no swords. They shouldn't think we're there to cause trouble. And we're not fighting them," Sina reminded them.

"Tell your friend that. She's the one who always chooses violence first," Sud muttered. Malia gave him a sharp look.

"I already gave her the 'no violence' talk. It is your turn to hear it."

"Alright, let's get out of here." Malia led the way out of her room, walking into her now spotless living room. She and Sina had spent all day cleaning it up and replacing all the Kaua broke.

"Where are you going at this hour?" Malia's mother Lucia, asked and looked up from her book. Malia and everyone froze in their tracks at her voice.

"Mother, you're supposed to be asleep by now," Malia chuckled nervously. "What are you doing up?"

Her mother readjusted her spectacles to give them a closer look. "You didn't answer my question."

"We're... going on a date!" Sina said, laughing and suddenly grabbing Sud's arm. He straightened awkwardly and nodded. "Uh, yes, Auntie Lucia. We just came to pick the girls up."

"Why didn't I hear you come in?" Lucia narrowed her eyes. "You're going to get in trouble again, aren't you? I already got a warning from Aira Lin, Malia. One more inconvenience in Kiribati because of you and she's going to take drastic measures against you."

"We're just going on a date, it's no big deal," Malia said with a frown. "She really said that?"

"Yes. She had to have people clean up General Faatu's statue after the Police left. You need to think of others before you do these things, Malia. It doesn't just affect you, it affects everyone."

Malia didn't know what to say. She was tired of seeing everyone getting their hopes shattered because of the King and doing nothing about it.

Sud's parents had to close up their business after the King allowed foreigners to unfairly buy their land.

Jack was suffering exploitation by the Royal Guard to make lots of weapons while getting little pay.

Her mother's veteran grant had not increased in two years since King Vaea was inaugurated. They were just barely making ends meet with the awful taxes.

She was tired of the injustice and having no one do anything about it. It was frustrating. She didn't care if she had to break the law to do the right thing. They didn't understand now, but they'd understand when she suceeded.

Malia shook her mother's disapproving glare off and grabbed onto Jack's bicep. "We're going to be late for our date."

***

"I thought out of everyone, she would understand. She's the one affected by it!" Malia ranted as she unrolled the rope from her bag. "She got her legs blown off for this country and they treat her like a second class citizen now. She should hate the King as much as we do!"

"She probably does, she just doesn't want to see you suffer because of him," Sina tried comforting her. "Just give her time, when things turn around she'll thank us for doing all this."

"It's sad how they'll tolerate all this just to live in peace," Sud said. "My parents just accepted our notice of eviction. They weren't even enraged seeing the other islanders move in and break down all they've built."

"We need to break them out of whatever spell they're under," Jack concluded. "This plan might be insane but at least it sends the message."

"Okay, game time," Malia said determinedly, tightening the knot around her waist. Sina had already finished tying her's, the rope now connecting them to each other.

They were right outside the walls of the Regal Gambling House's back premises, hidden in the shubbery and using rocks to overlook the grounds.

After numerous tours under different aliases through the casino, Sina was able to conclude that one of the count rooms was located at the back of the casino.

It was a room on the middle of the second floor. It was heavily guarded on the outside, yet only occupied at the end of the week when the casino was at its peak. The light of the room was off at this very moment, its curtains closed.

The window was rectangular shaped and didn't open at all. Luckily for them it wasn't barred either, though it probably would be after the second heist.

Guards regularly passed by this section of the casino every fourty five minutes. After Malia and Sina's first heist, they had shortened the time to half n hour. There were four on the grass under the countroom at this very moment, their shift soon to end.

"Damn, don't these guys need to pee?" Sud wondered aloud. "How much longer?"

Sina checked her watch. "Two more minutes. Then we only have about thirty minutes to get into the room, get the money, use the potions and get out before the next line of guards show up."

"Why wouldn't they have security at all times? The fact that they leave the grounds unattended for thirty minutes just shows they're asking to be robbed," Jack said with a snort.

"Most of the security is concentrated inside. It was a miracle Malia and I got out without getting attacked or spotted," Sina said, making Malia grin.

"It was her. She was the miracle."

"How'd you manage to get it right anyway?" Sud asked curiously.

"The right type of potions," Malia answered smugly, then pointed over the wall. "Look they're leaving!"

