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Yu-gi-oh 5Ds: Rise of Darkness and Corruption (Athene/ImaginaryMuse & Razgriz)


Thankfully, Hajime's vision wasn't quite to the point where he saw it. However, one thing was consistent with how Yuna was now; she did not look good. Not at all. But it was less from abuse and more from neglect.

Normally, rope was easy enough to get out of. In fact, she'd inwardly chuckled upon first registering hemp over chains. The latter would have been way smarter. Sleep, however, wasn't the only thing Yuna was low on. Food and water were also part of the equation. Her hair was a steadily getting a bit greasy. It was also beginning to reveal her normal black hair, due to not being able to dye it once again and now having Rose's help sealed away. The eyes stayed crimson .... simply because they were contacts rather than assisted by her card spirit.

A quick examination of Yuna would reveal the lack of food and water were the main things making escape the hardest, and simultaneously making her appearance look as dire as it did.

... Okay, so there was a third factor that, after thinking on it, did matter.

Yuna had no honest to gods idea where Kiryu had taken her. She could be back in the Satellite .... but she doubted it. Still, without any exact knowledge, leaving and hiding somewhere discreet was all but out of the question.

Misty stared from a distance, allowing Kiryu to move forward first. Thankfully, Kiryu had done the smart thing and not informed the others - Rutger especially - about this unassigned capture. Because he would no doubt have been pissed. Not at the fact Kiryu took initiative. No, there was a major issue, and it came in the form of this woman was stubborn. Maybe even more so than Aki. She only could read one definite trait from this Yuna; she was one of those self-sacrificing people. Didn't care about themselves, but when it came to others?

Yeah. This would be a different story if they had anyone she knew.

When Misty finally did move forward, she'd wait for Kiryu to finish removing the headphones before pulling a small bottle of perfume out and spraying it around Yuna. "If I'm going to do this, then you need to be ... tolerable."

"Oi, Kiryu. I was actually getting into that song ... "

Though she didn't register Misty's words right away, the perfume quickly caught her nostrils, making her cough slightly. "Christ! Ever heard of moderation?"

"Like I said ... until you cooperate and earn your right for a shower, I need to make you tolerable."

Yuna's head moved from side to side as she chuckled; well, he seemed to be right about the 'loopy' part. "So ... is this my new Facility, huh? To make up for busting you out or some shit? Really? Come now. I can understand a lot of other things; earning a break from the restraints, for example. But a fucking shower? Geez. And I thought my standards were strict."

Misty cleared her throat, kneeling down in front of the prone Yuna. "For right now, I am dealing with you. Trust me when I say you won't want me to give Kiryu control again. Let's try again. Look at me."

" .... That shit again? HEY, HEY!"

When Yuna didn't immediately lift her head, Misty simply grabbed a handful of hair. Her teeth latched onto her lower lip ... still nothing she could get a read off of. Well, damn. It meant she would have to actually ask. "Fine," she murmured to herself, pausing to gather a good thought on where to begin. "Which Signers do you know?"

" ... I don't even know jack shit about this whole Signer business."

True as that was, she did at least come to a certain conclusion. The mark she saw glow when Fayth had dueled Hotsuma; that was whatever branded her as a Signer.

"You do know Fayth Milner, do you not?"

"Yeah, but not the fact she was - is, whatever the fuck - a Signer. Whatever that even means. So trust me, if I didn't pick up on her being one of them, asking me that is a dumb question."

Misty stared long and hard at the bound Yuna before slowly resting her own hand upon a bound wrist. Silence would linger before she looked ... a bit more annoyed, truthfully. "You're being honest. Hmmm."

"And you're being annoying." Her head lifted as she looked up to Kiryu, "Tsk. This was seriously the best idea you could come up with? Try to train some gal who can't even get her hands dirty with shit like interrogations? Bad move. Should have brought someone more knowledgeable on these topics. Now you're never gonna get anywhere."

Yuna's gaze would be turned back to Misty, who promptly gave her a harsh slap across the face. "Don't just talk about me like I'm not here!" she hissed through gritted teeth.

"Fine. Then don't get involved with things you can't handle. This whole 'trying to get me to talk' thing? Heh. You'll never make progress."

The worst part? It was beginning to feel that way to Misty. She let out a frustrated sigh before finally looking up to Kiryu. "How'd you deal with her again? Goddamn."
 

Kiryu had seated himself in a small chair and watched Misty work, though he was a bit disappointed in what he saw. Granted, being who she was he shouldn't have been surprised...And in his mind, a fine woman like herself shouldn't have to dirty her hands anyway. "Not quite...And last I checked, it was your boytoy Hotsuma that got us out. You were busy being a hostage to that fat fuck Armstrong." he corrected her, adding nothing else as Misty would resume the interrogation.

The young man did just laugh as Misty would remind her not to make her have to hand control back over to him, "Oh she's right about that, Yuna. She's being nice to you, right now...You best stay on her good side...Or I will get involved again." But with how things were going, that was more and more starting to seem like an inevitability. Not that he minded; he was looking for an excuse to beat her again. And with how mouthy she was being, he would have all the reason in the world to do so.

And when Misty had had enough, turning back to him, Kiryu just shook his head, "Don't worry too much about it, Misty; a lovely woman such as yourself shouldn't have to sully your hands with her anyway. No...That's reserved for the low-down dogs like myself. Speaking of which...You might want to stand back a little bit." Cracking his knuckles, he then gripped Yuna's hair and yanked her head back, driving a clenched fist into her abdomen hard. And then again, and again...And a third time before letting go, revealing a large bruise on her stomach where she'd been struck repeatedly.

"But...The key is relentlessness, Misty. Make every second agonizing torture. Find their fears and capitalize on it...That's what this is about really, finding what she's the most of afraid of." he explained; and with that he had in mind, he decided to switch it up today. This was something he'd only heard of and hadn't done, but he figured he would give it a shot. He would grab a cloth sack and shove it roughly over her head, before long gripping the underside of her chair and flipping it up so that she would land on her back. "Now then, Yuna...I believe you're thirsty right? Well...Let me pour you a drink." he would then hiss sadistically, grabbing a gallon jug of water and pouring it over the cloth sack. Only for a few seconds, but with this, that would be enough.

"You claim to not know any Signers...But I saw you talking with Yusei in the Facility, you lying bitch! Now...Unless you want to slowly drown to death, why don't you try again, hm? Think real hard." he told her, pouring water over the sack again. "And by the way, the only other person I would have brought would make what I'm doing seem like a day at the park. But...Maybe he would have also finished you off by now, so in a way...He might have been more merciful. But...I still think you're holding out on us. So...Be a good little bitch and start talking. He had to reach out to you somehow, right? So...Tell me where she is...And I might be obliged to put one between your eyes."
 

".... I see. This is Misty, huh?" Yuna tilted her head, smirking as she laid her head down after a few seconds. "Heh. Of course you'd go for those women."

Misty first looked over to Kiryu, " ... You mentioned my name?" She then sighed, deciding for now, it could suffice, "Fine. Just ... careful with that. If things had gone badly, word would have gotten around. That's the last thing we need." Her head quickly turned over to Yuna as she taunted Kiryu, "W-What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Are those even real?" Yuna quipped.

"Those?" Misty asked, slightly confused for a bit. When she saw Yuna nod towards her chest, her face flushed as she turned angrily around. "Of course they are!"

"... Really? I know you Tops bitches love having the best of everything. You come off as the kind of person to get surgery."

Misty stepped back, sighing as her hands rose in the air, quickly landing back beside her hips. Yep. Even if Kiryu hadn't stepped in, fuck this. She was done with this captive. Even if only for the time being, fuck and no. She'd much rather watch than try speaking with her.

Each punch made Yuna cough and cry out. Though it was only three, it felt like it went on for much longer. Her eyes closed as she panted. "Heh. Good advice you're giving her. You get an A for that much. But you don't know much about me, really. My real name, my deck ... but shit like my fears? Hmph. Good luck with that."

Whether it was a fluke or he was much better at reading he than Misty, even Yuna gripped her lower lip at the sight of the bag. As it went over her head, she shut her eyes, beginning to take breaths through both nose and mouth.

Just breathe .... don't freak. Keep breathing ... the fuck?

Yuna yelped as the cold water fell on her face. Her head quickly turned as she coughed and panted slightly.

"Listen the fuck up! I may be many things! Yeah, I am a bitch. But I'm not a liar! I don't fucking know who all these Signers are! It's not like they go around declaring they have such a status! If Yusei's really one .... well, shit. Lucky me, huh?"

The last words were muttered and dripped in sarcasm.

"I also gave you that answer before you knocked me out. I haven't seen her in a while. Nor did I ask where she went. Just in case something like this happened. You don't have to like these answers, but I'm not lying. Hard to torture someone when they legitimately don't have what you're looking for, huh?"

Those last few words made Misty's head tilt. She rose a hand to Kiryu. "In case something like this happened? What made you even start thinking people would look for Fayth?"

"Common sense. No, really. After Yusei hinted something went down when the Facility fell and Fayth got dragged into it, I kinda assumed this may be a possibility. History repeats if you allow yourself to forget it, after all. So, even though I would normally have asked, my gut told me it wasn't the smartest idea. Lo and behold, you're only showing my instincts were dead on."

... It wasn't that Misty didn't believe Yuna. At the same time, it was just as Kiryu said; she was holding back. She was playing at least partly dumb. Not completely, but enough that she made no moves to stop Kiryu from resuming his water torture.

"Instincts are all well and good, but those can only work for so long."

"Oh? Your lover didn't tell you? I am Psychic. Technically, now, I suppose. The powers are sealed, but they're otherwise still there."

... Odd. Another link to Arcadia, Divine, and thus ... Aki. "That would be three then."

"Excuse me?"

"Three Signers; Yusei, Fayth, and Aki."

Yuna groaned.

Fuck my life some days. Seriously?! Aki's one too?!

"Yay for me," Yuna repeated, rolling her eyes under the bag. "Fine. I guess I do have the best and worst luck. Because I really didn't know any of these people were Signers. Now ... round what are we on? For real, next question. I don't know where any of them are, least of all Fayth. So ... you're shit out of luck, much like myself."
 

