“That’s your brother, right?” Buhne whispered in Callida’s ear that evening.

“Yeah.”

“What is he doing here?”

Callida shrugged. “Alright team,” Keit started, “this is Captain Germanus Animo, and he is joining us as a second trainer.” The boys looked at each other confused. “What is it?” Keit asked, his voice leaking annoyance.

“Just, we kind of thought that Beta was our second trainer,” Buhne grinned.

“She’s just a squad member, Parrot,” Keit grumbled, and Buhne settled for a smirk over a verbal retort.

“Does this mean I don’t have to keep secrets from my brother anymore?” Callida asked.

“Yes. Germanus is now a member of Squad 14.”

“I thought you weren’t going to add him as a trainer until we left on our apprenticeship. What happened?”

Keit mumbled something inaudible. “Nevermind that. He’s a member of the squad now.”

“Yes, sir,” Callida bit back her laughter.

“Well, Keit, I’ll see you back at the bunkers,” Germanus excused himself. “It was nice meeting you, men.”

“You don’t want to stay?” Keit protested.

“I’m meeting with the general to discuss training. I have my own assignment apart from Squad 14, you know.”

“Fine.”

Germanus ruffled Callida’s hair before walking out. “Go easy on him tonight,” he winked, indicating a cranky Keit with a slight jerk of his head.

“Yes, sir,” Callida grinned.

Once the door was shut again, Keit exhaled a deep breath. “Everyone find a seat.” Squad 14 picked Buhne’s bed to sit on or lean against, and Keit sank onto Erkunden’s bottom bunk to face the group. “Squad 12 sent in a report that the resistance is recruiting muscle from the brawler circuit. Their recruitment operation is localized to the arena on the far easten edge of our territory. Lucky you, Squad 14 has been assigned to investigate and eliminate the threat, and this time, I can’t go with you.” Keit paused to allow for comments, but continued when the group remained silent. “Beta, I know you are still rather green, but this mission is going to require some muscle.”

“Understood,” Callida nodded.

“Boys, take care of her.” The group nodded silently, and Keit started issuing individual orders. “Professor and Papa, start working on your team cover and strategy, Shield and Stag, get everyone equipped, Parrot, outfit Beta, maybe take one of the guys with you, and give her some acting classes. Keep in mind what we talked about.”

Buhne flushed slightly, “yes, sir.”

“You’ve got a week to get ready, then you need to start walking. It will take you about a week of travel time to get there, so use it well.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You’re going to need this,” Keit said, pulling a note out of his pocket to hand to Buhne. “And, Beta…”

“Yes, Captain?”

“... don’t kill your team.” Keit seemed to be relishing this order.

“Why would I kill my team?” Callida sought help from the squad, but no one would make eye contact with her. “Captain, what are you talking about?”

“Good luck, boys,” Keit stretched his arms on his way out the door, obviously enjoying whatever was clearly lost on Callida.

While Bern and Spahen began rummaging through a chest to find a set of maps, some parchment and ink, Callida turned back to Buhne. “Parrot, what was he talking about?”

Buhne cleared his throat awkwardly. “Erm, I need to take you shopping tomorrow. Do any of you boys want to join us?” Without volunteers, Buhne started to beg. “I need at least one of you to come with us. Shield, maybe? You have the most fashion sense out of the lot.”

“Fine,” Ablenkung mumbled. “But it can’t take all day.”

“We’ll head into the trading post after lunch,” Parrot agreed. “I have other plans for Beta in the morning.” Ablenkung nodded his agreement.

“Parrot, please tell me what’s going on,” Callida was getting frustrated.

“Don’t kill the messenger, alright?” Buhne began. “On missions like this, going undercover, it helps to appear charming and disarming.”

Callida snorted and pointed to the long scar through her left cheek and eyebrow. “Does this face look charming or disarming to you?”

“That’s why we’re outfitting you tomorrow.”

Callida rolled her eyes. “Good luck.”

***

“Parrot, what are we doing here?!” Callida was mortified.

“It’s Buhne in public,” he corrected her.

“Just answer the question.”

“Your outfitting starts here.”

“But-” Callida’s argument was interrupted by the enormous doors of The Great Hall– the enormous building designed almost like a small stadium that served as the center of Bear Tribe politics– swinging open, and the guards ushered them inside. She followed Buhne’s lead, walking to the top of the stairs and bowing deeply to the elders and Tribe Leader Recht below.

