Reprisal [Historical]

Jinnosuke sat locked away in his quarters, set deep within a Naval base. A sectioned off wing that had just about everything he needed. Most of the time he was left to his own devices, studying in the old library or practicing with the wooden blades that they delivered each day. The material couldn’t quite handle the strain, so he often broke them while in the middle of his sessions. Today though, he was to be reunited with his friend, the only physical tie remaining to his homeland. They had both been taken, seemingly a mix-up on their captor’s side, but she wasn’t considered to be nearly as valuable as the missing lordling. So, most of the time she spent with the servants and staff around the base.
To keep him at least somewhat contained though, they allowed regular visits. Generally brief, but enough time to catch up and prove that she was still safe. The sparsely furnished main area had little more than a few stray chairs and an old table. A mess hall of some kind in the past, but unneeded for the poorly manned station. The knock at the heavy, reinforced door told him to stand back before it was unbolted and opened. No words were exchanged, just the shuffling forward of a poorly lit figure after a careless shove from an obscured form behind followed by the door’s hinges whining as the door was tugged closed and locked shut behind.

Jinno was quick to move forward to greet his friend, and catch her if that push was harder than it looked. “Kanna! It’s been longer than usual… You okay?” He frowned, hoping that his worries were unfounded. The dimly lit room hid anything immediately, at least until she moved further in, where more of the lights above actually worked.

The day Jinno had been captured Kanna was just an innocent bystander. He was the one they were truly after, but they assumed that the young friend was equally important. However, it would quickly come to light that she was just a mere servant of the Moriyama estate and her mother was nothing more than a mere maid. She had no father to speak of, which seemed to be probable cause for her low status. When they had reached the Marine base, Kanna was separated from her only friend. She wasn't combat trained and certainly didn't know how to protect herself. Still, she knew how to serve and her life was enough to keep their ransom in check.

The days would pass where Kanna was forced to work as a marine maid, where she was more or less harassed on the daily. She was expected to keep a level head as she was directed to clean messes only for the men to pile on more work. Her days were spent with the other servants and occasionally she was able to see her only friend. She was beyond afraid, however she couldn't allow Jinno to worry about her well-being. So, Kanna would tell him the basic details about her day and the work they made her do. She would leave out the occasional tripping or shoving of her captors.

Then, it came time to see Jinno again, but she was dreading their reunion this time. As the knock echoed through the hall and the door creaked open, Kanna was becoming more anxious. She hesitated to enter, but was impatiently shoved through he doorway, where she would stumble into her friend. She had managed to steady herself with his help, but wasn't sure what she should say in response to his question. "Oh, uhm, well," Kanna would begin before slowly looking up still avoiding his gaze. Her cheek was red and swollen, while her knees looked to be about the same. "I uhm.. They.. wanted me to clean the floors.. on my hands and knees. It.. took a few days to get them all clean. I guess I haven't been sleeping much because I didn't notice the Vice Admiral coming my way. I kind of dropped coffee on him and the freshly cleaned floors..." If it meant anything at all, the redness of Kanna's cheek seemed similar to that of the rest of her face. The embarrassment was evident and her watering eyes was proof of her frustration.

As the girl walked out into the light, the signs of abuse were clear, and his expression showed an immediate sign of anger. Subtle though, though if anyone were to know it would be Kanna. He helped her back to a steady footing to hear the explanation. Until now there hadn't been anything so visible, other than the more obvious aspects of the work itself. He took a calming breath, deciding it was best to keep his own frustruations under wraps for the moment. Even still, his mind wandered as she spoke, growing ever more furious. "I prepared some food for us, not the best ingredients but I did my best." Jinno decided that distracting her from this would help them both. And give him time to plan.

He lead her from the room to the old kitchens, spotlessly clean now but still ill-equipped. The brushed steel counter would have served as a lunch line before, but had been made a little more bareable with a some covering fabric and a few of the nicer chairs. Two heaped plates had been set already, some sort of rice dish with anything of worth he could find as ingredients. "I've been waiting for today to try this one out. Few subtitutes in the receipe but it turned out okay." He waited, letting her get settled in.

The moment he had seen her face in the true light Kanna knew that Jinno was growing angry. She had seen him grow frustrated before. She had been his friend for longer than she could remember and she had watched him grow alongside her. His subtle movements and expressions seemed larger than they were in her eyes. She could read his emotions like a book, so it was easy to tell this time around too. This was what she was trying to avoid. It was all her fault. Kanna had been the reason for holding him back. She was the only reason he hadn't tried to escape or run away from them, since the beginning.

When he expressed that he had cooked them something, Kanna would perk up slightly. When was the last time she had eaten? It had been this day, but she wasn't sure how long ago it was. All she could tell was that her stomach spoke to her, even as they moved to the next room to settle down for the meal. Honestly, Kanna couldn't even tell what was in it, but she wouldn't complain. "I can't remember the last time I had rice... They have some of the strangest foods here. Most of the time, they have soups. I'm not sure how their servants have any energy. They don't taste very nice either. Thank you for the food, Jinno!" Kanna would say with the large smile before wincing. Mid wince the girl would stop placing her hand up to her cheek with a shy smile. "I'm sure it'll be delicious." Kanna would wait until Jinno started to eat for her to join in.

"I suppose they've been trying their hardest to buy favour with me. I'm sure they have further plans still, not that it matters." He had been given a small amount of money to order in select goods, as a show of good faith, he had been stockpiling as much of it as he could to share with his friend. No point enjoying it alone. He began his meal when he noticed Kanna had yet to touch her own, figuring that would be the signal for her. "I've been thinking about how we'll be getting out of here." He had been eating in silence, at least giving her time to enjoy the meal before moving onto this topic. Escape wasn't something he had spoken of before, though something seemed different. "I've learned the layout of the fortress, and if what I've been overhearing they've recently commissioned a ship that's been docked here overnight. State of the art I'm told."

It one of the biggest risks in this plan of his really, the admiral in question was only visiting here so there was no telling just what they'd be like. But their ship had the capacity to be run on a skeleton crew, so they'd be able to escape without much fuss once they got out of weapons range. It wasn't a complete plan by any means, but the way he spoke instilled a certain confidence. The bruises had accelerated his plans of course, he wasn't going to let that slide. "I'll be getting my sword back too, I don't think they'd be too happy if I returned without it." His father was a stern man, and rather sentimental about the clans treasures. Though even with his rough exterior, he had done more than most to ensure some level of equality within his lands. Perhaps it was luck, they had achieved this through the abundance that the island had provided them. Without that there was no telling what old man Moriyama could do.

