­“I’m pointing a gun at you, why are you smiling?” The Silver fox asked shaking the gun she was pointing at the girl, growing even more frustrated. This isn’t how things usually go, and to make things worse, the girl continues to smile. Maybe the girl’s not all there in the head. That was the only explanation the Silver fox could make at that point.

“It’s just… I’ve seen you before. I knew that from the beginning. I just finally realized where.”

A cold chill ran up the Silver fox’s spine. This girl was the only one to have seen what was behind her mask. Was it that easy to recognize who she was? She didn’t even know this girl.

She knew the consequences, but if it was really that easy, should she be taking the chance?

“What are you talking about? Where have you seen me before?” The Silver fox was an expert in masking her thoughts, so the girl before her never saw her the panic in her eyes. The brunette girl with a round face just continued to grin knowing she had something on the masked women despite the lack of response.

“In front of the grocery store. A little old lady fell and dropped her groceries, and when everyone walked past her without so much as a glance, you stopped. You picked her and all of her groceries up and walked her across the street. You aren’t anything like the press paints you to be, huh? So what is it you’re really trying to do? Fulfill some sort of vendetta, or is it justice you seek?” the girl asked. Her reporter skin slipping on like a glove.

“So what were you doing out there tonight, seeking some sort of thrill, or are you just dumb?” The vigilante smirked, an expert in pushing away her fears. She finally lowered the gun realizing that this girl wasn’t a real threat. Not an immediate one, at least. The gun didn’t seem to affect her anyway.

Solar laughed out loud still as comfortable as ever with the masked vigilante. “Dumb? Oh, I’m not dumb.”

“Ah, so you were seeking a thrill? Or maybe drugs? Same thing I guess…” the Fox drawled out.

“No, not drugs. When there’s something happening in my city, I want to know about it. That’s it. It’s the truth I seek.”

Finally, getting tired of looking down at the girl, the Silver fox pulled out a chair and sat down in front of her. “Why is a detective out here alone? You may not believe it but you really are dumb, or at least reckless.”

“I’m not a detective. I’m a reporter.” The reporter saw the vigilante’s eyes widen behind the mask.

“A reporter? You’d put yourself in that much danger for a story? You could have died or worse, if I wasn’t there!” The fox scolded her.

“You’re right. It was dumb.” Solar admitted. She had known it was reckless from the beginning, but something in her pushed her past her fears anyway.

The Silver fox didn’t respond, she wasn’t expecting that sort of response. So they stared at each other, trying to understand what was going on in each other’s mind.

The Silver fox couldn’t read this reporter. She wasn’t like anyone she met, not as the Silver fox or a civilian. The reporter was brave, honest, and a little dumb. It wasn’t necessarily an unheard of combination of characteristics but she was the only one here. The only one that would dare to be here. Especially when it was just for a story.

Solar had known from the beginning that the gun was a front. There was always gun wounds at the scene, but there was so much more damage done before a bullet actually entered the victim’s body. What was the point of the fight if you were going to shoot them anyway? She was probably one of them. It was said that they all had been wiped out, but Solar never believed that, and she had reason to believe that this girl was one of the “special” few.

So the Fox wasn’t a killer like everyone else had said, but she had something in this. What was she searching for?

The Silver fox was the one to finally break the silence. “Sorry I pointed the gun at you, but especially now that I know that you’re a reporter, I don’t know what to do with you. If you expose me, it won’t just hurt me, it could put the people I love at risk. I can’t let that happen. So, Miss…” The vigilante paused waiting for the girl sitting in front of her to complete her sentence.

“I’m not telling you my name.”

“Why not?” The vigilantes eyes twinkled behind her mask, and the girl in front of her had no idea why.

“Because I know you won’t give me your name. Why should I give you mine?” Solar raised her chin challenging Silver Fox, and with her reputation most wouldn’t dare.

This girl must be at least a little crazy, the vigilante thought.