"Pay no attention to her, Misty; she's just jealous because you've got beauty and brains...Whereas she's ugly outside and in." Kiryu replied; honestly, he hadn't expected that kind of lip from Yuna. But damn, even he had to admit that was a funny remark. Thankfully, that grin he wore seemed to be a permanent part of his expression, so it wasn't likely either would read that he had found humor in Yuna's dig at the former model.

"Maybe not, but I know you're hiding something, Yuna...And it will be only a matter of time before I found out what it is." the young man then sneered, yanking her chair back upright roughly and throwing the bag off her head. "And for the record...It's very easy to torture someone, even if they don't know anything. Besides...Who said this little get-together was just about information?"

He hadn't missed her uptick in breathing and shaking; in fact, that made what he was about to do even more screwed up. Ignoring Yuna's own question, he would look over to Misty and say "Hey, Misty...Remember when I said to capitalize on fear? Well...Allow me to demonstrate that." Backhanding Yuna hard across the face to daze her a little more, he then roughly undid her restraints and said with sadistic glee as he dragged her by the hair, "Now...One thing you gotta watch for...is body language. That'll tell you what you want to know, nine-point-five times out of ten. When I put that bag over her head, she started getting fidgety. That tells me...She doesn't like feeling trapped. Feeling helpless, robbed of ability to see or do anything..."

And if Yuna would look, she was being led over to an empty crate, a keyed lock with the key still in it hanging from the latch. "And...I think as a fitting punishment, we give her a little time-out in here!" And after some struggling, he would throw her into the box and slam the lid down, locking it tight before he would sit on top. "Now then...What say you and I go out for a few hours hmm? Let this little friend of our sit and think about what she's done?"


Hotsuma, meanwhile, was still laid up in the hospital bed; his body had barely moved, his chest barely rising and falling as he worked to recover from his nearly fatal injury. However...Something seemed to prod him awake, his eyelids starting to shake as he would groan, blinking away the haziness as he tried to sit up, grunting as a sharp pain came from his chest. Forcing him to lay back down.

"Fuck....How long... Hotsuma muttered weakly, hearing the Emperor reply "Don't even think about asking me; you've been unconscious for so long I don't even know if it is your world's day or night. And I will say this again...You are the lowest form of fool. You could have gotten us killed!"

Hotsuma chuckled, "And yet, we're not dead....So nuts to that worry." He heard the Emperor internally groan, but Hotsuma was already trying to think of ways to get out of here. He had to have been out for more than a few days; he was honestly surprised no one tried to slip some poison in his IVs or something. It would have been stupid easy to get rid of him, and yet...No one did. But he'd overstayed his welcome, and he needed to get back. Let everyone know that it was all good...And if he knew Yuna, she would be back at Yomi too.

Unfortunately, he would have another visitor...One he was honestly hoping to not see again for a long time. Evidenced as such when he rolled his eyes. "Oh great....You again, huh? What, didn't like what I said to you in the Facility? Oh right...We kind of own that now, don't we? Whooops." he would then say to the man that stood before him, wearing a tired but very obvious shit-eating grin.
 

... Really? There was an extra agenda to this interrogation? Odd. Yuna hadn't heard of many times where people did this for more than just information. "Lemme guess. Reason number two is because you're that fucked up and just enjoy this too much?"

Misty nodded, listening intently as Kiryu gave another helpful bit of advice. While Kiryu spoke, she moved forward, beginning to get a better look. She hadn't really thought much on it. But mentally rewinding the last few minutes in her head, he was right. She had actually reacted to the bag going over her head.

Yuna, meanwhile, felt her blood freeze. Almost literally, with what bits of water had been poured over her.

... It wasn't that fucking obvious. Was it?!

Her heart pounded frantically in her chest. Oh god, she screwed up. That was what each and every word Kiryu uttered revealed. Desperation in the form of a last resort adrenaline rush surged through Yuna. The moment one wrist came untied, she began pushing at Kiryu. "Get the fuck away from me!"

With her joints having been bound for so long, though, the shove wasn't nearly as strong as usual. "Don't touch me ... ahhhh!" Her hands shot up a she tried to push down between Kiryu's thumb and forefinger. A common pressure point, and what would have been the easiest way to make him let go. Though even if that succeeded, Misty strode forward and gripped a shoulder while Kiryu took hold of Yuna's hair again.

"Shouldn't have helped!" Yuna snarled, reaching up and digging her nails deep into Misty's arm.

The other Dark Signer gasped, letting go and backing away. It wasn't much, but Yuna had drawn a bit of blood from forcing her nails as far as they went.

"LET GO! LET FUCKING GO!"

Poor Yuna was beside herself, in a new kind of frenzy. One fueled just by herself, rather than being aided by Rose. She hadn't been like this since Arcadia, when she was thrust into the water tanks. She squeezed and squirmed frantically against Kiryu, hitting anywhere. A bit more effort and focus, however, went to anywhere she wounded earlier; his calf or chest, namely. "I'M NOT LYING! I DON'T KNOW WHERE ANY OF THEM ARE!" Panic was visibly entering her voice as she shook while still punching and attacking her assailant.

"No, no, no, no, wait! Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Please don't ... "

Yuna had indeed - against her better judgment - looked to see where Kiryu was dragging her. If she hadn't been fighting before, now she really was while he opened and started forcing her inside. Any ideas that came to her, Yuna tried; from keeping her feet against the lid to doing the same with her hands.

With everything being sore - and a bit numb - Kiryu would eventually get his wish.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! YOU SON OF A BITCH, LET ME OUT!"

" .... Claustrophobic. Huh."

Well, that was a good start. Finally, they had something to use and help keep Yuna in line. Looking down at her arm, she grimaced. With the robe being the best she had on her a a make-shift bandage, she shoved the sleeve down on the wound. "Please. Let's get out for a bit." Before that, though, her head turned towards the crate, "He gave you some free advice, so here's mine. Take a nap. It'll help make the hours go by. But screaming your head off is going to do much more harm than good for you."

"Fuck both of you," Yuna whimpered, slamming her fists angrily against the lid. Only when both of their footsteps lef did she allow herself to do something she'd been holding back. For the first time in the five days of her new captivity, Yuna sobbed, eventually ceasing her struggles altogether. Very reluctantly, she shut her eyes and tried to heed Misty's advice. It did have some truth to it, at least.

Hotsuma ... Hajime ... someone? I'm sorry. Please help me ...

Still no answer, resulting in another frustrated kick before shakily held herself, resigning herself to her - temporary, at least - fate.
"My, you've been out for quite a while."

Beside Hotsuma was none other than Rex Goodwin. Apparently, the young man had been unconscious since he first arrived here. As such, he had waited for a needed call, returning when Hotsuma finally regained his consciousness.

"Quite the wound you suffered. Interesting; apparently, according to your records, this was done by ... a blade? A sword, to be more precise. Weird, though. The only swords I've seen are on the artwork of certain cards. Mind indulging me, Hotsuma? What happened to make you end up coming here?"

Of course, he already had an idea. It was just a matter of if he would get confirmation sooner or later.

Fast as Yuna had been, there had been security cameras the night Yuna dropped Hotsuma off. And even with an altered appearance .... well, he could speak with Divine afterwards. See what more the man really knew as far as Hotsuma and Yuna went. They hadn't been mere guests, after all.

For now, he reminded himself he was still speaking with the Fiend. So, to - hopefully - make this talk go jut a bit smoother, he added his own olive branch into the equation. "Just be honest. That way, when you are discharged, I'll allow you to recover without any issues. Your partner, however, will be a different story. She's as wanted as you, after all. But I can at least guarantee things will go fine for you. I'm sure you'd like the reprieve, wouldn't you? So, what say you?"
 

"Hold on...Think I still have something in my ears. Did you actually care about what happened?" Hotsuma weakly sneered; what the hell was with this guy? Where did he get off trying to play like he actually gave a damn? It was clear that all he wanted was information, and his question proved that much.

And when even he went so far as to say he wouldn't be bothered after he was discharged, Hotsuma was quiet...But then lowly laughed. "That's pretty fucking rich, coming from you. You actually sound like you're trying to do me a favor. That...Ow, fuck....heh, that's pretty damn funny, you sleazy fuck."

Even so...He honestly had no idea where Yuna was. Though...That was when he heard something rather strange. A buzz...Something like static. But it wasn't anything comprehensible, so he figured it was just the fuckton of anesthesia and painkillers still messing with his head, and brushed it off. And...It was true, he could use the reprieve...But he would still tell Goodwin to fuck himself. Just in a different way than he might expect.

"And here I thought you would take this opportunity to put a bullet between my eyes. What was it you asked me in the Facility? Have my mannerisms changed? Hehe..." He would groan afterward though, his chest still sore as fuck from being punctured by Rose's katana. Taking a few deep breaths, he then said, "But...Fine, you want to know the truth? Yuna nearly gutted me...Then had a change of heart and dumped my ass here. Probably hoped I would die...Well, sucks for her, as you can see."

Grinning, he then said, "But if you're hoping I'll sell her out...You're shit out of luck, dick-head. Got no clue where she went, and even if I did...Well, much as I hate your fucking guts, I think you're smart enough to know I wouldn't say a damn word."
 

Goodwin cleared his throat, mentally erasing each curse word that he heard Hotsuma elicit. So unnecessary; damn Satellite brats.

Yet, despite his attitude, he actually replied. And from what Rex could tell, he was being completely honest .... all the more interesting.

"She gutted you? With an actual sword? I didn't think she had such a thing in her possession. But then again, she's .... a resident I never properly accounted for in the Satellite. Either way ... thank you for the confirmation. Whether she knows it or not, she was caught by some of the exterior cameras. Not very well, admittedly, but enough. According to the direction she went after putting you on the hospital steps, we've deduced she's more likely to be here than back at the Facility or in the Satellite."

A smug smile spread over the Director's face.

