The next morning, Brant sighed and reluctantly accepted the bow Wendy thrusted into his hands. Behind him, he felt Aaron tying a bandana around the lower half of his face, concealing his mouth. Hannah rummaged in a cluttered box for a pair of sunglasses.

"What exactly are you guys trying to achieve here?" he asked, his voice muffled through the thick cloth.

Wendy clipped a hip-quiver full of arrows to his hip. "There's a bloody famous mercenary called Trickshot Talon who looks a bit like you with just a little tweaking."

"You're easily recognizable as is, so figured we'd help you out." Aaron added, "So I told Ryder to be expecting you in this."

Brant shrugged. "Alright, then. What about Hannah?"

The brunette glanced up sharply at the sound her name before staring at Aaron, waiting for his answer.

"I dunno." Aaron said, "We'll figure something out. I guess our story is that Trickshot has a new partner, how about that?"

Brant shrugged. "I guess so." When Wendy ran her fingers through his hair and swirled the strands around, he glared. "What're you doing?"

"Calm down!" she snapped, "Trickshot doesn't brush his bloody hair."

Brant rolled his eyes and only reluctantly surrendered to the treatment. Hannah giggled when she noticed the mess Wendy made of his hair. Then she stepped forward and slipped a pair of sunglasses over his eyes. Aaron completed the look by placing a sheathed dagger on his hip. He and Wendy stepped back, glanced over their work, and nodded proudly.

"Half an hour!" Sila called from the cockpit.

Aaron craned his neck to peek through the doorway. "Until what? Landing?"

"Yes."

"Awesome. Thanks for the update." With a mischievous grin on his face, he turned to Hannah. "Time to mercenarify you."

She laughed. "Oh boy."

First, Wendy draped a jacket of Aaron's over Hannah's shoulders, easily concealing her figure with its excessive length, loose sleeves and broad shoulders. Next, Wendy tied Hannah's hair into a ponytail, which was a hairstyle Brant had never seen on her before. It certainly allowed him to see the beautiful structure of her face in a new light, and without thinking about it, he found himself smiling at the cuteness.

Wendy sent Aaron off to grab a pair of earrings from her bag while she applied eyeliner to Hannah's eyes. Brant found himself struck with how a simple change like that detracted slightly from the innocent look her usual makeup-free face emanated. Reminding himself it was for her protection, he tried to brush it aside.

Soon enough, golden earrings hung from her earlobes, tactical leather boots complete with a sheathed dagger for each covered her feet, and her familiar shotgun rested in her hands. Aaron and Wendy stepped back again and nodded with proud smiles as if they'd dressed a child in a new ensemble.

"Alright, what's your new partner's name?" Aaron asked Brant with a smirk on his lips.

Brant met Hannah's eyes and chuckled. "Let's see...you're...Heatwave."

"Heatwave?" she asked in the midst of a giggle, "Alright."

Brant turned to Aaron. "Would now be a bad time to bring up I know nothing of archery?"

"Oh, stop it." Wendy chided, "You're bloody strong, so drawing the string back's not gonna be a problem for you, and with your eyesight, I've no doubt you can figure it out with a little effort."

"Yeah, but does he have the feel for it?" Aaron asked.

"Do you really think it matters? One bloody punch from the dude, and only an absolute nutter would keep it up."

Brant laughed. "I guess you're right."

********************

Half an hour later, the Stingray's door opened before Brant and Hannah, and they made the short hop down to the gravelly ground. They'd opted to meet Ryder as just a pair, realizing a large group of Kemarians would likely catch attention. After they waved a last goodbye to Aaron, he shut the doors and sped off.

Brant glanced up from the rocky ground beneath his feet to view his surroundings. Palm trees swayed overhead, broad leaves rustling in the coastal breeze. A salty tang floated from the rolling waves, mingled with a slight fishiness. Hearing a quiet clicking on the stones, he glanced down to see a flat-faced crab scuttling from one hole in the ground to another closer to the sea.

"I've never been to Klovania before." Hannah said, "It's real lovely!"

He smiled before realizing the bandana tied around his face concealed the gesture. "I can't say Tlaventeas is a typical Klovanian town, though. Most of the country's a lot more heavily forested, and the breezes bite you, not caress you. In fact, that's everything in Klovania. Everything's out to bite and eat you."

"Not the water lilies ya told me 'bout. You said they were soft as a baby's bum."

"I said a sheep's hide." Brant replied before chuckling at her inaccurate recall. "And yeah, their petals are soft, but when their seeds come out, one has to be careful. Men have died from touching the seeds with even the slightest nick on their hands."

"How?"

"The toxins are so easily spread through the bloodstream that even a little getting inside equals a lot of sickness. It amazes me how even our plants have carnivorous tendencies."

Hannah shuddered. "Well, I'm glad we're on the coast, then. A palm tree ain't gonna bite me, will it?"

"No, I'm afraid not." he answered with a laugh. His gaze drifted into the sea for a moment. "That's right, you don't get to see the ocean much, do you?"

"Nah, not until recently. Odego ain't really got any water that's not a mirage, underground, or already drank up. Of course, it's been a couple years since I went back, and I've been doin' a lotta travellin' in that time."

Brant nodded. "I see."

After a short walk, they came to a brick wall separating the beach from the town that lay beyond. Hannah lifted her leg to attempt clambering her way up, but Brant laid a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. She eyed him questioningly for a second before he picked her up and hoisted her over the edge. With little effort, he scaled the top himself a moment later.

