"It's been a long time, congratulations for becoming a Mail-Hunter, did you enjoy it?"

Ruka taunted, she smiled while she's teasing her excessively like how she used to do. "Don't make fun of me, Ruka. I'm not in the mood to deal with your nonsense," Claire scolded her, folding her arms in front of her rival who has been pestering her and not gonna lie--it's very annoying just by hearing her voice. "I'm a theatre actress after all, I will perform as Jessica Hawthorne; the main character of the musical 'The Last Flower'. Both of you will watch me perform with famous actor, known as Daniel Brown!" Ruka declared, which made them surprised even Sonata who entered into the dining hall of the train when she heard that.

"Huh? What's going on?"

Claire rolled her eyes, once in a lifetime she just want to focus on her job without being annoyed by Ruka and sometimes she pondered why does she have to meet her in this train again? She merely threw an eye roll by that thought. Gabriel apparently got bothered by her and turns out his expectations was right, thanks to Claire telling him about her. "Good luck on that," she told her with sarcasm, Gabriel stared at his step-brother Shintaro with a huff. "Good luck on taking care of her then."

Shintaro has a dark brown-orange short hair with bangs almost fell over to his amber-colored eyes, fair complexion and a black Chinese-style bodysuit underneath his white robe-like coat with black belt and jade sash, wearing a black pants were tucked into his bluish-black knee-length boots and he also wears a long black fingerless gloves. He has a similar height to Gabriel but slightly shorter than his older step-brother, and has similar physique of him.

Ruka scowled at them before she took a deep exhale; she envies her because she was a semi-successful author, but she couldn't help it but want to be successful. Ruka took a full confidence of herself to become the theatre actress, that was her wish and she worked hard for it after she got the book. "Fine, that sounds like a challenge," Sonata has stepped back from the two while her attendant gave her an apologetic smile, seems like he was patient enough to take care of her. "Okay… that was a twist…"

Sonata mumbled when she walk up to Claire and Gabriel who was annoyed, but they let her sit next to her because of that. "You know them?" Claire sighed when she heard her question, folding her arms when she heard her ordering another one for herself and she answered. "This guy and this girl? Yeah, what about them?"

Sonata turn to see them not aware by the gaze they're taking out a card from their coats before seeing the conductor received their ticket and clipped them, lowering her eyelids a little that the secret was passed along both of them. "We have something in common, almost," Claire explained and he agreed with her, folding his arms and looking at the view. "That guy is my younger step-brother, but I don't stay with him. That girl earlier, is Claire's distant cousin, she's few months younger than Claire," Gabriel explained, which made Sonata shrieked in surprise--her wolf ears perked up.

"Y-You know each other?!"

Gabriel narrowed his eyes at her while he stared at her--he didn't know why is his younger step-brother here. "Yeah," he answered while shaking his head, he didn't know the reason himself, but he didn't like his younger step-brother due to past reasons--mostly because he tried to get along with Shintaro--but ended up with no success. "He's annoying," he stated bluntly as he shrugged. "But he's just too kind and somewhat able to tolerate his mistress' attitude--nothing else."

Claire stared at the boy beside them, hearing those words from him that made her face paled slightly. "Ruka is my cousin, she's a train conductor and also theatre actress, she's annoying--like a spoiled brat," Claire said, which made Sonata recalled her earlier--it made her shocked even more. "She's your younger cousin??"

Sonata shuddered as she is no longer going to be more surprised than this, but Ruka and Claire are cousins? Oh well, save that for later... for now. Sonata laughed sheepishly that she shouldn't have asked them about that, but was because she was curious. "Sonata, where do you come from?" Gabriel asked, mostly because of her wolf ears and her tail. Sonata hesitated a little when he asked her about her origins, all she can think of is where she was raised. "Sonnet… why was that?"

Of course, there's something that she didn't want to tell to both of them... yet.

It's not the time yet, they are still acquaintances and yet to know each other--but that doesn't stop them from getting to know each other.

"No, it's fine… we're just curious about where'd you come from."

Claire said but for some reason she was concerned about her background and she frowned a little, that made her curious but not wanting to step into her boundaries. "I know… but I don't want to remember the day I was…" she murmured while shivering a little when she look down from facing them--her wolf ears pinned down and her wolf tail curled up a little, Gabriel's eyes widened that Claire hold her shoulder. "Apologies, we didn't mean to ask you that--no need to tell us if you're uncomfortable," Claire reassured and Sonata nodded, remembering the event that affected her when she was a child did traumatized her--not even Suona who had to endure that experience. "I-It's okay… it's just, not the best time to say it."

