Far away from her home village of Iwagakure, Alexis was traveling in a carriage having a horse at the front leading the way, it wasn't moving fast, but she was not in any rush for her professional go game. She also had two guards who were hired by her family, but one hour after traveling the carriage stopped with Alexis being confused nobody was around it was just her and the two guards, as she looked outside opening the door. "Why have we stopped?" The two would still sit on top of the horse, making sure the wild animal didn't lose control, and her family asked for them not to enter inside the carriage.

They wouldn't say a word, as she would come out closing the door behind her. "I will ask again, why have we stopped?" She would say looking serious, crossing her arms with her hands under the Kimono. Just then one of the guard's would speak up, sounding angry, with an evil grin on his face. "That's enough, you do not give us orders, I am tired of your high and mighty act." With that, Alexis would smile, not thinking much of this right now.

"I don't care, what two commoners think of me, now keep the carriage moving, or I will report this to my family, but I am willing to let it go." She would say about to enter the carriage, but before she could lift her hand to open the door, they both jumped down having demon like smile's, with Alexis facing them. "Aww, you're still acting like you're the boss here, I am happy we were hired for this." Alexis didn't know what he was on about, as they pulled out a rope, with her being in shock stepping backward.

"Hired for what?" Alexis would say, sounding worried about what was about to happen. "Don't move, it will be easier for you. If you don't struggle." Alexis would try to run, as one of the two guards grabbed her by the hand pushing her onto the ground. "You will not get away with this." She would say, as the rope was tied around her hands, then her legs and fully finishing it up around Alexis's waist and her arms. As she was on the ground, looking helpless. "This is enough now, untie me. This will ruin your life if you don't let me go." What Alexis said, didn't do anything to them. As one of them would speak holding tape.

"This will only make our lives better, no more you and we will be rich. This is why you shouldn't try to beat older nobles, your talent backfired this time." Alexis would be shocked knowing who hired them. "He hire...mmm...." Then, before she could finish, the man would place the cotton ball in her mouth place with tape over her mouth, with Alexis struggling to get free. Alexis was a little scared. As one of them carried her back inside the carriage would one staying with her this time closing the door, as the other was leading the horse. Another two hours would pass. The carriage was heading towards the town which the mansion of the noble was.

WC 535

Takayama’s estate was practically a fortress. The fact that it was completely land-locked left an infiltration through the water impossible and there were manned watchtowers every 100 yards along the wall enclosing the compound. Even if Ryuusei saw fit to scale the wall and incapacitate every guard that approached by force, the alarms that would be set off would give the target ample time to make an escape and once he had fled from this location, a man with his resources and contacts could be anywhere in the continent within two days. If Takayama managed to slip through his fingers tonight, the man would disappear. Failure was not an option.

By Ryuusei’s assessment of the property, the only way in or out of the compound was the front gate, for which he, unfortunately, lacked an invitation. And Takayama travelled with a small army escorting his caravan, making isolating him in transit even less appealing of an option given the lack of any exploitable strategic points on the single road that lead back to the nearest town. After staking out the estate for two days, he had gathered enough intel to discern that his best opportunity to make his way inside would be to commandeer one of the many vehicles that moved in and out of the estate, transporting goods and whatever else a man like Takayama would need delivered to him. If he could assume the identity of one of those delivery drivers, he would be able to get his foot in the door. After that, it would simply be a race against the clock.

~

As a lone carriage approached on the singular road towards Takayama’s compound, Ryuusei took his position, posted in front of a faux rickshaw constructed from salvaged remains of his boat. Mustering as much acting skill as he could muster, that is to say virtually none, the fair-haired man did his best to appear dejected for the men steering the approaching carriage. An exhausted wave flagged down the driver of the carriage who had no choice but to stop with the broken down cart blocking the narrow road. With the harmless smile of a common rickshaw puller, Ryuusei limped up to the side of the carriage to address the driver.

“Good Evening! Sorry to be a bother, but on my way back from dropping off a passenger at the estate, my cart busted a wheel. There isn’t a rest stop for miles and I don’t have the tools on hand to fix this. Since you’re heading up to the estate, any chance I can hitch a ride up and get what I need up there?”

Both men riding in the front of the carriage glared at the stranger, displeased at the sudden intrusion onto their plot and therefore their payment. The man holding the reigns hissed back at Ryuusei.

“How do you know we’re going up to the estate?”

Ryuusei faked a perplexed look, tilting his head to the side slightly to denote his confusion and remained silent for a moment before replying apprehensively.

“There’s… nothing else along this road but the estate. I’ve been shuttling guests up and down this road for years at Lord Takayama’s request. I’m the fastest rickshaw puller around! I could beat a horse drawn carriage down the path by 20 minutes, with none of the hassle!”

The two men looked at each other, the nature of their cargo making them weary of strangers, even those that claimed to be affiliated with their employer. Not everyone knew the true nature of his enterprise, and besides, they didn’t like this cheery commoner’s attitude.

“Why don’t you use that vaunted speed of yours to run your ass up your damned self? Get the hell out of our way, we don’t have time for charity cases. And move your cart out of the road!”

“Well, you certainly aren’t from around here. Lord Takayama’s men never give me any trouble when I find myself in a bind. If my cart doesn’t run, guests don’t get there on time. But fine, suit yourself. If you want to pass, though, I’m going to need some help moving my cart off to the side. The thing is a lot heavier when you can’t pull it on its wheels. I took a pretty nasty spill when the wheel broke off. I can’t lift anything in my condition and moving that old girl will take two men at least.”

With an unamused grunt, the two men riding in the cart hopped down from their seats, scowling Ryuusei’s way without breaking line of sight. Ryuusei’s undeterred smirk only served to irk the men more, leading themm to consider eliminating the fair-haired stranger right then and there, but they thought better of it when they pondered the consequences that might follow murdering a servant, or at least contemporary, of such a powerful man. All that mattered was making their delivery, collecting their payment, and getting the hell out of this country. The arrangements had already been made and in a mere few hours they would be on their way to live out their new lives like kings. Such an annoyance was merely a speed bump.

Ryuusei leaned against the carriage as the two men walked up the road and towards the makeshift rickshaw cart, carefully peering through a gap in the woodwork to see a young woman bound and gagged. Upon realizing what kind of delivery this was, any reluctance to use force against the two men faded away. With their backs still turned, he grabbed the whip used to tame the horses and began rapidly stepping towards the men as they bent down and braced to lift the cart. To their surprise, the makeshift cart was incredibly light, and a quick peek inside would reveal a completely structure with little more than flimsy strips of wood being held together by nails. Their surprise immediately caused them to turn towards Ryuusei to demand answers, but by the time they had realized his deception he had already descended upon them.

With their hands still occupied holding up the cart, the man on the right was defenseless as Ryuusei’s elbow came crashing into his temple, the shock to his system freeing him from consciousness almost immediately. The second man immediately released his grip on the wooden planks and reached down for his blade, but that momentary opening was all Ryuusei would need to drop his shoulder and tackle the driver to the ground face-first. The man used his hands to break his fall in an effort to recover and retaliate, but Ryuusei wasted no time in targeting his open neck, bringing the leather whip down over his head and pulling it in close, choking the man. The man struggled to break free, but his movements only expedited the process as his body was deprived of oxygen. Within a few seconds his body would go limp, prompting Ryuusei to release him before the choke took his life.