“I understand you have a message for me, soldier?” Recht smiled up from the platform in the center of the room. Buhne nodded and pulled a piece of paper out of his uniform before walking down the long flight of stairs to hand it to the Bear Tribe leader. Callida, not knowing what else to do, followed him. Recht accepted the note and unfolded it. It must not have been a long note. Recht read it and chuckled, looking up to glance between the two soldiers standing in front of her. “She's at your disposal.” She sat down to add her signature to the note before handing it back to Buhne. “May the Primordials bless your mission.”

“Thank you, Tribe Leader,” Buhne said with a bow, and Callida awkwardly followed his example.

Once they were outside the hall again, Callida grabbed Buhne’s arm. “What was that all about?” Buhne was not forthcoming, so Callida snatched the note out of his hand.

Cousin,

Meet a couple of my squad members! The blonde needs to study with your beautician for an upcoming mission. And she might need some products. Pretty please?

Thanks,

Keit

Approved-- Seliga Recht

Callida flushed in embarrassment and handed the note back to Buhne, continuing the walk in silence. Buhne stopped in front of a narrow wooden door and knocked. A stunning woman with a stern expression answered it.

“Yes?”

Buhne passed the note to her, and bowed slightly. “I’ve brought you a blank canvas.”

“I see,” the woman said, looking a fidgeting Callida over. “Well, come in then.”

Callida’s nose was bludgeoned by an overwhelming concoction of perfumes and fragrances merging in the stale air of the closed cabin. She winced.

“I’m Belle,” the tall woman introduced herself. “Have a seat, miss…?”

“Animo.” Callida obeyed orders and sat in the chair by the door.

Belle snorted. “This chair, please.” She indicated a large, low-backed seat in the very center of the room, and Callida awkwardly took it. “So what are we doing today?” Belle looked at Callida expectantly, but Buhne was the one who answered.

“We are going for simple, charming and maybe a little sexy. So versatile. The works: skin, hair, nails, makeup. And I will need you to walk me through what you do so I can help her replicate your process.”

“And you are?”

“Buhne, ma’am.”

Belle turned back to Callida with a silent question on her face. Callida just shrugged. “He’s in charge.”

“Alright, then,” Belle sighed and got started.

***

“Final touch,” Belle smiled and combed a trace amount of oil through the ends of Callida’s hair with her fingers. Actually cared for, Callida’s blonde tresses naturally tumbled to her waist in large, silky waves.

“What are you using?” Buhne asked for probably the millionth time.

“It’s citrus and mint extract. It smells fabulous and adds a shine to the hair.” Belle had Callida stand up and turn slowly. “Excellent. What do you think, boss man?”

Buhne chuckled and nodded his approval, adding the extract oil to the collection of products in his sack. “I think we’re set. Thank you so much for your help.”

“Any time,” Belle’s stern expression had slowly been replaced by an almost giddy one. “I always enjoy working magic.”

“Magic is an accurate word for it,” Buhne smiled, looking Callida over.

“Oh! Would you like to have a look, miss?” Belle asked.

“Uh, sure?” Callida said, trying to hide how nervous she was feeling.

Belle herded Callida toward a mirror stationed in the corner. “What do you think?”

Li would have to eat his words about me looking androgenous if he could see me now. With her eyebrows tamed and filled in over her scar, eyes lidded with dark shadows and fringed by painted lashes, rouge on her lips and just barely touching her cheeks, she looked like an entirely different person. It’s not that she was particularly pretty, but put together and feminine, definitely. But her hair! Thick, shiny ribbons of gold rippled effortlessly down her back to show-stopping effect. “I don’t recognize myself,” Callida mumbled.

“That’s a good thing, dear.” Belle said it without irony, and Callida flushed again.

“Erm, thank you again, Belle, but we need to get going,” Buhne spared Callida the need to find a response.

“Of course!” Belle chirped. “Come again sometime.”

Callida mutely followed Buhne out the door. “‘You alright, Animo?”

“I’m fine.”

Buhne wasn’t sure how to salvage the situation. “Animo, hey, hold up a second.”

“What?”

“Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“I don’t like it,” she stated bluntly.

“Like what?”

“All of it. The hair, the makeup… it’s just not me.”

Buhne smiled. “Are you saying that because you’re not used to it, or is not caring about your appearance just an integral part of your self-identity?”

“Probably some of both,” she answered honestly. “I’ve always found this stuff superficial and not worth my time.”

“Well, it is superficial. I’ll give you that.”

