Freedom At Last?

[tarotflame]

Delicious.

That sole thought enveloped the boy's mind as he tore away at the slab of raw meat. Blood dripped down between his fingers and chin, staining his meager articles of clothing. It had been so long since he had a real piece of meat. The boy cared not to cook it, he had neither the time nor the materials to light a fire. Even so, after two years of surviving on nothing but coconuts and living crabs, this slab of steak was heaven. Even once the meat was gone, his hunger was not sated. Gripping the bone, he snapped it in two and greedily sucked out the marrow. With nothing left for him to devour, the boy tossed the broken pieces of bone aside, landing behind a dumpster with a clatter. 

Using his shirt to wipe away the blood from his hands and chin, Rutger pushed himself forward into a squatting position. It had been three days since he had landed on this island. The kind merchant who had saved him from the hell he had been trapped on had left long ago, his business complete. During his stay on the ship, the merchant had gifted him some old clothes as well as reteaching him how to speak. At this point Rutger could only speak in broken sentences, but already he felt his mind climbing back from the brink. With the reminder of his humanity came other memories. Good ones, from his childhood. Back when he and his father would sneak into the pirate towns on Winchester Island and make off with coins, food, whatever they could get their hands on. 

It was those memories that had allowed him to feed himself in this city. Everything and everyone here was unfamiliar and terrifying. The shadows were his friend, just as they were back then. People did not look into shadows, they feared what they may find. The shadows gave him safety. Here, in this dark alley surrounded by trash, he was safe. No one would find him here. 

Still, the shadows did not protect him from the elements. Sniffing the air as a dog would, Rutger could sense the growing humidity. Ever since his arrival, the sky had been growing an ever darker grey. Rain was on its way. Rutger needed to find some better shelter before the rains fell. His hair, now only shoulder length, would not keep him warm any longer. 

Sticking to the alleyways, only darting across streets when absolutely necessary and when the amount of people passing by were few, he remembered the storms that struck the little island he had been trapped on for so long. The winds ripped through the sparse amount of trees with such a force they threatened to steal the boy away into the sky. Only by digging into the ground had he been able to make a shelter able to withstand those winds. Here, countless buildings stood to break the winds, but they would not stop the rains. 

It was not until Rutger came across a canal that he found his shelter. The canal was small, about three meters across and one meter deep into the streets with a smooth flowing river of water within it. On either side of the water were half meter long ledges, more than enough room for the boy to lie down. Crossing these were several small, arched bridges. They would provide more than adequate cover from the rain. 

Hopping down onto one of these ledges, Rutger managed to take cover underneath one such bridge as the rain began to fall. First in droplets but soon as a torrent. Curling himself into a ball, the boy tried to fall asleep. There was never much else to do but sleep when the rains came. Just, it was so cold...

[ancladar]

The good thing about being low on the Revolutionary totem pole was the fact you weren't recognizable yet by the majority of the population. No she and Yukari couldn't walk around without some sort of cloak or hat on around marines, but normal civilians wouldn't care. Even if they had known Ashe before the incident they wouldn't recognize her. It had been three years since anyone had seen her and Ashe had grown a fair bit since then. She also dressed completely differently. Instead of dresses she wore jeans, a black button up, a dark cloak, and her fathers old adventuring hat.Nor did she walk around with weapons. In and of itself it wasn't an uncommon thing to do, but the old Ashe never walked around heavily armed.

Today was supposed to be an easy day. They were simply going to walk around town and take notes on Marine patrol patterns and the number of Marines that were present in town. A relatively easy job that would help others in the revolution be more able to avoid contact and get supplies. "Keep and eye out Yukari. Tell me if you see any white coats out of my field of vision. We want to be as accurate as possible in this report." Ashe had a pen and notepad in her pocket to take nots, but so far they'd only seen four Marines patrolling their route.

The grunt work was boring as hell. Ashe wanted to fight Marines, not take notes on them, but orders were orders. It would help out the revolution, but how was she supposed to get stronger if she wasn't allowed to fight and push her limits. It was all so very frustrating. Perhaps once someone realized that holding back a devil fruit user from combat was a foolish idea she'd see some action.

