The staircase opens up into a large room, where a hundred people are mingling around, yelling, laughing, and messing with their auras. The tone is chaotic and a little bit mischievous. Holly and I look at each other, both wearing the same overwhelmed face.

Still, we continue forward, on a hunt to find some information—anything that could help us help them help us.

"Can't believe those idiots let that informant get out," one of the Necromancers says as we pass by. "Just goes to show how useless having materia is, even if it's dark materia."

"Yeah," the person they're talking to says. "Ought to just give up the ghost."

The two laugh, their voices blending into the crowd as we continue towards the center of the room. After spending a few minutes in whatever messed up mixer this is, we come to a consensus: people are either talking about the informant that got away, some of the raves they've taken place in, or an upcoming presentation on dealing with the rebels.

I think we need to find out when that presentation is, Holly says. Sounds like that's gonna be the big scoop that we need.

I nod. Why don't you ask that group over there? I point to a group of six or seven Necromancers all talking together, dressed in some very... Stylistic clothing.

Why don't you ask them?

I gave her a look.

Oh, right. Duh.

We approach the group together, and one by one, their eyes turn to us. Our moment of vulnerability has now turned into a much more intense moment of worry.

"Well, who do we have here?" One asks, gesturing widely at us.

"I am Holly, and this is Tes. We are Necromancers from America, and we were hoping to get a little bit of help around here. Do you know when the presentation is supposed to start?"

"Well, Holly from America, you came to the right place. I will be giving the presentation, and it's in about ten minutes. Feel free to mingle. There's booze on the far wall, if you're of age."

"We'll keep that in mind, thank you." We walk away, and the group goes back to talking amongst themselves.

Good to know.

If I had to guess, those are the people in charge.

I'm willing to bet that's a good guess.

As we stand and wait for the presentation to begin, another group comes over to talk to us. They look about our age and have vastly different styles and mannerisms .

"Are you the two new girls from America?" One asks, wearing something almost out of a Eurovision concert.

"Word travels fast," Holly says, turning to me.

I have an idea, she signs. Go with it.

"You two know CSL?" another one in the group asks, sounding more like genuine interest than interrogation.

"Actually, this is ASL, but yeah. She's Deaf."

"Oh, sick. I wonder how many differences there are between ASL and CSL."

"It's mostly some dialect differences."

A girl who had been standing in the back steps forward. She wears incredibly baggy clothes and earmuffs.

You are Deaf? she signs my way.

Very hard of hearing, I answer. She seems to accept that answer.

I don't know what tactical advantage Holly is hoping to get out of me being Deaf rather than mute, but I'm not happy about having to keep that lie up now. Well, two lies.

"Attention, Necromancers," a booming voice says, seeming to come from everywhere. It startles me, but, fortunately, I don't jump.

The girl taps me on my shoulder. I can translate for you, if you'd like.

I smile. Sure.

"As you know, today marks the three-year anniversary of our reclaiming Carmsborough. It was rocky at first, but every day we figure it out a little more. Between threats from rebels, Atom Smashers, and your everyday criminal, we've had a spicy six months."

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The girl relays this all to me, and the room seems to be in consensus. Holly glances over with a look in her eye. I can't fully decode it, as my attention is forced back to my translator.

"I know how much everybody hates the official business of these meetings, so I will keep it short and sweet. After our last confrontation with the Atom Smashers, we got hold of one of their experimental weapons. It has the ability to neutralize and permanently prevent the use of auras on any person hit by it. They had intended to send out a blast wave that would hit all of Carmsborough, but we have altered their prototype so that it can be controlled in a handheld blaster."

My translator relays this information, then signifies it's herself talking. The Atom Smashers are a group that does not have auras because of how they were born. Therefore, they formed a terrorist group.

That's not fun.

What's your name?

Tes.

I'm Ally.

Thank you for translating for me.

Of course. That's what I'm here for.

What's your aura?

Toxa, same as Lady Maxima's arch nemesis.

I'm boring old dark materia.

Is she your plus one? Ally points to Holly.

Yeah.

Are you two like... a couple?

No. Well, I don't think so. Depends on your definition.

I get it, she says, with a look in her eye.

A very flirtatious look.

Am I the one everyone thinks is a lesbian?