“Well, I was just being polite by asking. I have your wallet anyway.” Solar’s jaw dropped as she watched the Fox wave it with a grin.

“What? When-?”

“Earlier when I was saving you. I’m pretty good at multi-tasking.” She gave the flabbergasted girl a wink and started looking through it. “Alright, let’s see…” Solar jumped up and reached for her possession, but the vigilante was too fast. She pulled it away from her reach and gave her warning look. The girl huffed, sat back in her seat and crossed her arms. The vigilante looked at the glowering girl and offered an apologizing look. “Alright, I admit it. What I’m doing is pretty rude, but I have to.”

“So let’s see… Ah, a photo ID for Metro news. You are Kim Yongsun. Can I call you Yongsun?”

“Actually, I go by Solar.”

“Solar? Why? You don’t like your name? I think it’s nice.”

“It’s not that. It happened when I was- Wait, I’m not telling you anything more than what you can get from that.”

“I just wanted your name anyway, so here you go.” Solar takes it back with a scowl. Which made the girl behind the mask smile a tiny bit. She had a weakness for cute girls, which right now, was nothing but unfortunate.

She squished down the fondness that had already started to build. Which was rare for the girl under the mask to feel, usually she was good at keeping up a barrier to keep people at a distance. She only let in a special few. But anyway, the situation was too important to start thinking about that. “Look Solar, I just need to know how you’re going to handle this. I can’t be in the papers. I can’t be exposed. I have too many enemies. I think you know what that could mean for me. For the people close to me.”

Finally, the contempt vanished from the reporters face. Solar had put hours of research into the gangs the Silver Fox had been infiltrating, and she knows how evil they are. Truly.

“I can’t anyway. I don’t even know who you are.”

“Yes, but from the short amount of time I’ve known you, I know you would keep digging, and I’m sure you would find out soon enough.”

“That almost sounds like a compliment.” Solar smiles sadly, knowing her original plan had been scrapped. Finding out who the Silver Fox was would be amazing for her career, but she couldn’t do that. Not when it could hurt innocent people. Or even a person trying to do good.

“It is. You know, this whole area you want to report in is dangerous for you too .”

“I know. I just… I hate that they’re able to get away with everything that they do because people are afraid to make a move! Unlike you, I don’t have anyone to lose, so I can take this chance. Not many can say that, I know. So, I have to do it. I know I do.”

“But Solar-“

“Why are you doing it then? If it’s so dangerous, why put the people you love at risk?” Solar questions, with a raised brow. When the vigilante didn’t respond, Solar takes the opportunity to test her theory. To see if she gave any response. “It’s because you feel like you have to too, right? You feel like you have to because you’re different, because the identity behind the mask is at risk, but the hero you dress as is capable of incredible things.”

Solar didn’t spot any physical give away, not in her eyes or body, but it still felt right. She felt it in her gut.

“It sounds like you think I’m one of the “destructive humans”, but they were wiped out long ago.”

“I never believed that. I’m sure there are some that live in the shadows, just like you.”

“That’s a pretty big accusation.”

“I like the gun you’re carrying.”

The vigilante was caught off guard by the change of subjects. She looked down at it confused, where it was now stashed in the holster.  

“Um, thanks. What does-“

“You know what’s weird though? Not one of the crimes scenes the Silver fox had been at had any of those gun shells. In fact, it looks like it was the gangs themselves killing their own men.” Solar looked at the Silver fox in open defiance, daring her to challenge. This is why Solar put hours of work into research. It allowed her to see the discrepancies in the details.

The masked girl offered nothing, so Solar continued. “You don’t shoot any of them. You’re only responsible for the damage before the killing shot. You haven’t killed any of them have you?” That’s why she always felt safe to question the masked girl. Solar knew she wasn’t a killer.

“I knew you were special.” The Silver fox murmured, smiling despite herself.

Solar felt her ears warming up from the compliment, and the intense gaze the vigilante had on her.