Ryuusei looked down both sides of the road to ensure there were no onlookers before pulling both men’s bodies down into a ditch he dug off the side of the road. They should remain there for at least a few hours before they regained consciousness and by that time he would be long gone. Once they were taken care of he would hurry to the back to the cabin of the carriage, opening the door to reveal himself to the young woman held captive there.

“Relax.”

Ryuusei’s voice was oddly calm for what had just transpired, which for a normal man might get their adrenaline pumping. With his right hand he reached down to the girl’s face, plucking at a single corner of the tape that covered her mouth with his fingertips, and slowly peeling the tape off as to not cause undue pain by yanking it off in one violent motion.

“Why were those men transporting you in this manner?”

---

1355 | 1355

The carriage was heading towards the palace Alexis was still unable to move the two guards who she thought were loyal to her family kidnapped her, and she didn't know what plan they had in store. Inside was only herself, who was tied up, and the former bodyguard, she would start to kick the inside, making a loud sound but nobody was around to hear. Struggling to get free, the man inside the carriage wouldn't like this as he grabbed her feet, tying them to the ground so she couldn't move, or kick. "There we go, nobody is going to save you. Now stay quiet little princess." Alexis would look down towards the ground, knowing she couldn't get free now, she couldn't even give notice for someone to help. After saying this, he left Alexis on her own going towards the front of the carriage with the other man.

After some time the carriage would stop, which she thought was odd, they shouldn't have reached the palace yet? Something was happening outside, as she was sure the guards were walking away, but she could hear someone else, having the same sense that someone was looking towards her. As she would face the same way as Ryuusei did, but he was gone before Alexis could see him, thinking it was only her and the guards, but it didn't stop after more timed passed, she could hear people fighting, with someone choking.

She would try to get free, but she was still tied up unable to move. As she has seen a white hair man enter telling her to Relax, but it was not easy when you're in this type of situation, as the man's hand came closer Alexis closed her eye's, but to her shocked he pulled away the tape slowly not wishing to hurt her. She would look at him having a blush, he was like her shining knight at this moment.

"Thank you for saving me, they were taking me to a man they call Takayama, I was going to play a Game that is known around the world as Go, nobles like myself play it all the time wishing to improve, you don't need to be noble to play this game, but it's rare for a commoner to reach the same level as Nobles. I was guessing he didn't know if he could beat me, so he wished to have kidnapped me and I think he was going to make me into a servant." She would say looking at him still having a blush.

She would try to get the ropes off, but couldn't as she would look towards the man who was like a shining knight in her eye's speaking in a soft tone. "Could you untie me please, I will make sure once I get back to my village, you are well rewarded." She would now be waiting for him to set her free, thinking of this man like her hero.

WC 495

TWC WC 1034

Ryuusei took a moment to process the story he was given, closing his eyes and exhaling deeply as he mulled over his next move. His target was still behind those walls, and he was without a means of penetrating that defense successfully. His eyes fell back upon the small girl before him, prompting an idea to sneak its way into the forefront of his mind, although it was not one that was going to win him any friends.

“Sorry, I can’t do that. I have some unfinished business with Takayama and you’ve just become my best ticket into that compound.”

Before allowing her the opportunity to protest, Ryuusei would pull the tape that he had previously released her from back over her mouth to silence her. He stayed for a moment to allow the girl the opportunity to vent her frustrations towards him, although her words would never reach him. He would not begrudge her for being upset with him. In a situation like this, how could she not be? However, the fact remains that he had a job to do and she had unwittingly become an important piece in successfully completing his task. He would deal with the fallout after.

“Struggle and pout all you want, but given the position you’re in, I’m your best bet to get out of here safely and back to wherever it is you’re from. So if you want to make it out of this, you’re going to need to go along with it. I can’t force you to be happy with it, but I’m getting into that compound one way or another. Whether or not I take you with me on the way out depends on how well you play your role.”

Ryuusei did not bother to wait for an answer before leaving the cabin with the girl inside, her answer was of little consequence. Instead, he focused his efforts on searching the bodies of the men he had left unconscious in the ditch. They seemed to be wearing some kind of uniform jacket, likely a part of whatever getup the organization that employed wore. Rummaging through their pockets, he was able to come across a missive containing instructions for the task at hand. It seemed like the girl’s story had checked out after all. Ryuusei commandeered a jacket and the missive and moved to the driver’s side of the cart, intending to imitate one of the men. With a crack of the reigns, the horses ran, sending the carriage forward on the road to the Takayama Estate.

---

435 | 1,790

She was asked to be set free, but he closed his eye's sighing for some odd reason? This was not looking good so far. She would listen to him speak, as she was ready for her own argument but Alexis would be cut off, moving backward giving her a little time to talk, but the rope that was connected to the ground stopped her moving too much. "Wait, stop! You can't keep a nobl........Mmmmm!" As the tape was placed over her mouth again. She was forced to sit here once again, unable to move. As she would struggle to get free, but unlike before she didn't look scared, being mad towards him and pouting he was no shining knight.

She would try to kick him, but being unable to lift her legs up it was useless. Hearing him speak once again, as she was still a prisoner just by someone new. Hearing him speak just made Alexis mad as he started to get up to leave, she would look at him trying to say untie me, but all that she could say was. "Mmm...Mmmm!!!!" As the door was closed, her eye's opened in shock, she wouldn't stop trying to get free, going back and forward, but then as the cart started to move, she would stop.

With the carriage still heading towards the Estate he would soon find himself going past the town, but his main focus would be on the giant palace, which was in the instructions, but how this would work, was he needed to show up on the correct time, he was not running late, but because of the whole him knocking the real ones out, he would just make it. The reason this was clear, was simple, if he didn't show up at this time, then he would meet the wrong guard at the entrance to enter the palace, everyone that wishes to see Takayama, must show two things. The missive, and proof you have what is on the letter. Which was Alexis.

The guard would ask for this information right away and check inside the carriage where he would see Alexis the same girl he had a picture of in his hand. She would look at him struggling once more, as he would just smile, closing the door, coming back to face Ryuusei. "You're fine to enter." It was one thing the guard did ask, on the note it said, two people, were meant to be with Alexis. He informed all the other guards to allow him past into the palace right after her answer that question. He would be guided to where he needed to take Alexis.

WC 443

TWC 1477

With a quick tug on their reigns, Ryuusei would bid the horses forward, following the directions given by the servant responsible for directing incoming traffic. Ever-conscious of his surroundings, the man wasted no time in scanning the surrounding areas as he drove the cart, taking note of every doorway, potential exit, guard station, and point of interest in the compound that might prove useful. While the exterior appeared to be well-guarded, the number of men posted within the compound’s interior hardly reflected the imposing defenses that could be viewed from the outside. If that were the case, it surely only boded well for the success of the mission, but life had taught Ryuusei never to get your hopes up relying on chance.

