[Lauchenoiria]

Tlalzixiuhxa was slowly recovering from her ordeal at the hands of Mariya Adema. As time went on since her rescue, her training allowed her to compartmentalise the ordeal somewhat - hardly the best coping method; but probably the most effective under the circumstances. She’d adjusted to life in Huenya, and to the state of the world following the Second Xiomeran Civil War.

It was certainly an adjustment: between the Robinson family, the Kerlian state, Xiomera with Yauhmi in charge, and now a Huenya which had unceremoniously shoved her aside for the supposed crime of sending people to rescue Tlalzixiuhxa herself; she’d had many loyalties over the years. From the moment she had, at the tender age of three, been tested for entry into the Aurora Programme her life had constantly been other people’s. She did not really know what it was like to live for herself.

She had begun applying for teaching jobs, though she’d yet to depart from living on Yauhmi’s estate and the relative safety it provided. At least she no longer took cars from door to door, preferring to get her exercise in by walking or cycling now she’d recovered physically from the whole affair. Fortunately for her, either Mariya had not gotten around to the whole finger thing, or Calhualyana had not given her permission. Either way, it meant she’d come out of the whole thing relatively unscathed, for what it was.

She was on her way back to the estate after a job interview on her bike when the familiar sensation of her Aurora’s instinct washed over her. They were trained to tap into the instincts of childhood rather than learn to suppress them as most adults did in order to fit in with modern civilization and its lack of sabre-tooth tigers. Perhaps it was indeed a loose tiger triggering her instincts now; but she couldn’t count on it.

Tlalzixiuhxa braked suddenly and rolled onto the grass verge at the side of the road - and just in time. A gunshot sounded, and the bullet grazed her hair as she rolled. It was less than a second away from hitting something that would actually hurt.

Obviously she hadn’t taken a gun to a job interview, so her small, easily-concealed knife and her wits would have to do. She’d identified the location of the shooter quickly enough, but she didn’t know if they were alone. She rolled into some longer grasses and lay prone, listening. There were very few sounds that could possibly belong to a human. Behind the birds and wind, there was only one set of possible footsteps. Tlalzixiuhxa paused, waiting for confirmation.

A twig snapped, and she hurled the knife in the direction of the would-be assassin. It wasn’t large enough to kill, but all she needed was a distraction. Before she even heard the grunt of pain, she was up and leaping towards the assassin. It was another woman, shorter than her - and not even trying to disguise herself with a mask. The assassin was pulling the knife out of her arm when Tlalzixiuhxa leaped on top of her, swiping down to the backs of her knees and knocking the woman prone then landing on top of her.

“Who sent you?” Tlalzixiuhxa demanded in Huenyan. The assassin blinked, uncomprehendingly. “Who sent you?” she repeated in English.

“You are a traitor to the Matriarchy,” the assassin spat, struggling in vain against the hold Tlalzixiuhxa had on her. “Death is too kind a fate for you; but since Huenya will not send you home to face true justice, it will have to suffice.”

“Are you an Aurora?” Tlalzixiuhxa asked, calm despite the circumstances.

“No,” the assassin replied. “Kerlile will not make the mistake of sending any more of your kind into the arms of Yauhmi and her… whatever she does to you.”

“Is Kerlile after Yauhmi?” Tlalzixiuhxa asked next, maintaining her position as she waited for the people who had been following her to call for backup.

“No,” the Kerlian assassin responded. “Huenya has burned bridges by harbouring you traitors, but for all Yauhmi did for the Matriarchy in the past, she will not face Kerlile’s wrath. That is reserved for you traitors yourselves.”

“You are speaking truthfully,” Tlalzixiuhxa replied. She’d had her finger on the woman’s pulse the whole time and she was a very good judge. “I am glad to hear that.”

Then the sirens began to sound as the backup approached, and Tlalzixiuhxa decided to leave the rest of the questioning to people who still actually desired to work in this department.