Author's Notes: Millia's PWAB profile in GGXX tells us she's working with the IPF to dismantle the Assassin's Guild in exchange for her acquittal*. However, going by her quotes from earlier games, when Ky offered her much the same thing a couple of times in GGX and before she always turned him down. Something must have changed in the time between those two games – and it wasn't to hard to take a guess at what. Or why.

*Closer examination of said bio proved this was probably just one of those mistranslation things, but it still could have happened, and I will take inspiration where I can find it.

Millia Rage was punctual almost to the second when she arrived for their appointment. Even with her hair worn short she cut a stunning figure, a deceptive beauty which betrayed little of her long held former occupation. Ky had always observed that there had been an elegance to her every movement that was as natural as it was cold.

She accepted his offer of tea and seated herself across from him on the opposite side of his desk, one long leg crossed over the other. She must have been uncomfortable, after so many years of living in the shadows, to find herself entering the central office of the International Police Force itself by the front door, but her countenance betrayed nothing of it. But then, the beginning of a process to reacclimatize herself to life in the daylight was what this meeting was all about.

"To think I would ever find myself here, of all places," she said, a touch of wistfulness in her voice. "We used to speak of International Police with such scorn back in the Guild."

Ky took no insult from her words. "Whatever conflicts might lie in the past… I am sure that if you still retained any sympathy for your former organisation, you would not be here at all."

"That is true," said Millia. Her accent now betrayed only the slightest suggestion of her native Russian heritage after so many years of living so far abroad at the Assassin's Guild. Ky wondered just how long it might have been since she'd last seen her country, and whether that might be where she planned to return once this business was finally put to rest.

"Besides," she went on, "by providing what help I can give, my other sins may be forgiven in the eyes of the law."

"You'll find the International Police to be more sympathetic to your plight than you might imagine," said Ky, his manner reassuring. "Even once you were old enough to appreciate the true reprehensible nature of the Guild, to leave an organisation which had raised and supported you for so long must have taken great courage."

Millia took a small sip from her teacup and lowered it again thoughtfully, though whatever she thought of the compliment remained hidden behind an assassin's carefully neutral expression. "I'm not sure I deserve so much commendation on that account. We were always taught to be heartless creatures. I never hated the Guild nearly so much for what it did to others as for what it made of me, and I fear I will never be free of them as long as it survives. Any aid I can give you towards its dissolution is ultimately to my own benefit."

"Likewise, we would be only too grateful to receive it," said Ky, not the least deterred by her doubts. "Infiltrating the Guild at a level high enough to provide us the information we need most has always been problematic. Information direct from a former member once as highly placed as yourself would be invaluable to us."

Millia pursed her lips slightly. "I don't wish to mislead you, Mr Kiske, on that account I may be some disappointment. It has been many years now since I left the Guild; any specific information I can give you will be well out of date."

"Not at all, I am confident your experience with the Assassin's Guild will give you an unrivalled insight into their structure to this day," Ky returned. "You've already proven so much before."

"Are you talking about the infighting that has erupted in recent years?" Millia asked. "Then certainly, to anyone remotely acquainted with the Guild, such foolish power struggles would be difficult to miss."

"And difficult not to wonder how such internal conflict may be turned to our advantage."

"It was inevitable since Venom took over," said Millia, the wistful tone returning to her voice again. "He never had any more love for what we did than I have, and yet, in memory of his beloved Zato, he will carry on the Guild as long as he still has the strength to utter his name. Such a pitiful fool."

Ky's face faded to a more solemn expression. "Miss Rage, if I may ask a more personal question, was it the death of Zato-one that finally convinced you to accept my offer?"

She hesitated again before replying; even then, her answer shied aside of a simple yes or no. "It has changed a great many things for me – and been so long coming it is hard to believe it is finally over."

"Actually, it was partially on the late Zato's account that we wished to speak with you," said Ky, reaching for some papers. "According to our information, the kinjuu he used to manipulate shadows – and which later took control of his body – is akin to your own abilities using your hair, both being derived from a forbidden ceremony. Is this correct?"

"It is," Millia confirmed, frowning slightly.

"Then, I can only presume you will be the best person whom I can ask the question of whether it is possible that that kinjuu could have survived beyond Zato's death?"

"I don't see how." Her confusion was visibly rising now. "The kinjuu are symbiotic – or parasitic in Zato's case. They should be unable to act without a host to support them."

"But is it possible that Zato's kijuu, in attaining sentience and the ability to control its host's body, could have also surpassed such a requirement?"

"Precisely… what are you asking me?" asked Millia, narrowing her eyes.

"Ah, I'm sorry," Ky amended quickly, "this is all speculation. You would need more context to be able to accurately judge. The truth is, since Zato's reported death, the International Police have received a number of reports of sightings of a black beast fitting that kinjuu's description. Witness reports are incomplete as no-one who has seen it in daylight has dared to approach, however, the resemblance is too great for us to ignore."

Millia returned her teacup to its saucer so sharply she barely hit her mark, the two pieces of crockery colliding with an ugly clatter, shaking in her fingers for a moment before she could risk releasing her grip. "T… that monster… it's still… But h-how? I saw Zato's death with my own eyes!"

"Then you would understand why we must investigate this possibility," Ky told her seriously. "For a creature so closely resembling Zato's kinjuu to appear at this time is extremely suspicious, and with that…"

"But… Zato's body! If the monster lives, what could have happened to…?" Millia cried, hands pressing on his desk as she leapt to her feet, her own kinjuu bursting to life in a shower of long hair which whipped out behind her.

Any lesser man would have flinched away at the sight, but Ky made himself remain seated, as calm as this sudden development allowed. "That I cannot tell you. Our efforts to identify the creature would have been far more successful if we could confirm Zato's state, but only the monster itself has been reported clearly."

"Where!? Where was it seen?"

"Miss Rage, I understand that this is a very personal matter to you, but I would urge you to…"

"What could you understand!?" she nearly shrieked at him.

"I understand how easy it is to allow revenge cloud your better judgement." Ky fixed her with a gaze piercing enough to make even her hesitate long enough to let him finish. "This is not a matter that concerns only yourself, Miss Millia Rage, but one I can well understand. The history that lies between you and Zato-one is too great a matter for you to accept that it might be resolved by any hands other than your own; however, if you refuse our help and allow yourself to act in haste at this time without clear judgement, then I fear for your own good, this will not end well."

"Perhaps you are wiser than I am, Mr Kiske," Millia replied at last, scorn in her voice that may have been directed at either of them, or even at both. "However, I am sorry, but it appears I have been premature in accepting the assistance of the IPF in settling what remains of my past."

"Understood," said Ky, regretfully. "Then know only that the offer remains open to you whenever you may change your mind."

"I am grateful for your hospitality," Millia said stiffly, and turned to walk away without another backward glance.

Through the open doorway at far side of his office, Ky watcher her go, her hair still hanging long and free behind her (and badly startling a couple of workers who'd taken slightly more than professional interest in her when she'd first come in). There was no illusion or metaphor to the impression that that hair moved with a life of its own, twisting in ways no natural influence could account for. Perhaps emotions so turbulent as hers were alone enough for it to react to. Perhaps she was not aware of it at all.

It was not a comfortable thought, but what good would it do to dwell on it? Millia Rage had made it abundantly clear any such matters were her business alone. He could only hope for her sake she understood her own business as well as she believed.