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「RISE」(1×1 with Jikkah)

Megohime strangled a cry of fear, her heart beating so hard in her chest, she was scared Matsunaga could hear it. The other Demi-human wasn’t as close as she would’ve liked for him to be, but she couldn’t stand him touching her anymore. She forced her eyes open, brought her legs closer to her and kicked outward with all of her strength, sending the top-heavy man off of her with a cry of anger.
 
He growled angrily, pinning her legs down with his and ripping the linen dress almost completely off, cutting her chest and abdomen with his sharp claws.
 
She cried out in pain as his claws opened up clean cuts on her, blood trickling down her breast and stomach, completely exposed to him. Her face flushed and she struggled hard, clenching her fists and gnashing her teeth as she tried to free her legs.
 
He forced her legs apart and growled lowly, preparing to penetrate her, but there was loud crashing and booms from down the hall. Matsunaga seemed annoyed, a scowl crinkling his brow.
"I suppose they found where we've been hiding." He huffed.
"Megohime!!" It was Masamune's voice. He actually came?
 
Megohime’s eyes opened, tears leaking down her cheeks, lip trembling, he came? Why did he come for her? She was just a slave, easily replaceable. She was calling back to him before she even realized it, fighting even harder as she cried his name over and over, struggling to close her legs.
 
The cell door was forced open and Masamune pointed his sword at the demihuman on top of Megohime, Kojurou keeping Matsunaga in place with his blade.
"Time to go, big guy. Or this gets messy." Masamune said. The demihuman snarled lowly as.he dropped Megohime's legs, moving off her. Masamune moved and unbound her before pulling her tight against him. "I'm so glad," he muttered, "I'm so glad you're ok..."

Akihime kept as far from the bars as she could, terrified and skiddish.
"Dana," Sasuke called as he approached slowly, "She's here."
 
Masamune was expecting her to start beating on him, maybe shove him away, what she wasn’t expecting was for her to wrap her arms tightly around him in return, sobbing quietly as she held tightly to him.

Akihime could hear quick footfalls and the clinking of armor before Yukimura came into view. He looked tired, exhausted in fact, and quickly he cut the lock from the door, taking a step inside. “Akihime-dono..!” The relief in his eyes overtook his exhaustion, and he quickly moved to pull the cloak from his own back. “Are you injured?”
 
Masamune held her tight, muttering soft nothings to soothe her as he pet her hair.
"Hey, it's ok. I'm here, you're safe. I'm sorry I'm so late.."

"Yukimura-sama..." Akihime's voice was so weak, coated with fear, "Y-You came...I knew you would..."
 
Megohime didn’t care of his past wrongdoings in that moment, she was just so relieved and thankful that they had come for her.
“There were only more slaves on the other end of the manor, Katakura-dono.” Jin said as she rounded the corner, glaring at Matsunaga with clear distaste. “Chosokabe insisted on staying to check for any wounded, but what I wish for now, is an answer.” She said lowly, keeping her gaze on Matsunaga.

Yukimura approached her slowly, holding out his cloak for her. “Forgive me.” He stopped when he was halfway to her, dropping to one knee, all while still holding the cloak out to her. “As soon as I heard you were missing, I didn’t stop searching until we found you... I only wish I wasn’t so late.” Is that why he looked beyond exhausted? He had been searching non-stop this entire time?
 
"As my slaves, I am allowed to do as I please with them. What's another slave to add to it?" Matsunaga answered simply.
"Akihime-dono was not a slave." Kojurou growled. Matsunaga merely shrugged.
"A demihuman means less than nothing." He replied.
"You son of a bitch." Masamune sneered.

He felt her grab his cloak and gently pull it to her chest before pulling it on.
"You came for me," she whimpered before pressing into his chest for safety, "Thank you...thank you so much, Yukimura-sama...please, I want to leave..."
 
Yukimura nodded, helping her standing and looking to Sasuke. “I’ll take her down to the carriages, then call for Chosokabe-dono.” He said, keeping one arm wrapped around Akihime.

Megohime only turned her head away at Matsunaga’s words, they weren’t new to her. She did her best to keep herself covered, but only the back of her gown remained on her, the front of her entirely exposed.
Jin looked disgusted. “Matsunaga, you’re no longer welcome in my party, and will be removed immediately. Along with that, you are being detained and will be brought before the King and his court for trial.”
 
Sasuke nodded and went to go see if there were anyone in the cells before going to look for Motochika. Akihime held on to Yukimura, holding his cloak closed around her.

Masamune didn't have much to cover her with so he looked to Kojurou.
"Kojurou, let her borrow your coat." He said. Kojurou nodded and handed over his coat, which was two sizes too big on Megohime. Matsunaga stood from his chair.
"I suppose we should be off then." He said.
 
Megohime accepted the coat gratefully, not caring if it was far too big, she just wanted to be completely covered. Jin escorted Matsunaga out, her bow in hand as she brought him downstairs to the carriages below, loading him up into a separate one than Akihime was in.
 
Masamune kept Megohime close as Motochika helped guide the other slaves to the spare carriages.
"I didn't think there would be so many of them." He muttered with a frown.
 
Nana frowned. “We may need to return for more carriages.” She called to Motochika, helping keep everyone in line.
Megohime only sat in one of the carriages, a blank expression on her face as Amaya moved from Akihime to her to check for wounds. Were things really going to start improving?
 
"Mego...?" Masamune gently touched her hand, "Amaya here wants to look at your wounds, ok?" Why was he suddenly so gentle? Did he really change for the better?
 
Megohime flinched when he touched her, jolting her out of her thoughts, and back to herself. Her eyes held panic for a moment before she settled again and gave a small nod.
Amaya shooed Masamune away for a bit of privacy so she could look beneath the coat at the cuts on Megohime, cleaning them and wrapping them.
 
Masamune stood with Kojurou, waiting patiently for Amaya to finish.
"I'm proud of you." Kojurou said softly. Masamune looked to him and gave a confused glance.
"What do you mean?" He asked. Kojurou crossed his arms.
"You cared for someone other than yourself." He said.
 
Megohime looked so small, sitting hunched in the carriage as her wounds were taken care of. Perhaps Masamune truest was changing, perhaps he wasn’t always destined to be a horrible person. When Amaya finished with Megohime, she covered herself back up and stayed in her seat, tired both mentally and physically.
 
Nana turned and nodded, a soft frown on her face. “I’m fine... I just don’t think I’ve ever seen this many slaves in one place.”
 
“We can only hope he gets the justice he deserves.” She muttered in agreement.

The journey back to the capital took half a day, and with many more slaves having to make their way back on foot due to the carriages being full, it took nearly a full day. The slaves were given strange looks in the streets, and surely it was an odd precession, dozens and dozens of Demi-humans all obediently moving in a line to the castle.
 
“They’re just like us... They haven’t seen this many slaves in one place before.” Jin said as she walked beside Masamune.
Megohime still sat with Akihime, clutching Kojurou’s coat close to her body, blank-faced and ignoring the murmurs around them. She was used to them, the staring and the muttering, she just wanted Matsunaga to get the justice he deserved.
 
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