The two brushed themselves off and took in the sights of the seaside town of Tlaventeas. An open courtyard carpeted by rough hewn brick stretched out before them, circular in shape and lined by glossy metal benches. Half the seats were occupied by men and women who eyed the newcomers questioningly.

In the center of the circle, a lovely fountain spewed water skyward, cascading back down in an aesthetically pleasing pattern. A sculpture of a dolphin and a raven stood in the still water at the bottom, glistening in the sunlight as the stream trickled down the aquatic creature's back.

"A dolphin and a raven...dat have some meanin'?" Hannah asked.

"Yeah...it's an old children's tale, meant to teach that generosity returns upon itself." Brant replied, stopping before the sculpture.

"Can I hear it?"

"Sure. So, basically, one day, a raven landed on this island out in the ocean with a broken wing. Scared and in pain, it hobbled along the shore, hoping not to be eaten by the opportunistic predators. Well, then a dolphin swam by and saw the bird's need, so to the best of its ability, she kept her furnished with sustenance. By and by, the bird recovered and flew off to the mainland."

Hannah leaned closer, expectant eyes darting over what little of his face remained exposed. "Then what?"

"A few months later, the dolphin got swept into a storm and became beached on the mainland. The raven ran across her and remembered the kindness bestowed on her. So the cunning bird did two things. She kept the dolphin fed, and she also managed to dam up a nearby river, channeling the waters so they would sweep the aquatic creature back to her home. And hence the lesson."

"Aww, dat's sweet!" Hannah exclaimed, "Nice an' wholesome."

Brant nodded. "I agree. But you'd better try to sober up a bit if these people are to believe you're a mercenary."

"Right." she said, biting back the pleasantness that came so naturally to her. Even so, Brant realized the dimples in her cheeks from constant grinning made the act somewhat less than convincing.

Brant and Hannah broke away from the fountain and headed in the direction of the colorful buildings lining the nearest street. As they passed by the benches, most the standers-by averted their eyes, recognition and fear mingling together after eyeing Brant only once. However, a few men opted instead to ogle at Hannah. Their gazes visibly endeavored to make out her figure underneath her flowing jacket. Brant gave them a stern glanced and tightened his fist around the bow in his hand, which made all but one give up and place their attention elsewhere.

The one man who continued staring at her leapt to his feet and closed the distance between them. He pivoted his shoulders as he walked in an exaggerated effort to attain swagger. Hannah pumped her shotgun and Brant placed an arrow to the bowstring.

"Back up, if you know what's good for you." Brant muttered in a gruffer voice than was natural to him.

"I know it's good for me to get even, man!" the punk retorted while stretching his neck. "You stole my girl from me, Trickshot, so I'm gonna even the score."

"I don't remember stealing your woman." Brant said in mock thoughtfulness, "She must not have been that memorable."

The man growled and spat at Brant. He quietly sighed in relief, blessing Aaron for tying the bandana around his mouth. Otherwise, he would have been subjected to a tasting of another man's saliva.

Brant drew the bowstring back halfway. "Back up. Or I'll make you a girl."

"Oh yeah? My manhood ain't just hanging from me; it's all up in my genes, man!"

"His beatin's are bloody thorough, so don't be daft, nutter." Hannah snapped. Brant barely held back a laugh at her feeble attempt of concealing an Odegoan accent with a Danlashian.

"Calm down, love." the angry man replied in a much more convincing imitation of the Danlashian accent. "This is a dispute between men, lassie."

"I'm done with you." Brant said.

With that, he pulled the bowstring back the rest of the way and shot an arrow straight into the man's thigh, though he'd intended to hit higher. Brant leapt forward and drove the shaft deeper into the man's flesh with his foot before also landing a knockout punch on his face.

"Piece of cake, now let's go!" he cried, seeing several bystanders snatch up their phones and tap at their screens furiously.

"Okay, which bloody direction are we headed?" Hannah huffed as she took off into a run behind him.

Brant shook his head. "Don't even try talking like Wendy, Heatwave. You're positively terrible at it."

"How about like this?" she asked, hitting the hard consonants like an Innutukian.

"Stop it. Accents are not your specialty, darling."

"I've gotta disguise mah voice somehow, don't I?"

Brant's foot skidded as he halted his forward momentum to pivot. He ran along the sidewalk. "Do Ace!"

"This?" She spoke in a lower pitch than he'd realized was possible for her.

"Yeah, that."

"Okay."

Brant almost snickered at hearing Hannah attempt to limit her expression to so few words, just like their dark-skinned friend. But recovering his own character, he darted his eyes about constantly in search of a route to take, to avoid any witnesses giving the police a tip. With the buildings so close together, and so many alleyways, he realized all he needed to do was enter the maze and commit to it. He pointed right and turned that way. Hannah's feet skidded behind him as she struggled to keep up and follow.

*********************

A/N: Brant and Hannah masquerading as mercenaries...not exactly something any of us probably imagined going into this book, but I hope it was thoroughly entertaining nonetheless. If you enjoyed the chapter, please remember to vote and comment! 😁 

And let's not forget the tale of the dolphin and the raven. Did you enjoy that little tidbit? 

I guess it's already time for today's random question. Short note, lol. Anyway, if you work a job, what position do you work? Or if you don't yet, what job are you hoping for? (OR if you don't anymore, what did you do?) 

(I'm still working my first job as a "cabinet technician" at a kitchen remodeling company myself. So I'm really just at the bottom of the food chain doing the actual labor. 😂  I'd like someday to do more constructing of new cabinets than beautifying old ones, but that's where I'm at now.) 

Well, I hope you have an awesome day ahead. I'll see you in tomorrow's update!