"You can tell the others if you like, when you get back. Anyone who might be useful, we'll need a crew if we're going to go home." He spoke with absolute certainty, as if this was just some small stepping stone on their path instead of fortress crawling with marines that it actually was. By that point he had completely cleaned up his plate, with time left to spare before the marines came back to bring her away again.

In all of her time working at the Moriyama estate, Kanna had been taught to never eat of her own accord. She had to be proper and respectful, since she was just a low class servant. Of course, she had spent enough time around Jinno that she didn't feel any different from him, unless she was working. This specific predicament was proof that she was nothing more than a maid in the eyes of others. It was degrading and embarrassing. She was absolutely humiliated, yet Jinno still elected to take care of her. If there was any way that Kanna could improve, she would find it and not be such a nuisance in the future.

The girl would start eating soon after Jinno and obvious joy would cross her features. "I knew it. It's still pretty good," Kanna would say between bites. Considering the abnormal pace she was eating, it was evident that she had gone longer without a meal today than she remembered. After a moment of eating, Jinno would begin to speak again gathering Kanna's full attention. She would swallow pretty hard before whispering her response, "Wait.. you want to escape?!" Why would he want to do that? This was a whole marine base. There was no telling how many marines were here AND there was an admiral somewhere in the building. That's why she spent so long cleaning the floors.

She would continue to eat as Jinno explained his plan about taking a fancy new boat and getting his sword back. Honestly, she knew that he could be a terror with a sword, but she didn't expect him to blow through the whole navy. Kanna would finish eating her fill before she would respond to Jinno's incredibly ludicrous plan. "Ok, we both know you're great with a sword... amazing actually. How are you going to take out a whole marine base? If I wasn't so useless, I'd be able to do more than spread the word to the other servants. Even then, that ship... it belongs to an admiral. You can't take on an admiral AND win. There's no way." The girl would look at her long time friend with complete concern.

"If I wasn't such a burden, we wouldn't be in this mess. I'm sorry, Jinno."

It was the reaction the he had expected, perhaps he had been a little -too- sure of his plan. "We have to, we'll have to make it home some time. Now might be our best chance." Kanna went on to list exactly why this was a foolish venture. Her points were valid of course, it wasn't exactly a sound plan. "I'll figure it out. It isn't like this is an important base, they're not exactly running at full strength." Jinno shrugged, as if that was enough to prove he had put at least a little thought into this. He had been training tirelessly for this very day, most of his time had been spent in the 'dojo' he had cleared out for himself. It wasn't exactly true combat but he couldn't allow himself to believe it wasn't enough.

"That's the fastest ship docked right now, once we're out of range they won't be able to catch us." This he wasn't so sure of, Jinno wasn't exactly a shipwright and there was only so much reading could teach him. "We'll be out before the alarms sound." He didn't even entertain her thoughts of being a burden. "The only people we should be blaming is the World Government, there wasn't anything either of us could do back then."

"You just have to trust me." It was clear enough that the plan was set in his mind, he had taken after the old man like that. Often finding an otherworldly drive towards their goals, no matter just how dangerous or foolhardy they might be.

Kanna would look at Jinno with a look of annoyance and concern. It was almost as if she had been dealing with his schemes and ideas too long for it to be surprising at this rate. However, they had never dealt with anything this large before, at least she hadn't. Sure, they may not have been running at full strength, but there were a number of big hitters here from what she had seen. Kanna wasn't necessarily up to date on the status of the outside world, but she knew that admirals were no joke. They were some of the best and the ordinary marines had been shaking in their boots awaiting her arrival.

He would express that the World Government was to blame, which was true to the fullest. How could they dare set foot on Wano and kidnap royalty? It was unheard of. Kanna would sigh as Jinno told her that she would have to trust him followed by a smirk. "Jinno, I trust you with my life, but I'm just making sure you know what you're doing. My job is to keep you from getting yourself killed after all." She would tease the boy with her statement before turning on to a more serious note. "Promise me that this will work and we can go home."

Jinno could sense the concern, and that hint of annoyance but ultimately it seemed like Kanna was willing to trust him. It's not something he asked lightly of course, and his friend seemed to know that. He did have some concerns about that admiral, and her crew. They were sure to be better equipped and trained compared to the marines that were usually stationed at the base. Of which they had mostly general thugs from nearby islands looking for an easy pay day. It was so quiet around these parts an attack was simply unlikely. The only real threat was the Captain who was stationed here, a brutal man with no issues enforcing the law as he saw fit. It was the most likely candidate for standing in his way, but he'd cross that bridge later on. He had to trust his own abilities too, after all.

"I promise that this is going to work. We'll be home before you know it." He chuckled, finishing off the last of his meal. "I've stashed some supplies away, so everything is set to go. We'll have more than enough to reach the next port. Then we will be well on our way." He looked to the door, expecting a knock at any minute to tell them time was up. "Just remember we need everyone willing to go ready by tonight. We won't be able to delay." It was the second biggest hurdle as he saw it, he knew very little about the other servants around the fortress so it was hard to tell just how they might act in such a stressful situation.

A little more time passed before the loud knocking came from the other side, leaving Jinno to turn back to her with a sigh. "Well, I'll see you in a little while. Be safe." He smiled as if there was nothing wrong, it seemed to a constant for him. It was rare to see him worry, even when the stakes were so high. He stayed away from the door, waving Kanna off as he did his last round of contemplations. There wouldn't be any going back after this.

Hearing the confidence behind Jinno's voice and the way he expressed that they would be going home so easily, Kanna was inclined to believe him. She was able to return a smile. He had been planning for a while based on the rations he had been stashing away. Now, there was just one thing that she could finally do to help. She could rally the servants, but Kanna had been here long enough to know her crowd. A few of the servants were delusional to the point that they would do anything the marines asked of them. However, there were still some that had been sent here or sold off as punishments for minor crimes. They deserved to go home and see their families.

Kanna would nod as Jinno would state that they needed to be ready by nightfall. "I'll do my best!" It was obvious that she was determined to do as she was directed. Kanna was loyal to the Moriyama name as a servant of their house, however her only true friend had always been Jinno. So, she was more inclined to trust him over any other possibility, even if he was overly confident sometimes. The knock on the door would prompt a flinch from the girl, but she would make her way over to the door swiftly knowing that there was always room for consequences. "Yeah. I'll try," she would call back before she was directed to walk.

