The last time Rin had seen her mother was over a decade ago, and she could remember that day perfectly.

The smell of turmeric filled the air of her mother's hut, among the other strong spices. Her Amma sang softly, spinning to Rin as she entered the room.

"[ ]!" she had laughed. "What are you doing with my dress? You'll trip over it like that, come here."

She bent down, rolling the sleeves of her dress up on Rins arms, then hoisted the train up with a chuckle. "So, is there a reason why you've been stealing my things?"

"Only borrowing them, Amma," she had mumbled. "And-"

The pot bubbled, and her mother jumped, rushing over. She followed, and her mother hoisted her onto the table, pressing a warm kiss to her forehead.

"Were you practicing your gift?"

"Mm! I got the ball!" the child beamed.

She smiled, resting against the pot. "Show me!"

She concentrated, tongue sticking out of her mouth, eager to impress her mother, then a flicker came into her hand, and grew into a crackling little ball of lightning. She opened her eyes, a bright grin spreading across her face.

"See, Amma! I did it!"

"You did, [ ]!" Her mother had laughed. "That's wonderful!"

She had hesitated, bright smile dimming slightly. And her mother noticed, raising an eyebrow.

"Whats wrong, [ ]?"

"Could you.." she hesitated again, then looked up at her mother. "I wanna be called Rin, because that's my name, not.. that."

There was a pause, her mother quiet, contemplating. "...Why?"

This time, she hadn't hesitated, barreling ahead at her mother's question.
"Because I'm not that! I like your dresses and makeup and jewelry and I wanna wear them all the time because- 'Cuz I'm a girl! I don't like when people call me a boy, I don't feel like a boy."

Another quiet moment, her mother studying her. "Are you sure?"

Rin had nodded, and a warm smile broke out across her mother's face.

"Alright then, want to stir the pot, Rin?"

They had about ten minutes of peace. Talking about her progress on her lightening, joking, laughing without a care. Then there was a knock on the door.

Her mother opened it, smiling calmly. "Rin, go upstairs. I'll come get you later."

And Rin listened. And she listened to the faint sounds of her mother talking to leader of her village. And she heard the shouting, the pushing, and listened, staying in place, trying not to scream, trying not to listen to her own head screaming at her to move.

She listened to the door slamming shut, then getting ripped open. She listened to the yells, the the pot being overturned, to the bookcase being tossed down, to her home being destroyed. She stayed still, curling into a tighter ball, listening to her mother.

"Amma will come back," she mumbled. "Amma will come back, Amma said she'll come back ask get me. Amma is coming back, she's coming back-"

And she listened to the footsteps on the second floor, and she went quiet, heart thumping with terror. She listened to the footsteps fading, to the yelling, and to the door slamming shut once more.

This time, she smelled smoke.

This time, she wouldn't listen. Rin tiptoed out of her room, and one glance at the stairs, the burning rapidly stairs, was all it took. Racing back to the room, fumbling with the window, tears streaming down her face.

"Amma-" she rasped.

Smoke came into her room, a cloud of death. She coughed, the window sill becoming warmer under her shaking fingertips.

"No, no-"

She spared a glance behind her, and a scream ripped from her throat. The flames seemed to be dancing in anticipation at eating her alive.

The window opened, and she hurtled herself out, the metal scratching and tearing into her leg as she did so.

And then falling, falling with the wind whistling in her eyes for one terrified second, and then she slammed into the dirt. She had only a moment, yanking herself up and running, skin hot, tears drying on her face.

"Amma!" Rin had screamed. "Amma, where are you!"

She ran towards the crowd, towards the roars of victory. Crawling, then pushing her way through, another hoarse cry ripping from her throat at the spectacle. A cry that was frowned out by the screaming of the crowd.

"Kill the witch!" the crowd roared.

Rin couldn't breathe.

It was her mother, bruised and bloody, struggling to stand, face impassive. Their eyes met.

'Run.' Her mother mouthed. 'I love you.'

"Stop!" Rin screamed.

It was the scream, this scream that got their attention. And suddenly hands were grabbing at her, stones were set down in favor of trying to yank her to her death.

"Get away from my daughter!" her mother yelled.

It was the timing. Years later, she would blame the timing.

As her mother yelled, Rin burst into a new wave of tears, reaching out her hand. And an arc of lightning slashed out, making the crowd leap back, their attention once more on her mother.

And her mother took the chance, waving her hands threateningly, and making eye contact with Rin.

'Run, and don't stop.' she mouthed.

This time, Rin listened.

And she ran, heart beating at the speed of light, gasping and wheezing for air as her mother disappeared beneath the wave of furious people, people who were killing her for being a mother.

"I'm sorry," Rin rasped. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-!"

And she kept running. Running and running.

———

"Rin?" Rana whispered. "Angel, you okay?"

She blinked, then forced a smile, pressing a kiss to Rana's temple. "I'm fine, Rana. Just.. tired."

Rana pursed her lips, then shrugged, scooping Sabrina from her arms. "Darcy and Ivan know we're coming, right?"

Rin paused, shaking the fog away, then pulled out her phone. "I'll let them know."

Rin: Hey Ivan, you there?
Ivan: Rin! Hey yeah I'm here! U two coming over?
Rin: got it in one
Ivan: Great! I'll see ya soon! <3333

She chuckled, then nodded at Rana, who relaxed at the confirmation.