"You don't need to say anything definite. You gave more than enough information to me just now. And with all the men I have checking this city combined with you being stuck here ... well .... I don't think I need to say much more in that regard. So, lest you suddenly get discharged overnight, I'll have her in my custody before you can even properly recover."

Rex slowly got up to his feet, chuckling softly. "I can't deny, though. Your loyalty for her is as cute as you two being an item. Farewell .... Fiend."

Seeming satisfied with his findings or now, and his head start, Goodwin began to leave the hospital, leving Hotsuma to his own devices.
 

Hotsuma just laughed lowly, "You might have caught her face on camera, dumbass...But the Tops is a hell of a lot bigger than the Satellite. Good luck finding her." And it was true; especially with Rose on her side, she would be nigh-impossible to hunt down.

"Feh...I don't see why you didn't just tell him where she could have gone; would save you the headache." the Emperor chastised, Hotsuma chuckling internally "Maybe because I honestly have no clue where she went? Besides, you heard the man; he'll have her in custody before I'm even properly recovered....Good thing I don't intend to stay that long." If there was ever a time for a demon lord to face-palm, this would be it. "You do realize there are limits to how much damage you can take, right? As you are, you would be hard pressed to transform and get out forcefully."

"Trust me, Emperor...I know, that's why I'm going to eat up a few more of the taxpayer's dollars and get stronger before I even try to bust out of here. Until then...Let's watch some TV, yeah?" he then said, grabbing the remote next to his bed; this place was alright, to be fair. Even if he was sure someone had done something to him while he was out cold, however minor it might be.


A few days later, and Yamichi was getting ready for his date with Ling. They had called again the day before just to clarify where he was going to meet her. And with both Shivini and Takeshi having brought home sizable winnings, that meant Yomi wouldn't exactly be strapped for resources for a good while. Something that afforded him a break now that the gang was all back together...For the most part, but with the knowledge that Hotsuma was safe in the hospital and the reassurance between him and Hajime that Yuna would be found and brought back...

Yeah, a break was much needed. And thankfully, both his and Shivini's dates were on the same day...Which meant Takeshi, Eikichi and Hajime wouldn't have to be around to hound them about their luck. A fact the both of them were thankful for; it was weird enough that someone from the Tops asked them out. They could do without their friends teasing them for it.

Once the boat was parked, the two would go on their separate ways in two taxis after getting far enough away from the pier. Yamichi had just laundered his clothes, and wit h the weather still somewhat nippy but warmer, he opted for a red jacket and black undershirt with a pair of charcoal slacks and loafers instead of the jeans and hoodie he was so fond of wearing. Unfortunately...His neck-length blonde hair was unceremoniously tossed into what Takeshi had called the 'shaggy suave' style. Very much a reason he wasn't invited on this outing, Yamichi thought to himself.

And when his cab pulled up to the address listed...He was a bit surprised where he found it was. And in his right hand, he held a small bouquet of white lilies; he wasn't really sure what to get her, especially since he'd never really been on 'official dates' that often. "Oh man...I hope she isn't allergic or something...That'd just be my luck..." he muttered, not seeing Ling just yet.



Meanwhile, Finlay waited at Cafe la Geen; it was reasonably priced, and had a large drink selection. Plus, it was fairly close to several other popular activities they could do. And with his brown hair neatly combed, his white button-down shirt and the khaki pants neatly pressed...He was definitely ready to impress his date.

He just hoped he wouldn't make a complete fool of himself. He hadn't really met any women when coming to Neo Domino City. And he was still fairly new to dating, being more of an introvert back in the European Union, studying ancient civilizations and archaeology under his father.
 

Ling only had a bit of the same struggle Shivini had. It was less of what to wear, and more of picking a decent style and color. In certain regards, she was very much a traditionalist. In fact, it was a small reason she had a Dragon deck over any other kind. Dragons had huge significance in Chinese mythology.

Her attire followed the same rule.

On the off chance Yamichi hadn't thought much about her wearing an oriental dress ... he'd find out soon enough that hadn't just been a one-time thing. In fact, if any of his friends relayed how she looked, he'd have a much better hint.

Then again, that was part of the surprise; seeing if she could get a positive reaction now that she was actually trying to look somewhat decent. In the end, she chose a red and black dress to wear. Hopefully, he'd like the contrast as much as Ling tended to.

Her legs gently swung on the stone bench Ling was sitting on. With her living in the Tops, now she was playing the waiting game. Was he taking a while because he didn't live here?

Not that she cared. Far from it. If anything,s he felt a bit guilty. Had she known, she would have tried to pick someplace in between where they lived.

Finally, though, the sounds of footfalls made her head turn. Standing quickly up, her heart skipped a few beats. And .... he came into view, making her smile.

"Yamichi! It's great to see you! Glad you could make it!"
"Black .... black .... oh my god, I didn't think I had so many black clothes! Shit!"

Shivini let out a frustrated groan. Who knew getting ready for a date was this stressful? Although black was usually a decent color, she was going to a date, not a funeral. And everything she'd gone by gave too much of a feeling of heading to a depressing event. The last thing Shivini intended to try to do was give Finlay any wrong impressions.

"Blue?"

Her head tilted as she decided no. Maybe when she made arranagements for something more casual. But blue jeans for a cafe didn't seem like a smart idea.

When she finally found the first non-black and not overly casual outfit, she held it up to herself.

... Was it .... too bold?

You mean compared to the leather outfit he saw you in? she chided herself, rolling her eyes at herself. Well .... whatever. If nothing else, this would be interesting. Nodding to herself, Shivini took a deep breath and got changed. When she went to the pier, she looked more akin to a child sneaking out and doing something she wasn't supposed to.

But it was for the very same concern Yamichi had; Eikichi would never shut up if he saw her. Honestly, she was fortunate enough that her aniki hadn't heard her having a bitch fit in her own room.

"Hey Yamichi. You look really nice."

She'd keep quiet unless the tech spoke, simply to avoid making the poor guy too nervous.

And honestly? Shivini couldn't blame him. She'd made such an effort to put on a more feminine look because .... well, clearly Finlay had seen something decent enough in her. Most viewed her as the literal Amazoness she was; too buff, too tomboyish, too some other adjective.

Today, she wanted to look at least somewhat more traditional.

"Good luck!" she'd call when they split up. With a bit of Yamichi's help, the two had looked up their respective date destinations. So even though she'd never been to this Cafe la Green before, she knew where to go.

Right before she walked in, Shivini took a few seconds to straighten her outfit one last time.

Here goes everything and nothing, she thought, walking in and - rather easily - spotting Finlay.

A smile spread over her face as she walked forward, sitting down across from him. "You ... you haven't been waiting too long. Have you? Sorry if so."
 

Yamichi blushed as he heard Ling's voice; wow...She looked incredible. That qipao she was wearing fit her figure amazingly well, as she would notice a light tinge come to his cheeks. To say she got a positive would be an understatement in the slightest; he honestly felt he looked a bit homely now compared to her. And in the backdrop of where he was supposed to meet here...Even he had to admit this was like a fantasy come to life. And he was counting his lucky stars that this wasn't some kind of sick dream sequence he would wake up from.

"Uhm...Yeah, me too...Wow, Ling, you..." he started to say, but found his voice faltering and failing him, finally able to say after pulling at the collar of his shirt. "You look...amazing. Really." He was honestly kind of embarrassed though; he could hardly keep his eyes on her lest he could another 'reaction' that would make things even more embarrassing for him.

His eyes then fell to the bouquet in his hands; oh right, he was supposed to give them to her. "Oh right...I, uhm, got these for you...I wasn't sure what kind of flowers you liked...But roses didn't...well, seem your style, I guess? Eh-he..." he would reply, rubbing the back of his head nervously; he mentally scolded himself, feeling an idiot for not even asking which kind of flowers she would like.

"Uhm...Ling, if you don't mind my asking...Where are we, exactly? I've never been somewhere like this before, but...It's really nice." the tech then asked her; he would definitely have to bookmark this location. It seemed like the perfect retreat for some peace and quiet; and there were few places in the Satellite that offered this kind of serenity and natural beauty. Not with the industrial pollution choking out the native fauna.



Finlay was waiting nervously, hands twisting about himself as each second felt like an hour; was she not from around here? He would have chosen somewhere closer if that was the case. He honestly had no clue where she even lived; maybe that could be something they discussed? What would they even talk about?

He didn't get much of a chance to reflect on it, for soon the woman herself arrived at the cafe. Looking even more stunning than he could ever imagined, evidenced as such when some of the other male patrons looked at her with approving glances; it would definitely seem her outfit was a winner in all respects of the word. "Shivini...Wow, you look marvelous!" he complimented her genuinely, having stood up and pulled out a chair for her to sit in across from him before taking a seat again.

"How's everything been? I was honestly kind of worried I picked a spot that was too far away, but...I am really glad you made it. And...I won't lie, I was more than surprised when you accepted at the tournament. Congratulations...On making it to the Final Four." he then said to her, smiling genuinely.

"How are your...uhm....injuries by the way? I was worried when I saw what happened...I hope you've recovered a bit?" he then asked; while her outfit had her stomach exposed, he wasn't the type to awkwardly gawk and he honestly wasn't a medical student. He just cared whether or not she had healed properly; what had happened was terrible, after all. Who expects to get those kinds of injuries playing a card game?
 

Ling giggled softly. Granted, it wasn't like she'd gone on many dates before. A very small handful, butt most went horribly and-slash-or Ling picked up that the previous guys had less than good intentions. Regardless, she wasn't nearly as nervous as poor Yamichi. Somehow, this felt ... right. Natural. Maybe she was just being a stupid - or at least very wishful - teenager. But there really had been ... something that seemed to connect between the two when they first met. Apparently, Yamichi agreed enough to meet up with her .... or something like that.

"You don't need to be nervous. I don't bite; my dragons are a different story. Anyway ... you look really nice yourself."

Her grin widened as she gently took the bouquet into her left hand. "Well .. it's not like we knew everything about one another before meeting. The fact you went through his kind of effort at all is really sweet. Thank you. You are right though; roses, though nice, aren't my favorite."