[Enel]

Just another day on good ol' Stetson for Yukari. Despite the fact she had been drifting from town to town on this dirt and dust ball since she was 10, Yukari had actually never been to this town before. It was a bit bigger than the tiny towns she normally stopped at, actually rather it was much bigger with taller buildings and more alleys with lots of obstacles she could overcome. A part of her wanted to take off running and simply free run the entire town leaping over every misplaced bag of trash in the alleys; running skillfully along the top of every wall or fence; the wind tossing her hair as she ran, but for some reason she didn't. They walked past a narrow alley not but 5 minutes ago that she swore to herself she could easily wall jump and pictured herself doing so, imagining what could possibly be on top of the roofs of those buildings. The sun struggled to force it's rays past a grey sky which much to Yukari's relief was an effort in vain as the sky became increasingly dark, almost blackening. There was no questioning the matter It was going to rain at some point this day.

It was hot today and already she regrets dressing warm. Dressed from head to booted toe in black as usual, it was no wonder the girl was already feeling the heat. Her forehead already was moist with little beads of sweat here and there, like the moisture forming on a glass of cold ice water sitting in the heat and it was causing her bangs to stick to her forehead the ends forming into fine points like that of the hairs of a dampened paintbrush. These fine points of jet black hair poked at her crimson eyes, weighed down by wetness causing her to occasionally blow at them in frustration in an attempt to get them away from her eyes. Finally, she just decided to wipe the sweat away using her arm before then using her vest to dry her arm. 

Today's little mission was easy enough. they were told to scout this place and memorize the patrol patterns of the local marines. Apparently nobody in the revolution besides herself knew how to conduct a decent supply run without filling out a hundred forms, taking a billion notes, and wasting countless hours spying on marines. A supply run was something that came second nature to Yukari. Do you really think a homeless orphan girl in her early teens paid for the things she needed? Pick a place; any of these places really; and she'd be in and out in no time. Yukari was no stranger to looting and stealing, but spying on marines could be fun too. At least that is what she tells herself so she'll stick around. She decided she would humor them a little and actually follow orders since they paired her with Ashe. At least for now anyway, after all there simply no telling what the little albino hellion would do. Sometimes she don't even know what she's going to do until something happens. Ashe told her something and she just nodded her head and made a sound acknowledging she at least heard what she was told.

"Reckon the skies being nice to me today, still a little hot though yeah? Maybe we'll get lucky and get some rain."

Yukari was use to this kind of thing so at least they weren't trying to get her to do things she wasn't use to or just simply couldn't (or didn't wan't to) do. Yukari got a rush out of conflict though and she was really beginning to crave that rush of adrenaline one gets when their life is on the line. Her trigger fingers are itching to use the revolvers at her side, or the trenchknife cleverly hidden in plain site on her belt appearing as a mere accessory. Hell she would even settle for a simple use of the brass knuckles she has concealed in each of her back pockets. Perhaps she might cause some trouble today or as she would put it "happen upon a sitiation" who knows? Time will surely tell. She increases her walking speed gradually inching her way ahead of Ashe just to see if she'll notice or say anything.

[tarotflame]

There it was again. Everytime he closed his eyes, the same scene returned. The boat burning on the water, the screams of the passengers as they dive hopelessly into the ocean to escape the flames. The white sails looming over the carnage and one word fluttering on them. Navy. What should inspire a sense of safety was instead summoning hell. The screams never stopped. Even when the ship split in half, the splintering wood sounded like the ship itself was crying out in pain. All Rutger could do was watch. Watch and cry as he floated away, cursing the heavens as he awoke.

His surroundings were unfamiliar. Where was his sand? His shelter? They were all gone. Stone and water were all he could see. Fear gnawed at him until his memories crawled back from the dark. Free. That was it. He was free from that island. A shiver shot up his spine as he realized how cold it had become. Outside the cover of the bridge, the rain continued to pour, a practical wall of water. Since it had begun to fall, the rain had cut the humidity that was plaguing the island and now a chill wind was blowing through the city. Goosebumps prickled up his arms as Rutger drew himself into a ball again. The clothes the merchant had donated to him were comfortable, but they did little to keep the cold out. 