She would sigh as she was followed closely down the hall. She could immediately feel the exhaustion wash over her and the loud roaring of marines fooling around would fill her ears. They would call out to her as she passed them by, but she would ignore them, even as she made her way out the door with her detail. From a distance, she could see a rather well dressed woman ordained with accessories and soldiers heeding her every command. She must have been the admiral, but she also seemed to have a rather energetic sidekick with her. As the servants quarters came into view, all thoughts of the woman were erased from her mind as she only have one objective. She was going to find as many people to help as possible, although she doubted they knew how to sail.

Jinno had to watch his friend be taken away again, as much as he would like to begin his breakout here and now, he knew they'd be at their most alert around now after all. Any sort of movement around his quarters was under direct supervision due to the threat of escape. Soon enough she was locked away beyond that old door that was supposed to keep him in here. They certainly underestimated him if they thought the worn wooden door could keep the boy contained. So he waited, taking the time to ponder alone while he waited for the right time to strike.

From that point he had gathered his things, set aside neatly to not arouse suspicion from any surprise inspections. There was much that would be left behind though, which made keeping everything hidden in plain sight rather simple. So with everything prepared, all he had to do now was wait. He needed to wait for the late night change of watch, if he was correct the teams that had the night covered tended to avoid any actual work, so they'd hardly be an issue. Otherwise, the armoury was nearby and ready for looting. He assumed the family blade would be held there, but at the very least he could find a real weapon.

Well, it wasn't her dream destination, but it would do for a bit of a nap. Honestly, Kaho wasn't sure why the navy would send her here of all places when there were certainly larger matters to handle elsewhere. The blue seas were hardly priority when it came to admiral decision. This was a base for criminals, cheap cologne, and brutes. It was almost as if they hadn't seen a beautiful woman in so long, or perhaps it was her power that had them jumping at the chance to carry her luggage. Still, it was oddly packed for even a smaller Blue Sea base. Kaho would point to the man that had greeted her when she stepped off the boat. The one in charge of this dump no less. "Spill it. I want to know everything going on here," her relaxed demeanor didn't meet the demanding tone of her voice, but was answered just as easily.

It turned out there was something interesting for her here after all. Kaho would be lead down the same corridor that Kanna had just left a while earlier. As she came closer to the wooden door, Kaho would freeze and turn to face one of the guards. "Is this really the best you have? A wooden door? Ridiculous," her eyes would roll as the other, more timid, guard would knock on the door. It would open before the admiral as she stepped into the room and glanced at the surrounding walls. "Well, this really is a treat, isn't it?" Kaho would scoff at the drab and ugly interior. "Outdated and not nearly enough to meet the standards of a prince. What say you, Jinnosuke? It is quite unsightly in here, is it not?"

Kiyoko followed the Admiral from their fancy new ship, looking around seemingly impressed by the base. Though in reality it was just her default expression, it was hard to really tell what was going on behind those shades of hers. Though she mostly found amusement from Kaho's demands that the marines guarding the base were only to quick to trip over themselves to comply. The Captain in charge seemed less enthused, but played along if only because of the woman's rank. Taking his leave swiftly, seemingly unsettled by something that he just couldn't quite put his finger on. The duo were quickly shown through the base to see their special guest. Which was rather exciting to say the least.

"Come on Kaho, it's not that bad!" Tempest wandered immediately after entering, letting the Admiral do her thing as she inspected an unusually large pile of broken training swords. "Must be bored Kid, how many of these things have you gone through?" She turned back to the two conversing in the main room as she absent mindedly tossed a hunk of wood back into the pile before rejoining the two, mostly happy to be included.

Jinno wasn't expecting to see anyone else today, and considering the demands that this stranger was slinging about he had to assume it was the Admiral he planned on robbing. He had figured he wasn't worth a visit. It wasn't enough to shake him though, he'd just need to be careful. "I suppose not, but I requested it specifically. In exchange for a little privacy." The princeling crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow "They leave me to my own devices, I take care of this part of the base. Seems like a fair trade to me." His reasoning was a little odd but he seemed content enough. He elected to ignore the questioning from the subordinate for the moment "You didn't say who you were..?"

Kaho would scoff and slowly run her hand down her face as Kiyoko addressed her by her first name, "How many times do I have to remind you? Not in front of others. At least, put admiral somewhere in there." Kaho would turn to watch as Kiyoko began to inspect a giant pile of broken, wooden swords. Was this really what he spent his time doing? They sure were giving him the royal treatment here, but he hadn't necessarily done anything wrong either. He was just a boy born to the wrong family. Or perhaps, he was just born in the wrong time.

Jinnosuke seemed to answer her questions easily and to her liking. He seemed a bit annoyed by her visit, but she wasn't necessarily that concerned with her social skills. However, she would nod her head as Jinnosuke gave her feedback on her little visit. "Oh, that's right. Forgive me. I am Admiral Kaho Yukimori and this is Captain Kiyoko," she would speak plainly, but would continue to wander the room. After a moment, she would find a place to take a seat before looking directly at the boy. "Nevermind the base. I'm far more interested in you. A swordsman I see and one that came armed, is that correct? If that's the case, you could walk out that silly, little door any time and grab that sword no problem. Why don't you? Scared? Maybe you have something tying you down? I'm hardly interested in sabotaging you. As far as I know, you're none of my concern, but it's not every day you get to see a real prince." Kaho would place her chin on her hand as she propped up her arm on her elbow. A smile would cross her face for a moment as tired eyes seemed to stare at him with as much interest as possible.

"Well I haven't been counting! So I couldn't tell ya. Anyway, it's just some kid, who cares?" Kiyoko adjusted her glasses as she wandered back to lean back against the wall nearby, clearly amused enough with her insubordination for now to just let Kaho do whatever it was she intended. "Better answer her questions though, she gets real grumpy if she hasn't had a nap by now." Kiyoko was just asking for a talking to at this point, perhaps the rowdy nature of the Marines here had been a bad influence.

"Pleasure to meet you both." So far so good, there wasn't really anything that had been said far that might have him worry. "Well last time I checked it was locked, so I couldn't just walk out." Kiyoko's sass seemed to be infectious. "But there isn't much good escaping would do me, it's not exactly a big island." He shrugged, showing little interest in the prospect, hoping to dissuade more talk on the topic if he could help it. Despite 'saying' she didn't intend to sabotage any escape attempts, it wasn't as though he could expect to hold her to her word. "Never really thought about it like that, so far I'm not seeing the benefit of the title." It was the reason he was here in the first place. "Surely you didn't come out all this way just to see a Prince though?" Perhaps he could do a little learning too, it was only fair.