Callida sighed. “Where to next?”

“Lunch, and then shopping.”

“What are we shopping for?”

“Clothes.” Callida tried not to let her pout show. “I thought girls liked shopping.” Callida just shook her head. “You’re a strange one, Animo.”

“Because I don’t fit into your narrow construct of femininity? That’s why I’m in the military and not… shopping or whatever. If I wasted my time like that, I wouldn’t be the muscle on Squad 14.”

“True. But there’s nothing saying that the muscle on Squad 14 can’t look stunning,” Buhne said with a wink. Callida laughed, and much of the tension she’d been holding through her beautification process relaxed. “And you do look stunning, Animo, even if it doesn’t matter to you.”

“Well, thanks, I guess.”

***

“Nope.”

“What’s wrong with it?” Callida groaned. Mostly, she didn’t want to have to try yet another outfit on.

“It does you absolutely no favors.”

“What does that mean?”

Ablenkung nodded his agreement. “Too loose.”

“I like that it’s loose,” Callida protested. “It’s comfortable and easy to move in, or fight in.”

“Next,” Buhne flatly dismissed her comment.

“Fine,” she muttered and returned to the dressing room. Too loose, prudish, too boring, not practical, not pretty… will they ever be satisfied?! She scoured the rack of clothes for something that might possibly make everyone happy. She picked out a dark maroon, wide-necked tunic, a stupid, black corset thingy to go over the top, a pair of dark brown leggings, and black leather boots that tied off above her knees. It was practical, and the boys couldn’t complain about it being too loose at least. “What about this?”

For the first time, they didn’t outright reject the outfit. Buhne got up and walked around her, examining it from all angles. “Alright. Yeah. That’s a good start.”

“Start?!” Callida was getting a sinking feeling.

“What do you think, Ablenkung?” Shield merely nodded. “Alright. That’s one outfit,” Parrot agreed.

“One?! Are you serious?!" Callida asked, flustered.

“You need at least one more,” Buhne nodded. “Why?” Callida glared at him, and he pretended not to notice. “Next you need a dress.”

“A dress?!”

“Something sexy,” Buhne continued.

Ablenkung got up in time to restrain Callida from hitting Buhne. “Remember, don’t kill your team.”

Callida fought out of Ablenkung’s grip and stormed into the dressing room again to find the skankiest dress she could-- all black, floor-length, backless, skin tight with lacing down the front, but not high enough to cover much, and a slit up the right side that stopped just before becoming indecent. You can see every single curve and scar in this dress, she grumbled to herself before exiting the dressing room. “There. Happy?”

Ablenkung whistled softly to himself, and Buhne looked up from where he was picking out a second tunic and legging combination and coughed. “Where were you hiding that, Animo?!”

“Hiding what?”

“You actually have a figure.”

“Oh, shut up!” She snapped. “Just tell me if the dress will work.”

“Yup. That will work. All you need now is a pair of heels.”

“Heels?!” Callida glared daggers at him. Of course, there’s more.

“Where’d this necklace come from?” Buhne asked, noticing the gold chain around her neck and dipping between her surprise cleavage.

“I always wear it. I just keep it tucked under my shirt. This dress, obviously, doesn’t cover it.”

“What’s on it?” Ablenkung asked.

“None of your business,” Callida snapped. “Do I need to try anything else on?”

“You can put on your uniform,” Buhne said with a wry smile.

She didn’t need to be told twice, and less than a minute later, she reappeared in uniform, her arms burdened with all the things the guys had approved for her.

“Hand those to me and go with Ablenkung to find a pair of heels,” Parrot instructed her.

“You want me to be taller?”

Buhne laughed. “How tall are you, Animo?”

“Five foot eleven.”

“Here in the Bear Tribe, that’s fairly average for women.”

“It’s tall where I’m from,” she muttered.

“When in the Bear Tribe….” Buhne teased.

***

Spahen and Bern pulled out their notes and the report from Squad 12 about the recruitment operation to present the plan, loose as it was, to the rest of the team.

“Bottom line: we don’t have enough information,” Spahen started. “We’re going to have to play it smart.”

“What do we know?” Buhne asked.

“Only that the eastern brawler arena is an attractive spot for recruiting muscle. Literally, that’s all we know,” Bern clarified.

“We don’t know how many recruiters there are, any names, dates, times, nothing?” Buhne was incredulous. “That’s barely anything to go on.”

“Captain’s instructions were to spend time identifying the players and then eliminate the threat once we’ve figured out what we’re up against.”