The guards walked around the bend heavily, looking bored with their lives. Malia then hoisted herself onto the top of the wall and leapt over nimbly, tugging the rope down with her. This way Sina was able to climb over as well, and then Jack, and then Sud.

They ran to the peach building, causing Sud to look up in horror at its height. It was so much taller now that they were nearby. "How the Hell are we supposed to get up to that window and get inside and out in just half n hour?" He panicked.

"Parkour!" Malia said excitedly and began climbing.

Sina rubbed Sud's arm. "Don't worry, she's an expert!"

Sud groaned when he saw Malia was already on her way to the top. That girl was unhinged.

Sina followed after her, her fingers shaking as she clawed onto the bricks. Malia gripped the window sill of the count room and popped her fist into it quickly, praying that the sound would be drowned out by the music of the casino.

She swung inside the dark room, shocked to see how spacious it was. It was filled with cupboards. Malia attempted to turn a handle but it didn't budge.

She waited for Sina to make it into the room. "It's locked. Give me one of your hairpins," she said.

"No, it's fine. I told Jack to bring a crowbar," Sina said, making Malia sigh in relief. She needed this to go quickly.

Jack came in last and Sina immediately dug into his bag for the tool. She handed it to Malia, who shoved it between the doors and started pulling. Jack stepped in and helped her, the doors bursting apart quickly with their combined strength.

"Oh, that's beautiful," Sud said, looking the money right in the face.

"Start packing!" Malia ordered, moving to the next few cupboards. Sina and Sud shoved every wad till their bags were full, filling Jack and Malia's bags as well.

There were so many cupboards that they were running out of space.

"How long do we have?" Malia asked.

Sina checked her watch. "Still a few more minutes. We should go now."

"When are you using the potions?" Jack questioned.

"When we get to the bottom. We're burning this place to the ground."

Sud and Jack's eyes went wide. "But there are still people here," Sud said worriedly.

Potions spread fire quicker than a lit match. It would only take minutes for the building to be completely swallowed by flames.

"I know. That's why they better run like Hell," Malia said, her eyes unyielding.

Jack and Sud went first. They descended quicker than they climbed, with Sud slipping and falling onto the grass halfway. Jack put his hand over Sud's mouth to muffle his pained wail.

"Oh dear, Sud fell," Sina put her hand over her mouth to not laugh. She swung her legs outside the window frame while Malia watched the door.

The rope lowered, tugging at Malia's waist while Sina descended. Suddenly Jack's panicked hisses filled the air.

"Oh shit! Guards are coming! Hurry up, guys!"

"Uh Malia?" Sina called panickedly. "Malia they're going to see us!"

Malia's blood pumped harder than usual. If the Guards were already on their way they wouldn't have enough time to splash the potions and run. Malia hadn't even begun climbing, Sina was still in the middle of the rope.

"Malia, I'm scared I don't want to get arrested!" Sina cried out.

Malia would never let that happen. Sina was one of the brightest people she knew and she wouldn't let her rot in a dungeon.

Malia ran to the window and tossed her bag of money at Jack, which he caught with both hands.

"What are you doing?" Sud whispered frantically. "Leave the potions we have to go there isn't enough time!"

"This was my idea and I'll take responsibility, " Malia told them, pulling out a pocket knife. "Don't you idiots dare cover up for me. As soon as I start yelling, you better run!"

All of their faces fell. She was going to turn herself in.

"Jack, you better catch Sina! Put those arms to good use!" Malia shouted, then slashed the rope.

Sina dropped into Jack's arms.

Malia started aggressively banging on the door of the count room, alerting the guards on the other side. "Hey assholes! Guess who's in here! Knock knock knock!"

While the guards rattled the door to open it, Malia took her position. She ran to the window and started screaming as Sina, Jack and Sud just made it over the wall. The guards rounded the bend at that exact moment, running at the sound of her voice.

"Intruder! Intruder!" They shouted. She tossed a potion at them, causing the ground beneath them to immediately ignite.

"Fire!!!"

The door opened and Malia leapt to the other side of the room, casting more potions as the guards stormed in. Fire burst to life on the ground and Malia darted out the door, splashing more potions down every hallway.

The amount of footsteps that chased her increased. Malia was about to run down a staircase when she was tackled from the right, her arms quickly pinned behind her.

***

A/N: Just a warning... this story is going to be chaotic.