A low growling began to emanate from his stomach. How long had he been asleep? It was impossible to tell with this rainfall. However it was still daytime since there was still light behind the clouds. A dim, grey light, but it was there. He had to do something. If Rutger remained here, he would inevitably fall sick. In a strange place like this, disease would be deadly. He remembered his first months on the island had him riddled with sickness. From the crabs to exposure, he was constantly weak and shivering. Luck and will had seen him though, but there was no telling if it would do so again. He needed food and warmth now.

Crawling out from his shelter, Rutger was immediately drenched by the rain. Pushing his hair back, he crawled back up to street level and began running. Thanks to the weather, the streets were completely deserted at this point, allowing him free reign to move about. That said, he needed a destination. If he could get inside, he could easily keep warm while waiting for the rain to subside. Perhaps even snag some food in the process.

His search brought him closer and closer to the docks, attracted by the faint smell of food that managed to permeate the rain. Finding himself outside a rather large building, the alluring scent of cooking meat overwhelmed the boy's senses. A window was cracked open in the kitchens allowing some of the heat to escape. This was his way in. 

Climbing up the wall, he was able to squeeze himself through the narrow opening and slide inside. Now inside the kitchens, Rutger realized this was not the best idea. The place was packed with chefs slaving away making countless meals. Each plate they set up was identical and to most people the food would be sub par at best. Yet to Rutger the simple fact it was cooked was enough to elevate it to gourmet status. 

Taking cover behind an unused prep table, Rutger could see the table where the chefs were setting the completed plates. They were set on their own tables where another person would occasionally enter the room and wheel it away, replacing it with an empty table. Whenever the waiter opened the doors to take out the food, the kitchen was filled with the shouts of countless people in conversation. 

Rutger waited patiently, watching three of these rotations and learning the patterns of the chefs. There was a short moment from when a plate was completed to the next beginning that all the chefs would be busy working. That was his chance. Waiting until the newest plate was set, Rutger darted out from his hiding place and snatched the hot plate. Returning to the spot, he squeezed himself underneath the prep table where he could be hidden from a simple search of the area. Now safe, he turned his attention to his prize.

The plate was simple, white rice and curried chicken. Underseasoned and overcooked, Rutger could not remember tasting anything more delicious than this. Devouring it by the mouthful, Rutger finished the meal in seconds. Still, his stomach demanded more. Peeking out, the chef placed a new plate, albeit with a moment of hesitation. For safety, Rutger waited for a few more plates to be set before moving out to take the next one. A lesson he had learned from hunting crabs. After taking one, it was best to wait a period for the others to relax again. It held less risk of losing fingers.

Swiping a second plate, he returned to the prep table and once again began devouring the food. As he was eating however, one of the chefs suddenly began shouting "HEY! WHAT THE HELL!? WE'RE MISSING TWO PLATES!?" The kitchen came to an abrupt halt as the the chefs began arguing among themselves for a few moments. It was during this time that Rutger finished his food and placed the second plate atop the first, a mistake he immediately regretted. 

The clattering brought immediate silence to the arguments. Rutger froze on the spot, fear sharpening his senses. Slowly, a set of footsteps approached his location just before one of the chefs peered under the table.

"WE GOT A RAT!"

[ancladar]

"Rain would likely drive the white coats inside making it harder to count them. I hope it doesn't start to rain." The skies of course ignored Ashe's hopes and began to rain. With a weary sigh she put the notes away so they wouldn't get ruined pushed Yukari's hat down over her eyes. "You see what you do squirt? Your luck just ruined our assignment." She motioned down the road where everyone was running indoors to escape the rain. Ashe spotted a Marine far down the block heading indoors so it was pointless to continue the task.

Ashe looked around as the water streamed off her hat and nudged her gun toting companion. "There. I'll buy you some bread or a donut your choice." She was pointing at a bakery a few meters away from them. She'd lead Yukari inside to find it was fairly empty save for the staff. The place was however full of various sweet baked goods. "Damn. I've made a mistake all my pay is going to be lost here ain't it?" The prices were fairly cheap, but it was that way so people would buy far more than they should. "Be sure to get you some milk with whatever you get Yukari. It will help you grow after all." There was a faint grin on her face as she teased the younger girl about her small stature.

After several years they could exchange insults with one another without getting mad. It was all in good fun after all. Ashe kept gazing over the selections and decided on buying a dozen sweet rolls and a dozen cookies to last for the next few days. Once Yukari picked hers she paid the elderly baker and sat ata table near a window to watch the rain fall. "Don't worry about not seeing some action. Once we prove ourselves we'll likely see some combat."