Ling's head gently moved from side to side as she walked towards the bench, sitting back down and offering him ot join her. "This is ... well, essentially, a zen garden. It's a place where people are supposed to come here to de-stress and relax. I know after the scare at the tournament, I need a break from the chaos. I ... really was nervous about hurting Takeshi in our fight. I'm glad they fixed it by then. I hope, though, Takeshi and Shivini have been well; they -- "

Ling quickly stopped; no. That wasn't why they agreed to meet. This was a chance to make more fond memories, not dwell on the painful ones.

"So how have you been since I last saw you, anyway? Well? Or at least mostly alright?"
"Heh, thank you. I don't usually get dolled up, so ... this is very new for me. Oh, thank you."

Good. Nice to see the gentleman aspect applies in and out of dueling.

It really was so rare nowadays. Sad, really. Mentally dismissing the thought, Shivini accepted the seat, sitting across from Finlay. "Well ... it's fine. I do have ways to get over here, though that's hopefully obvious enough given I'm here. Honestly, this was for the best. There's ... more options here."

... In fact, it was probably the only way they could have arranged this date. There weren't exactly any even somewhat romantic spots in Satellite, after all.

Shut up, shut up. Focus!

"If you were surprised I accepted, I can safely say the same on being offered this outing at all. The feeling's definitely mutual." Shivini paused, lightly sneaking a hand under the table and lightly tracing a few fingernails over her scar. "Actually ... despite looking really dire, no organs or anything got hit. All things considered, it's healing better than I thought. The scar's not gonna go away anytime soon, but .... "

Shivini shrugged.

"I'm here and that matters more to me. I do appreciate the concern though."

This may not be the mos typical of questions, but it was something to shift from an otherwise unwanted discussion. "So ... I meant it when I said few people know the actual lore on Amazons. Back from their origins in Ancient Greece, especially. Do you like researching various topics?"
 

Well...Yamichi was secretly glad that he hadn't totally blown it; he at least guessed flowers she didn't like correctly. "You-you're welcome" he stammered, still kind of nervous as he would follow her back to the bench where she had waited for him. There was a sweet scent in the air, something he could never get back in the Satellite; aside from the mountains of trash at the recycling centers, there was the smog from the countless factories that would often times blot out the sun from the thickness alone.

"A zen garden...I've never heard of that...But, I'm definitely glad I'm here. Definitely need a break from everything that's happened." he said mutedly, watching as a pink petal would float about before landing on his lap. "Sakura blossoms...That's right, they're in bloom this time of year." he commented; honestly, he wouldn't mind coming back here again. Especially if it meant another chance to do so with Ling. He just wished that there was something like this in Satellite, even if it was tiny. One day, he thought. One day he would try to make a place like this for those over in that isolated hell. Just to give them something to relax with.

"They're alright...I appreciate the concern though" he would smile at her; but when she asked how he was doing...His smile faltered a little. He wanted to be honest...But the danger that would put his friends in was too high, and it could cause trouble for Ling herself. Even if Ling didn't work for Sector, he didn't want to risk dragging her into his own mess of a life. Even still, he could at least be half-honest...Maybe a quarter-so. "Mostly alright; won't lie though, with everything that's happened recently, things have been in kind of a tizzy. Still...At least we have the Fortune Cup to look forward to, right?"

He then smiled at her and said, "Congrats on getting in, by the way; to be honest, I kind of figured you would. Your deck's pretty intimidating; when your dragons want to bite, they bite hard, hehe. Makes me wonder if we'll face each other there as well...Not that I would mind."

And now it would be his turn to ask her, "Aside from winning a spot, how's everything been with you? Anything new and exciting? Any hobbies besides Dueling you like to enjoy?"


Finlay was glad that Shivini was alright, even more so when she revealed that no organs got hit. That was one thing he was honestly concerned about; it wasn't every day one saw someone that they were attracted be carved up like charcuterie. "Well, I'm certainly glad to hear that. It's good to see you are as tough as the lore you embody." he tried to compliment; but realized that came out awkwardly. "Oh dear...Well, hopefully she'll give me points for effort?" he wondered worriedly, trying to play it off as a bad joke in case she found it offensive.

Thankfully, she seemed to want to change topics...Something he was more than eager to do himself. "Ah, yes...I'm probably what you would call a 'bookworm'. My father's an archaeologist, and I've been studying under him for some time. Learning the mythos of the various cultures from around the world has always fascinated me, things that have been lost to time, banished from the public knowledge by and large. I always often wondered what this world would be like if Caesar's army hadn't burned down the Great Library all those millennia ago. Such a shame...So much knowledge, so many contributions. Lost in an instant."

Realizing he might have rambled on a bit too long, he then gave a nervous cough and added, "But...I traveled out here because I like visiting new places and meeting new people." Waving his hand, he then said, "But...That's enough about me. I want to learn more about you, Shivini. What do you like to do for fun?"
 

.... Well those words almost immediately made Ling raise an eyebrow. He needed a break from everything that had happened?

Admittedly, his group of comrades he hung around did seem like they were rather frequently busy.. But ... now it was feeling like there was a bit more to that story. Intrigued as Ling was, she decided this was something he could bring up if he chose to.

It likely wasn't every single detail, but he did at least admit he'd been in a funk of sorts lately. "I understand. Being in an 'ehhh' mood, that is. I kinda was for a few days after our fight; not because I lost, but I didn't feel like I gave you a proper duel. I knew I could have done a lot better, and that's exactly why I worked hard to secure my spot in the most recent tournament. I hope things get better for you, though. You're a sweet guy. You definitely actually deserve a break, unlike a lot of the corrupt people around here."

Her head bowed politely as Yamichi congratulated her for advancing into the Fortune Cup. "Thanks. I can't deny I'm sorta hoping to go against you again. But if nothing else, we can probably arrange a rematch ourselves." A sly smirk mingled in with her smile. "Oh, trust me. It's much more intimidating now than what you saw. I made some changes; you helped me see I did need to adjust it a bit."

Ling would tilt her hand in the air, making sure to use her empty one. "Sorta. For you, this is new. I don't know if I can say myself. Still, I'm fine with relaying the answers. I do have some hobbies. Calligraphy ... one of the lost customs of many cultures. A shame, really. I know it's not needed, but ... "

A casual shrug would be her response, followed by the sight of Ling tucking some stray strands of hair behind her ears.

"I dunno. I'm old-fashioned in certain ways. Preserving heritages and history seems too important to just give up. Hence why I bother with calligraphy. I also meditate and do a bit of Tai Chi ... though it's easy to say those are the same. They sorta are, in some ways. Finally, I help as a tutor and teacher assistant at the Dueling Academy here."

"I have a soft spot for kids ... "

Even if that was merely a statement, Ling opted to keep it to herself. Just to avoid any misinterpretations or assumptions.

"And you? You seem a bit pale, like you don't get out much. Are you that busy with your friends?"
Shivini chuckled softly. Sure, it came out a bit awkward. But at least he'd been honest, which was appreciated.

"I've sometimes questioned if I was somehow born from the Amazons. I know that seems a bit crazy and probably impossible. But ... well, like you said. I embody them so much. Some days, it feels less of a coincidence that I was born this way."

And given all that Yuna and Hotsuma were capable of, even if their abilities were force started, maybe it wasn't as far-fetched as Shivini may have originally thought.

"Oh wow. Then ... is he gone a lot? Most archaeologists tend to travel a lot from what I've heard."

Though there weren't the largest amount of books - or sources to read up and research like Finlay could - there were a small handful. Enough to keep Shivini from sounding too ignorant during this talk ... at least as far as his dad's occupation.

The name Caesar, however, caused her head to tilt.

"Caesar?" she tried to repeat, the name sounding a bit off due to incorrect pronunciation. "Who's that?"

... Fun?

Well, shit, she thought, trying to come up with even one answer. Teasing Takeshi couldn't count, if only because he was able to get back at her as easily as Eikichi.

"I umm ... hehe. I guess I do a bit more work than play, it seems. I don't know. Well .... "

Shivini sighed. If this relationship was going to have even a slight chance of working out, she needed to be honest and reveal at least certain facts about herself. Her voice lowered as she softly confessed, "I'm ... not from the Tops. We don't really have much in the Satellite. Kinda low on options for 'fun stuff'."
 

"I do too...Kind of overdue for a respite, eh-he." he replied, blushing as she called him sweet; he'd never really had someone put so many compliments on him. Even Hotsuma didn't compliment him this much, and he'd long lost count of the times the guy called him 'brilliant' or 'a genius'. But if he had to be honest? This was nice; and he knew he could never have his leader as another more than a close friend.

Besides...This could be the chance to actually have something for himself.

He was curious to see what she could have done to improve it; from his own perspective, she'd just gotten bad draws. But when she listed her hobbies, namely calligraphy, he was more than a little impressed. Evidenced by the look of envy in his eyes. "I won't lie...I'm kinda jealous. You're right, calligraphy is a beautiful art...But my hands are way too shaky for that, haha." Giving her a smile he then added, "Nothing wrong with being old-fashioned; there's nothing wrong with wanting to preserve your heritage. It might not completely define who we are...But sometimes we just want to have something to hold onto you know?"

And when she asked if he was that pale from being so busy, he was certainly a bit stuck on what to say. He didn't want to lie to her...But he didn't want to come out and say, "I'm allied with Sector's Public Enemy Number One" either. Even so...There was something he could reveal, even if it wasn't the full truth. "Well...That's part of it. But Ling...I'm going to share something with you. And I totally understand if you're not okay with it..."

Taking a deep breath, he then added to her in a low voice, "I'm...I'm not from here. I grew up in...you know, the Satellite. Still live there, really. I stay indoors a lot because I know I'm not the physically toughest, and let's just say, well, Dueling isn't the only way things are settled over there."



"I actually live on my own; even though I'm nineteen, I've proven more than able to take care of myself. I will admit my father does help me with living expenses, but I live fairly comfortably all things considered." he would reply to her first question, adding "But yes, he does travel the world a lot; his father did a lot of work for Industrial Illusions and my father actually worked on a project about twenty years ago. Never said what it was though...All I remember is that it was somewhere down in Peru, I think." he explained; the next time he would speak to his father, he would have to ask about that again.

