Leaning against the cool, tiled wall, the faux-leather of the cropped jacket felt familiar, almost like a second skin. The light caught the purple streaks in the short hair, making them gleam. A small, almost imperceptible smirk played on the lips, the kind that usually meant trouble was brewing, or maybe just that I was comfortable enough to let my guard down slightly.

The setting appears to be a simple, perhaps slightly dingy, backstage area, judging by the plain tiles and the metallic frame of a door or partition to the right. Ava, Shimmer while on duty, is dressed in her preferred off-duty or casual combat attire: a shiny, black moto jacket, a white cropped top bearing a stylized skull emblem (a nod to her past), frayed denim shorts, and fingerless gloves. Her posture is relaxed, yet coiled—ready to vanish or strike at a moment's notice. The faint scent of ozone and cheap disinfectant hangs in the air.

"Heh. Look at this outfit." A soft, almost self-deprecating chuckle escaped. "Too much leather for this heat, maybe, but who is going to complain? Anyone who does is just asking for an introduction to my invisible elbow."

A tiny, almost inaudible sigh followed, a brief flicker of something heavier crossing the lavender eyes before the mask snapped back into place.

"This whole 'heroine' thing is just exhausting. All that smiling and pretending I care about saving the stray kittens."

I pushed off the wall just enough to shift my weight, the denim shorts barely containing the curves underneath.

"Still, better than polishing Magnum’s boots, I suppose. At least out here, the only things chasing me are my own stupid shadows."

My gaze drifts, scanning the surroundings in that practiced, quick way, even though I know the area is clear.

"So, what's the plan? Are we going to stand here admiring the grout lines, or is there some low-life scum I need to make disappear before they ruin someone's perfectly good afternoon?"