The cart would be led to a stable about 30 yards inwards, just beside the entrance to the central building, which Ryuusei assumed was where he would find his target. Once he released the reigns, the servant would take it upon themselves to secure the animals, freeing Ryuusei up to go and check on the status of his cargo before they proceeded further. Sliding the handle of the carriage open, the man would lean into the cabin with an index finger straightened over his lips in an attempt to tell the girl to keep quiet. Assuming she cooperated, he would attempt to communicate with her before the deal went down.

“Listen kid, I intend to get out of here alive. If you have any intention of doing the same, I suggest you do exactly as I say. I don’t know how much you know about the man you’re dealing with, but I assure you that nothing good will come of getting us both caught. Like it or not, I’m the closest thing to a friend you’ll find in these walls.”

Ryuusei would grab onto the rope tied around the girl’s waist and pull her towards the doorway, standing her up beside him & keeping her near regardless of potential resistance or protest. At the same time he would hear the stomping footsteps of men emerging from within the building, two from what he could surmise, one of whom addressed the servant with a demand of the girl. While he and she were still masked by the door from approaching gazes Ryuusei tugged on the rope at the small of her back, pulling her close into him, so that he could whisper a message into her ear.

“Stay close to me.”

“We’ll take the girl from here and have the kid lead you to the lord’s chambers.”

“Not a chance. I deliver her myself or no deal. That’s how I work. If you don’t like it, I can take my services and my delivery elsewhere.”

The two men looked at each other as if hoping the other would have a solution to Ryuusei’s indignance, but after a moment of confused babbling, they would begrudgingly agree to his terms, instead acting as his escorts to the lord’s location. Now flanked by armed guards on each side, Ryuusei knew that any kind of verbal communication to the girl was impossible, but he still needed her to stay focused and remember what he told her. If his words of reassurance could not reach her, he would need to find another means as they were led through the long hallways. With her hands still tied behind her back, he would stretch his much larger hands over one of hers, holding onto the back of it as a reminder that he was still there.

---

603 | 2,393

Alexis was tied up unable to move why did this unknown man need to kidnap her and was he even from Iwa? Even if it was only for a plan, this was still a crime even more so because of her noble status. She felt the cart move once more, but it didn't stop for long. Alexis wished to know what was happening outside, as it stopped once again, but for good this time. Before anyone would enter Alexis would try to move her hands to make hand signs, but it was no good her ability to perform them was not near that level yet. She would stop moving her hands the moment the door was opened she was about to yell at him, until the man was next to her with his finger over his own mouth telling her to keep quiet, she would look shocked just nodding her head to hear him out. Not really having a choice.

Hearing him speak was annoying, but Alexis was someone that followed her father's orders as she would try and get free, as that is something he would do. "Mmmmm!" Which was Alexis saying let me go. With her none stop struggling to get free from her binds, he was not the boss with Alexis looking at little mad towards him. He probably untie the ropes that connected her to the cart or she couldn't leave. Her eyes would open in shock without warning was pulled out from the cart standing her up beside it, she would look at where she was, and took note it must be that man's home, Alexis didn't stop struggling to get free. Then she was pushed once more, As she turns red from Ryuusei speaking in her ear, but she would stand close as she could hear new people coming towards them.

Alexis would start to worry as they were going to take her somewhere, was this really happening, she was still struggling with her ropes as Ryuusei would speak. They started to move forward as the two new people who came were leading the way. How would they get free now? It was way too many people, She looked worried. She still didn't trust Ryuusei if he really cared she would be free already.

WC 380

TWC 1857

The travel time to their destination towards the center of the compound would not last more than a few minutes, their proximity to the nobleman Takayama’s residence betrayed by the drastic change from concrete floors and iron bars to ornate rugs and decorations. They were close. The guards still seemed wary of Ryuusei, constantly stealing glances over their shoulders and back towards the man with girl in tow. Fortunately, the girl’s distress that was more than evident at this point served as a convenient reinforcement of his story and kept the men at bay, at least for the time being.

Before long the party would enter a long hallway, at the end of which stood a set of handcrafted, wooden double doors, far too intricate to be a routine entryway. Given the single guard that stood vigil before the twin doors, Ryuusei had a hunch that the man they were here to meet sat just beyond. The two men escorting them dismissed the younger man standing watch upon approach, likely indicating that they were his personal guards, and standing guard outside of his room was their post, only abdicated upon his request to attend to highly personal matters, not that Ryuusei minded. Them sending their subordinate away only meant there was one less complication to his mission.

A single escort knocked and awaited a summons before disappearing enter the room, no doubt to brief his master on what awaited him on the other side of those double doors. A few brief moments would pass in the eerily silent hallway before the creaking wood heralded the opening of the twin doors. The two guards would take their positions at each side of the entryway, weapons in hand and standing at attention as if creating a path for Ryuusei to approach.

“Lord Takayama will now see you.”

Seeing the silhouette of a man behind a desk at the far end of the next room, Ryuusei would push the girl forward, making her walk into the room where the man who ordered her abduction laid in wait. Once they had moved past the guards, Ryuusei would lean his head in towards hers just enough to get a message to her without rousing suspicions. Muttering under his breath, the man delivered his final instructions to her before the situation escalated, muttering under his breath, so quietly it would be inaudible if he was not so close.

“When things start going south, close your eyes and stay on the ground. I’ll get you up when the coast is clear. Shake your head if you understand.”

---

433*

She would keep struggling to get free, but it was not happening as the strange man was pulling or pushing her as she didn't wish to corroborate with him or the two guards. They would only be walking for only a few minutes before they stopped, it was easy to see that this place did belong to a noble, from the floors to the walls. As they stopped, they would see a giant door, you could tell by looking at her she was worried. She would start to try and yell, but because of the tape she couldn't. "Mmmmmmmmmm!" Which was the same as last time, with Alexis trying to say let me go.

She would see the two guards take a position in the room opposite side from each other they were holding weapons. As they would speak up saying it was time to approach their Lord.  She could see the man at the far back ready to turn and run, but then Ryuusei, who sneaked inside pushed her forwards as she was to keep moving up the room. In time, the man would whisper something into her ear.

Hearing him speak Alexis would blink looking confused, she was not on the ground, so it was zero ways to get up, was he going to push her down or something? She would nod, Alexis didn't trust him, but he was her only way out. She would keep struggling with the ropes, as she didn't trust him completely. Just what was his game here, Alexis was kidnapped and force to go with him, even with them speaking to each other, he never once said why he wished to meet the noble staying here.

The Lord of this home would look down towards Alexis as he looked down with a grin. "I can see why many people wish to play you. I should get a decent price, not sure what will happen to you, but I don't need to worry about that, as long as nobody sees you again." He would say letting out a laugh. She would look at him being annoyed, if she could make hand signs. She could beat everyone in this room, even the person that brought her here.

WC 372

TWC 2229

Ryuusei paid little mind to the man’s comments regarding the girl, instead far more concerned with inspecting the new room they had found themselves in, scouring the confines for any information, objects, or exits that might be of use to him in his escape. There sat a window behind the desk that overlooked the open sea behind the compound, but with nothing but a steep fall on the other side of the glass. About 5 paces to Ryuusei’s left was a lit fire place with an assortment of pokers hung neatly beside the opening. Directly in front of the large, wooden desk sat two ornate chairs, which the man would escort the girl in his possession towards.