Kaho would listen to Kiyoko speaking in the background and saying she was grumpy if she didn't nap. That wasn't true by any  means. Kaho was always grumpy, but she would greet the idea with an eye roll. Still, it seemed that the guest had taken her warning to heart as he answered every question in a timely manner. Although, the hint of sass would be noted by a slight frown before she would continue looking at the boy unamused. He was right by every means, even if it made her sigh. "Well well, he's a prince and he's smart. Quite charming, isn't it Kiyoko?"

The admiral would lean back in her seat before she would continue on with the conversation. "You would be correct. I'm here to ask about your homeland. It seems that negotiations aren't going well, are they? What's the issue? Do they not want you back?" Kaho would ask her questions rather boldly knowing well that this boy wouldn't be capable of lashing out at her. "Is it dear old dad? Or maybe someone else that wants you left out of the picture? Ohhh..." Kaho would say with a sharp inhale before she would tap her fingers against her crossed arms. "Maybe it's that maid I've been hearing so much about. What is it? Forbidden love? We can take her off your hands and have you out of here in no time, if that's the case... Kiyoko, do you remember her name? You know I don't care for them."

"If you're into that sorta thing I guess, bit young for you though isn't he Admiral?" Kiyoko once again just seemed pleased with herself, seeing just how much she could get away with before inevitably earning some sort of retaliation. So she decided to go on another wander. "Oh wow, there's more! How much space did they give you?" Her voice grew quieter by the moment, and before long she was just... gone. "She's going to be disappointed, not much back there." Jinno seemed mostly confused at the Captain's antics, but decided to just go with it for now while Admiral Kaho asked her questions.

"Well I suppose not if I'm still here. I haven't had any contact from my Father. If I was to guess though, even if he intended to comply with whatever demands the World Government has, he'll would be stopped by the Yonko that rules there. I'd even say he likely had a part to play, nothing goes on without that man knowing." The young prince seemed rather convinced of this, though how close to the truth he was might not be clear. "I'm sure my brothers don't miss me though." Really it was all just guesswork, his knowledge of current events had suffered somewhat, only getting the odd delivery of news when the marines running the base got around to handing them over.

Unfortunately, the admiral had finally managed to strike a nerve, his gaze didn't even flicker back to the returning Kiyoko, who just shrugged at the question, useful as ever. "Take her off my hands?" He wasn't sure he liked the implication there, and he wasn't afraid to make this known. "Her name is Kanna, and I made a promise that I would get her home." The swordsman seemed to lock his eyes on the Marine before him. "I keep my promises. Simple as that."

It seems her unruly Captain sidekick would be shot a glare that just screamed "try me I'll drown you", but she probably wouldn't notice since she decided to wander away again. "Hard to disappoint that one. She's too energetic," Kaho would mumble before turning back to Jinno for the rest of their conversation. He seemed quite relaxed for someone who seemed to think that nobody in his homeland would be coming to save him. In fact, he believed his Yonko friend was the reason that he was in this mess in the first place. This seemed to give the admiral more of an insight into the whole ordeal and even made her click her tongue against her teeth.

"You're making some big accusations, Mr. Jinnosuke. An emperor of the sea sending the prince of his protected land to the hands of the world government. What would anyone have to gain from these actions?" The question was more rhetorical than not, but she couldn't understand the reason that he was even here. The marines didn't need money. There was no gain in holding this little prince above Wano's head when the fish weren't taking the bait. Her eyes would look him up and down as she continued to think about the possibilities and who was responsible for this hostage situation.

However, it seemed that what she had said about the maid managed to tick him off, which would brighten her stare. Kaho had elected to ignore the Captain's shrug as the boy retaliated with his response. He would express that he had promised to get her out of here and take her home. The emphasis on keeping that promise would have the admiral giving him an almost knowing look. Surely, she couldn't have been ignorant to the fact that this meant he would be taking action at some point, perhaps even soon. His serious expression would have Kaho chuckling before adjusting the jacket upon her shoulders, "I was only teasing. Even servants hold a purpose." The admiral would stand nodding her head toward the door signaling that she was finished here. "Jinnosuke, thank you for your insight. Don't cause too much trouble, now. Wouldn't want your maid to end up on a wanted poster, would we?" Kaho would interject her last warning before she would turn to leave the room.

What was going on around here? As soon as she was out of view, Kaho's smile would fade as she would gesture for Kiyoko to follow her closely. "Keep a close eye on things. Something doesn't seem right around here. If things get a little... lively, I'd like you to stay out of it. Undertstood?" She would speak loud enough for only the two of them to hear, as they were guided to a room where Kaho would find a most comfortable bed awaiting her. Well, it was as comfortable as a bed could be at a marine base full of... degenerates.

“The world government are after the seastone that we have access to. And he would be aiming to weaken my clan’s position.” He shook his head, throwing away a guess. It was an interesting political web the boy had himself in, but really it wasn’t something Kaho had to worry about. Wano was considered out of bounds generally, so there was little reason to meddle in the far-off country’s affairs. Jinno seemed to calm a little, though there was a lingering sense of tension as the Admiral finished off her interrogation. “I’ll be on my best behaviour; it wouldn’t be right to cause trouble for you when you’ve been so kind.”

“Until we meet again.” He offered a lazy wave as the duo turned to leave, with Kiyoko following Kaho’s lead. Out to somewhere private. “If you say so! Seems like a good kid, shouldn’t be anything to worry about.” It seemed Tempest didn’t really care either way, which was probably for the best. Made it all the more likely she wouldn’t get involved.

--

A few hours later, after the sun had set to cast a dimly lit night sky over the fortress. Jinnosuke had his things all prepared, with a pair of his training swords to give him something of an edge. He hefted his pack and set to work. Approaching the door to casually lift a foot and kick forward. Sturdy as it might have been, the wooden boards would splinter and crack while the hinges and security bolt were wrenched from position. He moved quickly from the old barracks, avoiding the light as best he could as he rushed toward the armoury. So far, so good.

