Out of the Woodwork (Ryuzaki/Jude)

[Ryuzaki]

The event? The wedding of a minor noble.
The participants? Two well-to do families, plenty of guests, and the army of servants.
The appeal? The ring.

Held in the vault of the manor, the ring was not alone. It was surrounded by various other valuables, heirlooms, keepsakes, and other goodies - among them bars upon bars and sacks upon sacks of gold.

Ryuzaki smiled, looking over the floor plan he'd gotten from a bribed servant. The rooms and floors were laid out in crude lines, the charcoal delineating only the most basic of information - halls, rooms, doors, floors. Not much more. But that was okay. The assassin simply had to get inside. From there, he would use the layout that was rapidly coming to form in his mind - and he would make his way to the basement, the vault, and the treasure. Once he had what he needed, he would leave - in the midst of the revelry before the wedding, no one would plan for anything to disappear.

Ryu planned to make a statement with the ring. The other gold? Simply for his own pockets. He had to live, and this man had more than enough. Much more than enough. And so the sly assassin smiled, looking over his gear. No scythes needed, but of course Gemini. And his climbing equipment - ropes and hooks, small climbing spikes, and a large skin bag, with a metal eyelet added for a rope to pass through.

He was good to go, then.

The early rays of morning illuminated the figure, hooded and garbed in black, as he strode through the mist. When the manor, tall and imposing, came into view, looming out of the fog, the figure abruptly stopped. To come from the front was suicide; he had planned that already. He was staring at the back of the building, his eyes narrowed as he sized up the structure. Once he got to the rear of the building proper, he could scale it efficiently, but in order to get there, he would need to cross the lawn. The lone patrolling guard was making a circuit of the building's perimeter; the assassin counted about five minutes between when he turned the corner and when he reappeared. Five minutes to close in on the building, find his angle, and begin his ascent.

Five minutes...

Go!

As the guard turned, Ryuzaki emerged from the hedges and sprinted towards the building, a climbing spike in each hand. His target was a low balcony; he could grapple to the roof from there.

[Jude]

"And your invitation, sir?"

"Oh, I uh... I'm actually just a plus one, I guess. Cesar Moba, he's inside, that guy over there? Pink hair? I'm his son." Jude lied, a smile written wryly across his face.

The guard hesitated a moment, but then stood aside to let Jude pass. With a simple wave of his hand, Jude walked forward, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he did. He was lucky... The guy with pink hair he'd been tailing was in no way related to him, but the fact that it wasn't a common hair color made it easier to pass off as the guy's kid. And lying wasn't a problem; Jude was good at it by now. With a smirk on his face, he picked a pew in the front lawn of the manor and took a seat, looking around.

Nice place, the red-eyed boy thought. He leaned back, crossed one leg over the other, and folded his arms. In truth, he was here for the free food, but also because he was still looking for Mel, trying to hunt her down since their last encounter. He wanted to find her and travel with her again, since he didn't really have anywhere else to go, and since she was from a big family, Jude thought maybe she'd make an appearance here. And if not, hey, he thought, at least the food would be free.

At present, the front lawn, guarded, was open, as was the main foyer inside the house, where the food for the reception would be held. At present, there were some nobles and commoners alike inside shooting the breeze, which Jude could tell as he looked past the throne where the vows would be exchanged.

His plans changed ever so slightly, though, as his tuned ears picked up on the conversation behind him.

"Oh darling, and have you seen their wedding bands? Word on the street is that they paid a small fortune! Took some money out of their son's will, even, since this marriage was so hurried and all. I guess when you're nobility it's easy to buy expensive rings!"

The smirk grew evil on Jude's face. A ring, huh? Pricey? That was good. His pockets were light. It couldn't hurt to lift it... After all, you could still get married without a ring. Right? Jude didn't care, and he pushed the question out of his mind. Stepping up from his seat in the empty pew, he headed inside, into the main foyer. Where would they house such a treasure until the wedding began?