“Sit.”

With that single command, Ryuusei would force Alexis down into the seat, keeping a hand pressing down against her shoulder to ensure she didn’t attempt to get up. With Alexis firmly seated in place he would return his attention to the target before him, Takayma.

“And my compensation?”

Ryuusei’s words were blunt and cold, fit for a thug with no working knowledge of decorum or respect for something other than money… or a man looking to pick a fight.

“No need to be so serious. This is a moment to celebrate my victory. Why don’t you have a seat? I’ll have my men take her down to the cells where I keep the others.”

Takayama laughed Ryuusei’s insistence on payment off and proceeded to return his attention to his personal victory. He found the desperation of the lower class to reach for any scraps he would give them to be adorable. He liked greedy people. Greedy people were cooperative so long as you threw them a bone every once in a while.

“Let’s not waste each other’s time putting on airs. We aren’t friends. I don’t give a damn about your victory. I’m here to complete a transaction. I brought the girl here, now pay up.”

With seemingly no regard for courtesy or propriety, Ryuusei mercilessly burned the bridges of diplomacy as he dismissed Takayama’s self-indulgence. The dossier on the nobleman was very specific about where the chinks in the nobleman’s armor lied. By all accounts Takayama was something of a man-child, easily provoked and drawn into a fit of rage by minor slights and bruising of his ego. Assuming that the information the fair-haired man was given was accurate, as it always was, the quickest way to escalate the situation would be to torment the man by attacking his hubris.

“Such insolence… Do you know who the hell I am?!?”

Takayama slammed his fist down onto the desk beside him, leaning in and staring up at the imposing and unimpressed man standing before him. The nobleman, although noble in name only, had spent a lifetime being nothing short of disgusted by those he perceived as inferior in birth, wealth, and status treating his presence casually. It was his policy, as was his father’s before him, that insolence needed to be punished with the utmost severity, lest one allow familiarity to infect the minds and mannerisms of the lowborn, taking hold like a wound left to fester.

“A short, fat, sorry excuse of a man who mistakes the purposeful oversights of his superiors for power.”

The previously aloof and disinterested facial expression of Ryuusei had hardened into a piercing glare. The intensity of his green eyes barrowing into Takayama was so much so that the man felt as though his stare was more searing and venomous than the words that cracked off of his tongue like a whip.

“What?!?”

Takayama’s outrage at Ryuusei’s brash and disrespectful remarks was visible. His face reddened and his features contorted into a rage induced grimace as he struggled to find the proper words to respond to such outright defiance. In the echo chamber of approval he had constructed for himself, the nobleman had expelled all those in his daily life who would disagree or oppose him, instead keeping around him and rewarding only those who served as yes-men to his fragile ego. As a result Ryuusei’s words had been the most egregious display of dissent he had experienced within these walls in years, at least until the man spoke again.

“And a dead man if you don’t hurry up and give me what I want.”

Ryuusei’s voice would once again shift, from one of open defiance and anger to a much colder tone. His words would come off as so void of emotion that he almost seemed disinterested in the conversation at hand. And that would be an accurate assumption, as that line was very much intended to signal the end of civil discourse and herald in violence as the primary means of communication. A man who has lived a sheltered life of power, so oblivious to consequences and detached from the world that he thinks nothing of the abduction and sale of people other than growing his own wealth and influence was not a man who would come to the light through logic and witty conversation. He was beyond redemption.

“You son of a bitch! You’re the only dead man here! Kill him!”

At the man’s order the two guards who had previously escorted Ryuusei and Alexis into their lord’s chambers would draw their weapons, one a sword & one a spear, pointing them towards the fair-haired man’s back as they approached. Ryuusei’s hand would immediately find itself down onto Alexis’ shoulder, demanding her attention as he wrapped his fingers around her shoulder blade.

“Do you remember what I told you earlier?”

His words would come quickly and there would only be the briefest moment of hesitation before he continued his action, with or without her acknowledgment, shoving the side of the chair in which she sat, tipping it over, and sending both the char and Alexis down towards the decorative rug below and out of the way of the ensuing brawl.

---

1016

Alexis would try to get free again, but the man behind her who was named Ryuusei was not letting Alexis go for even a moment, as she didn't fully trust him, for now, she was forced to. Having nobody else here at all who was even trying to give her a chance to be saved. She didn't listen to him telling her to sit, as her head would turn in being annoyed with him, but then as his hand was placed down on Alexis keeping her from moving off the chair not allowing for her to have any movement. She would try and yell out again. "Mmmmmm!" Sounding mad towards him, but then as she heard the manner he spoke towards the noble, this could get him killed. Which did make her worry about her own freedom.

Alexis heard Takayama speak about other people and cells as she would struggle, but Ryuseei wouldn't let her. "Mmmmmmmmm!" With her trying to yell once again, saying let me go. She would look worried the way he was speaking towards him was not good, if he died here then she would stay a prisoner. Hearing the noble's fist slam on the table made Alexis jump a little, at this rate Ryuusei would be killed. Alexis would look at Ryuseei moving her head side to side, telling him to stop, but couldn't talk to him to say it in words.

Alexis could see it in his eye's and hear it within his tone. He was turning cold and dark, he really didn't like Takayama at all, but he was going to die without a way out if he didn't stop right now, but it was already too late, as Alexis would sit down looking worried. After she heard kill him, she would try to yell out telling him to untie her. "Mmmmm." So she had a small chance to get away, but she couldn't speak because of the tape.

Alexis would feel his hand on her shoulder, as she looked worried when he did, how was he going to get her on the floor safe? But in a flash, she would nod her head, meaning no to him. As he knocked her chair over as she would blink hitting the rug, unable to get up still struggling to try. "Mmmmm." She would say looking mad once more at him, she stopped struggling as that hurt a little trying to recover from the fall, that he made happen, but what was he going to do? Why enter inside this place making this event happen?

WC 429

TWC 2658

The ensuing confrontation would last only a few short moments, but in the middle of the scuffle that amount of time could feel like an eternity. A familiar feeling set in as adrenaline began coursing through Ryuusei’s veins, one that all combatants experience at one point or another, given the proper stress. In that moment the world seemed to slow down around him. Charging enemies seemed sluggish as time seemed to dilate in his eyes. His appearance and nature of his fighting style may have given the appearance of a street brawler, but his training became evident in the details of his movements.

Ryuusei’s eyes would immediately fall upon the most immediate threat, the guardsman wielding the spear. The weapon’s range not only made it the first threat to enter his immediate proximity, but also allowed its wielder to remain comfortably out of the fair-haired man’s reach. The guardsman would thrust his spearhead forward towards the center of Ryuusei’s chest, which he would dodge by pivoting on his back heel, allowing his body to immediately swivel and causing the spearhead to pass by harmlessly. Ryuusei then gripped his assailant’s weapon just below the spearhead and yanked it forcefully, using his brute strength to take advantage of the guardsman’s vulnerable and unbalanced position and causing him to tumble forward in the direction of the spear. With his opening successfully created Ryuusei would plant his right heel down forcefully and throw his weight forward, landing a headbutt directly into the side of his assailant’s head and sending the man to the floor instantly.