“Alright,” Buhne conceded. “So what grand scheme have you come up with?”

“Parrot, you and Shield are going in as gamblers, betting on the matches. Your real job, Parrot, is to draw attention away from Shield by gambling well and working the room so Shield can prepare contingency plans and run interference if need be,” Spahen explained. “Maybe get some tips from our resident fighting expert on who to bet on.”

“That doesn’t sound too miserable,” Buhne grinned.

“Beta and Stag, you are going in as competition,” Spahen continued.

“Wait, what?! You want us to fight in the ring?!” Callida balked.

“No! No. You’re going in as competition for the bandits to identify the players.”

“Meaning?”

“Your cover is you run a small ‘bodyguards for hire’ business looking to recruit new talent. Stag is following you in as your right-hand man, so while you talk, he can observe the other people in the room, scout things out.”

“Don’t worry, Beta,” Buhne chuckled seeing the look of panic on her face. “I’ll coach you on the way there, help you get your sales pitch together and your cover story figured out.”

“But I’m a terrible liar,” Callida almost begged. “Why in the world are you sending me in as the front man?!”

“Because you’re the only one with the fighting know-how to be convincing,” Bern explained, a hint of apology in his tone.

“You’re going to have to convince the fighters that your firm is legitimate so they will want to sign up. If you’re not real competition, the bandit recruiters won’t see you as a threat to their own operation.”

“That, and the rest of us can’t pull off that black dress,” Buhne winked.

“So the dress is to help me get the guys’ attention, and my ‘fighting know-how’ is to help me keep it,” Callida summed up bitterly.

“In a nutshell,” Spahen confirmed.

“So, Professor, what are you and Papa going to be doing?”

“We are going to be watching the fights and drinking booze.”

“In other words, they’re going to be watching the rest of us work, keeping tabs on our progress, coordinating next steps, and not drawing attention to themselves to provide backup in case something goes horribly wrong,” Buhne translated.

“And that’s what we’ve got so far,” Bern closed out the presentation. “Shield, what have you and Stag got for us.”

“The usual,” Ablenkung shrugged. “Lots of concealed weapons, and the standard dirty tricks. Although, Beta, apart from a sword, what weapons are you proficient in?”

“Bladed weapons,” Callida responded without much thought. “Throwing knives and daggers.”

“Easy enough,” Shield nodded, his eyebrows pinching together in thought. “I'm going to need to borrow you tomorrow morning to get you fitted.” She wasn’t sure what Shield meant, but she was tired of being the only one needing clarification. She’d find out what he meant in the morning.

“So, Parrot and Beta, I see that Beta got a make-over. What else do you have to report?” Spahen asked, a slight smirk curling his mouth.

Callida turned to Buhne who in turn grinned back at her. “Beta, I think you may need to show them.”

“Show-? Wait….” Buhne’s grin widened, and Callida moved as if to punch him.

“Don’t kill your team!” He chortled as he leapt off the bed to seek refuge behind Erkunden. “Besides, they’re going to see you in it eventually. ‘Might as well get all their reactions out now.”

Despite going to her drawers to find the dress, Callida continued to wish death upon Buhne with her eyes all the way to the curtained off corner set up so she could dress herself in private.

“Beta, before you come out, let me touch up your makeup and run a brush through your hair,” Buhne called across the room, and a few moments later, Callida’s hand emerged from behind the curtain to beckon him inside.

“There. Almost finished. Just-”

Slap!

“Ow! Beta, I was just trying to fix the lacing on-”

“Fix it again, and I’ll do more than slap you.”

“Fine. You fix it then.” Buhne emerged from behind the curtain with a red mark on his left cheek and smiling something between a smirk and a wince of pain. “Whenever you’re ready, Beta.”

Callida inhaled deeply, regretting all of her life choices that had led her to this moment. Why did I have to pick the single most revealing dress in the whole store to try on first? And high heels are stupid. She exhaled and pulled back the curtain.

“Our report, gentlemen,” Buhne indicated Callida with an impish grin and then stepped back to appreciate the reactions.

Even though Ablenkung had already seen Callida in her dress, he still stared at her shamelessly, his head shaking slightly as though unable to believe what he was seeing. Bern seemed to be struggling not to avert his eyes, and the blush touching his cheeks made Callida think that he’d probably never even held a girl’s hand before. Spahen was nodding his approval with a “that’ll definitely work,” throw away comment, and Erkunden was the least visibly affected by Callida’s reveal, but he did clear his throat a couple times more than seemed necessary.