To occupy his time and his thoughts, Jude headed inside, eating some of the early-stage refreshments, shoving pastry after pastry into his mouth, chewing quickly and loudly. Some of the people around him shot him rude looks and backed away to continue their conversations elsewhere. Where to look...

Then, as if on cue, a butler approached an armored man near the door, whispering in his ear. The guard promptly moved aside, and the butler stepped through the door and down some stairs. In a few moments, he came back up with some ornate pillows.

Down there, maybe?

Jude decided it would be best to check. He wondered how to distract the guard, biding his time a bit so not to look suspicious. Maybe he could cause a distraction?

Approaching the guard, Jude spoke in a fake, high-pitched voice full of worry. "Um, sir, I think someone outside is a little too drunk.. They're arguing, a-and causing some trouble behind where I'm sitting. It's got me worried."

The guard didn't speak, but nodded, leaving his post. Seriously? That's all it took? Jude turned towards the door, trying to open it. Locked.

"Oooookay..." Jude breathed, dissatisfied. He looked around. Not many people around, and none paying attention to him. He didn't have time to deliberate, though. He turned back to the door, pulling a small, edged picked from his back pocket and inserted it into the lock. With careful diligence he listened for a click, and when he heard it, pulled the door open and stepped inside. He was at the top of the stairs. Jude closed the door behind him, locking it quietly.

[Ryuzaki]

The spikes embedded themselves in the cracks between stones, and the assassin nimbly began pulling himself up, mentally thanking himself for all the practice and exercises to strengthen his upper body. Minutes passed, and Ryuzaki found himself straining as he kept up a brutal pace. Finally, after what seemed like ages, he wrenched his legs up and over, collapsing onto the balcony over the low railing and panting as he looked down.

As his breathing began to slow to normal, the guard strolled around the corner, glancing lazily about before he continued on. What a joke.

Standing up, Ryu looked in the glass door, his mind calculating through the floor plan. This was a faster way through, but the fireplace would be safer. He had no idea who would be patrolling the hallways... But time was of the essence. He could hear the clamor growing a bit louder as more guests began to arrive.

There was not enough time to go the safe route. This would have to do.

His lockpick in hand, Ryu opened the glass door in a heartbeat, slipping inside and closing it softly. The bedroom was lavishly decorated, and the four-poster bed was covered with boutonnieres and ties. Dangerous. He had to move.

Ryuzaki crossed the floor in seconds, pressing himself to the door as he listened into the hallway. Nothing. No sounds. Slowly, he opened the door, pulling it back and poking his head into the hallway. Not a soul in sight.

The main stairway was to the right, around the corner, but the servants' stairwell was to the left, also around the corner. The main stairwell brought him nearer to the 'true' entrance to the vault, which was concealed in a great room on the ground floor. The 'false' entrance, in the grand dining area, would be a shorter distance, but would likely be swarming with people - and from the 'false' entrance, a small net of mazelike catacombs would slow him down. He knew the path, of course, but he was loath to waste valuable time winding through bones and niter. The only drawback to the true entrance was that it was guarded, according to his contact, by a man at the main door. Nobody guarded the rear.

His decision was made. The main entrance it would be.

The assassin set off at a brisk walk down the hall, the carpet muffling his footsteps as his figure disappeared around the corner to the right...

[Jude]

"Geez," Jude breathed angrily as he descended quietly down the stairwell. It was narrow and wooden; an access staircase, probably leading to kitchens, maybe servant hallways, wine cellars... He had no idea. The only thing he knew for sure was that there were very likely people down here who would not want him down there. He knew he would look suspicious, and knew that he had to figure out just what the hell he was doing as soon as he could. He was reckless more often than not, but in a case like this, he knew how to be quiet, how to conceal his movements and leave no trace.

Like a silent devil, Jude reached the bottom of the stairs and looked around. Fortunately, forward was the only way to go, but he could already hear movements... A kitchen, maybe? It sounded like a wood-fire stove, or perhaps a furnace of some kind. He kept close to the wall, inching forward as he did, his leather boots silent against the carpeted floor.