The almost instantaneous neutralizing of his partner at the hands of a stranger made the second guardsman pause, just for a moment, before swinging his sword back over his head and charging forward. The intent of the attack was evident, rapidly closing the distance to his target and delivering a powerful, overhead slash with the hope of striking Ryuusei down in one go. To counter this attack Ryuusei would make the unorthodox maneuver of stepping toward his charging assailant, rather than grounding himself and preparing to defend. As the man came into melee range and prepared for his downward swing, Ryuusei swung himself into the guard, using his size advantage to stop him in his tracks and take control of the man’s arm. From this position he would bend at the knees and use his leverage to throw the man over his shoulders and slam his spine down on the edge of the hardwood desk. With the two men dispatched, all that remained was the target himself.

The next part was where his real job began, but the presence of his unwilling accomplice was not lost on Ryuusei. From the corner of his eye the man spotted a closet, which he would make use of shortly after throwing an intimidating glance the way of the cowering nobleman, a reminder that his presence was noted and their business still unfinished. With his right arm Ryuusei grabbed the knot of rope that bound Alexis’ arms, using it to lift her up off the ground and sling her over his shoulder. Still maintaining his sense of urgency, Ryuusei swiftly walked her over to the closet, swing open the double doors, before gently setting her down on the floor and shutting both doors completely with her inside. With the final loose end taken care of, the man would turn back to his target who he found scurrying on his hands and knees towards the exit in a panic, cutting him off with a stomp of his boot.

“Now, where were we?”

---

608

As she started to regain herself, she could see the man named Ryuusei fighting, but it was nothing like how she or most ninjas do combat, it was like watching someone who was used to fighting but had no style to it at all, but it was easy to see he has trained in some odd way. She was watching this fight, as the spear was about to meet his head, Alexis would close her eye's but soon reopened them to see that he avoided the attacks. She would notice his odd attack, as he used his strength and body movement to headbutt the man? Is that really how he does battle, but she didn't have time for this. As her focus when back onto herself and the ropes that didn't allow her any movement at all.

Before this, she would hear a loud sound, as one of the guards met with the table, she could see his level of Taijutsu was really well done but was that enough to keep him alive? Alexis would be trying to undo the knots, and get her hands free, but it was no good as she would try and get up from the ground, as she was at the point of kneeling down about to raise one foot to lift her up but in that moment, her dress got in the way, making Alexis slip and fall back down. She would look mad again. "Mmmmmmm!" Struggling to just get free.

At that moment the man would pick her up, by the ropes that were around her hands, thinking he was going to let her go, but in that burst of a second, he would throw her onto his shoulder, as she would try to kick him over and over, trying to get free. "Mmmmmmmm!" She would say, sounding annoyed at him, with Alexis having a slight blush being lifted in this manner, and she also couldn't see where he was taking her right now from being over his shoulder. As she was finally placed down in an unknown area, she would look at him ready to undo the ropes, but she looked side to side, seeing she was in a closet. Looking worried once more, turning her head side to side, saying no to him. Don't close the doors.

Trying to get up to leave, but the doors were closed as she would hit on them, with him being able to hear her yell out. "Mmmmmmmmmmmmm!" She wouldn't stop. "Mmmmmmm!" As she would keep hitting it for him to open it, not hearing what was happening outside. She stopped hitting the door, looking around, but it was too dark. As she would try to struggle to get free once more thinking he was not coming back. She was going to get him back for this.

WC 471

TWC 3129

“Start talking.”

The words were blunt of devoid of empathy or mercy. As Ryuusei walked towards his target, the middle-aged man would pivot and desperately try to scurry back towards his desk in an attempt to put some barrier between them. Unfortunately for him, the man he was running from had no interest in wasting time humoring his pointless escape efforts. The fair haired man grabbed Takayama by the back of his neck and yanked him upwards & onto his feet, dragging him across the room to the glass door behind his desk, leading to the balcony outside. He paused there for a moment, looking his captive in the eyes and allowing him a moment to compose himself an acquiesce to his demands, but all he received in return was silence. His own reply would be to slam the nobleman through the glass doors and onto the concrete floor of the balcony.

“I’m running short on patience, old man.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

With an expression of irritation Ryuusei stepped through the newly created opening in the glass and onto the balcony. The thick soles of the man’s boot’s cracked and crushed the shards of glass strewn across the concrete as he approached Takayama. His eyes fell upon the man’s limbs and the small cuts caused by the sharp blades of glass surrounding him. He sat himself up gently, careful not to press his body down anywhere too forcefully, lest he suffer further harm. Unamused at the man’s feigning ignorance, Ryuusei approached once more, this time staring down his nose at Takayama from directly overhead.

“The girls. Where are they? Who hired you? Who were you selling to? I want names.”

“I-I don’t… Hyaaaagh”

The man’s protests were silenced by a shriek of pain as Ryuusei’s foot began to press down on Takayama’s hand, causing the small shards of glass to dig into his skin and his fragile bones to struggle under the pressure. Ryuusei held his foot there for just a moment before lifting it up and allowing his target a period of relief. He hoped that the threat of further pain would job Takayama’s memory and get him to talk. The longer this took, the longer they were stuck there, and the more they were exposed.

“Coming back to you yet?”

“You don’t understand! If I talk, they’ll kill me!”

One again Takayama would find himself silenced, this time by the choking grip of Ryuusei’s fingers constricting his throat, cutting off sound and air. Dragging him through the shattered glass by his neck, Ryuusei would only loosen his grip once he had raised Takayama up against the bannister. He would then push the man over the railing, allowing him to feel the terror of falling into the nothingness below him for just a moment, only to the collar of his robing and prop him up that way. If the message was not evidently clear before, it would be now.

“I’ll kill you.”

“Wait, wait, wait! I’ll talk just please, let me down!”

“That’s not the way this works. Tell me what I want to know, then I’ll let you down.”

“F-fine! The girls aren’t here anymore! They were picked up a couple of hours ago! I don’t know the buyers or where they take them! I just contact them when I have a shipment… They come in an unmarked truck and take them away. I get my payment delivered to me via anonymous packages spread out over the following two weeks. That’s all I know, I swear!”

“How do you contact them?”

“I send one of my men to a bar in some run down slums a few miles from The Village. They tell the bartender a password and they get sent to the back to speak to someone. They never see his face, their always behind a screen. They don’t give us a date or time, they just tell us to expect them.”

“What’s the password?”

“It changes every time. They drop off a letter with the password on it when they do the pickup. That’s how they know where to go for the pickup.”

“So you’re saying that you’re not the only person they buy from.”

“I don’t know anyone else involved. They keep everything very cloak and dagger. But they’ve mentioned other pickups.”

“Where is the letter?”

“In my desk. Top drawer on the right.”

“What else do you know?”

“That’s it! They don’t disclose anything. It’s purely transactional.”

Ryuusei remained silent for a few seconds, which surely must have felt like an eternity to Takayama, whose fate currently swung helplessly in the hands of the fair-haired man before him. The purpose of the pause was two-fold, the first being to instill amplify the fear the man felt, the second to allow Ryuusei the chance to judge for himself whether or not Takayama was truly out of information to squeeze from him. The sheer look of terror in the man’s eyes told Ryuusei that he had extracted all of the useful intelligence he was going to get from the man. Finally, he would break the silence.