“Thoughts?” Buhne prompted, and Callida’s eyes focused on a knot in the far wall.

“What do you expect us to say, Parrot?” Bern said, still trying to figure out where to look, or not look as the case may be.

“Tell her how good she looks!” Buhne chuckled.

“You completed your assignment successfully,” Spahen said dryly. “Well done.”

“Ah, come on, Professor,” Buhne pressed. “Give the girl a compliment!”

“Parrot!” Callida barked.

“What?!”

“Shut up.”

“But-”

“You’re making this awkward for everybody.”

“So?”

There was no mistaking the threat in her eyes. “Shut up, or I’ll make you.” Buhne cowered as the door swung open.

“Good evening, boys! We just came by to check in on...” Keit’s voice trailed off. “Holy Primordials….”

“Kid! What on earth are you wearing?!”

It was almost funny…. Almost. Callida didn’t wait for Germanus to tell her to change, and even with the curtain closed, she could feel the tension in the room. No one was talking.

“Burn that dress,” Germanus ordered once she was back in uniform. Callida glanced at Keit, seeking help. “That’s an order, soldier!” Germanus snarled.

“Captain Animo,” Keit started carefully, “she needs the dress for a mission.”

“Like hell she does!” Callida had only ever heard Germanus swear once before, and she wasn’t sure how a skimpy dress equated with Duoqing’s betrayal. “Burn that dress!”

Keit cleared his throat. “Belay that order, Animo. Captain, can I have a word?”

“Dammit, Keit! She’s my sister!”

“And my soldier. Outside, Captain! In this cabin, I outrank you.” Germanus’s face twisted with fury, but he obeyed orders and walked outside. Keit turned back to the room. “I see you were successful,” he grimaced. “Carry on.”

***

“You ordered her to dress like that?!” Keit got the sense that Germanus was out for blood.

“Calm down, man!” Keit tried to play it off. “I assigned Buhne to outfit Callida for the mission, and, as a woman, she has certain assets that she can take advantage of on a mission like this. Buhne helped her find things that maximized that advantage.”

True as that may be, it didn’t make it any less jarring for Germanus to see his kid sister in what he would only describe as a hooker dress. “She just got out of a bad relationship! She doesn’t need to be attracting that kind of attention right now.”

“Callida is a grown woman, Germanus. She can make her own choices about stuff like that.”

“She’s barely eighteen!”

“And you’re acting more like her dad than her brother right now.”

“That’s because I’m kind of both!”

Keit stopped arguing to study his friend’s face. Germanus was livid. He’d never seen him so worked up before. “She can take care of herself, and her squad will be looking out for her too.”

“You don’t get it, man.”

“What don’t I get?”

“She’s my little sister! Yeah, she’s tough and can handle herself, but she’s also young and vulnerable and always surrounded by young men who might try to take advantage of that. And now you’re sending her into a brawler arena dressed like a hooker without backup! And I can’t be there to make sure things don’t get out of hand.”

“I know it’s normal to feel protective, but isn’t this a bit extreme?” Keit frowned.

“Extreme?! Who else is there to look out for her, Keit? You?! She’s in a foreign tribe with no friends, no parents, and I’m her only family.”

He had a point. “I know you don’t know them yet, but I trust my boys. They’ll take care of her.”

“And they won’t take advantage of her? You’re right, I don’t know your squad well enough to trust them with my sister, especially with her ‘assets’ on display like that.”

“Give me some credit for knowing my own men,” Keit scolded gently. “They're good guys, and I’ll have their heads if they try anything.”

“You can have my leftovers,” Germanus growled.

***

“So, erm, that was awkward,” Buhne tried to break the tension left hanging in Germanus’s fiery wake. “Captain Animo looked like he was about to pop a vein!”

“Cut him some slack,” Callida shot back.

“All I’m saying is that he reacted… strongly.” Callida opted to ignore this comment and returned to the corner to change into her pajamas.

“Hey, Beta,” Bern’s voice floated through the curtain, “why do you think Germanus was so upset?”

Callida finished changing and climbed into bed before responding. “I’m all he’s got, and he’s all I’ve got.”

“What do you mean?”

“Our parents were both killed in the line of duty.”

“That makes sense,” Spahen nodded. “He stepped up as your father-figure, so he reacted like a dad, not a brother.” Callida nodded and pulled her blanket up over her head.