Sonata said with a timid smile, not wanting them to be worried too much about her.

Gabriel decided to let her take her time to calm down, they didn't know she's having a flashback that was dark for her. Maybe they need to halt their questions, so she won't be uncomfortable. "It's alright, we're not forcing you. Just take your time, we'll make sure that you're okay," Claire caressed her back, she nodded with a frown and sad smile that she didn't want them to be upset because of this. As their orders has come, Sonata went back to her usual self when her breakfast has come. "Ooh~! Let's eat!" she said happily, grabbing the cutlery before she ate her food happily.

"Not gonna lie, it's kind of adorable that you have these features," Claire complimented, making Sonata ended up flushed in red from her wolf ears. "And you almost look like Claire's cat; Elizabeth, and there she is," Gabriel said as he lifted up the white Persian cat with round blue eyes from his lap, with the collars around her neck that has a pendant with her name. "Gabriel, did you brought her before we get here?"

Claire asked, seeing the cat purred that he indeed likes cats so much and he's taking care of Elizabeth. "That's your cat…?" Sonata asked, seeing the feline-like creature was enjoying his caress. "Yes, apparently she can't leave my side and always for treats when it comes to this journey, but still I loved her," she said as she grabbed the small pack of treats and handed it to Gabriel, he receive it from her and gave her some treats. "By the way, let's eat before we'll be arriving to the station--this is where our line of work will begun, and we need a place to stay in there."

"That's what I thought," Claire muttered. Sonata was curious about Gabriel and Claire as they were the first people who noticed her arrival in Aria from her previous life--they were also the people that introduced her to their country. But at the same time, she felt awkward about their relationship that makes her uncomfortable in asking questions about it. Sonata was amused on the fact that both of them can get into quarrels over something like that, which was quite entertaining.

Sonata feel comfortable around them, she need to get out of her comfort zone so she can gain her trust back to people.

"Let's be friends then!" Sonata said as she goes over them and hugged both of them with her arms around both of their shoulders, finally breaking the ice between her and two of them. "Let's not be strangers okay? I am happy to meet you!"

The two of them stared at her as though they're seeing a ghost. Gabriel stared at her with a blank expression while Claire was just staring at her with a bewildered face; but they realized that Sonata was actually doing that to make both of them able to relax around each other. It seemed like it worked well on them, and the two of them both nodded in agreement to accept her request. Gabriel was smiling a little as he hugged Sonata back tightly--just like Claire who hugged Sonata back in return, whispering in her ear. "I'll make sure you won't regret coming here okay?" Claire did the same thing, as she whispered to her. "It's just the beginning."

This would certainly make their job easier than before--as they both get along well with her.

***

Sonata entered the home in the neighborhood that she was appointed for her--it was known as Blue Notes--the neighborhood housing complexes for the Mail-Hunters, unlocking the door with the key and entering inside her main residence. The place was vintage and warm that has a fireplace, couch, living room, kitchen, dining room, bedroom with furnitures--in addition of three guest rooms in the upstairs. As she placed the two suitcases inside her bedroom, before unpacking her clothes, equipments, miscellaneous items on her desk and decorate everything in her place. "Huh, looks like three of us are staying together then."

Sonata shrieked as she saw Claire and Gabriel again, the two of them were standing next to her that has startled her for a while. "Oh thank goodness... sorry about my reaction," Sonata laughed nervously when she held her chest from her heart beating rapidly, feeling her face heated up a bit. "I guess we'll stick together until the end, eh? We also picked out this complex on the same time and same address. It's great to have you in here, Sonata," Claire said with a smile, as Sonata grinned at her sheepishly, it didn't bother her that she like company she's not being alone with the cold, dark, silence... she brushed that dark memory off from her head.

Gabriel was smoking his cigarette despite being a late-teen like Claire, due to his habit he did whenever he's done training to fight against the Husks that roam through the town. He sighed when he throw his cigar to the ashtray and took a seat on the chair in the living room. "Alright, let's arrange some properties in our new residence, later we need to prepare for our duty as Mail-Hunter," Gabriel told them, Sonata never realizes the time that kept passing since she'd come here.

As the next morning arrived, they headed back to the main HQ of National Postal Service in West Town of the first district; the central office of the Mail-Hunters when they enter the code door as their identification for entry from the outside. Claire, Gabriel and Sonata have been summoned for their directories as a Mail-Hunters without being in the headquarters area of National Postal Service.

