The Hidden Fortress

Very carefully, Aedan lead the way through, using the light from his phone to make absolutely sure he knew where everything was... Or as well as he could. Yeah this camping trip was turning out to be about as great as everything normally did here in Japan. Which reminded him, he'd have to answer Haruto's question some other time. For now... whoops. Aedan almost tripped over a rock in the cave, which... would of been bad. Probably almost activated a trap somewhere. He needed to keep his mind on the current situation. "Stay close you two, pretty sure Aoi's fine and on the other side of this cave. But seriously, why the hell are all these traps here..." a soft mumble of complaint as he continued along.

Finally he emerged on the other side to... What was this? ...Dead plant life and... a village? What the hell? Taking a few tentative steps forward, while letting his eyes adjust to the light, he looked around... spotting Aoi. But... Maybe he should keep his voice down for the time being.

A dagger got thrown at Aoi but she was quickly grabbed by riko who pulled her out of the way. "This is why i told you that you shouldn't bother to come." He told her landing near her friend that he spotted. "We need to leave now, we will be out matched soon." Just as he said that more assassins appered. "quickly run i will hold them off long as I can." he told them tooking a stance ready to fight

"Nyoooh!!" Aoi shouted, pulled by Riko again. Who is this rude man, why does he keep grabbing her, pushing and pulling around?! Never mind the dagger, but... "Whaaaat?! I'm not running! This is adventure! And probably the place we were looking for." The Aqua Force lass defied, standing her ground with stomping her foot into the dirt, clutching her fist bravely. Xat was probably here, which means they reached their destination.

Haruto had finally managed to arrive at the exit of the cave, only to see a dangerous situation. Thankfully it was halted for a moment by this stranger who showed up and saved Aoi from the hurling dagger, however, this only meant that there were more on the way inclining Haruto to step in next to them.

"We're finally here." he said, as he ignited the tips of his fist in bluish flames, he was ready to fight back in order to find Xat and this time he did not hesitate to use the technique Percival taught him.

"Stay Sharp." said Percival.

"Sorry but if she's staying then so am, i'm not about to lose two people to this place...besides I have someone here I need to find." he said, as he readied himself for a possible confrontation.

God dammit Aoi. Fubuki marched towards Aoi and the mysterious stranger. "We are not staying here!!! It's far too dangerous!" Fubuki said, reaching to grab her friend's arm. And then more people showed up.

"Aoi, we need to leave NOW, whether you like it or not!" This wasn't safe. This was dangerous. Fubuki just wanted to go home and regretted agreeing to this camping trip. There were too many surprises, too much danger, and she was never going to go camping ever again if this is what camping meant.

"I know you're worried about her, but instead of complaining about it, support her or go home." Holy hell Aedan, why did you get grumpy all of a sudden? Stepping forward, a familiar black haired Lion Knight appeared next to him. His glorious mane would fend off any of the attacks at him, because fabulous. "Besides, if we left now, I'm pretty sure Aoi would never let any of us hear the end of it. ...I've got your back." he was ready to help Aoi fight to get her friend back.

"No way! If it was you I had to save while dragging out of here, I'd do it! So I'm gonna do the same here!" Aoi declared, attempting to tug her arm away from Fubuki's panicking grasp.

Suddenly the stopped as the leader Seph appered. "ahh intuders i guess i should come as a suprised and look everyone Riko the outcast came back. You were banished from this village you dare return here?" he asks as riko spoke up. "Xat is here and I want her back."He said. Seph just laughed as shirayuki appered.

"you guys need to leave, dont cause xat any mre pain." She said

"... Wait, what is this about?" Aoi inquired, confused by the appearance of the village leader, lowering her battle stance with a perplexed expression, turning to Riko.

"We need to leave now. I will exsplane whne we get safe." e toldthem

"I..." Aoi didn't want to leave, but hearing something about an outcast worried her. Not only that, but Riko even stated he's here to save Xat. In that case, they all want the same thing, so there was no point in further defying. ... He could've at least said this sooner instead of pinning her to the wall!

"Fine!" She caved, beginning to run... back into the cave full of traps.

The appearance of the village elder and Riko confirmed where they were, definitely Xat's village but at the moment they were outnumbered and advised to leave. While Haruto wanted to rush in and look for Xat he could not put the others at risk, especially after Riko's advise, so for now retreating was the only option.

"...Tch..for now I guess leaving is the best course of action...wait for us Xat we'll be back for you." he said, as he swung his hand in front of him, igniting the area in front of them with Bluish Flames, to give them a chance to get away without interruption.

"Let's go." he said, as he began running back into the cave.

Riko grabbed Aoi and ran out of the fortress avoiding all the traps till they were outside and a little bit away. :We should be safe here." He said to them

"So can you explain what's going on?!"