As he had expected, there were minimal guards manning the old armoury. Poker night, if Jinno had managed to keep track of the schedule correctly. The armoury itself was little more than a similarly weak door to the armoury itself, with the quartermaster set nearby to easily arm the men. He turned the corner at a sprinting pace, scanning the room to see two men. One of whom were alert enough to catch a glimpse of the rogue prince. Not quickly enough to avoid the training sword that had been thrown the moment the boy walked the corner. With one man sent hurtling into the wall behind, his sleepy colleague hastily drew his sword. While the average marine was perfectly capable of handling the self-taught style of a pirate, but not a trained royal of Wano. A wayward swing missed the boy completely while Jinno countered with a swift jab with the blunt end of blade. Striking the last man in the throat to send him reeling.

The prince stepped over him, even as he weakly clawed at his legs in a vain attempt to slow his progress. The strike had crushed his windpipe, leaving him to suffocate. Jinno had been paying close attention to the marines stationed here. How they treated people around the base. The abusers were going to pay, if only at the chance that they had harmed Kanna. With another kick he broke past the final barrier to his family blade, only to come face to face with the captain that ran the fortress. There was barely time to react as he parried a savage swing from the brutish marine’s cleaver like blade. He lost his last weapon, but left himself space to dive past, rolling to his feet opposite the captain. “Thought you might show up here. Looking for this?”

He held the Moriyama family blade aloft, still sealed in its sheath from when it had been originally taken from him. A precaution, apparently. “Have it.” An unexpected move, with Jinno being thrown the weapon casually. Unexpected enough that the samurai wasn’t quite quick enough to avoid the follow up attack, a straight kick to the chest that connected with bone shattering strength. Jinno was sent flying, given barely enough time to catch the direct force with his newly recovered blade, to impact the reinforced window that overlooked the central bailey, near the docks and servants’ quarters. He crashed to the ground, world suddenly alight with pain. Even still, he forced himself to stand with the Sea Fang secured in his belt. He wasn’t sure just what might be broken, but it wasn’t enough to stop him. Surrounded as he was.

The lead Captain followed soon after, landing from the impressive fall opposite of Jinno, now directly between him and the servants’ quarters. “Give up now kid. We can’t kill ya, but that’s not gonna make this hurt any less.” Jinno took in the situation, seeing what should have been a bunch of sleeping marines. “Last chance.” The old man hefted his savage blade onto his shoulder, waiting for the response.

“I’m leaving here tonight, Captain.” Jinno declared, taking a step forward as he took the Sea Fang in his hands, testing the strength of the cloth seal keeping it closed… Sturdy, but with a little effort it would tear. “Stand aside and you live. I’m giving you all this choice, right now. Stand aside and you can walk away. Don’t die for this old fool.” His pace quickened, and the marines readied their weapons, as if considering the prince’s demands. Captain Matsuda had no intention of backing down of course, and his men knew better than to do so. Even as their bodies shook, feeling an overwhelming prescence at the swordsman walked ever closer.

Jinno steadies himself, taking care of his breathing to help calm himself. He needed to be relaxed, to focus on nothing but his goal. To get Kanna out of here, so they could go home. He closes his eyes, exhaling the last of his doubt before opening them to focus on the captain. He broke into a sprint. “STAND ASIDE!” A final warning moments before they clashed, and a wave of pressure washed over the marines before him. Shaking them to their cores. In seconds he was upon the first wave of defenders, giving them an instant to decide as the seal tore open, and the razor sharp blackened edge of the blade could be seen.

---

Kiyoko was, as she had promised, staying out of this. Matsuda had attempted to get her on board. Unfortunately, she didn’t much care for his attitude. So to teach him a lesson, and do a good deed in the process, she appeared within the main set of less than spacious bunks that they were given to sleep in.

“Yo! Say, what are you guys doing?” Her uniform indicated this woman was a marine, though not one most of the people would be familiar with. If her sudden appearance hadn’t been enough to startle them though, them being in the middle of getting ready to leave was sure to bring about punishments. At least until she revealed a set of keys, set on a metal ring that she proceeded to drop in the centre of the room. “Oops! Hey, can you guys look after those for me? I’ve got something to deal with, Captain’s order, alright? Don’t lose ‘em!” She looked around, mostly for this little maid of the princes. She stood out enough with the description she had been given of the Prince's little friend.

The marine just chuckled and walked right on out, pausing as she passed Kanna. “Try and keep him safe huh? Looks like he’s getting a bit roughed up out there.” Kiyoko didn’t give anyone the chance to actually question her though, walking right back out of the side door she had wandered in from. One of the other servants looked to Kanna and held up the keys. “What do we do?” There was a commotion outside, breaking class and yelling. Seemed that they were leaving sooner than expected. They just had to walk out the door.

No amount of rest could have prepared her for the night's events, especially after the amount of work they put her through. The servants had spent the rest of the evening washing dishes for the incredible amount of marines that had to eat dinner. Then, they had to cleaning the dining area, but miraculously their cleaning equipment had disappeared. They were given a handful of toothbrushes and made to clean the floors with them. Thankfully, they were left alone long enough for Kanna to convey to plan to them and if this treatment wasn't enough to convince them, Kanna was certain they wouldn't be getting away from here.

The night had painstakingly continued, until the servants were finally left to their devices. This was their chance to pack, but they needed to be quick. Kanna was certain that the dark veil cast on the sky meant that the time was drawing closer. The servants that wanted to leave were quick to pack their things and listen when Kanna told them to trust in her. None of them were versed in combat, but they also didn't have the determination that she did. She chose to believe in Jinno and from the distant sound of shattering glass, Kanna was certain he was going to keep his promise.

As they were just about to finish packing what little they could, a woman's voice would ring out among them and everyone would turn to face the marine. A few of them would gasp at the sight of her and Kanna's heart would sink in her chest. She had seen this lady earlier and her energy was unmatched. She had come in with the admiral seeming to be quite close with her. Why? Why was she here? The servants quarters should have been the last place they were bound to check, but it seemed that someone had known before hand. Were they here to grab her? The sound of metal thudding off the floor would have Kanna awestruck. The keys!?

The captain would give her orders as she aided their escape and passed along word to Kanna that would bring a smile to her face. A smile that she wouldn't show the marine, but could be heard as she scoffed. "Yes, ma'am," Kanna would whisper before turning around to see the Captain had left. When the servants had asked what they did now, Kanna would look at all of their confused faces. "Well, uhm," the woman would begin to speak, but would pause. What did she say? She had never been one to command a group of people before and she certainly wasn't any better than they were. With a deep breath, Kanna would begin to speak anyway giving the best orders she could, "When we leave, there will probably be a lot of marines out there. They probably all have their attention set on Jinnosuke though, so..." What did they do once they left? Run? Run where? As she thought about what to tell the nervous servants, she would remember a very important detail.