[Enel]

The first rain drop, fat and cool fell on the brim of her hat she felt it splatter like an egg when dropped and a little droplet dripped off the brim of her hat and avoided her face as it fell to the ground. Looking down, she'd notice it was being accompanied by several others which fell from the darkened sky and made their mark in the street with wet splotches. Yukari grinned under the brim of her hat as Ashe pulled it over her eyes jokingly. It was true that Yukari was very lucky, incredibly lucky in fact and she has been her whole life. No doubt if Yukari asked the seas to part for her they would do so, or maybe she's just good at predicting the weather. 

"Hehehe! s'not ruined, just a bit more exciting yeah?"

The rain was quickly beginning to soak her clothes and she looked around at all the people rushing indoors as though it were fire raining from the sky or bullets rather than water and this scene made her grin, she shook her head slightly. These people's lives must be so simple if the natural occurrence of occasional rainfall is enough to cause them to stop what they were doing and retreat to shelter like a startled turtle into it's shell. Straightening her hat with her hands, she looks forward now with the full intention of taking advantage of the empty streets and was just about to set off on her own to explore when Ashe motioned her towards a bakery and she turned and glanced towards the building for a moment completely uninterested and somewhat annoyed that Ashe stopped her from trying to have fun, but she came to the realization it was a bakery she remembered she hadn't eaten since yesterday and she thought of all the great things that were probably for sale inside. She pictured warm cookies, steaming on a plate fresh out of the oven and her crimson eyes widened with interest. Fingering her pockets for any change she might have (meaning she actually plans to pay for what she wants which is rare), she decides the rain and exploring could wait and followed Ashe inside, the promise of free food and her own desires guiding her.

"Meh, reckon I can't pass up free food."

The bakery had the most heavenly scent to Yukari, she couldn't determine whether it was simply because she was hungry or if there was something special about the place, but frankly she didn't even care because what was important to her now was filling her little belly with sweets. After searching her pockets she found loose change that at some point been in her wallet, but fell out somehow and was laying at the bottom of her pocket. The coins rattled against each other as she pulled them out in a large hand full, one of the copper ones falling to the floor and rolling across the floor to a nearby table, she merely shrugged it off as she most commonly discarded the copper ones anyway. It was sort of bizarre to her that this particular building seemed almost completely empty save for Ashe, the staff, a few others, and herself, but was to preoccupied with counting her change to give it deeper thought. To Ashe's comment about her pay being gone she merely laughed at her, it caused her to lose count and have to start over again. She counted quickly, pressing her damp little fingers on each individual coin and sliding it away from the pile in the palm of her left hand until there was no more left to slide without needlessly repeating the process. Afterward she approached the counter, dumped her change onto it, and ordered a plate of 4 cookies. Of course she took advantage of Ashe's offer to get her something and asked her for a sweet roll. She was never one not to take full advantage of one's kindness.

"Bah you know I don't like milk and your just jealous cause i'm cuter than you are yeah?"

Yukari's comment to Ashe teasing her was intended to be a joke as well even though she truly believed it. She looked up at Ashe and winked as she said it slightly taunting her with a cute look on her face, her lips slightly perked. She then turned to face the counter again and received her food. She waited for Ashe to find a table first and once she sat down Yukari placed her plate on table and joined her friend in watching the rain fall. She felt the water still dripping down her back from her pigtails and finally just grabbed one of them and ringed the thick tuft of hair out as though it were a wet towel, water sprinkling onto the floor. She did the same with the other pigtail and then removed her hat and shook her head like a wet dog and setting her hat on the table. shaking her hair back and forth not only helped it dry, but gave it some body which prevented her from having hat hair. She then sank her teeth into one of the cookies on her plate.

[tarotflame]

There was not even time to blink as instinct took over Rutger. His hand shot forward at the chef who had discovered his location, fingernails clawing deep into his face as he raked it. Screaming in pain, the chef fell back into the floor, clutching at his face as blood poured out from between his fingers. Taking one glance out from underneath the table, the other chefs backed off, raising a variety of knives, and in once case a frying pan, in defense. 