At the end of the hall, he peered across the corner and down the right side. That was a kitchen, for sure, and with three chefs. He couldn't tell if there was anything down that way that needed his attention, but he figured if he were after a ring, it wouldn't be in a kitchen... Hopefully not, anyway. Not knowing where he was going or what he was doing, Jude made his best guess that the other direction, towards what looked like another section of hallways, was his best bet.

Waiting for a break in the voices of the chefs, the red-eyed boy turned around again, making sure the chefs weren't heading his direction with food or the like. Electing that it was safe enough, he silently rolled out from his position and clung to the opposite wall, slowly and quietly making his way down the hallway, the opposite end of the kitchen. When he reached the end of that, he found two more directions to choose from-- again, a left or right. This time, there was no conceivable "right choice".

He huffed, closing his eyes angrily, cursing his fate. "Gods damn it," he whispered to himself. "It's a maze down here. They couldn't have made this a little easier to navigate...

For now, he decided he should pick and move on. He turned left, moving towards a wooden door on the far side...

[Ryuzaki]

The main stairwell loomed in front of him, wide and imposing, as he listened to the voices of guests clamoring from below. Time to blend briefly. He had to just get through without raising too much attention.

The assassin pulled off his hood, and pulled his hair up into a bun on top of his head, and looked down like a servant, picking a vase off of a side table and shuffling down the stairs, carrying the large, urn-like porcelain piece past guests, whose gazes simply glossed over him as if he were part of the furniture. Entering the great room with no opposition, Ryu moved to the door at the far corner and tried it. Locked. Not a surprise. Putting the vase down and crouching behind it, so that it blocked any curious guest's line of sight, the assassin removed his lockpick and slipped it into the door's lock, turning it ever so gently and listening as the tumblers clicked.

One swift motion later, he was inside, the urn with him. No reason to leave a tool laying where it would gather suspicion.

Ryu stood at the top of a wide stone staircase. Down below, a guard stood looking in confusion up at him.

"What're ye doing here? No servant is supposed to be down here..."

"De boss tell me to bring de pot down to de vault. E tell me I better do eet fast, or e going to bring de lash to me."

The guard shook his head, muttering something about stupid slaves and illiterate idiots. Ryu walked past, shuffling his feet and looking down, holding the urn close to his body with his right hand, obscuring the left, which slipped into his cloak and retrieved a dagger, blunt and heavy.

The urn clinked against the ground as Ryu bent over it, feigning exhaustion.

"You lazy cur, get that urn moved! What're you standing around for? Wait until-"

The dagger slammed into his face, the flat of the blade smashing between his eyes. By the time he hit the floor, Ryu was there, muffling the impact and applying pressure to his neck. The man was unconscious in seconds.

The assassin stood up, smiling grimly, and moved the man to the side, propping him against the wall to look asleep. Perfect.

Now. Onward. Fast. The clock was ticking!

The next door swung open easily as Ryu pushed on it, and the black-garbed assassin slipped in, sliding to the floor and looking at the wide room, its marble pillars standing in stark contrast to the drab rock walls.

Three suited men stood around at various points in the room. Guards, and undoubtedly trained ones. He'd have to distract them to open the door... And that lock would take a little bit to do. So... How best to do so?

The lighting in the room came from four braziers in the four corners. Ryu smiled. He had an idea...

[Jude]

Jude's nimble fingers pushed lightly on the door, avoiding any creaks that might've come from its old wooden frame. He got lucky-- the door was silent. He slipped inside, slowly clicking it shut behind him... The room was empty.

Seriously? A bedroom?

If he weren't alone and if he didn't have to be quiet, Jude would've shouted. Seriously, how hard could it be to find a stupid ring in what was undoubtedly a pretty small basement? Surely the bottom floor wasn't as expansive as the upper floors, Jude guessed. Though he figured he might be wrong... With no real way of knowing the way around the underlevel, he figured he might as well be on about his business. But as long as he was in here...

