Chapter Text
Part 1
Moze had been keeping watch over a tour group at the Xianzhou Yaoqing... a part of his job, albeit not one he particularly enjoyed. He observed closely from his position atop one of the roofs with his hawk-like gaze, idly juggling his long dagger with one hand.
His boredom was soon interrupted when he noticed a certain visitor acting suspiciously, seemingly slipping away from the group and disappearing into a narrow alleyway.
Their sudden departure caught his attention, prompting him to follow with his dagger at the ready. As the visitor reached the end of the alley, they were greeted by the sound of Moze's stern voice echoing from behind.
"Leaving the tour without authorization is against the law," he said. "You must state your purpose, or I will be forced to take action."
The person kept their back turned. "Then, I suppose I've broken two laws here. You've caught me. Now what?" a feminine voice came from the concealed figure, spoken in a rather cheeky tone as she slowly lifted her hands in surrender, with one holding a tied bag.
Moze narrowed his sharp lilac-colored eyes, watching her closely as she raised her hands in mock defeat. He tightened his grip on his blade, not buying her innocent act for a second. "Turn around. Slowly," he ordered, tone cold as ice. "I want to see what's in the bag. No sudden movements."
"Easy there, boy. I won't bite," she said whilst obeying.
Beneath her hooded cloak, she was wearing... rather skimpy clothing. Albeit very filthy and torn ones. Her faded white top looked like it could rip at any second, only covering her bosom with the thick threads of the center barely concealing her cleavage.
Her skin-tight, brown skirt was equally as bad. Her knee-high black boots were probably the only thing in good condition. Even her black leather gloves that only exposed her fingers, were pretty worn out.
She dropped the bag from her hand, which opened up on impact of hitting the ground, revealing some stolen food; bread and cheese.
Moze raised a brow in disbelief when he saw the contents of the bag.
Bread and cheese?
How... underwhelming.
"Is this some kind of joke?" he asked, unable to hide the mockery in his voice. He approached her, stepping closer as he continued to eye her. "You went through all this trouble just to steal food?"
The woman, Stelle, met his gaze with her own. A smug little smirk on her face. "No, handsome," she corrects. "I went through all this trouble to save a life."
She was being outright honest, but she intentionally made herself sound more suspicious just for the fun of it.
Moze studied her carefully, his expression neutral. The look on her face, coupled with her ambiguous words, put him on edge. He couldn't tell if she was being truthful or if she was merely toying with him.
He moved even closer, closing the distance between them. Now standing directly in front of her, his tall frame towered over her petite form.
"Save a life? With bread and cheese?" he said flatly, though his tone dripped with skepticism.
Stelle chuckled at his puzzled response. Finding the way he said it rather comical. She enjoyed making people say things that sounded silly out of context.
"What? Is that so hard to believe? Aww~ You're just adorable, aren't you?" she teased. "But alas, I've been caught by the handsome hero and I am at his mercy. Oh, whatever shall he do with me?" she half-mocked.
Moze's expression hardened, his irritation surmounting. He found her insolent attitude and demeanor particularly annoying.
"Enough games," he bit out, grasping her wrist roughly with one hand. He brought her closer to him, leaning down menacingly so their faces were inches apart. "I'm not some naive fool. Why did you steal this food? What are you really up to?" he demanded firmly.
"Mmm~ Feisty now, are we?" she purred. "I told you. I'm saving a life. Well, tried to, before you stopped me."
He tightened his grip on her wrist, his annoyance further increasing at her coy retorts. "You're being awfully vague for someone who's claiming to be 'saving a life'," he said through gritted teeth. "Either you talk, or you can face the General in prison."
"I could tell you. But I believe it would more convenient if you see for yourself," she answered with a seductive wink. "You can keep me chained if you want. But you'll still have to follow me."
With his grip on her wrist still firm, he used his free hand to produce a set of reinforced cuffs, then quickly locks them around her wrists. “You’d better not be leading me into a trap,” he warned, still wary of her intentions.
“Oh, come now. I couldn’t possibly want to trap such a good-looking snack… but then again, who wouldn’t?” she teased. “Right this way. Stay close~ And don’t forget to bring the food,” she said, before dashing off further down the alley at tremendous speed.
Smoothly keeping up with her pace, Moze remained cautious, not entirely trusting her as he gripped the bag of stolen food closely behind him. His eyes swept their surroundings warily as they treaded onward. Despite his better judgement, he found himself strangely intrigued by the mysterious woman.
It wouldn’t be long before they arrived at the destination. She led him to a hidden dark alley where two homeless figures had taken refuge.