"You damn kid!" One of the chefs cried out, finding his nerves and charging at the boy, meat cleaver glinting in the air. Instincts screaming for him to flee, Rutger dived out from under the table, narrowly avoiding the cleaver as the blade slammed into the floor. He had to escape now. Turning towards the window he had used to enter the building, he leaped up gripping onto the window frame. The opening was too narrow for him to quickly scurry out of, so instead he opted for the quicker route. Using the frame as a brace, Rutger pulled himself up and swung his feet into the glass, shattering it and swinging through. While he himself did not notice it, the shoes gifted to him from the kind merchant had saved his feet from being cut to ribbons by the glass shards.

Now outside, the rain had let up somewhat. It was now little more than a light drizzle, clearing up visibility considerably. Behind him, a few of the chefs popped their heads out the window, shouting profanities at him as the boy retreated further into the alleys. 

Inside, the chef whom had been clawed got back to his feet. Still clutching his face as his blood continued to pour down his arm and chest, he moved towards the doors leading to the dining hall. Kicking them open, he revealed a room full of marine recruits. They were little more than the standard foot soldier of the Navy, but there was still a good fifty of them, half of which had yet to be served their dinner. With the boisterous entrance of the chef, the once rowdy hall fell deathly silent, all eyes on the angered cook.

"WE GOT A THIEF! HE'S A KID WITH DARK HAIR AND CRAPPY CLOTHES! ANYONE WHO WANTS TO EAT BETTER GO CATCH THAT BRAT!"

Back outside, Rutger continued to run as far as he could from the kitchens. The twisting and turning alleyways only served to disorient him and it was not long before he was completely lost. Confused and out of breath, his more human thoughts began to surface again. He needed to take cover for now. A nearby building had a small overhang, old and rusted its only real use was to cover the back door of some shop. Trash bags lined this alley, as it did most and thanks to the rain, black and green gunk trickled along the ground. The stench would normally be appalling, but thankfully the rain did some good in suppressing it to some extent. 

Squatting under the overhang, Rutger took this time to catch his breath. At this point, the boy was completely and utterly soaked. Shaking like a dog, he pushed back his hair. Water and grease held it in place. His stomach rumbled, angered at its interrupted meal. From this spot, he could see out onto one of the main streets of the town. Mostly empty due to the rain, there was a commotion brewing, growing louder by the second. Several voices were shouting something and they were getting closer. 

Two men came into view, shouting at one another. "He's around here somewhere! Split up and search every nook and cranny! Otherwise we don't eat for a week!" His words could have been about anything really, it did not matter. Rutger did not hear a thing. The moment the men had come into view, all he had noticed was their signature white uniforms. White. Navy. Enemy. Murderers. 

The boy's vision had gone red, any semblance of human thought gone. In his mind, flashes of that night shot past, fueling his rage. At this point, he was little more than fury in human flesh as Rutger charged out from the alley, tackling the first officer he could reach. Knocking the man to the ground, he climbed up on his chest, seating himself there as his hands went immediately to the man's head. The poor officer could only scream in terror and surprise as Rutger forced his head into the road, over and over. The first hit sent a sickening thunk echoing throughout the streets. The second drew blood. The third and beyond only served to increase the size of the puddle under his head, the marine having long passed out.


Behind the two, another officer stood, awestruck by the sheer brutality of the attack. After the fifth strike however, he could watch no more and finally found his wits. "RELEASE HIM NOW AND PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR! OR I WILL SHOOT!" Raising his rifle as he bellowed at the boy, Rutger slammed the marine's head one more time before releasing his grip. Slowly, the boy turned to face the marine who now had him at gunpoint. The glare in his eyes was feral, inhuman and enough to send chills down the man's spine.

Rutger's face twisted into a demented, monstrous version of itself as he screamed out one word, a single word that carried all his hatred on it.

"NAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!"

Techniques Used:

SPOILER: Click to show

E: Skull Crusher

Rutger's finishing attack. Rutger will begin by charging at his opponent and leaping up at their face, throwing all his weight and momentum into the jump so he will knock his opponent down. Once in reach, he will clamp both his hands down on the opponent's head like a vice. Once the opponent has fallen, he will continue squeezing with all his strength while repeatedly bashing his opponent's head into the ground.

