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"Just eggs and milk, Lili. Eggs and milk. Nothing else."Her brother's words rang in her ears as she picked her way delicately across the street. It had been raining an hour earlier, and the ground was still slick. It made the light bend in strange directions. She spotted her reflection in a puddle, and tried a smile. It looked weird. It never looked right. But she wasn't here for vanity. She was here for her big brother. For Vash.The Main Street store closed at six, and so she had had to wander to an alley shop. Somewhere her brother had forbidden her to go. However, Lili Zwangli was not a weak flower. She was determined to get eggs and milk. Her brother did so much for her, it would only be fair to get him his damn items. Not that she should swear.The bell above her jingled out a merry little tune as she pushed open the plastic and metal door. The place was nearly deserted, with a few shady looking teens skulking in a corner, smoking what looked like weed. The aisle were off white, lit by thin strips of bulb, and filled with dubious contents and produce. She hurried past them. Semi skimmed, check. The green label had a little cow on it. Cute. The price was lower than the Main Street's, so that was a big plus.However, the eggs were harder to obtain. A rather gruff looking man stood in front of them. He wore a black leather jacket, and had a deep furrow in his brow. He was staring intently at the eggs, as if gauging their worth. She coughed, and smiled up at him. He gave her a tired, empty stare."Excuse me, sir, could you pass me some eggs?" Her voice cracked. The man looked surprised, but held out a box of twelve. "Oh, thank you."There was no line for the checkout. The teenagers were still browsing through the cheap comics. The woman behind the counter, a tired and weary AfroAmerican gave her the total price. She looked so beaten down. Lili wondered if she had looked like that, a year ago.No time for that.Her change went into the charity box by the till. Another rule Vash had asked of her. Try to put even a penny in the box for charity. It could buy someone a whole dinner. Tugging her red dress around her, Lili muttered her thanks, and stepped into the darkening evening. It smelled like urban dissatisfaction.She took two lefts, a right and one more left. And then she was lost.Lili wasn't sure where she was. Instead of turning into a street of little pastel houses with neat hedges, she'd arrived at a block of mangy flats. Threadbare children looked with grim intrigue at the intruder. She kept walking slowly, frantically checking street signs, and generally working herself up. From an alleyway, a dog with wild eyes snapped at her. A few tears dribbled out and she gasped, clutching at her dress front. Surely, she could find her way. Surely. The golden streetlights illuminated the wet cement in dark determination. A beaten up car drove by slowly, and a youngish man leered out.She had reached a dead end."You alone, sweat pea," he stated, dragging his drug-yellowed eyes over her white tights. Lili gave him a glare and started walking the other way. The car followed. She began to run. It sped up. Her legs burned. No breath. Oh god, not again. Please.A hand in the darkness, pale and strong. A beautiful woman stepped from the shadows. Her pale blonde hair drifted like feathers in the soft wind. Her features were sharp, angular and ethereal. She looked like an angel. Was she an angel?"Piss of, Brukker. This is our territory. Do you need another goddam reminder, you sack of pasty bull crap?" Scornful, the woman turned to Lili. "Is he bothering you, miss...?"Lili fumbled for words."I'm, well, my name is Lili. Lili Zwangli. I'm supposed to be at home. I'm lost," she was babbling. Lili could kick herself."Not what I was looking for, Zwangli. Is. He. Bothering. You?" The lady sounded almost Russian. Not quite. Belarusian?"Well, he won't stop following me, so... Yes?" The lady smirked, and let go of Lili to crack her knuckles. The guys in the car scarpered."Where do you live, scraplet?" Oh. The lady was asking her something. Where did she live? Oh. She knew that."I'm number five, HoneyGlaze row. I live in the yellow and blue house, on the blue side, with my brother," Lili noticed the woman raising an eyebrow. "Thank you, ma'am.""The name is Natalya," she said, lowering the eyebrow."That's a pretty name." The woman looked out wistfully into the night. All she saw were the same dirty bricks and people, as always."I guess it is."-/-\-/-\-/-\-Never had her home looked so inviting. Natalya kept a close eye on her as she rang the doorbell, and waited. It wasn't long before the poor wood was flung open, and Vash was grabbing her around the shoulders. He breathed in deeply, gripping her tightly, relishing in her safety. Then he stepped back, and took a look at her face."What happened," his Swiss accent was demanding and unrelenting. Lili shook slightly, and she felt herself cry a little bit. "Shh, I'll draw you a bath. What happened? Why were you gone for so long? Are you hurt?""Big Brüder, I'd like you to meet Natalya. She helped me get home, and stopped some guys from following me," Lili said. Vash narrowed his eyes, and pushed her inside."Mr Zwangli?" Natalya asked, slightly bored of his caution."If you have truly helped my sister, I'm in your debt." The answer to her vague question was surprising. Natalya stared at him, incredulous. "If you ever need a lawyer, or maybe just access to a large amount of guns, I'll sell you my services at a grave discount.""Oh.""Now, go home. I have a sister to tend to," the door closed softly, and Natalya turned. A favour given was a favour earned. She sighed. Might as well get back to HQ.