It couldn't have been that big of a secret, could it?

But she asked about Caesar, he seemed a bit taken aback at first; she never heard of him? But then...It wasn't exactly unheard of for people to be unfamiliar with Greco-Roman mythos. He wouldn't bore her with a long-winded lecture about him, but he could at least give a brief background. "Caesar was the Emperor of the Republic of Rome, and what many historians refer to as one of the greatest military commanders of all time. He was actually the first to implement a formalized calendar system, one that spread across the world in a matter of years once they saw how well it worked. It's not used today except in niche applications; you might have heard of the Julian calendar. He's the one who was responsible for that...Among many other achievements, the formation of the republic system of government."

But when she sighed, he took as a sign that he had gone on too long. Making him grin sheepishly, "Oh dear, I'm sorry....I just don't get a lot of people who might..." but cut himself as she revealed what was obviously a very close secret. She was from the the Satellite? That awful place across the water?

"No wonder she looks like she can break a soda can on her forehead" he wondered....But if she would think it might deter him, then she would find herself horribly - or perhaps, wonderfully in her case - mistaken. Careful not to raise his voice - knowing full well the implications of her revealing that around here - he would gently place a hand on hers. "Well...First, let me say I'm sorry; I had no idea. I've only heard rumors about that island...None of them good. But it must not be too bad if it has a lovely young lady like yourself living there."

Continuing on, he then said, "Don't think that bothers me though; it's not where we're from that defines us, after all. It's what we do as individuals." And just at that point, the waitress would come over, "Hi, hi! Sorry for the wait! We're a bit behind today! What can I get for you two?" Finlay smiled, "It's quite alright; I'll have a cup of the Blue-Eyes Mountain, if it's alright. Just straight, please. And put whatever my friend is having on the bill as well."
 

"It is true. Calligraphy involves very hands, and most instructors are insanely strict to ensure you don't falter when you write. You have to keep your wrist at certain angles ... it's honestly an easy way to put yourself at risk for things like Carpal Tunnel if you're not careful. But the end result of each thing I can preserve are well worth it."

Her head nodded, "Oh, I do know. I just ... sometimes feel like I was born in the very wrong era and time because of how old-fashioned I am. Dueling's one of the few more 'modern' things I do."

If she had to assign herself a second 'modern trait' about her, it'd be the teaching and tutoring.

When Yamichi finally took a moment to acknowledge there was more than simply him seldom leaving whatever home he stayed at, she quietly listened. And smiled as she heard something she had wondered since their last duel.

"I'm honestly not too surprised. The people in the Tops have a lot of pride. I can't envision anyone trying to make a Scrap deck, even if it's stronger than one would immediately assume. Most duelists here would be horrified it'd label them as ... well, the scraps. Trash. Although, to be fair, that is true with about half the Tops people between you and me." Ling shrugged, scooting a bit closer to Yamichi. "I've head about those parts of Satellite; the gangs, in particular. But you and your friends have already broken what's by far the worst stereotype linked to anyone from that area. Most people just .... don't care. It's supposed to be 'every man or woman for themselves'. But ... not you guys. You've shown that time and time again."

She didn't dare bring up the most recent tournament, nor the first one. Oh yeah. she had stayed for the rest of that ... just at a distance. But not so much she didn't hear about Hajime's abduction. She had seen the aftermath, how all of his group had tried to help him recover, and everything in between.

"That sort of comraderie .... it's very rare. You're lucky to have people like them. I just have the usual Tops residents you hear about. Stuck-up, caring mainly of their financial and social standing. It's very frustrating. But, despite their flaws, they do otherwise care. They just... don't show it very well. I'd eventually like to meet all of them one of these days. there seem to be quite a few members you have; at least from what I've seen."
"Fair enough. I did that for quite some time, myself."

And even now, Shivini still did sorta live on her own. Yomi - and the Disciples, actually - had mostly, if not only, orphans. People that were used to solitude. Hajime and Eikichi ... they were some of the few who had known each other from a young age. Something Shivini very much envied. And with Yuna having been gone ... she really had been mostly acting and looking out for herself. Everyone was capable of handling themselves, especially since the demons were aiding in the fortification of the Facility.

"It gets lonely, doesn't it?"

Though it was a rhetorical inquiry, it was one Shivini felt very confident about knowing the answer to.

So ... even from years ago, fighting's been a major deal?

That was what so much of her own life consisted of, be it in or out of duels. It was just as intriguing as it was disheartening to hear fighting was as old of a custom as her deck. Likely more so. "Oh, no. You don't need to apologize. He sounded very interesting. And competent. Honestly, it's a bit embarrassing I don't know of him. You know, with Greeks and Romans having counterparts for the ancient gods and such. I kinda should know that name."

Shivini giggled softly, wrapping her hand around Finlay's. "Well, it's not like we wear signs saying we're from Satellite or Tops. It's --- "

That was actually kinda annoying timing. She had bee more than ready to elaborate on her home area. Ah well. It wasn't like the waitress would linger around forever or anything. "I'll ... try the Blue Eyes Mountain also. Thanks."

Sure enough, when the waitress left, Shivini paused. After mulling and gathering over her thoughts, she nodded. "It is rough. I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. But ... I'd have to say I was one of the luckier people. I was found by someone who gave a damn about other people's safety and actually made a haven. Away from Sector, the gangs, and everything else. She's .... helped me become even half decent of a duelist. I sorta copied her deck -- in the warrior sense. But I used a completely different approach on my own. Flawed as it is, Satellite's still my home. Just like how the Tops is your own."
 

"Don't I know it; Hajime faced someone with that kind of pride when we came in that first time. I don't really know what he said, but it pissed him off something fierce." Yamichi replied, blushing more as she complimented his deck. "I think most people probably don't realize how it's supposed to be played; I'll admit it even took me a while to figure out the mechanics. If you're not careful, it can certainly come back to bite you."

Not minding that Ling had scooted closer, he just nodded as she brought up the gangs and the camaraderie, "Yeah...I was super lucky to find the people I did. They've been with me for a long time; like I said, I'm not the strongest person, but...I didn't have much of a family growing up. I had to try and keep myself low, out of sight." Scratching at his cheek, he then added, "One in particular has always been like a big brother of mine. Always looking out for me. Trying to keep me safe from anyone who tried to bully me, even if it meant getting hurt himself." He didn't know how she would feel if this 'big brother' was the Fiend himself...

But he didn't necessarily have to say who it was thankfully; she seemed to respect his privacy enough to not.

"I've seen plenty good people here in the Tops though; most people from the Satellite think exactly what you just described: Stuck-up, mightier-than-thou. I know they care...But I think they often judge the general population only through Rex Goodwin. So...Trust me, you break the stereotype too." He smiled at her, and took a chance, laying a hand on top of hers, "I'd love to have you meet them too; hopefully it would show them that the Tops are not all bad. You could have told me to screw off after I told you that...But you didn't, and even if you don't realize it, that means a lot. So thank you, Ling...Really."




"True enough. It's hard to find kindred spirits these days." he said at first, fully agreeing with her. More and more, he was happier to have met her at the tournament. Chuckling as she admitted that she should have known it, he just said "No, no, it's fine; not everyone knows about Caesar's legacy, flawed or grand as it may be. And...He was actually partly responsible for the conquest and rewriting of a lot of Greek mythologies, as well as his contributions to the democratic system and representative government."

Still, he couldn't help letting out a small chuckle, "True...But I think most would find it awkward wearing those, right? Still...It sounds like whoever did find you is an amazing person. Finding those kinds of friends isn't easy to do, especially in this day and age. I haven't been in the Tops that long...But I have to say, I am really glad I met you, Shivini...And if you're up for it, I would certainly love a rematch whenever you're free again."

At this, the waitress came back over, saying cheerfully "Here are your coffees. Enjoy!" Finlay took up his cup, and raised it to Shivini, "To great friends....And greater health." And when he took a sip, he let out a small sound of delight. "Wow, this stuff's really good. Now I know why the elite buy this so often...But I couldn't afford to drink it everyday. Definitely a special-occasion type of coffee."
 

"I think an equal amount don't even know of the Scraps, much like I had never heard of them. And then those who do ... I doubt they look into the archetype because... assumptions. It definitely does seem like a very technical deck, though. There'd be no way I could make one by myself, even I got all the cards. But I do love that it moves quickly, and effectively at that matter."

Waiting for Yamichi to finish on his group - and the lack of blood family he'd had - she finally voiced something linked to that topic.

"So - I apologize in advance if this is something even you may not understand or know - but I'm curious about this. The population of Satellite versus Tops isn't too different, from what I've heard. It's relatively even, lest I'm mistaken. So ... despite the high amount of gang members and whatnot ... "

She paused, her face flushing as she tried to use the most civil set of words to finish her thoughts.

"W-Well ... it doesn't sound like the Satellite's that bad to effect the population from increasing. If it were ... well .... it'd be significantly lower, wouldn't it? Because people wouldn't be finding others to .... procreate? I - I guess what I'm trying to say is maybe there's more to Satellite than even I've heard."

When Ling heard Yamichi agree to eventually show her to the others, her eyes lit up. With a still slightly flushed face, she carefully set the bouquet down beside her on the bench and hugged Yamichi with one hand. Her other intertwined and held onto her left. "Thank you. That also means a lot. You've been kinda hesitant. I've heard it a few times .... and I wouldn't have blamed you too much if you said no. I'm guessing most of the others are also from Satellite, if not all."

... Although it was true that at least Takeshi knew of her. So maybe not all of them would have a bad impression of her.

"Anyway," she stated, pulling away gently after a few moments, "That's a big deal in its own rights, so thank you. In all honesty ... I kinda hope my parents stay out of town for a while. I'm ashamed to say this, but they do follow under the Tops stereotype. And .... well, they can be very difficult to deal with. I'm sure they mean well, but ... ugh. Sometimes they annoy me first. Eventually though, I do want you to meet them."