"When I open the door.. run. Run as fast as you can, but try to stay quiet. You all saw the admiral's ship? With all the commotion, there's probably been nobody left to guard it. Don't bring too much attention to yourselves. Don't look back. We'll be just fine with Jinno on our side! Ready?" As Kanna placed her hand on the door, she would look out at all of the servants she was bringing with her. They would nod in agreement, even though a few of them looked like ghosts. "Help each other, okay?" Kanna would smile before she would push the door open slowly. As soon as it was open enough, she would signal for them all to run and they would do just as she said. Of course, some were slower than others, but that was fine. Not a single one of them would look back, but they would still take the time to pull each other along.

Kanna on the other hand would catch sight of Jinno and stop suddenly in her tracks. She had only seen him in practice, so watching him fight was something that she had always wanted to witness, although she hoped it would have been in different circumstances. Still, she couldn't get on the boat and she couldn't leave him alone. Kanna would make sure he made it, even if that meant she needed to find some way to help. For now, all she could do was watch, while all of the marine eyes were on Jinno.

Jinnosuke’s gaze would meet Kanna’s own as she pushed the door open. It took him from the combat, realizing that she was there to witness the violence he was capable of. Not that he relished in the bloodshed, it was something integral to his being that felt like it had never belonged. Most swordsmen would kill to have his natural talent, genetic talent guided through years of careful selection of heirs. All bearing the Moriyama family name were exceptional, and Jinno was the most promising in a long time. Captain Matsuda wasn’t aware of this of course, ignorant of the traditions and history of Wano. Not that the knowledge could have saved him.

Some of the marines turned tail, dropping their weapons and running. Some were stock still, frozen by some mechanism they couldn’t understand. Others were too strong willed to back down, too headstrong and violent for their own good. Exactly the kind of people that didn’t belong in the Marines. At least not the Marines that Jinno had envisioned when he was younger, hearing only stories. There were some here who lived up to it, and thankfully they were far away. Though not as far away as the prince might have thought.

With his mind steady, and his opponents within range, Jinnosuke drew his sword with enough force to rip the seal. This excess strength required assisted the speed of his draw, and the following attack. Simple in execution, but masterfully struck, tearing through the first marine without resistance. The coal black blade reflecting the moonlight as it cut the man in two and the samurai moved onward to his next target.

One after another he clashed, working through a crowd of foes wildly attacking as they saw the opportunity. Only to fall victim themselves as they fell for another feint. His attacks were viscious, removing limbs and leaving bleeding soldiers in his wake. The boy weaved through, avoiding a sudden slash from the Captain’s cleaver as he ducked through to get between Matsuda and the servants’ quarters. With a moment of peace in the slaughter that was all too suddenly shattered with the roar of gunpowder and a fatal shot aimed squarely at the Prince.

With unnatural pace, he turned his blade from it’s last lethal strike to intercept the incoming lead shot. Lighting the air with superheated metal as the leftover fragments were sent tearing through the marines behind him. Miraculously unharmed and now standing just before Kanna, once again starinng down the wounded and confused marines as they gathered in the lull of combat, more still leaving the area. Jinnosuke stood just a few meters ahead, glancing back while he fended the hesitant foes off with his blade. “Kanna, are you alright?” He wasn’t able to protect any of them during the fight, beyond drawing the attention of all those around.

“You little bastard… Back off men, this is between just me and him.” Matsuda stomped across the field, wrenching his lost blade from his fallen subordinate’s shoulders before shaking the corpse aside. The rest of the marines were quick to retreat, dragging off the wounded to clear the square, leaving only two combatants. The cobbled fortress floor now stained in blood to show the signs of their battle. "Just a little longer... Then we're out of here." He nodded to her, offering a confident smile despite the wounds he had suffered so far. Striding forward with no hesistation, Jinno sheathed his blade and stalked forward in his readied stance. Keen to end this whole mess.

--

Kiyoko was watching from above, lazily resting on the fortress ramparts to get the best view. She whistled to no one in particular with a chuckle, adjusting her shades despite the darkness that surrounded her. “Well, probably gonna get in a bit more trouble than I thought… Oh well.” It was too late to worry about it now, as if there was any chance Kaho was going to find out about her involvement any time soon.

Kanna watched on, even after Jinno had met her eyes. She had a feeling that the look in his gaze was not one of mercy and that this battle was going to be real. The very first swing of his sword was enough to make her stomach twist and churn. She was a mere servant and the idea of combat had never once crossed her mind. She was supposed to be living safely on an estate far off in the New World. She was supposed to be safe and protected. The sight of seeing a man split in two by a single sword swing was enough to bring the reality of the world to light.

Screams filled the air as men ran away terrified by the sight before them, while others shrieked in agony. Limbs thudded against the ground as blood stained the very earth. Was this the way of the samurai? Was this the reality that her mother was trying to keep her from? She had always urged Kanna to stay away from the prince and not to get involved when it came to his training. Flashes of moonlight from his blade would call out his next foe as they were slashed to ribbons. Gunshots would ring out as Kanna's heart beat faster only to watch the marines between her and Jinno fall leaving the prince untouched.

Kanna was only draw from her pale stare by the sound of Jinno's voice calling out to her. In this moment, she would take a deep breath having forgotten to do so between the bloodshed. "I-I yes.." Kanna would speak anxiously and much more distant that usual. Jinno was obviously in pain as he continued to fight on. The captain calling out his challenge would have Kanna clenching her fists, even as he smiled ever so confidently. It was enough that she knew he would win, but his wounds filled her with concern. "Be careful!" Kanna would yell out as Jinno moved forward to meet the captain.

Jinno could see the look in her eyes, whatever image Kanna had of him before now was certainly tarnished. Stained with the blood of the men around, some clawing their way from the conflict zone in vain or being swiftly lifted and dragged away for medical attention. It wasn’t something he could hide forever though, and as just as this moment felt to him, he knew that violence like this was a weapon to be wielded only in defence. When he needed to ensure the safety of those he cared about. Or when the weak were being so obviously taken advantage of. The timid fire in his soul crackled, feeling a rise in rage even thinking about what little he had seen. He took a last glance back to Kanna and the servants behind, sheltering just inside the building. Jinno paused, turning to face the Captain. “Get the ship ready, anyone who knows how take charge. We need it moving right away." One of the larger servants, a tall blond man, chuckled as he brushed through the small rabble of people. He looked to be older than Jinno himself.