The presentation and translating continue, but my focus drifts. I've never been too preoccupied with relationships and that sort of thing. Nor have I ever been interested in a guy. Maybe I am. Maybe I am a lesbian. After all, I'm ninety percent sure at this point that I'm falling for Holly.

Before long, the presentation is over, and everybody's back to partying and being loud.

"It was good talking with you all," Holly says, motioning for me, "but unfortunately, we have to get moving. Still some sites to see on our schedule for the week."

"Good talking," one of the Necromancers repeats.

Thanks for the help, I say.

Will you be back tomorrow?

Not sure. Is there anything happening tomorrow?

We can always find something to do. She winks and waves, and I wave back as Holly and I head for the exit.

"Looks like Ally's got the hots for the new girl," one of the group members says as we walk away.

"Oh, yeah," she responds.

"That was... an experience," Holly says. "What was up with that girl very obviously hitting on you?"

I didn't realize that's what it was until it was too late. Why?

"No reason. It was just... interesting."

We pass by the bush Dwight is hiding behind, hunched over.

"Did you get anything?" he asks.

"I'd like to think we got some pretty significant information," Holly answers.

When we get back to base, instead of heading straight for the meeting room, Ike leads us to another room further down. Using the same rhythmic knock from before, he announces his presence, and the door opens. Inside are Luna and Sapphire, standing over a table with takeout pizza in the center.

"You never cease to surprise me," Luna says, raising her arms wide. "I'll be honest, I figured you too would've compromised yourselves."

"If it's any consolation," Dwight says, "she says that to me every time I go somewhere, too."

"Great work. Let's talk about what you figured out over some dinner."

Holly spends the better part of ten minutes describing what we found out about the Necromancers. Along with the parts that I heard, they mentioned exactly where the testing site was: in an old museum downtown.

"And what exactly is their end goal with this blaster? To neutralize all the resistance? I don't think they'll get far." Luna flexes her admittedly impressive muscles.

"No, not the resistance. You."

When Dwight finishes relaying that information to Sapphire, all eyes are on Luna. She, however, doesn't seem too worried.

"I would actually love to see them try," she says, "but we really should see about dismantling whatever plans they have. Dwight, you and I will discuss this later tonight. For now, let's celebrate."

"Of course. Dig in, people."

I never thought a normal pizza would be so fulfilling, but after this long, it shouldn't surprise me. Holly seems in agreement, and together we put down a whole pizza. I expect some rash comments about it, but if anybody cares, they don't care enough to say.

"How have you been holding up?" Dwight says aloud while signing it to Sapphire.

She smiles faintly.

Not great.

"You know, when I lost my wife, it took me months to truly deal with the fact that I would never see her again. Never again would I wake up with her by my side. She'd never make dinner with me, or tell me about their latest expedition to terraform Mars, or laugh at my dumb little jokes. The day I realized that was the hardest day of my life."

Was this supposed to make me feel better? she asks, practically in tears.

"Well, no. I'm just trying to tell you that you're allowed to feel, period."

"When I lost my mom," Luna says, doing her best to sign and speak at the same time, "I was angry. Hopeless. Pissed. The same day as her funeral, I was evicted. It felt like the world was against me. Eleven years later, I'm still not sure how to process it. Some days I'm fine, and some days..."

Luna stares off. "I just try to live every day for her. The morals she upheld."

Everyone sits in the silence for a moment. Even someone like Luna has pain in her life.

"I lost my boyfriend of three years about a week ago," Holly says, all eyes on her now. "I watched him die. We were arguing, I think—I don't even remember why. But he was strangled and out of reach, and I'm not sure I'm over it, either. The only reason I'm not totally lost in grief is Tes. Having her to rely on has helped me feel less alone. Less like I need to curl up and waste away."

Eyes are all on me now. Sapphire's tears have slowed, and Ike wears a knowing look on his face. One of empathy, or sympathy, or both.

I guess it's my turn to talk.

I was too young to remember why or how or when my mom died, I start, but I remember the confusion. I've never gotten closure. My grandparents refused to talk to me about it. But I have some of the good memories, and in the end, that's all I really need.

We're all a little sad, but by the end of dinner, the five of us are smiling, laughing, and hopefully, in Sapphire's case, healing.