It'd be a hell of a gathering. But if Ling could get things smoothed over ahead of time, maybe it wouldn't be half as bad as the other guys she'd been with.

"Until then, my place isn't too far away. Did you want lunch or something before leaving? I could cook or order, depending on what you'd prefer." The suggestion wasn't meant to come off as too intimate; but more like a hint she took note of his desire to be in a relatively private location. Well ... Ling definitely couldn't think of many other secluded areas. Besides, it was simply an offer. She'd leave the end verdict to him.
"... See, you're just giving me more reasons I should have known about him. The gods and most of the myths I know very well, with or without the inclusion of Amazons."

... Maybe if Satellite had more resources. A school may be pushing, but at the very least, access to encyclopedias or other information sources should be viable.

... Given how much she and Takeshi had won, maybe it'd be worth talking to Yamichi about. It hadn't been intentional, but he'd ended up becoming the financial adviser of the group.

"And unreasonable," Shivini agreed. "Mass producing those would be anything but cheap. No one from my home would really be able to make them, so it'd have to be a person over here. I don't see that easily being agreed upon."

Her head quickly nodded, "I'm definitely glad to have met you also. It really is reassuring not everyone's forgotten certain virtues. Heh. By then, I may have made a few changes. But a rematch is definitely something I'd otherwise be up for."

Only when their coffees arrived did she let go, using both of her hands to grasp her own cup. She took a moment to blow across it before cautiously taking a sip.

" .... Really? Some of you actually label yourselves as elites? I wouldn't want that, but I suppose if they're fine with it, their choice."

After downing another sip - and making sure Finlay finished also - there was something that piqued her interest. She'd waited on purpose to avoid sounding ungrateful; but now she was too curious to keep waiting.

"So .... what made you extend this offer to me, anyway? You could have done this with literally anyone. I'm .... not used to being looked at in a more normal light, still. Not by people I don't know too well, anyway."
 

"To be honest, Ling...I've never thought much about it. But yeah, it seems like people find the time and resources to make a family and settle. There's plenty of jobs over there...But most of them have, well, let's just high risks to personal safety and not exactly the best pay in the world." he would reply; and it was true. Having hacked into multiple systems over there just out of curiosity in the past, he found their controls on employee safety to be horrendous. He was sure if that was over here in the Tops, it would be criminally negligent.

Of course...He actually had to fight back tears, remembering the day he learned about what actually happened to his own mother. Wasn't exactly the best thing in the world; no one at Yomi knew about his parents. But he was wondering if maybe he should tell them; he'd been an orphan for so long that he almost forgot about her most days.

Still, he managed to keep a very straight face, and smiled as Ling hugged him. Was she wearing perfume or something? Or was it her hair? Or maybe it was just the sakura blossoms, he didn't know...But something about her smelled nice, even if he didn't take a huge whiff right next to her ear. "Well...Like I said, I think they would love to see that not everyone from the Tops thinks they're worthless. And as for your parents...Well, hopefully one day I can get to meet them. Despite their flaws, I'm sure they're wonderful people. They raised you, after all."

He didn't quite catch what most would consider the corniness of the line...But that was because he was of firm belief that parents held a huge influence over their children's behavioral patterns. And if Ling was anything like her folks, then they must not be too bad of people, right?

When she asked about lunch, he paused; while he was sure it wasn't supposed to come off as suggestive, he didn't know how he felt going to a complete stranger's house. Especially one that held an interest in him. "I...appreciate the offer, Ling...But I should...probably head back. I definitely do want to do this again...If you're up for it?" he then asked, his voice dying down to a near squeak as his cheeks progressively reddened, practically trying his damnedest not to stutter...Something Ling would surely notice.



"Too true; so many consider labor like that beneath them. Even some think serving at a restaurant is beneath them, if that gives you any sense of their entitlement." he would reply; honestly, with everything bad he'd heard about how bad the Satellite was...Well, he considered himself in many ways to be blessed. Even more so after meeting Shivini; she truly was a wonderful woman, and he was glad he took a chance with her.

And then she asked the big question: Why her? Well...He hadn't really thought about it until now, but there had been something about her. Something...mysterious, but no, that wasn't quite the word either. "I know, but when I saw you...Well, forgive me if I sound shallow, but I found you quite physically attractive. And while I'm sure I could have had a chance with a number of women here in the Tops, frankly I find a majority of their personalities appalling. And besides...Some of the ones I've tried to ask before are only looking for one person: The King himself."

And while he didn't revile Jack for having popularity, nor the women in the past for rejecting him...He found it rather silly that just because he 'wasn't Jack Atlas' - as some had said to his face - was their reasons for not wanting to even give him a chance. Nor others, if their words could be any indication of their preferences.

"And, to be honest, during our Duel...Well, you were one of the more pleasant opponents that happened to be a woman. And it made me want to get to know you better." he would finish, tinging slightly; he was sure he must have screwed that up somewhere, but he just said, "I apologize if any of that came out wrong...I've not had much practice speaking with a woman before."

Clearing his throat, he would then ask after he took another sip, "So...What now? Apologies again, but...Did you...have anything you wanted to do? While we were here? Any place you wanted to go?"

However...That was when his own phone went off; he pulled it out and saw that it was his boss. A text saying they needed him in there...Right now. And when he replied that if he could come in tomorrow, he was met with a resolute 'no'. And with him being on-call, he really had no choice in the matter, especially since he was a relative 'junior' at the company. Even still, he wouldn't just up and leave; he could at least finish his coffee with her. That would be ungentlemanly, so he would say after a small sigh "Drats. Sorry, Shivini...Guess it'll have to be a rain-check. That is...If you're up for doing this again? Or something else?" He thought he would be safe today...But someone must have called in sick; figures it would be right now, he said to himself.
 

"Fair enough. I wasn't expecting you to know the entire answer. But I was wondering if you at least noticed something that may perhaps point towards a clue or something?" Ling shrugged, deciding for now, this could one of the many mysteries of the Satellite that remained unknown.

With the hug having ended, she was now waiting on Yamichi's decision. The slightly selfish part of her wished he hadn't said no; but that was fine. He was probably needed with the rest of the group. Plus, she did understand the implications that usually came with being invited to another person's house; more so if they had a romantic interest in the other person. That really hadn't been her intention, to make him worry about those. Ah well. Besides, they had ways to get a hold of one another. They could call and talk, if nothing else. It wasn't like this was good-bye forever.

Grabbing the bouquet back into her hand, she made herself untangle her hand from Yamichi's.

"You kidding?" she replied with a coy grin, "I definitely wanna do this again. I .... definitely haven't had this much fun in a long, particularly outside of dueling." Ling took a few moments and opted not to kiss his cheek again. Itt had been a spur-of-the-moment thing last time. More importantly, she didn't wish to risk coming off as too pushy. So, much as she wanted to follow through with the actions, she merely bowed her head politely. "I definitely hope to talk and see you again soon. Hopefully next time we won't be as rushed or pressed for time. I'll see you later."
"No, no. Not shallow. That'd be ... well, if you took a more crude way of saying it. Then you'd be shallow."

When he went on to relay a lot of women were trying so hard for Jack, her head tilted.

"See, now that is being shallow. And dumb. He doesn't even -- well, even if he would want a girl, that's not the right way to go about it."

Shivini inwardly cursed. What was part two? That was a good question. She tried to recall the map in her head ... how did the Tops look again? What was even around? Before she could speak, she was somewhat saved. Sort of in the sense of at least she had been spared from any overly awkward moments. Still, it was unfortunate this had to happen with someone she was otherwise being around.

"Oh don't worry. A rain check works."

She had briefly contemplated hinting Yamichi was also here, having his own date, but decided not to. Instead, she went with another line of reasoning that was just as fair. Maybe more so.

"Next time, hopefully I won't be as naive and have more of an idea on places to go or things to do. I honestly was drawing a bit of a blank. Less awkwardness .... hopefully."

Taking a hold of her cup, she blew across and downed the rest before standing up.

"Thank you again for asking me over. This was nice. I'll see you later, Finlay!"
Three more days had gone by. Hajime had kept to his word and tried to mentally get a hold of Yuna. Every time, the result was the same. It was like listening to a static radio. If that wasn't worrying enough, the dreams were getting even worse. Far more vivid, even. Sometimes, he saw Yuna in a worse physical condition. Other times, he didn't even see her. But oh did Hajime hear her scream. Something that was even rarer for her to do than cry or look as horrible as she did.

Who the fuck was even doing this?

That was another thing plaguing his mind.

While Divine did have the capability of blocking anyone from reaching her ... no. He'd be asking for a death wish messing with her this time around. Besides, from what he'd seen, this looked more like experts in torture, hinted by how she as kept alive enough to try to get what they wanted from her.

And, according to the one time she finally spoke in these dreams - it seemed to be them. Names, for sure.

"FUCK OFF! JUST KILL ME! I'D RATHER DO THAT BEFORE SELLING THEM OUT!"

You didn't really say that, did you? he shakily thought, gasping as he woke up in another cold sweat. Don't die. If you wanna keep us safe, fine. But don't die. I can't take over your spot ...

Never before had Hajime woken up so terrified for anyone, especially not his own leader. Nor had he cried so many consecutive days and nights. Mostly in seclusion, though the streaks on his face made it pretty easy to put together he'd broken down. But ... damnit. These visions weren't making it easy to stay in his calm, collected way. And he felt so stupid just sitting here; that was easily another thing making him restless.

No more. He couldn't wait anymore. If these dreams were anything to go off of ... they were seriously limited on time. Assuming they weren't too late already.

A hand quickly rose as he slapped himself for briefly daring to think such a grim thing had happened.

... And at the same time, he knew it was a real possibility.

A frustrated sigh passed his lips as he switched shirts and put a bit of deodorant on before hurrying to Yamichi's office. Tempting as it was to sneak into the weapon's storage room and just leave ... no. His own Psychic abilities weren't overly strong. He'd need a lot more than those and any guns to handle whomever was keeping Yuna.

Yamichi? he'd ask upon arriving near the door. Have you figured anything out?