“I’ll lead ‘em for now, you stay here and watch the Prince. Make sure he gets to the boat ‘eh Kanna?” His origins were a mystery to her, Arthur Ashburn had been a source of protection, when he wasn’t being overworked doing whatever physical labour the marines could find for him. A strong young man, perhaps nearing Jinnosuke himself. He commanded the respect of the others of course, having been there longer than most. They followed quickly, with Arthur taking a lost cutlass and pistol for himself as he shepherded them away.

With that all under control, Jinno turned back to his foe and began moving forward. Deciding the time for words was over, no matter what the man said to goad him. “Doesn’t matter what they do boy, once I put you back in your cage they’ll be right back to work. If we don’t kill them first that is. Starting with your little slave girl.” Matsuda hefted his cleaver, a mighty slab of sharpened iron with surprising grace, rushing the prince in a sudden charge while sending his blade arcing diagonally at the prince’s shoulder.

Even a single hit would prove fatal, Jinno was sure of that. He was also certain that this Captain didn’t have what it took to beat him. Wounded as he was, he had a sense of his strengths and weakness from their brief skirmish already. Every movement processed to provide hints for the future. Not quite true prediction, not yet, he hadn’t unlocked his clan’s techniques to their fullest. Once again, he counter attacked from the draw, redirecting the force of the blow while imbuing his weapon with armament haki.

The impact sent sparks from the crude cleaver’s edge, chipping away a sizable chuck as it was effortlessly shunted away while a following strike that left the prince walking calmy with his back turned to his foe. A trickling curtain of red stained the man’s pristine coat and shirt, with a deep wound across his chest, having completely cleaved the Marine’s sigil in a single strike. “You have lost the right to wear that uniform, Matsuda.” Jinno turned, swinging his sword lazily to clean it of blood. Earning an enranged grunt from the Captain. “What did you say?!” He spat, rolling his shoulder, swinging his blade at the air as he closed in slowly, stomping with each step.

“Your cruelty towards your underlings, your workers. To the citizens of the nearby islands. I’ve seen it all, and I won’t allow it to continue.” The prince spoke with an authority unbefitting a boy of his age, his voice clear and absolute. Projecting through the courtyard while that fire in his soul was fed, the justice of his actions burning towards his righteous victory. Another savage swing was launched and deflected. Only to be returned following the clash, the jagged edge of his cleaver as the weakening steel cried out in a high-pitched whine, cracking under the pressure of the strikes. This time striking the man’s free arm, cleaving deep enough to sever the bone and leave the useless appendage dangling and promptly lost in a second clean strike. His lifeblood drained from the amputated limb at an alarming rate. The captain howled, furious that he was being bested with such casual ease by some child. His vision darkened, pitched in red.

“Let this be a warning, to anyone who wants to follow in his footsteps. To anyone who thinks they are above the law. Beyond consequences.” He continued to speak, now ignoring the Captain to instead talk to the marines still bearing witness. "Your ranks can't defend you, your comrades can't defend you, your government and your armies can't defend you. Not from me.” The Captain was tired of the prattling speech, an attention grabbing babble that served only to annoy him. He didn’t have to worry about consequences, he was the consequence. He was justice, the mighty blade of the Navy. And this criminal needed to die. Matsuda felt his gaze shift to Kanna, with a wicked grin he instead aimed his blade at the girl. Teach this prince that speeches weren’t a shield either.

As if expecting this, Jinno was upon the marine in an instant. Exploding forward to intercept the falling blade as it sailed towards Kanna. He knew that a man like this would stoop low enough to attack a civilian, but had hoped he would honour the terms of their duel. It seemed even the rules of civil combat were out the window. Jinno skidded past, launching into an attack that seemed to morph into three. False images of the prince lashing at in a pincer attack. Deflecting the blade while carving into the marine’s body. Followed by a pommel strike to the chest, sending him reeling back with a pained gasp. The cleaver was destroyed, the fragments shimmering in the air as the clattered to the ground. Followed by the heavy thud of Matsuda’s sword arm falling to the side, the cleaver’s sturdy handle clenched in the dead limb’s grip even as its master stumbled back.

The longer stump stained his uniform further, grasping uselessly at his opened throat, torn cleanly open by the prince’s blade. It was a miracle he was still standing, even if it was just barely. Matsuda stopped, watching the prince before him before simply falling back to the ground, staring into the night sky. Jinno cleaned the blade once more with a swift flick while he sheathed it, looping it back into his belt. “Kanna… I’m sorry you had to see that.” He didn’t want to look back, in case he hadn’t been fast enough, but eventually he braved it. “Lets go.” He was injured, and clearly worn down by the conflict, but he was strong enough to make it to the ship.

Arther had been a source of security for her when she was away from Jinno and he had been known to take whatever hardships he could from those that couldn't quite handle them. When she had been told that they would be leaving this night, he was the first of the servants she told knowing that he could rally them together and take care of them where Kanna couldn't. So, hearing him take charge of the group as she continued to stand frozen in place lifted the growing pressure from her shoulders. She could count on him for sure, although her loyalty would always be to her prince.

The captain would call out that when this battle was over Kanna would be his first victim to his usual violence. The panic would grow in her throat, even if she knew that Jinno wouldn't let such a thing happen. Did she rely on him too much? Was she ever able to do anything for herself? A strike to the chest would have the captain bleeding over the torn sigil of the marines. Then, a strike to the arm would have his severed lower half dangling before another slash would remove it altogether. The blood spraying from the lost limb would leave Kanna holding her stomach from the looming nausea. Why did things have to go this far? This wasn't how marines were supposed to be. They were supposed to protect the innocent and care for the weak. They were supposed to defend the land, but instead, they treated it as a toy. The people were just pawns in the way of them reaching that next payment. All they saw were the signs of money everywhere they went.

Jinno would make a frim, undeniable statement that would have Kanna stunned at his confidence. Yes, she had seen his abilities firsthand, but taking on the world couldn't have been necessary, could it? He was basically asking for war to come to Wano's borders. Would they really be able to go home after this? Surely, they wouldn't be welcomed, especially by the land's Yonko. Kanna was beginning to see that her time as a mere servant were over and this battle would force the military's hand at making her a criminal. In Kanna's anxiety enduced panic, the Captain would make his move directed at her as Jinno's one weakness in this battle. It always seemed that she was a burden to her prince. If they couldn't go home, then things would never change, would they?