Realizing he was alone, Jude stood in full, stretching his frame out. He plumped down on the bed and took brief pause, wishing he hadn't come down here at all. This was stupid. Mel obviously wasn't here, and he could easily get himself killed if he lingered much longer. He was armed, sure, but these guards-- if there were guards down on this level-- were probably more trained than he. He couldn't be sure, but this was nobility, after all, and he had to play his cards right. Thankfully, the red-eyed boy thought, he'd been dealt some okay cards... His only problem was not knowing where he was.

After he rested a moment, Jude got up and decided to peruse the chest of drawers at the end of the bed. Some small jewelry, a few notes, a mirror... Who lived down here? These weren't living quarters, and if they were they would be slave quarters, by his estimation, but... This room was nice. It was almost as if was living down here regularly, or in any case, staying here occasionally. The room wasn't terribly fancy, and looked only relatively lived in, but jewelry?

Jude filled one of his cheeks full of hair, his furrowed brow becoming deeper as he searched among the pile. Fake gold, mostly, and polished tin to look silver. How stupid, he thought. None of this was worth anything. His heart sank a little bit as he thought about the possibility of a female servant pretending to be a noble, but he quickly pushed the thought out of his mind.

"Better get going." Jude said softly, but out loud to himself. He wanted to make sure he wasn't alone-- and he wasn't. All was well.

Stepping out of the door, Jude heard voices at the far end of the hall, towards the end he hadn't traveled. What was it? He had also just barely been able to make out the sight and sound of a door closing right at the end of the hall. Maybe that was the right way to go.

Jude prowled along the edge of the wall, passing through the gap he'd met before quickly, and continued going. He kept his hands pressed against the wall, listening for vibrations... Fortunately, he seemed alone. Perhaps it was a pretty simple layout after all. Some servant quarters, a kitchen, and whatever was beyond this door which Jude now found himself in front of.

He didn't dare open it; not yet. He didn't know much about it. Instead, he pressed his pick into the hole, listening for the click that indicated raised tumblers, and once he had the door unlocked, looked through the keyhole. His red eye caught glimpses of marble pillars, suited men, and a grand hall with a door at the far end. Three guys? Jude couldn't take three guys; there was no way. The room was relatively dimly lit... He could try going straight in, but he figured this might be more trouble than it was worth...

[Ryuzaki]

The assassin slithered along the floor to the first brazier, and, standing slowly to avoid catching their eyes, hooked one of his grapples to the brazier before slinking towards the other side of the hall, letting the rope loosely uncoil behind him. When he arrived near the middle of the hall, the rope became taut, and Ryu steeled himself, yanking and sprinting forward towards the other brazier. The first one crashed to the ground in a loud, bold noise, and soon the assassin arrived at the other, pulling it to the ground and then diving forward, hiding behind a pillar as he heard the men speaking in short, loud tones - fear and confusion, hidden behind false bravado.

"What was that? Why'd the lights fall? Somebody check it out!"
"I'm not going over there. You know the vault is haunted..."
"Damn it, why are we the three down here? Let's get out of here!"
"The boss will kill us! No way!"

"Perfect," Ryu whispered, sliding his hands and pulling the grapple's head back to him. Once he had the heavy iron head in his hands, he whirled it and tossed it, pulling a third brazier to the ground.

The effect was instantaneous. The men shot to the one remaining spot of light, and the assassin moved to the door, pulling his hood back up and sliding his feet to make a grating, eerie noise as he approached the heavy metal door.

"What... What is that?"
"You idiot, it's a robber!"
"No, it's a ghost!"
"Watch, I'll kill it!"
"Where? WHERE DID IT GO?!"