Aoi's impatient and wants the backstory to this plot.

Riko sighed and began to tell his storie to them. "Me and Xateramusa grew up together, and in a way we were partners always haveing each others back. I rembere the frist time we went on our first assassination it was hard for hte both of us, but we came to relize that it was not hard. After that me and Xat always parred up to work together. Everyone thought we would best team forever, yet as we grew older I notice Xat's hidding her emotions but couldn't do anything. Not many knwo this but Xat's mother was a former ruler to the country of spirits, however one day she and xat left the country to protect her daughter Xateramusa. Sadly she died right outside the village gates, the shamen tried to heal her but couldn't. So we took Xat in, and rased her as my sister." He sighed and pulled out a chain with a sun on it.

"This is part of the assassin symbol of leadership. Xat holds the other half showing the symbol of devotion which is a moon. My father was the last cheft, and was the one who told xat to leave and exspore the world. I didn't know it at the time but Xat had a strong connection like her mother to spirits, which is what Seph wants. He wants to take her power or have her use her power for him. I was suppose to be next in line however seph was a power hungry person. He grew up along side me and xat as the son of my fathers right hand man, Xat is a tool in his quest for power, with her power he could access the spirt relem and have his assassins get to targets quicker and no one be able to stop him due to them not truly being there. I found out his plan and tried to dethrone him yet I lost a battle and as a result he banished me, saying that if he killed me Xat will never return home. I didn't mind though this way i could look for Xat an protect her from him, yet from what i understand its too late. SHe had return and now he has everythibg he needs to carry out his plan." Riko said finally finishing his tale.

He then looked at the sky and frowned knowing in 2 days the ritual will happen, and knew that it need to be stopped. He looked at the others not to sure what they are to Xat so he decided to ask them. "Why did you come all this way?" He asked

Haruto listened to Riko's tale, now that he knew that this person was on Xateramusa's side he could remain calm when he senses him. As he listened he felt rather torn since the way it sounded made it as if Xat was merely a tool her and her mom within this struggle for power, causing Haruto to be rather annoyed at the matter. For now he paid his respects and kept listening until Riko posed his question.

"..In all honesty I don't know Xateramusa as much as you do, I have not gotten the chance to get to know her better but...she saved me a few months back, I was drowning in despair and she was the first to help me and she has done it several times after, to me she is an important friend I don't just owe her or anything, I want to save her." he said, with confidence in his eyes.

"That's a promise." he said, gripping his deck.

"Partners..." Aoi repeated as she listened in on the story of this random assassin who still hasn't apologized for pinning her to a wall. He was a childhood friend who grew and developed the skills of a killer with their friend. It seems Xat was the descendant of lord, and Aoi raised a brow to assume all of this was about succeeding the throne? Is that why the assassins wanted her? But... What do spirits and killers have to do with one another?

Then, a key chain.

The bubbly lass stared at it, taken back by how such a... "bright" symbol is the symbol of leadership for killers. Xat apparently had a connection to spirits, as many members of the Resistance had to Cray. Aoi was rather fascinated by the thought, also a little envious. This "Seph" was a tyrant who wants to use Xat for domination - the reason why Xat felt she had no choice but to return and be reformed was because of that person. ... A scowl, then a little angry frown. Aoi was not pleased with this in the slightest, disgusted with the thought of friends being used as tools as not seeing them for people. A reason why she respected Master Haruka was because he was friendly to his units, and not his cards. Yukino Espoir was a brilliant commander, because not once did she ever refer to her many, many soldiers as tools.

This Seph fiend should do no different.

Xat is a human being, not a tool of conquest.

"We came out here for a camping trip, and to bring Xat back home." Aoi replied after hearing the entire story. "And don't think about telling us to leave again, we're not gonna!"

Riko smiled at them a little before frowning. "THe passage way is shut for now however I know of a secret passage way into the hidout, yet it will be unwise to attack with the few of us." He said beofe asking anouther question. "whne all is said and done with what if Xat dosn't return home?" He asked them knowing that she most likely wouldn't return with out a good cause, plus if she did decided to leave could he let the woman that was like a sister to him leave him behind again.

Haruto heard the question that made him halt for a moment and consider the situation more thoroughly, for the longest time he had thought of only bringing Xat back with him to where he considered home to be. He had forgotten that this is her actual home, and that this person was a friend of hers...he felt selfish for trying to take all that away and force his choice onto their lives.

"I appreciate the help and the reminder." he said, pocketing his hands. "But you're mistaken we're not here to bring Xat back with us we are here to free her from the prison she is in, neither her nor anyone deserves to be used as a tool, more importantly she is our friend I want her to be happy, right now that's not the case so I will deal with the main problem this 'Seph' character, but in the end if her happiness is here then so be it, but it has to be her choice and not an imposed one."

