04122083 EOD C-Alpha

*A masked younger woman sits in an open shipping container, stacked above many others on the coast of the ARC facing outward into the ocean. Not much is known of what she looks like, other than easily appearing of asian descent at least. Even then unremarkably dirtied face paint resembling a mixture of an oni and a malicious clown cover most of her facial features that are visible, the rest covered by a grey bandana with coarse stitching, permanent marker hashing, and thick acrylic globs of red paints to resemble a mouth sewn in place of an evil smile.*

*Being a sniper, something with a hood better helps such heavy and already intimidating concealment. She wears a hoodie that only covers to halfway down her abdomen, the sleeves only going halfway up her forearm with the right one being torn all together. It is two-toned in black and red, the word "Anger" on her left arm and the word "Solace" on her right. Ripped jeans with patches over the knees and black and white canvas shoes with red laces to match the look. If it weren't that there were so many abandoned shopping centers on the ARC this kind of color matching would be improbable, however if any piece of the outfit went missing it would be tough luck.*

*The idea wasn't to have good fashion sense, but rather to solidify an image when authorities put your get up on a wanted posted for being the most dangerous sniper assassin there ever was in recent years. You want people to know not who you are but what you are, and also to fear you. Those that work with you will respect you for it too. This is the imagine of The Anger, which at the time was one Ren Kimura, no one but Ren knew who she really was and that was the intent. She sits in that cargo container, scrounging through and blasting aloud the few heavy metal CDs that she could find as even a single holodisc would more usefully be used for combat intel than music.*

[G]: Do you think it would even be wise to ask 'er?

[Voice]: You do what you think is wise, however there is no harm in curiosity in this context.

[Fortress]: Whatever, what's the worst that could happen.

[Dude]: It's not like she'd kill *us*, heh, right?

[Voice]: Right.

[Anger]: I'm not deaf.

*Ren still sifts through her CDs and looks out into the ocean, sitting on the ground in the container next to the radio, the whole time not even so much as looking at the others.*

[G]: Where do ye come from? Yer not American like most of us.

[Anger]: To what need does this question fulfill?

[G]: Uh, err-

[Voice]: A curiosity among colleagues.

[Anger]: Japan.

[Firestarter]: Told you I was right.

[G]: You lost that bet!

[Fortress]: Shit, fine. Here.

[Firestarter]: That's quite a selection of music to hoard for yourself, there.

[Anger]: Not like anyone else was listening to them. That's how it's always been. Resistance always takes all of the holodiscs for combat intel and encrypted data.

[Fortress]: What is it you look for out here, anyways? Always at the edge of Container City looking out into the ocean.

[Anger]: The sunset.

[G]: Tha wha?

[Anger]: The sunset. You heard me.

[Voice]: Well, what about the sunset? There must be something specific that you might suggest as to your frequent visits.

[Anger]: If I could help it, I'd watch the dawn. The sun rising is a lot more inspiring than it setting, so I go for the second best.

[Fortress]: Yeah, yeah I get that. Always going on raids in the mornings anyways.

[Firestarter]: Speaking of, we gotta get those flight coordinates in the morning.

[G]: Can't go contacting nobody without em.

[Voice]: There musn't be too much else we'll bother you with, The Anger.

[Anger]: Let me tell you a story. A story that got Chen to take me in as I am. Told it a bit differently, then.

[Fortress]: Yeah?

[Firestarter]: Must be a damn fine story for him to trust you without results first.

[Voice]: Quiet!

[Anger]: A young girl went on a picnic with her father in the forest one day, they liked to meet together at the top of a hill on the edge of the treeline once the father was done with work and look at the town below them as they enjoyed the nice sunny days of spring and summer. The young girl, she'd look forward to it every time the seasons changed, every year. So loved it so much, that when she thought of her father she thought of bright sunny days. One day she ran up the hill with glee, everything was happy and perfect. She expected her father to be there as always, waiting excitedly with their meals in boxes that her mother prepared for them. That day, though, her father wouldn't show up. She waited until the sun set, and then until it got dark. He never showed up. When she got home, she was in tears. Her mother was in tears too. Her father had been murdered on the way home from work. That day onward, every day was cloudy or raining for the young girl. Over time as the seasons drew cold, and then back to warm, she'd still wait atop that hill and eat alone. Eventually she couldn't take it, and she ran away from home. She ran so far that she didn't even know where it was she ended up, but by that point it didn't matter. She just wanted to see the sun again. So, she waited for it every day. Waited despite knowing the outcome would never change, and would wait every day.

[Fortress]: I get it now.

[Voice]: Compelling indeed.

[G]: So, even all the way out here, the sun shines nearly every day. I don't get what she'd wait for.

[Anger]: Redemption.

**End**