Sonata encountered Suona again as she waved her hand at her, which she got excited to see them after the train ride--but due to schedule difference with the different lines of trains--they have to separate again but still keeping contacts with each other through written letters. Claire, Gabriel and Sonata just been sent with the letter from Stardust Express that the Mail-Hunter have been waiting, that the National Postal Service ordered the delivery to certain places. "Alright, I must deliver these packages," Sonata said when she saw the bag filled with wrapped delivery packages, this is going to be a full day for her for her first delivery service.

Sonata walked through the rocky land towards the city of Aria, after departing from her home and station towards her destination. As she almost arrived at the border of the city, she drank her bottle of cold water from the exhausting and challenging journey-consists of climbing and walking. Soon she will get used to it, due to the fact that the map of the trails are not as easy as it should. "Alright, what do we have here…?" she was about to take out the package, until she sensed a rumbling from beneath her. "Huh?"

Sonata look down when she felt the rumbling and she stepped back from that, narrowing her eyes sharply when she saw the insect-like monster in front of her. "Riesling Husk!" she yelled, landing on top of the rock when she saw a grasshopper-like giant-armored insect giving an inhumane screech. "Each of the Husk creatures has weakness, one of them must've been centered at the so-called 'blind spots' that Cordelia told me," she stated, before seeing the tail lashing at her and she jumps down--rolling down and landed there.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Each Mail-Hunter's patience was tested through facing the Husks within time limits, that the delivery must be done and reaching right in time. Now she have to think before act, which means she has to find the weak spot of the Husk; the vulnerable part. That was until she saw the stomach exposed during the outrage. "Alright then," Sonata started, take out the case from her back holster. "Automotive Gear, Ensemble!" she commanded, the Automotive Gear equipment began to unlock the gear into awakening state--a railgun-blade. "Chopin's Nocturne Op. 20, First Movement."

Sonata could feel her heartbeat was put through the bullets of her Automotive Gear, she could sense the melodic scores are resonating through her heart and she opened her eyes-aiming her target at the exposed stomach. "Crescent Moon!" the blue and white pastel-colored blast emitted from the gear, shoving through the stomach of the Husk and sending the creature across the ground. "Second Movement, Quarter Moon!" She fired again, aiming for the neck and shot it down, causing the head to be separated from its body-as well as the rest of it.

Sonata jumps and twirls in the air before her gear focusing on the large blade, before she lunges forward and slain the creature's stomach in half. As she landed down on the ground away from there, watching the creature bursts into thousands of lights from the creature's stomach. "These lights…" she murmured as her eyes widened at several memory fragments of people she has seen, remembering the unwritten rule of delivery service of not peeking through either client's or the recipient's package--making her closed her eyes.

"Impressive, you're quite strong huh?"

Claire complimented her while standing beside Gabriel, making Sonata's wolf ears and tail jolted by surprise from both of them came behind her--she's currently in the middle of delivering the mail. "Dang it! J-Just you guys made me jumpy, not about the way I did that! Don't do that again please!" she denied that she was impressed about her strength, which was natural for a Mail-Hunter. "Come on, let's deliver these mails first," Gabriel spoke, flicking Sonata's forehead slightly with his fingers.

Sonata groaned in pain when he flick her forehead, since he has the same kind of traits when he did that to Claire (even Claire herself doesn't know why he would flick her forehead whenever she overslept). There were about ten to twelve packages but also reaching seventeen in total, she must've done five in Aria, four in Sonnet and eight in Canon which is difficult.

Sonata also faced different types of recipients, some are nice and some are rude even complaining even though she was delivering them until the destination right in time--fighting the Husks also exhausting at the same time. That involved her mentality on how she takes and see the world around her with kindness, but she encountered inhumane type of people who are not comfortable with her--and she choose to ignore them because it might be hectic to keep arguing with them.

Sonata rubbed her eyes that she couldn't believe how many deliveries she had been doing this time, sitting on the couch of the main hall inside the known National Postal Service Headquarters before ended up laying down from exhaustion. "Oh my goodness, are you okay?" Claire asked, she was finished with her delivery service with Gabriel who helped her with the Husks. "I'm okay... I'm just haven't eaten during delivery until this evening, but I want to make sure if there's any delivery left…"

Sonata answered before she was carried by Gabriel on his back, seeing how tired she was with her head on his shoulder as her white wolf tail wagging a little--she's suitable for battle but there's a limit when it comes for battling against the Husks and delivering the letter on time. "Fine, I'll cook you something okay? Let's go back and save your energy for later--you can deliver them tomorrow," Claire said when she ruffled her hair which made Sonata's wolf ears lowered down, her wolf tail lowered as well under her coat when she lead them into the housing complex where the trio lived.