Ryuzaki resisted the urge to laugh, keeping his body motionless and still. As they were babbling to each other, he'd calmed his body and allowed it to fade away into nothing more than a faint shimmer, like a heat wave. In this light, he was invisible. And the men were clearly not versed in his special skill - they grabbed the handles of the brazier and drew their weapons, dragging the light across the floor as they fled towards the door Ryu had entered from. Once the light was far away, the assassin relaxed, his body flickering into view as he placed his pick in the door and began to unlock it. The lock was much more difficult to open, but after a minute or so of concentration and sleight of hand, the door clicked, and the assassin pushed, swinging the heavy metal double doors open to reveal the vault - and one last guard, looking in incredulous amazement at the hooded man who walked calmly through, slamming the doors behind him and locking them before turning to smile at the guard, the expression eerie and vicious from under the hood.

"En garde."

The guard, staring and trying to maintain his composure, drew his sword, moving to a ready stance as the assassin smiled, drawing a sword that gave the man chills. It was a sword he'd never seen, but its razor sharp edges and the jagged crack running down its middle gave him a fearsome impression of the wielder.

That impression became even more deadly when the assassin twisted his wrists, separating one blade into two, each with a jagged edge and a razor edge. The man stepped backwards, and Ryuzaki stepped forwards, speaking one last chilling prophecy.

"Say your prayers. Your soul belongs to Hell now."

Then he leaped forwards, the twin blades sparkling in the light of two braziers as he advanced, sending two slashes in quick succession at the guard. The man, raising his blade with fear but the innate skill of one well-trained, blocked them, backing himself towards the wall.

"Shh... We must be quiet. Quiet, I tell you. Shh."

The assassin dropped one sword to the ground and whipped his grappling hook off of his back, twirling it and then whipping it at the guard, who ducked, allowing the iron hook to pass by him. But Ryu pulled the rope, jerking it back and into the man's clothing, pulling him off balance and sending him to the floor. Picking up his sword, Ryu walked over to the man, smacking him with the flat of the blade and dazing him. Kicking him to flip him over, the assassin smiled, holding both blades like a praying mantis's arms, and then plunged them into his neck with uncanny precision.

The man made no sound as his blood pooled under him, and the assassin gave a soft, airy laugh as he wiped the twin halves of Gemini on the man's clothes, reassembled them into one blade, and stowed it back in its sheath. Now. For the treasure.

[Jude]

"Wuh-oh." Jude said calmly, watching the events play out through the keyhole. Fortunately, he was far enough down the hall, and distanced enough away from the kitchen, that his presence probably would continue to go unnoticed. So without fear, he looked through the hole, seeing no figures, but watching lights go out, one after another. This was strange, Jude thought... Was there someone else in there, someone waiting to beat him to the treasure? No way. He wouldn't allow that to happen. The young man hadn't gone to so much trouble to simply watch someone else leave with the ring. Absolutely not.

But then things got worse. As the last remaining light became the safe haven for the three guards inside, Jude noticed something, his ears perking up. They were headed... His way? Away from the door at the far end, where it was darkest?

This wasn't good.

With haste Jude sprung up, leaping backwards as the men approached to door. He threw himself against the wall, to the side of the door, so that if it opened he would be hidden behind it. Before long, three terrified men burst through the door with such speed and fervor that the door actually swung wide enough to smack Jude in the face, almost causing him to scream; realizing the danger of the situation, though, Jude remained silent, cursing the three men as they charged down the hallway.

"WE'VE GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE!"
"Get the boss. The ghost is back. What did I tell you?"
"SOMEONE has to kill it!"

Jude sighed and furrowed his brow. What idiots.

As the guards rounded the corner screaming, Jude knew he didn't have long to make his move. More would be coming this way, no doubt about it. He could handle himself okay in a fight, but nothing like what might be coming if stayed hidden behind this door, which was a poor hiding space to begin with. So, deciding it would be best to enter the "haunted" space, he pushed the door away from him, slipped inside the now-empty room, and closed it behind him. He had to act, and he had to act fast.

The light was almost nonexistent, and Jude would've been screwed if he hadn't been so adjusted to working in the dark. The only light left was a short brazier right at his feet, dragged over by the men who were making their escape to collect more guards with more guts.

