Mirror blushed, covering her eyes as Grace and Giant got dressed in the uniforms they'd stolen (or borrowed, as Giant had said with a wink). To distract herself, she looked down, taking in her new outfit. It felt so weird to wear something that didn't smell like the base – and much less did it look like something a witch would wear. The uniform was a greenish-gray with silver buttons, hanging loosely due to her short height; she also noticed an odd pocket that was too small to carry anything. "Why is this even here?"

A nudge on her shoulder signaled they were done. With a grateful sigh, she inspected the others' clothes. Grace and Giant had more brownish looking uniforms with heavy-looking boots. No weapons, unfortunately – they were all out of ammunition – but she suspected none of them could use a gun anyway.

With a curt nod, she went ahead to check their path.

The secluded hallway was mostly empty, save for some poor soldier screaming his heart out. Mirror debated putting him out of his misery before deciding to keep going. The Emperor's soldiers weren't her problem. She ignored the slight pang of guilt in her belly and moved on.

Turning the corner, the distant shouts and gunfire grew closer.  A loud, commanding yell came from somewhere ahead. She readied the main air stance, worrying she'd have to knock more soldiers unconscious just to make a sweep of the terrain.

Just as she placed down the final footstep, Sunbeam's whine shattered her concentration.

–Mirror! Where are the others! I've been waiting here for forever. Do you know how many soldiers I didn't get the chance to torture. I haven't made this many quick kills in ages.

There. This was exactly why they'd sent her ahead. Sunbeam might have told them she was going to leave the group to fight somewhere else, but for some reason, she'd chosen to wait.

–Sunbeam! The others are already fighting in the Second Hall. You heard that command yell. Their leader's close. I suspect you can take him out?

Mirror gulped down her shame at her bold-faced lie. She wasn't guilty. Sunbeam had just admitted she wanted to torture soldiers. She was a witch, born and raised in the Servants of the Gods. Daughter of the Leader. She had no home to go back to.

Her home was here. Alone.

–Of course I can take him out. Who do you think I am? – Sunbeam sniffed, raising an eyebrow. – I was just saying. A thank you would be nice for covering your sorry faces.

"Oh," Mirror realized, "Sunbeam's the reason no one found us."

Did it matter, though?

–Right, um. Thank you, Sunbeam.

–Oh, no problem – she said distractedly, a smug smile on her face, before dashing off, fire shooting from both her palms. Was that her attempt at being nice?

Mirror continued mulling this over, even as she gave the all-clear and the three of them moved forward with all the purpose in the world. Walk like you own the place, Giant had instructed, his usual grin softening as he'd corrected her posture. That way, you'll blend in just right.

Fortunately, all the guards that passed them were either too distracted or just plain didn't care; Mirror and the others managed to make it all the way down the hallway without being stopped. She let out a sigh of relief. Now, what?

Right, find a way out. They'd have to act their way to freedom, impersonating soldiers. Becoming the soldiers. "Think like a soldier, Mirror."

...How did a soldier think anyways?

–Just copy Mena- Grace – Giant whispered, his usual good-natured smile brightening even more when he turned to her. "Wow," Mirror thought. "I must be really easy to read."

–Hey, foreman. What are you whispering about? – A man suddenly appeared round the corner, his cold, steely voice addressing Giant.

–Nothing, sir. – Giant's fist shot towards his heart, a symbol of truth. Did they use that as an army salute? Made sense, she supposed.

–Hmm. Is this young man in your command? Tell everyone in your division to head back to base for resupplying. – Mirror suppressed a laugh, realizing she'd been mistaken for a boy. It wasn't her fault Servants' hair had to stay short. – Queen's hands! Those demons are out of control... – the man mumbled to himself.

–Absolutely, sir. We'll head back to base at once. – Giant didn't show any signs of shock. But then again, of course the Imperial soldiers would refer to witches as demons. Maybe he wasn't surprised.

–Good. Reacher Williams' division needs more ammo and quick. – The man paused, his gaze narrowing. – Who's that?

–Her? – Giant moved to reveal Grace. – Another one of my squad. Why?

Mirror could feel herself sweating. How was Giant so calm under pressure? She could barely think, managing a small nod. A "yes, she's with us". Hopefully it would be enough.

–That's odd. Could've sworn I knew every woman in the army. – A dry chuckle escaped his lips. Mirror didn't want to know what his history with them was.

–She's, uh, new. Sir. – Giant seemed to finally be feeling the pressure. His hand left his chest, scratching the back of his head.

–I see. Well, a beauty like her shouldn't be wasted in old Carmona's division. We'll see about changing that. – He finally marched off in the direction they'd come from, but not before sneaking a shameless wink.

Grace's eyes looked like they were going to roll right off her face.

–We... We made it! – Mirror couldn't help but say, a half-whisper of relief. – How did you do that?

–I, uh, well... – Giant seemed to fumble for words, his brown eyes looking away as he progressively turned redder and redder. Was that what a compliment could do to someone? – I used to be in the army. Well, youth training, but, you know. You learn the terms, the protocol. That stuff.

Grace's eyes suddenly widened.

–You weren't one of the White Wolves, were you?

–Uh... no? – The answer ended up sounding more like a question. Grace raised an eyebrow. – Stars, fine. I was a member of the White Wolves Youth Training Camp before I got recruited. Happy now?

Mirror had never seen the earth witch this upset before. His brow was furrowed, arms crossed, warding off the nonexistent cold. Was he about to cry? This was how people looked when they were about to cry. Oh, Hurricanes, this was very bad.

–Are you alright? – she asked. – What are the White Wolves anyway?

–You've never heard of them?

–No, was I supposed to? – Holy Hurricane, she was supposed to have heard of them. They were probably all the rage in the city, whatever that meant. Great. – Uh, I lived out in the countryside. Before, you know. – Thankfully, Grace seemed satisfied with that explanation.

–They're the most brutal army youth training camp this side of Anigania. They say students have to hunt their own food. Nothing is given to them. And the punishments if you break a rule... – She raised her eyebrows. – I must say, Giant, I'm impressed.

–Don't be – he spat, his face darkening. – I was a coward. Some witch came knocking one day, saying he'd give us all an opportunity to leave. To never see that mountain range for the rest of our lives.

–None of the others took it. They were taught better than that. But me... I went. And you know the irony? I'm even more trapped here than I was back at camp.

Mirror and Grace shared a look. What in the actual star-studded Time Weaver's Holy Hurricane. He'd just spilled the entire story of his recruitment.

–Well, if it makes you feel better I got recruited at a festival, of all things. – Mirror didn't know what possessed her to speak, but she did. Maybe, just maybe, to make his confession less heavy. – Koriarage, in fact. It was in the big city and I really wanted to go, but...

–Let me guess, some guards shut the whole place down?

–Yeah. – Mirror let out a breathy laugh. – I snuck in without my... without permission. The guards would've caught me if it weren't for Vertigo.

–Vertigo recruited you?

–More like, shoved me into the base and handed me the uniform. But, yes, sort of. I did have to make the... the choice.

She looked away. How did she end up sharing this much? To a stranger with a code name?

But he wasn't a stranger with a code name, was he?

He was Giant, her friend. The same she'd eaten Koriarage dinner, hiked a supervolcano, and fought Imperial soldiers with. The same she'd somehow snapped out of Maelstrom's mind control.

And suddenly, she didn't feel like she was oversharing anymore.

–I was fighting with my mom. We both... said things we knew we'd regret. I was an idiot, and I wasn't thinking... but I did make the choice to stay in the Servants.