A mother -who was now dead- and a crying, starved child.
Stelle’s gaze flickered with pain at the sight. She was too late.
Then she takes a deep breath, composing herself. “There. Have a look,” she tilts her head in their direction.
Moze froze for the briefest moment as his sharp gaze took in the scene; the lifeless mother, the trembling child… The stolen food suddenly made sense. His grip on Stelle loosened, then released entirely.
“You didn’t report this to the Harbor Patrol?” he asked, voice low and controlled, though less harsh than before.
Without waiting for an answer, he knelt down and opened the bag, handing a portion of the food, and even some water, to the child. His movements were precise and efficient, but not unkind.
The child looks behind him at Stelle, who nods to her with a gentle, yet pained smile. “It’s okay, sweetie. You can trust him,” she says. The child wipes her face and accepts the sustenance from Moze, then begins downing it between sobs, muffling a 'thank you'.
“…You’re reckless,” he muttered to Stelle, “but clearly not malicious.” He then glances back at her as the little girl continues eating. “Next time, signal a guard or find a doctor instead of stealing from the Red Fox Theater’s kitchens.” Then he quietly adds, “I’ll make sure more rations are sent here.”
Stelle’s gentle expression fades towards Moze. You think I haven’t tried that? - she internally fumed. She stifles a groan before speaking.
“Bummer. The handsome lad is clueless,” she leans against a nearby wall and crosses her legs. “Hate to break it to you, sweet cheeks, but no one is going to help these people. They never have, and they never will. We wouldn’t be in this situation if it were otherwise,” she states. All signs of her playful demeanor had long gone out the window.
Moze stood slowly, his poker-faced expression apparent as he turned to face her fully. The lilac hue in his eyes darkened with something colder... recognition, perhaps. He’d seen this truth before. Buried beneath regulation and order, ignored by those who preferred not to look.
“You’re wrong,” he said quietly, like distant thunder. “I can’t change the system in one night. But I can make sure this child and many others like her survive it.”
He moves his hand to his ear to activate his comms device. “Shadow Guard Moze to Yaoqing Central Relief,” he spoke with finality, relaying his current coordinates. “Medical and humanitarian aid required immediately. Unregistered civilian casualty and a survivor.”
Then he drifts his gaze back to Stelle. “Call me clueless again when they’ve forgotten you were here.”
In other words, he was letting her go free.
Stelle momentarily raised a brow. “A top dog, huh? But that doesn’t prove anything, I’m afraid. In fact, I’m willing to bet that in less than the next 5 seconds, you’re going to receive a 'no' from your contact. They’re gonna tell you they don’t have the hands to spare. Riiiigghht now-”
[Negative. No available units.]
Moze’s jaw clenched as the denial rung through his ear, just as she predicted.
For a split second, a hint of a challenging, competitive glare flashed in his eyes. He opens communication again, determined. “Prioritize this child,” he repeated, voice brooking no refusal. “Authorization: Sentinel Dragon.”
He waited. The tension in the air thick with anticipation.
Stelle shakes her head. “Oh, you sweet puppy. Hurts to be in denial, I know. But the reality is, they’ve always got their hands full. And you know this. They don’t have time to spare their precious resources on us underlings. Not even for a child.” However, her victorious smirk was met with surprise compliance on the other end of the device, to which she expressed unexpected shock of her own.
[Medical shuttle dispatched. ETA: Three minutes.]
Moze himself dared not hide a speck of satisfaction on his face. “You were saying?”
“Well now, you’ve certainly got connections. I’ll give you credit, but it’s not enough to sway me. You may have the power to save this girl now, but you can’t save everyone. There isn’t enough manpower to make a difference. And even if there was, there simply aren't enough of those 'leaders' who give a damn,” she spoke, taking slow steps backwards into the shadows -and with a taunting sway to her hips. Only the piercing glow of her golden eyes could be seen.
“You’ve impressed me, hot stuff. But you’re going to have to do a lot more than that if you want to woo a woman like me. See you around,” she added, before vanishing into the darkness, leaving the cuffs to fall onto the ground.
Moze stared at the empty space where she had stood, the fallen cuffs glinting faintly under the distant glow of the alley lights.
She’d been able to break free this whole time, it seems.
He exhaled slowly. More breath than he realized he’d been holding.
“A woman like you…” he muttered under his breath, picking up the cuffs with two fingers, “...is more trouble than a Denizen of the Abundance.”
He turned back toward the approaching shuttle, and a thought occurred to him as he watched the little girl being assisted.
He never got to learn the cunning woman’s name.