Once they have arrived inside and taking off their boots, so they can heading towards the kitchen and he laid her down on the chair. "Thanks…" Sonata mumbled when she sat up, shaking her head a little from the dizziness she had from the work. "Sorry for making you guys had to carry me like this…" Sonata apologized sheepishly, Claire was holding her wrist with concern. "You don't have to apologize, let's get you something to eat first, I heard you're starving yourself."

Sonata perked up a little with her wolf ears, making her willing to eat anything as long it's delicious. Just like her best friend Suona, she's a very big eater despite having a slim body and never gain any weight AT ALL. Not that Sonata has a big appetite that she does try new foods she wants to try, since she missed traveling around places like back in her past. "Yeah, I was hungry after all... sorry for making you guys having a hard time..." she answered.

"It's fine, you're sixteen years old--though you're qualified as a a Mail-Hunter regardless of what age, at least you're growing up with confidence and strength," Claire had encouraged her, which made Sonata's eyes widened at her words when she heard that, Claire knew she was probably not ready and needed time to grow even stronger with her training--but she has some potentials that needed time. "As a real Mail-Hunter, things got different than they used to be..." Claire spoke, she looked away from her.

"O- Of course, it's true!"

Sonata have confidence in herself that she can live on her own, before smiling at them with the small nod saying. "Thanks… are you guys tired too?" she asked, seeing Gabriel nodded. "We're tired too, but mostly dealing with the Husks--the exhausting part that keeps preventing us from delivering the letters to our destination."

Gabriel remarked when he was making a warm cups of chocolate for three of them, before he brought them on the tray and placed them on the table. "Besides, we also had to deal with rude recipients after the kinder ones, but most of them are nothing but toxic," he stated as he sat across from Sonata, staring at the cup that warms his hands. "Elizabeth is the one who can't hold back her emotions, so we had to calm her down…" the white cat named Elizabeth was sitting on the table, yawning before looking back at her owner and then at him as Sonata watched her with a pale face. "Cats also have feelings…?" she asked and then she realized what he just said, the sound like someone was talking next to her.

Claire's face went pale as she heard that from them, before reverting into her usual calm expression most of the time. "Eh, not really--they're something that I do like about them; their appearance and adorableness, except their attitude," Sonata explained as both of them were verbally attacked by her remarks, as if an arrows hitting their heads but Gabriel understands how she felt about her. "Elizabeth is an exception, don't worry about that," he said while the cat let out a meow at her, before goes towards Sonata with clinging on her arm.

Sonata poked on the cat's nose which made the cat let out a mew, both of them were staring at each other with silent awe before they heard a clear of throat, "Oh, that's good. Anyways, I wanna try new foods," she mentioned in excitement but Claire was smiling a little when she remembered something. Sonata also petted Elizabeth who was purring like mad and she looked happy from it. After they ate dinner and they all were relaxing in the living room; Gabriel had some drinks on their table while Claire is reading her book on a corner with Elizabeth curled beside her on her lap. Sonata was making sure her white wolf ears and tail is groomed well, it was part of her as she has them from birth. "Hey, why did you do that?" Claire asked, looking at Gabriel while he sipped his drink from his cup.

"You know, it's a tradition," he replied while looking back at her, before he took another sip from his cup and then set it on the table.

"Why...?" Claire asked again, before Gabriel was putting his cup down from the table to let her know what he thinks, but mainly it was ingrained into their culture. "When you're reaching the Age of Ceremony, you will start to groom the Mail-Hunter in basic defense and combat, it's a guide that must teach all of us."

"CAN YOU LIKE NOT!? IT'S VERY WEIRD WHEN YOU WORDED THAT!"

Claire screamed out of frustration since he explained while teasing her with his cold and reserved expression, once again his sadistic side never changes at all and no wonder Sonata thought how close they are. Sonata learned that Suona lived next to their housing complex, which means they can visit each other anytime as friends. "Gabriel, you know that groom is like making the cat pretty right?" she asked, both of them flabbergasted--did Sonata didn't know the context or she was playing dumb for the heck of it.

"HUH?"

For every moment when they questioned her behavior and her thought process, Sonata would smile cheerfully while they were going to answer with those question marks floating on their head.