“Alright, I believe you.”

“Thank goodness… Now let me down!”

“Oh right, I did say I would do that.”

Ryuusei would begin to pull the man back to the balcony side of the railing, lowering him so that his feet would safely reach the floor. In that moment, the relief Takayama felt was palpable, closing his eyes and exhaling deeply like he was dipping into a hot bath. That calm would abruptly end as Ryuusei forcefully shoved him over the railing, sending him hurtling down to the garden below. He didn’t bother watching the fall, having no sympathy for a man who abused his position to shield and participate in human trafficking. Sometimes his jobs were worth doing for free.

Entering the office once more through the opening in the glass doors, Ryuusei would make his way to the closet where he had the girl he was tucked away safely. Having no intention of staying in this place longer than necessary, hoping to be able to clear the gates before anyone came to the office to see the mess he’d made, he opened the doors in a hurry and took a knee to better access his accomplice. He peeled the tape over her mouth carefully, as to not cause undue pain by ripping it off, freeing her mouth up to speak once more.

“We need to move. Are you hurt?”

---

1,123

Alexis could hear something happening outside, as she heard someone hitting the glass hearing the sound of it breaking, it was hard to tell as she couldn't see the event happening with her own eye's, with the closet blocking some of the sounds. It sounded like they were having a talk, as she would bang on the door over and over, so he would open it, but Alexis couldn't make out what he was saying to him. The doors would start to open and this time he removed the tape, as she was free to speak once again, looking down for a moment to catch her breath, she would look up, gazing into his eye's ready to start, but it was nothing nice she had to say at this point.

"Finally, you should have removed the tape hours ago, and came to this place on your own. Being nice to you doesn't work, so why don't I try my new way, maybe it will get inside that head of yours." She would struggle to try to get the ropes off once more. "Remove the ropes right now, I am tired of playing this role, this is an order. I am not asking, think of it more like me telling you!" She would think this time he would, but was he the type of man would do it because now he was ordered? If this worked, this is how she would talk to him from this point on.

"Well, what are you waiting for a noble has given you an order, now follow it." Alexis didn't talk like this with most people, she was a lot wiser about her choices and knew this was wrong, but she was really mad, being like this for the whole day, and thought nice wouldn't work so why not try harsh. She would look him in the eye's talking to him like she was a spoiled princess, but would this knight take orders? All she can do is see and wait, but now she would answer his question.

"Now that I have given you my orders, I will answer your question, I am not hurt." She would say trying to get the ropes loose, Alexis would be pouting, still being mad with this unknown man. She would say, one more thing, before allowing him to speak. "Never put tape around my mouth again, do I make myself clear."

WC 403

TWC 3532

Ryuusei paused for a moment to process the verbal barrage that came his way almost immediately after he removed the strip of tape that had previously inhibited the girl’s ability to speak. She was understandably upset. Just about any sane person would be in her shoes, having no doubt been traumatized by her initial abduction and then feeling the relief of salvation only to be taken once more. No matter what reassurances he could have given her, there was no realistic situation where she would view his actions as anything other than threatening. A part of him did feel a tinge of regret for having to use her as a prop in this whole situation, but it was a necessary choice to make. Now it was time for him to make good on his word and get her out of here safely, which was still a task of its own with them being in the heart of Takayama’s compound.

Unfortunately for his irate companion, Ryuusei’s part of the deal did not include listening to her speak down to him and bark orders the whole way out. She came off as a spoiled brat, who assumed their social status entitled her to some sort of special treatment or priority over others. He hated those kinds of people. Even if he was morally obligated to help her, it didn’t mean he had to acquiesce to her every whim or take her shit. The man’s face would scrunch into a displeased expression, waiting for the first break in her monologue to line up the tape with her lips once more, pressing it down and ending her verbal onslaught.

“Listen Princess,” his words dripped with derision for her arrogance given her situation, “I agreed to get you out of here, but I don’t give a damn who you are, I’m not going to be spoken down to by some child. You can be angry with me all you want, but we still need to get out of here and I can do that with you bound and gagged. The tape and ropes stay on unless you calm the fuck down and do as I say. That is, unless you’d rather take your chances with his people. The choice is yours. Do we have an understanding?”

Ryuusei would peel back the tape over her mouth just enough to allow her to speak, but not completely remove it, ready to silence her once more should she not be able to control her temper.

---

425

She could handle the traumatized abduction, being a ninja you kind of learn it at a young age but it was just annoying her now, as she looked up at him, but the moment she was finished her eye's opened in shock with the tape being over her mouth again. "Mmmm!" She would sound annoyed going backward and forwards, trying to get free. She wished to hit him, but from the way she was sitting, it was no way to reach, but that would soon stop as he called her Princess. Her eyes would narrow, as he told her to shut the fuck up, with him starting to remove the tape, but it was not all the way from her mouth, as she looked down to the floor speaking in an annoyed tone.

"Fine, they say chivalry is dead after meeting you I'm starting to think it's true. Don't tell me to shut the f up, you......" She couldn't think of anything to say. As she looked at him with a confident look in her eye's and an overconfident tone. "I don't what to be left here, but you're a little overconfident if you think it's that easy getting out with me bound and gagged. Now why don't you untie me, and I will help you get out of here as well, because by the sounds of things you have made the noble here mad. Without me, you also could be caught and you will be put into a jail cell." She was not yelling at him anymore, but she was being smart mouthed.

She would be trying to remove the tape, as she would speak to him again. "Well hurry, someone has to fix the mess you made." She was still being rude to him in some way, as she would try to get the tape off her mouth, but it was no use as she just looked at him, sitting in the closet. Alexis knew about the guards and the many other people that worked here, it was not much choice he could get away with her bound and gagged, so he had to set Alexis free. Well, that is what she thought not knowing his skills or abilities, it was just a guess.

WC 376

TWC 3908

Some people just couldn’t get out of their own way and let themselves be helped. The fact that this girl was one of those people became increasingly apparent with each and every word she spoke. Ryuusei’s patience for her dwindled rapidly as she continued to speak to him in a condescending tone, as if she was currently in a position to act high and mighty. This girl was clearly beyond reasoning with at this moment and this conversation was going to accomplish nothing if she was so unwilling to budge in her arrogance. Rather than continuing on this same, pointless path, the man would put an end to the back and forth right then and there, pulling the tape back over the girl’s mouth and silencing her once more.

“Wrong answer. You’re not in the position to be helping anyone. We’re going to do things my way now.”

With his companion silenced once more Ryuusei would waste no more time sitting around in this office waiting to be discovered. It was time for them to get moving. Even if this girl was going to insist on being difficult, it was still his obligation to keep his word and get her out of here safely. He reached down and wrapped his left arm around the girl’s waist, pausing for a moment before yanking her up and over his left shoulder and standing upright.

“Do us both a favor princess, keep quiet and keep still. I don’t need you drawing any unwanted attention to us with your whining.”