His voice was barely stable, as was his body. Honestly, just the mere sight of him despite taking precautions and changing were probably enough to hint he'd had another vision. The to seconds had seemed to switch places. Now it was Hajime who was barely eating, sleeping, or doing anything for himself. The same ghostly pale complexion Yamichi used to have while in his funk had all but transferred to the X-Saber user.
 

Yamichi was busy trying to do his best for Hajime; unfortunately, with how things were turning out...There was no signs on visuals where Yuna had gone. Unfortunately, one thing she did quite well was stay hidden. Especially with a stealthy monster like Rose as her spirit, she would probably have some kind of ability to feel when she was being watched. Which meant she wouldn't stick to places where she knew there were cameras. Something that the Tops had in abundance: With how lacking their own protection, it was stupid easy to use a trojan horse he'd uploaded during a previous visit to the Tops.

And now...He had eyes everywhere Goodwin did. Unfortunately, the past three days of sifting through feeds had produced no leads. There had to be an easier way...There just had to be. He rubbed his eyes tiredly; he wanted to give Ling another call, but unfortunately he turned out to be quite right when he implied business. This was taking a lot of time, and Yuna - from what he'd seen Hajime going through - was running out.

And when Hajime came back for another status report, Yamichi would open the door, "Hajime...I'm trying everything I can. But...I haven't found anything yet. She's really good at covering her tracks...Just like her, eh?" That last bit was an attempt at humor to try and cheer him up...Because it seemed like he was becoming more and more of a ghost as the days wore on. It was the last thing he wanted to tell the guy...But he also didn't want to bullshit him either. That wouldn't do either of them any good; and the last thing Hajime needed was to be given the run-around.

"Hajime...What's going on though? You're looking worse by the day...Remember how you said Hotsuma would beat my ass if he caught me neglecting myself? Well...Yuna's going to do the same to you if you don't maintain yourself." he said, slapping a hand on Hajime's shoulder. "And...Don't you dare think we won't find her alive. Because we will, and then we'll be able to shake this whole damn thing off. Get things back to normal."

Stepping back, he then said, "But...If you have any ideas, I'm open to suggestion..."

Takeshi then seemed to arrive at the most opportune time - or inopportune time, depending on perspective - and peeked his head in. "This is a bad time?" he asked; he just wanted to make sure Hajime wasn't going too crazy, as well as wanting to let him know that the repairs to the pipes in the West Wing were completed. "No...Come in. Trying to figure out how to locate Yuna...There's gotta be some way to track her, something I haven't thought of."

Takeshi seemed a bit lost and at first shrugged his shoulders, "Well...I don't really know how Sector does it." But when he thought back again, he recalled something he heard when Yuna was chewing him out for letting Yamichi leave.


"Oh is that right? Well now...What is this, some kind of hideout? Thanks for leading us here, boys!"

"Hey...Wait a sec, I'm reading another mark here...It's Yuna Takeda! Dude, we've found it! This has to be it! Yomi!"

"Huh, well no shit! Taking back the Facility AND finding Yomi in less than a day? Goodwin'll be happy to hear that after Armstrong fucked us! All units, lock on our location! And get the transports ready; we're going to have a big haul for sure!"


Takeshi then snapped his fingers, "Wait...Right before we had to evacuate everyone, I heard two officers talking about reading a mark...I don't know what that means, but..." However, he stopped as Yamichi's eyes seemed to widen, the synapses in his brain firing full-bore "Mark....The mark, that's it! Takeshi, you're a fucking genius!" And at this, the tech was back in front of his computer, typing even more rapidly than anyone had seem him do. Within seconds, every screen was alight with activity. Charts and readouts, lists popping up at inhuman speeds. What it was he was doing, one could only guess.

"Heh...Well, I know I'm smart, dude...But, uh, what am I a genius for again?" Takeshi then asked; he really had no clue what Yamichi was going on about.


"Boy...You are in NO condition to be up and about. Your wound has only barely finished healing" the Emperor spoke to Hotsuma while the young man started to undo his IVs and wires, the Disciples' leader chuckling "But that's just it...It's healed. Which means as much as I love being able to eat their food and waste their money, it's time to get the fuck out of here."

Of course...He wouldn't just be able to walk out of here. Thankfully, it seemed Goodwin made good on his deal: No one had really bothered him, which would make this escape even easier. More so because he'd been watching the rotations; and with his evening nurse having just left, this was his window. Besides...All these assholes wanted him out? They'd be thanking him for leaving of his own accord. Regardless of whether or not their precious Director would have wanted to apprehend him.

"Humor me, at least...You leave this building, then what?" his contract asked, Hotsuma grinning as he replied "Still working on that...But I'll think of something". Of course...He wished that he still had his clothes on, but...That was a situation for a better day. As it stood, he'd be out of here in the institution-issued assless robe.

"Alright...Let's work it." he grunted, pulling off the last electrode after one last yank; fuck that hurt! "Fuck...Think I'd rather be stabbed again than pull all those off and out again." he hissed, standing shakily from his bed and making his way forward; parting the curtain to his room, he made sure the coast was clear before slowly making his way up to the nurse's desk and ducking low past it, making his way past the watch station before getting to the main entrance. "Ok...Just need to slip out...Now" he would say, opening the door and quietly slipping through.

He then found a stairwell and after going down one floor, slipped out a side door that didn't seem to be alarmed. Testing it, he found that it was one that locked from the inside automatically. "Perfect...Now, let's see about getting a ride....Shit, it's fucking cold out here!" he whispered harshly; sitting in that warm hospital bed all this time seemed to have lowered his cold resistance. And given his lack of attire, he just hoped that he could get back without getting a severe ball-freeze, even with underwear on.

Sneaking into the parking lot, he ducked between cars, trying to find something to use to cross the pipeline; all these cars are too wide though, and he couldn't count on it being down for maintenance. Which meant he would have to go over it...And for that, he'd need a motorcycle or a Runner. Which meant sneaking about or hopefully catching someone that was just pulling up.
 
Hajime​

Hajime felt his heart sink. He knew Yamichi was trying; that wasn't his problem. It was the simple results - or lack of, one could argue. So ... as far as he could tell, going off the assumption these dreams did have a meaning to them, for that matter, these people were not only good at interrogating people but keeping them hidden? A terrifying thought, one that made him visibly shiver.

Gods, Yuna; who the fuck did you piss off?

The weakest of smiles appeared on Hajime's face as he caught Yamichi's jest about Yuna being good at staying concealed. I ... yeah. She probably is. I never imagined it in this sort of manner, but I guess she would be, given her ability to portray a man decently for years. His arms crossed over his chest as he internally sighed, hearing him get the exact same lecture the blue-haired male had given Yamichi several days ago.

... I mean, I know you're right. But .... I can't sleep. And then when I do ... I keep seeing her. Hearing her.

His head quickly shook, fists clenching as Yamichi tried to reassure him she'd still be alive.

I really hope so. She's trying her damnedest to keep our names safe. And ... well, they're getting sick of her being so stubborn. I don't wanna think they've just opted to go on and kill her, but .... I can't dismiss that possibility. I wanna, though.

He gulped softly, finally forcing himself to sit down in the nearest chair. Lest he ended up collapsing onto the floor first, that was.

I've only been seeing her though. Not a background or who's been doing this. It'd give more leads, I'm sure. I'm sorry. I should have let Divine train me in these stupid powers. I could at least do more ...

His head quickly lifted as Takeshi walked in. This was definitely a shitty time, but ... fuck it. He wasn't about to shoo the other Disciple out. Less so when he was genuinely trying to help.

Thankfully, that idea seemed to work out for the best. Because Takeshi gave what had to be the best idea; one Hajiime felt slightly irked that had never crossed his mind sooner.

Oh fuck yes! Thank you, Takeshi! Her mark ... you know, from the Facility. I never paid much heed to it because of a certain pompous ass. But I did briefly see it before passing out when she and Hotsuma bailed us all out from Arcadia. She has a criminal mark to signal she's wanted by Sector. All the ex-inmates have it, really. I didn't think those could be tracked ...

He rolled his eyes at himself, sighing shakily in relief.

My bad. Anyway, thank you. Finally, we may be able to get somewhere.

Gripping lightly onto his lower lip, Hajime turned his head and began watching all of thet charts and readouts appear ... trying to make sense of them and help Yamichi narrow down the list of possibilities.
 

Takeshi just shrugged, "I mean...I'm glad I could help, but what exactly is going on? What's with all these charts and shit?" Yamichi didn't say anything at first, seeming to compile a list on the screen directly in front of him. While on a screen about three feet up and to his right, a map of the Satellite was soon overlaid by what seemed like countless white, yellow and red dots. "Takeshi, it's like you said: These marks can be tracked. I didn't think they could either, but whatever they use to mark people gives off a signal. That's how Sector was able to find Yomi when those two inmates tried to run to it. And that's how we'll find Yuna."

Takeshi still seemed a bit confused, "I mean, how does it know who's who though? Has to be a pretty sophisticated scanner to tell that much of a difference between marks." Yamichi nodded, "Ridiculously so; but look, when I narrow it back down to the Facility...." On the screen with the map, a box showed up, one area seeming to blow up...And show a number of dots. "This is how the Facility kept track of their inmates. A team of people I imagine would have to watch these monitors twenty-four-seven, make sure that every mark was where it was supposed to be. It's ingenious too, because the inmates would mostly think it only served as a visual identifier."

Takeshi seemed a bit taken aback; they had marked this many people?! Holy shit, talk about a witch hunt! "That's insane...So all these marks, these are inmates just here in the Facility right now?" he whispered, Yamichi nodding in the affirmative. "Man...That's even more messed up than I originally thought." Yamichi just smiled though, "Look at this though; it's interactive. You can click on a marker and it will show you everything." Doing so, Yamichi would show the information as 'Morihei Toju. Age: 21. Crimes: Grand larceny, assault, escape.' He would then scroll through the list itself some more, finding Yuna and Hotsuma's entry...But not finding their corresponding markers, evidenced as such when the screen showed 'No mark detected. Expand search radius?'