***

"Urgh… my ears are so sensitive…"

Sonata pinned her wolf ears before walking down the street of neighborhood for a fresh air, while Claire and Gabriel were buying some groceries in the Farmer's Market of Welkin City. And that's when she heard an unfamiliar voice from across her, near the fountain where there's two people facing each other and conversing something serious.

“--I believe that can be beneficial for us, if you would lend one of your Mail-Hunters with the 'special' abilities. How about that, Master Senja?"

There was a man who has a white formal attire that consists of black uniform, black pants with black shoes covered in black military blazer suggested, he was smiling that he wears a mask and looks so mysterious. "Master Senja? Don't tell me he's…" Sonata stared at the other man in front of him, he seems to be unfazed and doesn't look like he was supportive of that. "The Coordinator-General of National Postal Service and HR Coordinator of NPS' Human Resources Department... what is he doing here? No one seems to be recognizing him… and he looks so young."

Senjaya Christiadjie or known as Senja; the twenty-five years old Coordinator-General has a short black messy hair with the bangs slightly covering his sunset-amber eyes, his skin was a slightly mix of fair-tan complexion and wearing the burgundy-colored cap on his head. As he was wearing an Emissary uniform consists of a white dress shirt with black borders on the collars and a black tie was neatly hidden by a black-gray double breasted dress coat, with a brown buckle around the hips. As a black-gray slacks are tucked into calf-high boots, with two holsters strapped to his both thighs that holds his Automotive Gear weapon equipment; Bagatelle No. 25, Fur Elise--a dual long rifle-flintlocks. With dark Prussian blue colored trench coat, with the collar neatly folded is left open and the belt-sash left untied--it has gold platinum musical note strapped on his collars.

"Excuse me, do you want us to hand over the Mail-Hunters to help you? I'd expect any more professional attitude from you and the Enforcers," Senja stated, retaining his serious and professional expression. "You shouldn't treat them like they aren't capable like you, especially when they have the abilities you seek for. I am not asking for your assistance in exchange for something; this will cost you nothing but time of these postal workers," he reprimanded coldly and sternly to the Enforcer, folding his arms over his chest.

The Enforcer didn't seem to give up, rather than arguing with him but he just shrugged his shoulders and continued his sentence. "Well, I guess you don't care anymore since your business with this country are coming to an end anyway--and I can see that in your eyes.”

Senja listens to him but he didn't flinch upon that, rather than annoyed--he smirked at him. "Oh really? Are you desperate for more recruits, so that you want to take away our Mail-Hunters from us? That's not going to happen," Senja added, not phased with his suggestion and just continued talking while holding up his hand.

"I'm afraid Mail-Hunters are destined to deliver packages for their clients and exterminate the Husks--they're not tools for the officials. And now if you excuse me, I have some matters to do," Senja stated, that alone made the Enforcer scoffed. "Oh well then, I expected something clean from you and it was true after all, that's our negotiation for today—I hope you wouldn't mind if this would be valuable for us. And that's end for today."

Sonata could hear them from the distance and watched the man walking away, she saw the man suddenly disappeared and she blinked. "Where is he?" she didn't know that there was a presence behind her, tapping her shoulder which made her jumped by the touch and immediately turn around in defense-still having the Automotive Gear weapon behind her back. "Ahaha… don't worry, I can tell that you're watching us," she sighed in relieved, before she look up at him. "Oh… you must be Master Senja, right?"

Senja nodded when he unfolded his arms, it was his first time meeting her in person. "I was taking a break from several works that I've finished earlier, and you must be Sonata Nocturna-Cordelia told me about you," he look around before he look back at her, hoping that no one know what they're talking about. "Did you hear everything about we just said?"

Sonata swallowed her saliva that he asked her if she knows something there, she nodded when she lowered her wolf ears. "Yes, but not all of them, I only heard some parts, it seems like I have to come back soon. So, is Cordelia and Damian with you?" she asked. Senja shook his head when he looked down to her; it was surprising to see him smiling, it was a friendly smile. "She's taking over my work for a bit, then Damian persuaded me to take a break... after knowing I've been overworking myself for quite long with the department," he answered, before he sighed. "I'm sorry if I disturb you, there's so many works going on lately and I had to deal with some recruits on the other hand."

Sonata smiled at him as she bowed down on one knee. "Please forgive me for interrupting your work, but you're very kind to allow us to stay here; thank you very much, Master Senja."

Senja smiled at her, before he folded his arms. "You're welcome, it's our responsibility."

When he left, Sonata watched him before she saw Claire and Gabriel returns from shopping groceries--she hurriedly catching up on them and returning to their mess.