E: Feral Scream

A technique used to escape a tight bind or to throw an opponent off balance. Rutger will fill his lungs with as much air as possible before screaming as loud as he possibly can. At close range, this can temporarily distort a target's hearing and cause momentary pain, allowing Rutger to escape, or go in for an attack. If Rutger is more than a meter away, the loud scream can still be quite intimidating.

[ancladar]

"I didn't expect you to turn down free food. I'd be shocked if you did and think you were sick. As for the milk you drink it young lady. Cute you may be, but if you want to grow up to be beautiful and sexy like me you need to drink your milk." Ashe grinned back and pushed some milk towards Yukari silently telling her to drink up. She was about to say more when she noticed a child rush by like some little beast. Behind him came a flood of white coats.

Ashe blinked then grabbed her bag of goods and placed them on her person. "Yukari it seems like it's time to get to work. I don't know what that kid did, but it certainly doesn't require dozens of armed adult men to chase him down." Ashe ran out after the the Marines and the sound of some ungodly scream caught her ears. "What in the hell was that?" She asked Yukari as she hurried towards the location of the sound hoping the Marines didn't respond faster than they did. The sound was one of the most terrible things she had ever heard. Had they injured the poor child? He didn't seem to be all there judging from how he was moving when she saw him run past. Fearing the worst she hurried on.

She ran down the alley the scream had come from and saw the man pointing a gun at the screaming child. With the scream of the child covering her approach Ashe drew her saber and slammed the pommel into the Marines head. The man dropped like a bag of bricks to the ground, luckily not firing off his rifle. With a solid thug the man landed in some mud allowing Ashe and Rutger to get their first view of one another. "Oh my." Ashe stared at the horrifying visage of the child with not fear, but pity. He looked deranged and had obviously been put through some terrible ordeal. She sheathed her sword and slowly got into a kneeling position and extended her hand. "Hey there, you're safe now. No one's going to hurt you." She adopted a smile and held out her hand. "Come with me it's not safe here. More of them will come and they'll try to hurt you. I'll keep you safe though."

[Enel]

It almost seemed as though Ashe was treating her like a child. Yukari didn't need or want a mommy, she slid the milk across the table gently so it was all the way across from her and finished her cookies while mumbling. When the rain stopped she was slightly upset cause that meant the sun would probably be coming out soon. Then she caught a glimpse of what she would describe as a little monkey boy run by the window followed by a group of angry marines, the sight of it was instant and sudden like a cartoon and Yukari couldn't help but laugh. However when she saw Ashe get up she sighed, why did Ashe feel the need to help every little person to cross her path. It was obvious to Yukari that the boy was screwed, she listened for the gunshot that ended his existance as Ashe spoke to her.

"C'mon Ashe really? That boy is screwed your just gonna get yourself shot."


But before she could finish that sentence Ashe was already out the door, the little bell ringing behind her as the       door shut. Yukari sighed deeply once more and put her damp hat on her head as she stood up. She checked to make sure both of her guns were loaded before storming out the door after her friend who might just be a little to brave for her own good.

"Damn  it Ashe.."

She saw a glimpse of Ashe running down the alley and thought about shouting out to her to stop, but immediately realized even before considering it that to do so would draw needless attention to herself. She started down the alley after Ashe when she heard a scream like none she had ever heard before, it almost made her jump until she realized it was probably just the kid being chased. She shrugged it off and just assumed they finally got him.
Whatever he did it must have been pretty bad if this many marines were tailing him. Yukari ran towards the wall of the one of the buildings bordering the alley and jumped up towards it as high as she could, using her right foot to kick off it and over to the adjacent wall. This process repeated itself until Yukari was finally able to grab hold of the rooftop and drag herself to the top. From up there she could she the situation at hand from above. The weird kid had a marine on the floor and was beating the crap out of him, slamming his head into the pavement over and over again while his less than competent co-workers watched in horror. She watched in fascination, wondering how large they were going to let the puddle of blood spilling out from the marine's head get until one of them had the balls to act. Finally one of them raised their rifle and almost as though by instinct Yukari drew her revolvers, the solid black and white pistols aimed at the marine's face from atop the roof She was going to squeeze the triggers when Ashe entered the fray from the alley and struck the marine with the rifle in the head sending the man to the ground like a useless sack of potatoes. 