It was nice outside, Rin noticed suddenly. Leaves were falling, making piles of red and orange on the sidewalk. For a moment, the colors seemed to flicker, and she felt a rush of threatening heat up her spine, flinching.

"Rin." Rana repeated quietly.

She reached out and took Rin's hand, thumb rubbing over the back of it. "It's okay, I promise."

Rin smiled, albeit weakly, setting her head on Rana's shoulder while shifting Kai in her lap.
"Thought comforting was my thing."

"Not when you feel like shit."

"Shh!" She laughed. "Rana, not around the kids."

That earned a smile, and Rin closed her eyes briefly. One, two moments to peace, then they were at their stop. She opened her eyes to Rana's nudge, sighing.

"I'm up.."

They were the only ones off at this stop, pausing as Rana gave the driver a headache, a thank you gift for yelling at them to go faster.

Then down the street, passing by a small cafe. Kai spoke up.

"Amma, Momma? Why did the driver yell at us?" he frowned. "That was really mean, and I don't think we were even going slow!"

"It's called discrimination." Rin sighed. "Some folks hate us, specially me and you because our skin is a few shades too dark for them."

"Is that why Momma didn't get yelled at?" he asked. "Cuz shes really pale?"

"Not a vampire yet, kiddo," Rana chuckled.

Rin smiled. "Yep. Because your mom is super pale,"

"Hey!"

"She won't get picked on," she finished, sticking her tongue out at Rana. "Vampires have no trouble in this society."

Kai's dark eyes went wide, looking up at Rana in awe. "You're a vampire?! Why didn't you ever tell me, Momma?"

Rana burst into laughter, picking him up and twirling him around. "Vecause I vant to suck your vlood!"

"Nooo!" Kai squealed. "Don't suck my blood!"

Rin grinned, watching them for a moment, taking in the sight of her little family. Sabrina reached out her arms, squealing along with her brother, which prompted another round of laughter from both adults.

They walked into the hotel a few minutes later, making sure not to hold hands. Not that they could on the street anyways.

Up in the elevator, distracting Kai from pushing all the buttons with a game of I Spy. And down the hall, Rin making note of all the security cameras, and feeling for the electrical cords in the walls and whatnot, just in case.

The door swung open right before Rana knocked, and Darcy beamed.

"Hey guys!"

She reached out and hugged them both, then bent down to Kai's height. "Hey kiddo! How ya doin?"

"What's that bull crap on your face?" Rana grinned. "Let me guess, another 'beauty treatment'?"

Darcy stuck her tongue out, pulling back a stray piece of golden blonde hair. "Don't judge, it worked in Egypt!"

"Like a few centuries ago," Rin chuckled, squeezing her friends shoulder. "Glad you haven't changed, Darcy. It's good to see you, Ivan in the room?"

"Yep, he got pretty anxious a few minutes ago," Darcy hummed.

"Auntie?" Kai piped up. "Why's your face covered in poo?"

Rana burst into laughter again, setting her bags down. "Darn kiddo, you went for her neck!"

Darcy let out a yelp. "Oh- Left it on too long!"

They closed the door behind them, Darcy rushing into the bathroom to get her cracking face mask off, and the couple stretching.

Ivan sat up in the bottom bunk, beaming as he scooted out. "Rin, Rana! You're here!"

"Course we are," Rana snorted.

He hugged them tight, looking over them for injuries, then bent down to Kai's height, a remarkable feat for his bulky 6'4 build.
"Hey Kai, not causing any trouble for your Amma or Momma, right?"

"Nope!" Kai smiled. "I don't cause trouble, Uncle, you know that!"

Ivan smiled back, ruffling his hair. "Just making sure, I know you're a great kid."

Darcy stepped out of the bathroom, scooping up and twirling Kai around. "Hi again kiddo!"

"Hi Auntie!" Kai laughed.

Rana plopped down at the bottom bunk, yawning. "Wake me up in an hour, I'm beat."

"Rana," Rin snorted. "Come on, we have to update them first."

She let out a fake snore, and Rin sighed, sitting on the chair. "Fine, get some rest."

She adjusted Sabrina in her lap, watching her friends for a moment, smiling softly. It was a sweet sight, and she knew it wouldn't last long. They would have to pack up, all of them, in a few hours. Then running again, like they always did.

But first, an update about the latest run in with Ricker. Then a quick look at the news, to determine if they were safe. Maybe they could travel all together?

It was certainly safer when Darcy could come with them. Her master key gave them access to pretty much any building, and Rin was just glad that she hadn't lost it, or that it got stolen.

"So!" Ivan smiled. "What's the latest?"

She sighed, smile fading. "We had a run in with him. Well, Rana did, anyways. At the gas station, but we lost him. Not sure if he can pick up a trail though, so we'll have to move."

"I gave him a little red gift," Rana called out. "He swore quite a bit at it."

Darcy laughed. "Good! That should give us a bit of extra time. Oh, also,"

She straightened up, a smile spreading across her face. "I got in touch with a friend. She's like us, and she can help-"

"Fuck." Rana whispered, sitting up.

"What's wrong?" Rin asked.

Rana stared down at her phone, eyes narrowed into furious slits. She clenched her fist, and the air around her seemed to cool.

"They found us." she hissed.

The room was immediately tense, and Rin snatched her phone. There, on the screen, was a two line text from an unknown number.

'Watch out 108
We're coming for ya'