She would watch the cleaver come her way, but would be swiftly intercepted by Jinno, who still continued to protect Kanna. As the pieces of metal flew through the air, one would meet the edge of her cheekbone barely scratching the surface of her skin. A thin, red line would form and blood would slowly seep through as Kanna took another deep breath. A testiment that she was just a bystander, a servant with no real ability to help anyone. She was weak and practically useless. She had never felt so low before and had always believed she was more independent than she really was. Kanna had only ever relied on everything and everyone around her. It was peaceful. It was safe. In this time of chaos, she was nothing but an obstacle. She was a target with no real way to turn the tides.

Kanna would watch as listen to the captain as he attempted to breathe and hold his throat closed. The blood pouring down his neck as he fell backwards to stare at the fleeting sky. He would die as he deserved and the only thing to snap her out of her thoughts was Jinno's voice. He would apologize to her, but her eyes would slowly look to him covered in wounds. He stood, but she knew he was in pain. His only other words would be for them to go, but where would they go? They could go to the ship, but what then? To the ship. That was the only thought she could conjure in her mind. Kanna would reach out to grab Jinno's hand even if she was in a state of panic. She would turn to the ship dragging him along with her. If this was all she could do, then she would make sure they made it together. As they drew close to the ship, Kanna would begin to shake and when they made it on board, she would sink to her knees.

"What do we do now? Where do we go? Surely, they'll look for us. We can't go home... can we?" This promise was the only thing that she had asked for and even then, the idea that it had been too much would cross her mind. As tears finally streamed her face, Kanna would turn to Jinno before bowing on her hands and knees. "Please forgive me, Jinnosuke. I've only been in the way since we arrived and you were even hurt because of me. Even now, I fear the marines will only try to use me again to harm you. I should have been the one to protect you as a mere servant. So, forgive me for being weak. If we become criminals of the world, I swear I'll get stronger, so you won't have to do this again. I'm so sorry."

It sounded like the prince wasn’t breathing quite so easily, now that the adrenaline from the fight was wearing down and he was forced to really feel that pain. It didn’t matter though, he let Kanna help him as much as she could. Feeling that the display of strength might have shaken her in more ways than just the violence. She had been forced to rely on him, not being nearly as prepared by life as he had been. It wasn’t fair on her of course, and he would never consider the protection he provided to be a burden.

They walked past the Matsuda’s broken body, with Jinno noticing that he still wasn’t dead. Not one to finish a dying man though he hurried them along, moving the pair of them away as he stirred. Groaning as they rounded beyond side of a building to follow the path to the docks. Running on nothing more than fury, the marine got to his feet and began to walk. Only for the very skies to light up above up, followed by the sound of thunder. The momentous roar from natures wrath cleared the skies of clouds, allowing the moon to shine ever more light across the seas. Only for a brilliant flash of light above to descend as lightning, striking the man down in an instant.
--

Kiyoko looked from the Fortress wall at her handiwork, hand set forward as if she had clicked her fingers. “You should have retired when you had the chance.” There was a hint of malice in her voice, an uncharacteristic open dislike of another person from the easy going Captain. “Hrmm, where’d they go?” She peered around, seeing much easier with the clear sky when she looked to the dock and the ship that had started drifting away. “… Oh. Well, I’m in a -lot- of trouble aren’t I. Good one Kiyoko.” The marine wiped a hand over her face, sighing. “Impressive stuff I guess, at least she’s in good hands. Better not make me regret this kid” She leaned onto the wall to watch the pride of the fleet sail into the night.

--

Jinno managed to make it back to the ship without issue, mostly thanks to Kanna’s help, but they were able to make it on deck to the rather spacious ship as it slowly drifted up the dock. He didn’t have time to admire the scenery though. “Of course we are.” He smiled, crouching down with a well-hidden wince, hoping to calm her even as the tears fell. He listened to her concerns, supressing a frown as he held out a hand. “You never have to bow to me, or anyone.” Assuming she accepted the guesture, he stood up. A little shaky, but soon they were moving again. Over the strangely empty deck toward the covered command deck where the rest had gathered out of the cold.

It was two floors at least, the lower one completely enclosed and well lit, fine tables set out in a dining hall style arrangement. The kitchen was attached, and some of the cooks were already ransacking the good Admiral Yukimori’s refrigerated stores and well stocked larder to begin a feast in the open kitchen. Some had already broken out the wine and spirits that were being passed around. “This is something we did together. Do you think they would have been ready to go if you hadn’t warned them? This is our victory” He moved in to cheers, lead by Arthur. Kanna would notice that all eyes weren’t on the prince, they were on her too. And he lifted her arm in triumph while moving them forward to join in on the festivities.

The night was to be a celebration, with songs of freedom being chanted while they drained the stores of everything they were worth. A night to remember to be sure, and the beginning of many more such nights to come.

---

Epilogue:

“And that’s all I know! From start to finish, how many times do I have to be sorry about your boat!” Kiyoko sat opposite her commander, in a rare circumstance where she wasn’t wearing her shades, revealing the light grey tone of her eyes, barely visible against the whites where it not for the faded dark ring of colour marking her iris. The Captain had been hard at work, despite having followed the commands to the letter, Kaho had lost her ship and was now dealing with a veritable inquisiton from the top brass. A captain and vice-admiral had been lost under her watch, one of the most advanced ships in the fleet was gone and she was the only one left to answer for any of it. So she had Kiyoko explain everything that had happened in the little skirmish that had left a number of marines dead, and many more now recovering from grevious wounds.

“He was going to get the rope anywhere, you heard what he did. We were sent here for a reason Kaho.” Tempest’s tone wasn’t her usual aloof self, there wasn’t a joke to be heard. She was completely serious. “By the time they were in view, my only option was to sink it. What would that have achieved exactly?” Despite her usual shenanigans, Kiyoko Arai was one of the most capable marines in the Navy. User of a potent fruit that allowed her control of the weather. As versatile as it was, she was right. “Investigation done, corrupt marines have been taken care of. We can go back to doing our job. If you want to chase the kid, that’s fine, but you’ll want to do it quickly. Not long until he’s going to catch up to us both.” With her second in command clearly done with this little backwater fortress, Kaho had to decide how she would proceed.