And doing so, Yamichi re-expanded the map to cover the whole of the Satellite, out to its very edges. "Now that we figured it out, I bet I can find a way to jam the other trackers...But that's for another time. I'll need some time to tinker with the calibration, see if I can't extend the range to cover the entirety of the Tops." Yamichi then said, Takeshi coming over and slapping a hand on his shoulder, "Well shit, dude...We'll find Yuna and once we do, we can see about going back and getting Hotsuma." Much as he didn't want to leave Hotsuma over there...Well, he was at least in the hospital safer. Yuna was in a far more perilous situation, and needed their more immediate focus.

However, a blipping noise would catch their attention; Takeshi looked to the map, and saw another mark that had just appeared. "Oi...The hell, you guys see this? Who the hell is that?" Yamichi turned his attention back and clicked on the mark, not believing it when he saw the name that popped up, his eyes going wide and starting to tear up. "Hajime...We need to tell everyone to hold their fire...Come on. Come on!" the tech shouted, jumping out of his seat and running out of the room. Takeshi grinned, "Well, that's one less worry. Let's go, Hajime, move your ass!" before following right after him.


Hotsuma, meanwhile, was still trying to sneak through the parking lot; damn it, he was freezing his ass off and he still hadn't found a ride. But...Moments later, it would seem to be a wish come true. Someone was just pulling up to a spot, a sleek black Runner with red decals on the front. Getting into position, he would for the guy to remove his helmet before blitzing him, the rider catching a fist to the jaw and knocked down hard. "Sorry, pal...But I need to borrow your ride." Hotsuma grunted as he would take the guy's helmet, hopping onto the now stolen vehicle and after gunning the engine, took off.

By far, this was the tamest thing he'd done; even so, the sudden surge of adrenaline was painful at first, his heart still not used to this kind of activity. Especially not when he blew every red light that he came across; he didn't have time to play nice. The night air was a blur, his focus single-minded as he tried to work past the pain in his chest..And right as he would get to the pipeline, he would see it was heavily guarded. And they definitely noticed him, the Runner gunning right for their position. "Hey! You on the Runner! Slow down!" one of the guarding officers shouted over a megaphone; and when they saw it wasn't, he would then say "Last warning! You are approaching a restricted area..." But when it seemed to not slow down at all, they had to dive out of the way lest they be run over.

The Runner would hit a make-shift ramp and go airborne, its engine revving loudly on overdrive as Hotsuma would land on top of the pipeline; down below, he could see the violent crashing waves, the wind not too harsh but still something to be wary of aside from the chill. OK...This was new for him. Especially since it was a fair distance between the Satellite and the Tops. "Just breathe, keep the line and breathe." Hotsuma told himself, pushing the throttle all the way forward...

And soon enough, he would make it, the officers on the ground on Satellite's end looking up when they heard it revving overhead. "Who the fuck!?" one shouted, another two diving out of the way. "After them!" a third shouted, the officer in charge "Don't even think about it! Our orders are to remain here, no matter what! If that shithead wants to come in, then by all means! But nothing gets out!"

And with that threat removed, Hotsuma would be able to continue on his way; however, when he approached the Facility...Even he was taken aback by the sudden change in the scenery. "Well...I guess subtlety really is out the window. Yuna...Was that you that did this? Hah, you must really want to rub it in Goodwin's face!" Hotsuma laughed, seeing the giant 'YOMI' sign wrapped in what looked like discarded neon signage.

And when he did arrive, he actually slowed down as the guards at the front aimed their spotlights at him. "Hey, scumbag! Off the Runner! Slowly, or we'll blast ya!" one of them shouted, the sounds of rifles and pistols cocking as they were aimed at him. Hotsuma held up his hands as he would comply; he realized he had a helmet covering his face, so they had no idea who he was. "Hey, hey...Guys, come on, is that any way to treat a friend?" he joked, reaching up and pulling off the headgear, showing his face. "Now come on...How about you let me in, eh?"
 
Hajime​

Takeshi wasn't the only one curious on how this new tactic Yamichi discovered work. Hajime leaned closer, carefully watching and listening to the entire explanation. His head tilted ... and then eyes widened.

They ... were really able to do all of that? From a mere laser tattoo? Fuck.

Well ... it was probably - no, scratch that, definitely - for the best none of them tried to help Yuna and Hotsuma get tin and out of the Facility. If they were learning how easy it was to find people with those marks ... yikes. Having so many of the members of both Yomi and the Disciples wearing these things? That would truly be devastating. Hajime weakly chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.

Is there ever a time those two don't know what they're doing? Goddamn. Their intellect is scary.

His head slowly moved up and down in an affirmative nod. Finally, a more genuine smile was able to be seen on his face.

Thank you both. Truly. I ... just hope a few more days will be tolerable for her.

Not that there was much of a choice. She had to endure ... though to be fair, that wasn't his concern. It was whether her captors would lose their patience and kill her before Yamichi could find her. He leaned forward, resting his head in his right palm.

Before he could get too comfortable, though, the radar picked up on a new dot. And when Yamichi revealed who it was, Hajime's heart skipped a few beats. Oh thank god! I may not be his leader, but finally! Things were starting to turn around, and for the better!

God ... Kami-sama ... please let this fortune last for longer than just one of them. Please ....

Hurrying up and standing to his feet, he'd whistle while running, grabbing attention of both the demons and anyone else on guard duty via a mass telepathic message.

HOTSUMA'S BACK! LET'S HELP HIM RETURN HOME SAFELY! COME ON, COME ON! HAUL ASS!

Takeshi would see a ghost of a smirk mingle in with his smile as he copied the same words that had been used with him mere seconds ago. Soon, the two would be accompanied by more bodies, human or otherwise .... and arrive outside, where the officers and Hotsuma were.

Daemons ... protect him with your life. No matter what!
 

The other guards were hesitant to lower their weapons when they heard Hajime call out to the Demons to protect Hotsuma; however, when they heeded Hajime's command and formed a protective circle with swords at the ready, that was when they indeed lowered their guards. "M'Lord..." then came another voice, the source revealing itself as the Demon Commander, who approached and fell on bended knee, the other demons soon doing the same. "Welcome back, Your Grace; we have held down the stronghold and fortified it back to full condition." he explained, Hotsuma waving a hand, "Yeah, good job...All of you. Sorry it took me so long...I'll explain..."

Before he could finish though, he was soon rushed and embraced strongly by a teary-eyed Yamichi, the young tech crying harshly as he felt his leader's body. His live body. "Yamichi...Staying out of trouble, I hope?" Hotsuma asked, returning the hug. "I'm just glad you're back...I thought you had died or something." Hotsuma laughed, "I won't lie...I came pretty close, but it's going to take more than a sword through the chest to put me down. Speaking of which...I need to talk to Yuna. Much as I want to chew her for what she did...I gotta give her props. That sign? Fucking genius."

Yamichi paused, his hold stiffening a little...Something that Hotsuma took note of. "Oi, Yamichi...What's going on?" Hotsuma asked, Takeshi now stepping forward, "Hotsuma...We should talk inside. Besides...I don't think the others quite appreciate the view." Hotsuma looked down at himself, remembering that he wasn't exactly well-clothed. "Forget that...Where's Yuna?"

Takeshi and Yamichi all paused, but the Demon Commander was the next to speak up, "Your Lordship...The one you call 'Yuna' has not returned since you departed to liberate your trapped comrades nearly three weeks ago."

Hotsuma all but paused, hearing the Emperor then ask in a tired tone, "Why do you even care about her, whelp? She tried to kill us, remember?"

Hotsuma ignored his contract and asked pointedly, "This true? She really didn't come back? Where the hell is she then?"
 
Hajime​

Hajime smiled, allowing the Disciples to be the fisrt to focus and greet Hotsuma. He'd stay silent - mentally, at least - until the sign was brought up, along with Yuna's name. His teeth latched onto his lower lip as he started off easy enough with his own reply.

Okaerinasai, Hotsuma. Unfortunately ... they're right. She hasn't been back.

His feet lightly tapped against the concrete as he chose his words carefully.

... Yamichi's right. It would be preferable if you came back inside. Just because there's a lot of details. And even something ... that maybe you can help me confirm. Since your Psychic powers are much better than mine. But this would be more convenient to follow through with inside. Please.

Hajime would re-enter Yamichi's office - mainly so Hotsuma could see what Yamichi had discovered with the criminal mark tracking device. He sighed softly as he leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest.

.... So ... it wasn't till about a week ago I started having these really fucked up dreams. Maybe they've only been that ... but .... I don't think so. That's what my gut's been saying, anyway. They all involve Yuna and ... she's not looking good. She's as close to dead without being deceased. Someone's found her ... and is doing a fuck of a job interrogating her. Not sure exactly what all on, nor who's doing this. I've only seen her. Sometimes just heard. No background, no foreign faces ... nothing. The only hint I've even sort of gathered as to what they want is names. Our names, to be more precise. Mind you, that doesn't seem to be all ... these have been really fucking vague. Still, from what I can tell, she's held back ... but I don't know how accurate these even may be. So ... that could have been something she fought against several days ago, or on the same night. Or, in the worst case scenario, she's caved in and been forced to talk. I'm not relying on that ... but I can't ignore that possibility. But ... first thing's first, and this is what I want you to check.

Hajime gulped. Admittedly, this was a bit nerve-wracking. But if only because it was someone he could better trust, he'd tolerate the thought of someone peeking into his head once more.

Can ... can you even confirm if these are real and not just some warped images that have been put into my head? Because .... it'll help validate how quickly we need to try to find her or not. If this started up a week ago ... then it seems like before the dreams started, she was safe and hidden. Another guess and theory ... but one my gut feels pretty confident is correct.

Which would thus mean she'd been in captivity for nearly two weeks, according to simple math.

Given he was starting to sound as frantic as himself to find Yuna, Hajime expected Hotsuma to accept.

So ... he closed his eyes an began calming himself. Insisting it'd be fine to let him see all of the visions, rather than shut the Fiend out like he'd done time and time again with Divine.
 
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