Yukari's expression grew colder, the tip of her eyebrows pointing towards the patch of freckles running along the bridge of her nose. Ashe took her kill and that wasn't cool at all. She still considered firing, but realized it wouldn't be as satisfying to shoot an unconscious man, plus it would blow her cover. Crouching down she inched her way along the rooftop, getting closer to the edge towards the street. The figure she was looking at was sad and more or less pathetic in her opinion, this kid looks like he's been on the road even longer than herself, but without the luxury of even temporary shelter, he was an absolute mess and Ashe was going to try to reason with this guy. Yukari didn't care, but she didn't exactly want to see her friend get killed so she raised her revolvers forward with the full extension of her arms, pointing them downward facing the last couple remaining marines and without any hesitation squeezed the triggers of her revolvers at the same time releasing a round from each gun. The bullets soared down from the rooftop, one shell black and the other white both were to become red in seconds as they pierced the skulls the of the remaining marines as they were about to retaliate on Ashe. The two men flew backwards falling flat on their backs, the sound of the guns going off still flooding the empty streets in a sea of echoes and the moment the sound first went off Yukari was already nowhere to be seen. She stayed on the rooftop crouched low to the ground behind some crates, her revolvers still smoking from taking their latest victims. The girl casually blows the smoke from the barrels of her guns and waits until she feels it's safe to come out. 

"What would that girl do without me?"

[tarotflame]

His inhuman scream echoed throughout the streets, no doubt gaining the attention of everything in a five block radius. While he was horrified by the sight, the Marine facing down the feral boy managed to stand his ground, calling upon all the discipline that had been instilled in him by his superiors. Finger on the trigger, he began pull back, the hammer ready to fall when a new figure appeared behind him. With a dull thunk, the marine's eyes glazed over and his body fell limp to the ground. 

The utter rage burning from Rutger began to subside, if only slightly, at this. Behind his hated foe stood someone new, a woman. In his current state, there was little Rutger could describe of her. She was just another dark silhouette in his world of red and white. Yet, she did not express a threatening aura. She spoke softly and did not approach him, instead she invited him to come closer. Her kindness warmed the boy's angered heart, but still, he was cautious. The occasional snarl still escaped through his clenched teeth as the boy stepped over the unconscious and bloodied marine, approaching the unknown woman. 

BANG! BANG!

Two gunshots broke the silence as their bullets flew through the air, striking down two marines who had arrived on the scene behind the woman. Flashes of the executions he had experienced burned in his mind and his eyes went wide. At this point he was nearly within range to touch the woman's fingers. Instead, he snapped at them, attempting to bite the kind hand. Everyone was an enemy once more and this place was dangerous. There was only one thought left in his mind now, the thought of flight. 

Turning his back on the woman, Rutger darted off down the wet street. Even though he ran on all fours, he was able to move with remarkable speed. The slick brick road and wet mud did nothing to slow him down. Passing by a few buildings, he turned and disappeared down another alley. This one being quite narrow, barely enough room for him to squeeze through, making direct pursuit rather difficult for most.

Meanwhile, nervous civilians were now beginning to peek their heads out windows and cracked doors to see what all the commotion was about. First that scream then gunshots. Most were terrified but overcome by curiosity, they would immediately hide the moment anyone made eye contact with them. At the same time, the shouts of marines could be heard as they were all beginning to group up on the scene. A good fourty of them would soon be streaming in from the streets and alleys. Once they had witnessed the cruelty that their allies had been inflicted with, their search efforts would double.

His aimless running had finally turned against him. While Rutger had managed to put a good amount of distance from the crime scene, he had backed himself into a corner, literally. The latest alley he had retreated down had turned into a dead end. A five meter tall brick wall sealed the exit. Unable to think clearly, he simply clawed at the wet brick, trying fruitlessly to scale the wall. Should anyone approach him, he would be at his most vulnerable, and most dangerous.

[ancladar]

"Yes, that's it. Come on I won't hurt you. I'll help you out of here." She'd have said more, but the sound of Yukari's guns and the thump of bodies hitting the ground told her that shit was going south real fast. She barely managed to get her hand out of the way before the boys jaws clamped on empty air. "Wait no! Don't run away!" She looked over her shoulder to see the downed Marines and sighed.