That was really the case, Haruto did not want to force Xat back or anything he just wanted her to be happy and to have the chance to make her own choices. Whether her choice is to go back with them or to stay in her village, no one had the right to change that or impose anything, "We may not have the right to make her do anything, but we have the right to help her when she needs us, in fact we want to do that." he said.

Aedan had just... Followed, along with Ezel. He didn't really have much to contribute to the conversation... Being there mostly to support Aoi in her endeavor in saving her friend. That was good enough for him. The red head who was turning into a... Blackette?... Listened quietly as this person explained, looking at the chain for a moment... Then up at Ezel, who shrugged. This all seemed rather complicated and yet. "I'm here to help Aoi get her friend back. I may not know her personally, but she seemed nice enough. That's good enough for me. That being said..." he tilted his head, eyes shutting halfway.

"If she's not happy, why would she stay? I can't say for certainty that she is unhappy, nor can I say anything I've seen or heard even go with that idea. ...But this place doesn't look... Pleasant, I guess. ...No offense." he sighed scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "It's her choice in the end. Doesn't matter who any of us are. She's a person, not an object. We can't make choices for her. ...That being said, this airhead here really wants her to come back with us. ...So she definitely has friends, and a place to come home to." Aedan finished speaking, glancing around a bit. Did anything he just said make any sense? Really he was just saying what popped into his head...

"We won't know for sure if she would or not, however we can desscuss that later. Its getting late and you will all need rest if we are going to attack the fortress tomarrow." He told them while looking around to make sure this place was safe for camping. Though there is one thing he did not tell them, that there would be a possiblilty that they might just have to get through xat to reach Seph.


meanwhile back at the fortress Xat was training with Seph watching. Her skills were par to none and her connection was stronger then ever. Seph knew he had Xat right were he wanted her after all she cared dearly for her beloved friends and her clan. To him though it was not enough he needed her to fight for him and die for him, soon she will be his to control just after the ritual. "Very good Xateramusa, your training is comming along smoothly, soon the ritual will be complete and you can have back your beloved clan." He told her as he came into her vew.

Xat stopped her training and glared at him knowing full well what he ment. "You will lose Seph, I know my friends are here, and they will stop you after all they faced many dangers and won." She told him before leaving the training grounds.

"Wait", Aoi spoke up. "Why can't we just go now in the middle of the night? Isn't it the assassiny thing to do, to move about in the night and sneak into the target's house, then whack 'em!" The lass brought up her assumption of how Riko's kind worked while happily punching the palm of her fist with excitement. This was taking too long, so they can just do this now! The Ripple Forces were ready, and everyone else was probably more than ready as well.

"We can strike when they least expect it! If Xat doesn't want to come home, that's her decision. But I know she wants to, so nothing to worry about!"

Riko sighed and smiled. "Good answer, well then shall we prepare to strike?" He asked them pulling out a map.. "There is a hidden entrance right here next to the traps." He pointed to the spot near the entrance. "Once inside you will need to make way to the center of the village that is were Xat's house should be. Haruto I will need you to go to xat with Aoi, and try and get her to leave. Meanwhile i will need your friend there to sneak into the vault and steal back Xat's deck. I saw it on him when we encounter him ealryer. Once you have the deck and Xat joins us meet me in the center of the town, Seph will apper there and when that happens we can fface him." He told them pointing center spots on his lcoaion as he mentend them, Knowing that it will be time soon to get back his village.

Aoi made a rather understandable suggestion, afterall it made sense to strike at that time, though Riko's plan was definitely...what's the word? Forward? He wanted a straight forward battle and even assumed that Haruto and Aoi could get Xat to leave with them, this was definitely going to be dangerous.

"He makes it sound like bringing Xat to their side was going to be easy...but then again, we have to, we might need her help if spirits are involved in this confrontation." he thought, as he clutched his deck and listened for Leonidas.

He could feel the lion being close to him, and that pleased him for he knew that it could help them if they need him. Now the question was if Xat will listen.

"Let's go Aoi." he said, following the plan at hand.

Aoi immediately loaded up some spy music within her childish mind. The name's Undyne, Aoi Undyne. With a sly grin, she adjusted an imaginary tie, and stood up. "Infiltrating now", the prodigy spoke her commencing with the operation. Elusively bending for no reason, the flexible lass proceeded to tiptoe toward the hidden entrance. Then, her back was to the wall, carefully inching about as if there was no earth in front of her, and she was moving about the edge of a skyscraper.

Aoi Bond- err, Aoi started making way for Xat's house, immediately knocking on the door when she would arrive.