“Why don’t you take off your mask? I’ve already seen your face.”

“You seem so sure on that, but how can you know for a fact? It was just short moment afterall.”

“I didn’t see your face only for a moment the first time. I know what you look like.”

“I bet you just saw someone with similar hair. I liked the silver hair before I started this, but maybe I should dye it to something more common. I stand out too much, and you’re just proof of it.”

“But you’re the Silver fox, your name wouldn’t make sense otherwise.”

The Silver fox chuckled. “Well, I didn’t name myself, the press did. They can deal with it.”

Not wanting to get too off track, Solar pressed again. “Take off your mask or I’ll go to a sketch artist, and prove it to you that way.”

“You’re incorrigible.” The Silver Fox laughed, shaking her head in disbelief.

“It’s part of my charm. So what will it be?”

“This is how I’m being repaid for saving your life? Anyway, if you go to that sketch artist and put that face in the paper, you’re possibly putting an innocent girl at risk. Aren’t you at all afraid of that?”

“That’s how sure I am.”

“Well, you’ve seen my face twice now, so why do you need to see it again?”

Growing impatient, Solar once again reaches out for the vigilante. This time, catching the Fox off guard she’s able to get closer. Her hands are able to grasp the cloth covering the Silver foxes mouth and nose, but before she can pull down the Fox grabs her hands, preventing her from moving further.

Solar’s momentum moved her awfully close to the other woman’s face. She was able to see the fine details in her eyes. Instead of being met with angry eyes, she’s met with eyes full of humor. Not what she would have expected. Not after her stunt, which she realized was probably a bad move. It was the first moment her heart beat faster out of fear after hiding out in abandoned building with the vigilante.

“You are quite the determined woman, aren’t you?” Solar could hear the smile in her voice.

“I really am,” Solar admits.

“Well then, what other option do I have?” The vigilante releases the girls hands, watching the last bit of fear dissipate as soon as it came.

Hesitantly, Solar pulls the mask down revealing exactly who she knew it was.

“You really knew who I was just from watching me help that lady?” The unmasked vigilante asks the clearly pleased girl, who was still very close to her face. She had practically fallen into her lap.

“I also noticed you while we were in the store. I thought you were-,” stunning. “I mean you were right about the hair. It stands out a bit.” Finally noticing their close proximity, she clears and stands up straight. She wasn’t afraid of her, so why was her heart reacting like this? “I still don’t think you should get rid of it completely. People dye their a lot nowadays. It’s no big deal.”

“I guess. I’ll just have to think about it.” The Silver Fox stood up and took a step towards Solar, who had tried to put some distance between them.

“So Solar, now that you can see my full face you can see my true desperation.” She paused moving even closer. Solar had no choice but to let her get close or else it’d look like she was running away.

The girl behind the mask grabbed her hand, and looked at her intensely once again. “I can trust you, right? Please tell me I can trust you. We’re friends now.”

“We can’t really be friends unless I know your name though.”

Some of the intensity left the Fox’s face as she laughs. “So it’s going to be like that, huh? I guess I have no choice but to play along when it comes to you.” She drops Solar’s hand and hesitates. “You got me between a rock and a hard place. I’m not sure you understand how rare that is for me.”

Solar knows how hard it is for the vigilante to reveal her identity, but she won’t back down. So, she waits patiently, watching the girl scratch her neck and look everywhere else but her. Even still, in a room solely lit by the moon, she can see that the vigilante is truly stunning.  

Finally, the vigilante sighs and meets her gaze once again. “I go by Moonbyul.”

The fact that Moonbyul had to reveal her big secret, stung a little less when she saw the victorious smile it caused the Solar to produce. It was distractingly pleasant.

“Nice to meet you, Moonbyul. I hope you know that I still have many more questions.”

“I would expect nothing less.”

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I was struck by inspiration the other night, and this is the result.

             :P