As they slowly made their way through the alley, the dim light allowed Sophie to make out the faint glow of cybernetic implants along her saviour’s neck.

"Mia," the girl said, breaking the silence. “That’s my name. What’s yours?"

"Sophie," she managed, still breathing heavily from the encounter with the Tygers. She stumbled slightly, as she walked, catching herself on the alley wall. Mia paused before grabbing the injured girl’s arm and looping it around her neck.

"Come on. You’ll be safer where we’re going."

Sophie hesitated slightly. Her wide eyes darted to the empty alley where the Tyger Claws had stood moments ago. The logical part of her brain told her to run, to hide. But her body was too battered and her mind too tired to argue. With a weak nod, she pushed off the wall, letting Mia guide her.

They emerged back into Japantown, the district’s neon lights shining even through the drenching rain. Fortunately, there were no Claws wandering the street.

In the brighter light, Sophie got her first clear look at her savior. She was around the same age, maybe slightly older than the newly reborn girl. Mia’s frame was wiry, and her face was set in a determined frown. Her dark, brown hair was cut unevenly, jagged strands framing her face, clearly cut for practicality, not style. A faint scar ran from the corner of her lip to her jawline, reaching the cybernetic enhancements along her neck.

"Keep your head down," Mia murmured, her voice low. "The Tygers patrol this area often. With what just happened, they might still be looking for you."

Sophie nodded, her heart pounding. They moved carefully, weaving through the nighttime crowd. Mia’s eyes were constantly scanning their surroundings. Normally, Sophie would have been the same but she was just too tired at that point. At one point, the older girl tugged her charge into the shadow of a vending machine as a pair of Tyger Claw enforcers strolled past, their chromed arms shining under the street lights. The men laughed loudly, oblivious to the two girls crouched mere meters away.

After the enforcers disappeared around a corner, Mia whispered, "Come on," and they resumed their journey.

“Where are we going, exactly?”

“The edge of Japantown. My group and I have a little shack there.” Sophie didn’t reply. The mention of a group made her slightly nervous, but she was willing to give the older girl the benefit of the doubt.

As the two girls got further away from the centre of Japantown, there was a noticeable shift. Street vendors and pedestrians seemed happier while there was a significant decrease in the number of Tyger Claws. Seems like the Claws aren’t too popular. Makes sense, I guess.

Mia finally stopped outside a ramshackle structure tucked into the corner of a narrow street. The shack looked like it had been cobbled together from scavenged materials; corrugated metal sheets, warped plastic, and patched tarpaulin. There was a faint orange glow from within, signs of a small fire. Mia glanced over her shoulder, her sharp eyes scanning the street before gesturing for Sophie to get inside. As she did so, a shiver went down her spine.

Her long dormant instincts, cultivated during her time in the army, screamed that there was something wrong, yet when the girl looked around, there was nothing. Am I imagining things? Slightly on edge, she followed Mia into the shack.

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The interior was cramped and dirty but surprisingly organized. Makeshift furniture, made from salvaged crates and cushions, filled the small space. A few mattresses, filled with holes and covered in stains, blanketed the floor. In the centre, a flickering fire provided the dim illumination visible from outside. Sophie’s eyes took in the scene: six children, all around the same age as herself, were scattered around the room. They froze at the sight of her, their wary eyes darting between Sophie and Mia.

"Who’s this?" a boy with spiky blonde hair demanded. His arms were crossed, and he leaned against the wall, his posture defensive. Bakugo? Is that you?

"She’s hurt," Mia replied. "Found her being hunted by some Tygers."

Another girl, her curly hair pulled back into a messy bun, stepped forward, her expression softening. "She looks like she’s been through hell."

"She has," Mia confirmed, guiding Sophie to a crate in the corner. "Sit. Rest."

Sophie sank onto the seat, her body finally giving in to the exhaustion she’d been fighting. She felt their eyes on her, a mixture of curiosity and caution. Mia crouched beside her, gesturing to the group.

"This is my family," she said gently. "As you can see, we’re not much. Just a rag-tag group of street rats trying to survive. But we’ve got each other. And if you want, you can join us. Be part of our family."

Sophie blinked, unsure if she’d heard correctly. "You… you want me to stay?" The offer was unexpected. The tired girl had assumed that they would kick her out the next day, unwilling to feed another mouth. Especially one who couldn’t help much, injured as she was.

Mia nodded. "Surviving alone out there…It’s tough. We look out for each other, share what scraps we find. It’s not definitely not perfect, but it’s better than being alone."

The spiky-haired boy snorted. "If she pulls her weight."

"Hush, Jay," Mia shot back. "She’s just like us. She needs help."

Jay muttered something under his breath but fell silent when Mia shot him a look, arms still crossed. The girl with the messy bun offered Sophie a tentative smile. "I’m Lyra," she said, her voice kind. "You’re welcome to stay if you’d like."

The introductions continued, each of them offering a name and a brief look at their personalities. Jay, the blonde boy, was brash but clearly protective of the group. Lyra had a gentle demeanor, behaving similarly to a mother, rather than a child. There was Rei, a quiet boy who barely spoke, his large, dark eyes peering out from beneath a mop of brown hair.

Tessa, a tiny girl with a mischievous grin and twitchy hands, perched on a crate in one of the room’s corners. The twins, Sam and Sasha, were identical, their freckled faces filled with curiosity as they stared at her.

Sophie’s head swam as she tried to remember the various details about each of the kids. However, by far the clearest dynamic was how much each of them cared for the others.

"So," Mia said, pulling Sophie’s attention back to her. "What do you think? Do you want to stay with us?"

Sophie hesitated. On one hand, staying with the group would offer a modicum of safety and support. On the other hand, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to be part of a group or team. Not after what happened to the last team she was a part of. Her voice trembled as she spoke. "I… I’m not sure."

Mia gave her an understanding look, then shrugged. “Well, the offer is open. Stay the night with us, think about it some more. Once you’ve had some rest, you can give us an answer.”

Lyra nodded along, an encouraging expression adorning her face. "We’ll help you if you want. You can be part of the family."

"Okay," she said finally. "I’ll stay the night and think about it some more. Tomorrow, I’ll give you an answer."

Mia’s lips curved into a smile, and she patted Sophie’s shoulder. "Sounds good. Now get some rest. Tomorrow, we’ll show you how we do things." The older girl guided her over to one of the mattresses. “You can sleep here tonight.”

“Thank you, Mia. I appreciate your help, truly.”

“Don’t worry about it. I like helping people, y’know? Sleep well, Sophie.”

-----------------------

In the middle of the night, Sophie’s heart thumped loudly in her chest. A sense of dread descended on her and she sat up. Well, she tried to. A cold, metal hand clamped down over her mouth, stifling the scream that tried to escape when she opened her eyes.

Above her, a man wearing a hologram mask was connected to the metal hand over her mouth. Her eyes widened. Scavs! She tried to kick and scream, but the man’s hand pressed down on her harder. From behind his back, he retrieved a small, metal stick. He pressed a button and the entire thing lit up with crackling electricity. The girl recognised it as a taser.

The weapon was jammed into her ribs without a care and the electrical current flooded her body. Immediately, she started convulsing, her muscles spasming and out of control. Mere seconds later, Sophie’s body went still, her head lolling to the side. As her eyes closed, she could barely make out the silhouettes of other scavs, all performing similar acts on the other kids. The silent screams she knew they tried to let out felt burned into her mind. Unfortunately, that was the last thing she thought before unconsciousness claimed her.