With no intention of wasting any more time waiting for this girl to get the gravity of the situation they were in through her thick skull, Ryuusei made his way over to Takayama’s desk to retrieve the letter from the uppermost, right drawer as revealed by the dead man. Trying to fumble through the drawer with only one hand was inconvenient, but not impossible. Fortunately, the recently opened letter sat right at the top of the pile, the wax seal freshly broken. Once he was able to confirm the contents of the letter, no salutations, no body, just a seemingly random phrase fitting of a password, the fair-haired man folded the letter over once more and tucked it safely away into his side pocket.

Ryuusei turned for a moment and contemplated an escape attempt through the broken glass doors and the balcony he pushed Takayama off of, but he couldn’t say for certain that there was even a favorable escape path. To make that option more complicated, when one was outnumbered by potential threats, a large open space like a courtyard was possibly the least favorable position to find oneself in. Especially with his options limited by the presence of this girl, the longer he could stay in the narrow corridors of the compound and potentially face threats in a bottleneck, the better. Eliminating that as a potential option, the man had no other option than the doorway they had entered through, which still appeared clear of threats.

From a standstill Ryuusei would make a break for the hallway, running in a straight line down the hall and only stopping before reaching the end where the doorway they came in through was located. He stopped to make sure the coast was clear in the stairwell around the corner, but the echoing of voices coming from below was clear.

“Shit.”

Ryuusei darted to the other side of the hall, yanking open the door in hopes of finding an exit, only to find a dead-end storage room of some kind. The stomping of footsteps coming up the stairs grew louder by the moment, as did the echoes of the men’s voices, rapidly shrinking the amount of time the fair-haired man had to come up with a solution with each passing second. He backed out of the room and immediately turned to face the long hallway, the office with its doors ajar, and the broken glass opening leading to the balcony in the distance. With his options dwindling by the moment, he knew what he had to do, tightening his hold of the girl on his shoulder and bending his knees into an athletic stance.

“Hey, we’re about to go for a ride. Don’t scream.”

Without even giving the girl a moment to process the words he spoke to her Ryuusei took off down the hall, barreling straight into the office, leaping over the desk, through the glass doors, and off of the edge of the balcony. The fall was not insignificant in height, but not so steep that an individual with shinobi training could not safely stick the landing. He was careful, however, to make sure he cleared the body of Takayama on his descent. His landing was soft, the bend in his knees dissipating the impact in perfect fashion, and allowing him to spring from the crouching position he landed in forward and continuing his mad dash. His sprint would end as they came upon a cliffside overlooking the ocean, no doubt a favorite viewing spot of Takayama’s before his… unfortunate situation.

Ryuusei was forced to stop, facing the decision of turning around to face what was likely a small army between them and the gate on the other side of the compound or the fall from the cliff before him. From the office about he could hear the urgent yelling of the men who had been climbing the stairs before, likely to relieve the two guards he had incapacitated from their duty, creating an even greater sense of urgency to make a decision. Setting the girl down on her feet, Ryuusei quickly tore apart the ropes that bound her, allowing them to fall to the wayside and free her movements once more. He then immediately ripped the tape off of her mouth, no longer considering the discomfort of having the adhesive removed so rapidly and tucked his left arm under her shoulder, forcing her to the edge of the cliff alongside him.

“I would suggest you take a deep breath.”

Without another word Ryuusei would inhale deeply through his mouth and vault off of the cliff, sending both he and the girl plummeting into the ocean below. Fortunately for them both, his years growing up on the coast of a Water Country island had made him more than adept in the water. While still submerged he would drag the girl along with him, heading towards a dark alcove where they would be hidden from potential onlookers standing on the cliff above before bringing her up to the surface for air.

---

1,112

Condescending was the only way she could speak to him right now, well who would have thought this man would let, his stupid pride take over and try and get out with her tied up? Well, it was stupid. Getting out on your own was hard enough. So it was no way he would dare to try. "W.....mmmm" She was about to say. Well, once more so he would untie her, as Alexis looked at him in shock. His way? That was going to get them both killed. "Mmmmmm!" She would try to say. You're being stupid, you're going to get us both killed, untie me, and she looked even more annoyed when he said it's time for his way? It has been his way from the start. If she got to do it her way, she would never have entered this place. She struggles, but it was no good. She was just acting out. "Mmmmmmmmmmmmm!"

She was lifted up, as her face turned bright red and still even after she was placed on his shoulder. Hearing him speak made her mad, being a noble she has taken orders and given them, but the way this man spoke towards her was unlike anything she has heard, but the same way was with how Alexis spoke towards him because nobody could annoy her to this level. In noble life, there were rules to follow in how you speak with others, but with Ryuusei they were all gone, he just said what was on his mind.

Whining, princess, who did he think he was. "Mmm." Which meant shut up, but Alexis didn't take orders from someone like him, still struggling to get free, even going so far to kick him. She couldn't see a thing, as she just hated this, revenge was needed in the future. She could feel him using more strength, not knowing, where she was. Only she knows was don't scream, but why? Out from nowhere, his speed would increase, but she couldn't yell out because of the tape, even after he jumped over a table, this was just one crazy day, who was this commoner? He was like nobody, she has met before.

In that same moment she was placed down, looking mad at him, with him removing the tape from her mouth and the ropes, she didn't look happy. As her eyes would narrow. "Are you just stupid, you tie me up! You put tape over my mouth, and that hurt!" She would say sounding mad, but then his arm when under her shoulder as she turned bright red. "What are you....wait don't....." Then she looked behind her. As they feel letting out a loud scream.

As they hit the water, Alexis was unable to swim because from the water pressure, her clothes would hold her back from moving fully. As she was brought back up, by the annoying man, she would take in the air, ready to yell not caring if someone heard. "Were you trying to kill me, I am wearing a kimono. I can't swim when I am wearing it, if you listen to me before. We could of got out in a better fashion!" She would say still finding it hard to move from her clothes being wet. As she was just on the floor trying to catch her breath.

WC 557

TWC 4465

This girl just didn’t know when to stop, did she? With a frustrated grunt, the man reached out with his right arm and wrapped it under Alexis’ right shoulder, pulling her back tightly into his chest. He pressed his right hand flat over her mouth to put an end to her complaining and used his outstretched left arm and kicking legs to tread water while keeping her afloat. From this position he would begin propelling himself backwards into the shadow of the cliff and against the rocks to get them out of view. The process was made marginally more difficult by the drag from the girl’s robes, but she was light enough on her own that it was little more than a minor inconvenience to him, even though it inhibited her ability to swim.

“Do you ever stop talking?” Ryuusei whispered angrily into her ear, making sure to keep his voice down as to not give away their position, “Unless you want to go back up there and face all of the guards in his compound yourself, do less talking and more listening. I told you I’d get you out of here, but you’re doing your damned best to make sure that’s as difficult as possible right now.”

The sounds of men yelling overhead caused Ryuusei to fall silent, his palm still pressed against Alexis’ lips to prevent another outburst that might give them away. The shock of the men as they called out to notify their fellow guardsman to sound the alarm echoed around them, making it clear that any chance they may have had at retrieving the vehicle they came in was gone. The entire compound would go into lockdown after the discovery of Takayama’s corpse. The men would begin to scour the area, causing Ryuusei to begin to lower he and Alexis into the water, leaving only their body above the mouth on the surface for air and backing up against the furthermost wall as closely as possible.