"Keep me covered from the roof tops. I've got to try and get this kid before the Marines do." She ran off after the crazed child hoping he didn't get found by Marines in the process. She barely managed to keep the heels of the kid in sight as she chased after him. For a moment she considered transforming in order to give chase, but she'd likely scare the boy even further.

Finally after a time they reached the dead end alley and she slowly approached him again. "Hey there. You're pretty fast you know?" By now Ashe was soaked by the rain, but she didn't care. All that mattered was preventing this child's death or capture by the Marines. "Are you hungry?" She slowly pulled out the dry bag of goodies that emitted a strong odor even through the rain. She was glad the bag hadn't been paper otherwise the goods would have just been mush. "Come on if you come hide with me I'll give you all of these to eat."

[Enel]

Yukari couldn't believe this. Ashe was just digging herself deeper and deeper into trouble. The number of footsteps that were now heard hastily traveling down the wet street were only increasing, she could hear the voices of the marines and they would not be happy when they discovered what had happened to their pals. Its not that she wasn't confident she could survive this encounter, but rather she was worried Ashe wouldn't. The girl simply did not want to lose someone important to her again and frankly even though sometimes Ashe annoys her Yukari has grown fond of her. She peaked around the crate she was hiding behind and noticed the kid looked like he was going to attack Ashe so she aimed her jet black revolver at the boy from on high aligning the sights up with the back of the hairy kid's head. It seemed the boy's fight over flight instinct was about to earn him an additional hole in his head when he suddenly turned tail and started to take off towards the alleys. She took cover once more, not firing her weapon once she realized the kid hadn't harmed Ashe and realized they were soon going to be in a world of trouble as no doubt a whole swarm of armed and very angry marines would soon be looking for someone who shot two of they're own from a vantage point. What was worse if the rain continued it could eventually render her firearms useless, but she'd worry about that when and if it ever came to that.

In a way Yukari felt truly sorry for that boy. She tried to imagine what was going through his mind, why he did what did whatever he may have done and what could have caused him to behave this way, but mostly she just felt pity both for him and Ashe. Yukari would do what she could to try to dig the two of them out of the mess they put themselves in, but the moment she felt she was in danger she would leave or lay low until it all blew over it just wasn't worth dying over. A thousand things went through Yukari's head as she felt the rush of adrenaline increase, her little heart began to beat out of her chest and she was ready for a fight. The moment the mysterious boy took off down the alleyway Ashe was on his trail though she wasn't nearly as fast as him, but what frustrated Yukari the most was when she spoke out loud telling her to provide cover from the rooftops. This to Yukari was a kick in the head; she felt her blood run cold as a chill went up her spine like a snake wrapping itself around a tree branch as it inches higher and higher slowly but surely reaching the end. What if they heard her say that somehow? Ashe could have very well given them her position. She wasn't safe, but there was no time to be scared Ashe was depending on her.

Yukari rose to feet and held her revolvers with the barrels pointed down so rain doesn't get in them. She peaked her head around either side of the crate, surveying the area and thinking of a safe path she could take so she would always be hidden as she carefully and quietly navigated this urban jungle around her. She figures if she just keeps moving she should be ok, in this situation she holds more of an advantage than anyone due to the fact she can simply use her free running skills to avoid obstacles that would slow down or completely halt most people. She mapped out a path to take that would keep her close to where she last saw Ashe, a small alignment of crates that would keep her from being seen from the streets for a short while however she needed to jump a rooftop at some point to keep up so this would leave her vulnerable, but until then she'd keep a steady yet cautious pace. Moving quickly, but quietly she began to make her way to the other rooftop while watching the alleyway below. Ashe was still visible which was a relief because it meant she could provide cover fire if absolutely necessary. This also meant Yukari knew where she was which was another plus.

She heard shuffling footsteps all around her below likely from the marine that were pooling into the alleyways looking for what they would see as a threat. If they thought they were going to take another friend of hers away they were sadly mistaking. Yukari was tired of losing people, especially people she grew to care about. Yukari didn't even have time to process the fact that she had just took down two men as though they were cardboard cutouts. Besides by now she's had to shoot so many people she didn't even care anymore just so long as the people she actually liked were safe she just didn't care.