“Don’t make a sound…” He whispered so quietly it was almost inaudible in Alexi’s ear before their mouths were submerged, so close that his lips brushed against her earlobe in the hopes of allowing not even a whisper to catch the ear of the guards just overhead.

The guards would remain in the immediate area for several minutes, no doubt doing a thorough inspection before focusing their efforts on the many rooms, closets, and hallways within the compound. Once he was confident that the last of them had withdrawn, Ryuusei would raise Alexis slightly out of the water and instruct her silently to wrap her arms over his shoulders and ride on his back while he quietly swam ashore. There was no telling when or where the guards might be searching this close to the compound, so remaining inconspicuous was of the utmost importance.

---

483

She was about to get out until the man would stop her, being unable to talk again. "Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm." She sounded even madder than before, but the water was like ropes to her because of her Kimono it was made from the best materials you could find making it really heavy in the water, unable to lift her hands up. She couldn't get away, maybe it was time to learn more about Taijutsu. She would turn her head, trying to speak. "Mmmmmmmmmmmm." Which met. It's your fault in the first place, for us being in here. Which was true. How long, was she going to stay like this, this man had zero manners at all. After they were safe, she would show him what it felt like.

She could hear an alarm, was that because she got away, or did this man do something? It was strange nobody, not even the guards or the lord was stopping him? Where did they go, the lord, she could see running away, but the guards know that was a little too strange, and why did he wish to enter this place to just get back out? Nothing here was adding up. She was blushing each time he would whisper into her ear, wishing to hit him. "Mmmmm." Which met, stop doing that. She would be submerged in water, being unable to breathe, but couldn't get back up because of him. She would kick, letting out a sound as he placed his mouth near her ear in the water, but nobody was able to hear it because of him.

Alexis wasn't stupid. Hearing him speak as she placed her arms around him. She was mad, but fighting now was not smart being unable to do anything about it because of the water. She wouldn't say a word until they were out of this water, but when they were she might even just yell at him right there. With guards around or not, but right now she had to play nice. Being on his back.

WC 344

TWC 4809

Once the girl was securely on Ryuusei’s back he would waste no time in beginning to search for a secure shore to land on safely. As the man swam he hugged the edge where the water met the cliffside for as long as possible to remain out of site while in such close proximity to the compound. Eventually, however, they would run out of cliff and be forced to make the choice between swimming out in open water with no cover or making shore at the earliest opportunity. Not in love with the idea of being completely exposed out in the water with no means of recourse, he would swim over to the shore as soon as he was able, pulling himself and the girl he was carrying onto the side of the body of water.

Once they were ashore Ryuusei would break free from the girl’s hold and immediately make his way up the slope of the hill. There were no audible threats approaching, but it was still imperative to get to higher ground to scout, not only for danger, but to approximate geographic location and to find a way out of here. Notably, he would pay little to no attention to Alexis as soon as they were both safely ashore, leaving her to pick herself up off the ground as he walked towards the nearest hill.

---

230

After sometime passed, they would reach the shore, where he let go of Alexis. "I really don't like you, you're rude and stupid." She would say sitting on the ground pouting. "If you untied me earlier, I would be free by now, and they would be in jail, but no you had to act like a big man. By tieing up a young girl, and holding her hostage. Give me one reason why I shouldn't knock you into the sea?" Alexis would say as she started to get up. Her clothes were still a bit heavy, but she pushed herself up. Placing her hands into the sleeves of her Kimono, walking up the same height as the rude, rude knight she was with.

"Well, what is your next plan, and no this time you don't get to pick it. You talk to me, before doing anything, I am not going back to that place, so I don't want any more stupid plans, do you understand!" Okay with that Alexis had it out from her now, able to calm down, it was odd, Alexis was embarrassed to say it, but she had no idea where she was right now.

She would look around, but Alexis had zero ideas, looking lost. Every time, she left the village it was with people. You could say, her manners and skills where noble class, but outside of that noble rank and family. Her ability and of knowing where to go was like a child, having no public skills with common people. Well not like this, in a noble setting she would be fine, but this was not it was mud and dirt everywhere annoying her.

WC 280

TWC 5089

Ryuusei turned his neck to adjust his face towards Alexis, looking the girl straight in the eye as she finished her monologue. The girl was visibly upset and flustered, her cheeks almost seeming as if they were puffing out in a pout beneath her angry eyes. Her fervor, however, would not be met in kind. Instead, the man who had dragged her about on his mission answered her glare with a disinterested expression, silently communicating how little care he placed in her words and brushing the girl off as nothing more than an annoyance, a sentiment he was sure that would not go over well with the bratty little princess.

Ryuusei would keep his eyes locked with hers in that fashion for just a few moments before turning away and making his way back down the hill and towards the water. Ignoring the girl’s words and demands completely the man took off his jacket and placed it on the nearby rock, laid out in hopes of expediting the drying process. With no road and no men visible from the hill the fair-haired man felt comfortable taking a few moments to dry himself a bit in preparation of the trek to follow. There was no hope of his jacket drying in such a short amount of time, but any amount was better than simply continuing to allow the dampness to go unresolved.

Kneeling down Ryuusei untied each boot, sliding it off by the side and continuing to remove his socks. Holding both socks together out over the water the man used both hands to wring the liquid from the cloth, getting his socks as close to dry as possible before laying them over his boots. Next he slid his t-shirt over his shoulders, exposing his bare chest and back muscles, before giving the shirt the same wringing treatment that the socks had received. His black tactical pants would follow, the ringing of his belt buckle clanking against the clasp ringing up the hill before the garment was pulled down his legs, leaving him in nothing but a soaked pair of grey boxer-briefs.

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355

What this rude man did next would make Alexis even madder, he was not paying any mind to her, even giving Alexis a look to show it. "Hey, listen to when someone speaks to you!" She would hope he would give an answer as the time when on, but it didn't show as she was just showing more impatience, tapping her foot on the rock. "Stop being a pain and speak already!" She would even make sure to follow him down the rocks, but Alexis was finding this hard, all her life she has stayed clean not allowing a single bit of dirt on her, as being her family's way. "If you don't listen to me, I will make you." She would say giving him a warning if this man was not going to take note, then he could find himself hurt.

"Okay, that does it!" She was about to perform hand signs, but then before she could finish, Alexis turned bright red. "What are you doing.........." His shirt was off as Alexis would blink in confusion, but then his pants would also leave him with Alexis starting to panic, having more of a blush, as he was standing in his briefs. Alexis turned around right away no longer wishing to face him. "Put something on, didn't your family teach you, not to undress in front of someone, now put something on, so I can continue what I was doing, that is an order." She couldn't bring herself to turn unless he said, his where clothes were on.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry." She would say acting like a brat, who was this man, he was rude now close to being naked? Did he grow up without any manners? Her sleeves would cover her eye's not paying any attention, unless he had said his clothes were on his body this was really embarrassing for Alexis, her voice was much softer. "Well did you place them back on......?" She would say hoping he said yes.

WC 332

TWC 5421