"Hello?"

It was foolish, but Jude didn't care. Calling out into the darkness would, at the very least, reveal anyone in hiding. He figured his chances were good that anyone in his way would come out, especially since the three men who had just run by screaming were probably the only guards in here. Jude looked around, seeing no one around or even near the pillars that lined the center of the great room. He began walking forward, constantly looking around him as he approached the back wall... And as he came upon it, he realized it was a large, locked door, probably for security purposes. It was different than the others. The ring, maybe? But why here?

Jude shrugged, kneeling down on one knee to assess the situation. He gave the door a tug and it didn't give, so he decided to try his hand at picking it. He pulled the same pick out from before, slid it into the locking mechanism, and moved it around slowly, testing different lengths and pressures until he could find something right.

At first, the boy wasn't having any luck. "Oh come on, damn it," he breathed, exasperated. He didn't have much longer, surely. They'd be back soon. Eventually he found his golden spot, heard the lock click, and immediately slipped inside with a fluid motion, bringing the door to a close behind him. When he wheeled around, he almost jumped he was so shocked. A... dead man? A pool of blood?

"WHAT THE HELL?" Jude shouted, becoming immediately aware of the situation as he stared down a black-robed man standing over the dead body. Instinctively, the pink-haired man drew his dagger and whirled it around, spinning it once in his hand before letting it rest, blade back, reversed so he could swipe if he needed to. The roaring fire in his red eyes almost lit up the dark room.

"Hope you're not here for that ring! I've worked damn hard to find that, and I'll be sh*t on if I leave here without it!"

[Ryuzaki]

The assassin turned to the table next to the slain guard and began rooting through it, opening velvet boxes and pocketing the various jewelry... And then... There it was!

"WHAT THE HELL?"

"Shh. You'll wake the ghost."

Cackling, Ryu turned to face the newcomer. Pink hair. A dagger. He'd used a lockpick to enter. So he was a petty thief, come to rob a master assassin of his treasure. How fun. What a good time he'd have.

"Hope you're not here for that ring! I've worked damn hard to find that, and I'll be sh*t on if I leave here without it!"

"Then you should proceed to defecate upon yourself... If it's this you want."

A flash of silver and crystal and gold. Then the assassin's gloved hand rose, and the ring, slotted nicely on his middle finger, glittered. His other hand descended, plucking it off, and Ryuzaki deposited it calmly back on the table, snapping the jewelry box shut without so much as a glance.

"I will give you the benefit of a fair chance. You shall witness the power of the assassin Near. I will attack you. I shall hold nothing back. Surrender if you wish. Throw down your weapons. I'll give you the second pickings of this vault, and you may flee with your life. But if it's the ring you must have, I'll kill you for it... Because that ring is necessary for the next step in my plan. And I will not be interfered with - not by a meddling, petty thief. My grand goals are beyond the scope of your understanding, and my skill with a blade is unparalleled. Prepare yourself for Hell, thief, for I am Death. Death is Near."

The assassin drew Gemini, the blade sparkling and gleaming in the flickering light. The razor edges, still sharp as ever... And the jagged crack, running down the center of the blade. The weapon carried an air of worldliness, of danger, of survival earned through blood, sweat, and tears.

And then the assassin stepped forward, raising the blade and holding it perfectly vertical, between his eyes.

"Choose."

[Jude]

Jude pointed an angry finger with his free hand at the man, who clearly held the wedding band he was looking for himself. "THAT? That's mine. Sorry bucko, but I'll tear you apart for it." Jude smirked. He had never killed a man... And he wasn't sure he could kill this one. But he'd be damned if he didn't try; the young man wasn't about to be talked down to in such a way.

"Tch!" Jude breathed harshly, gritting his teeth. He sheathed his dagger slowly, assessing the situation. A master assassin? Seriously? Is that what he was calling himself? Jude was peeved, and thought that just because the man had beaten him here didn't mean he was entitled to his ring.

Well... Maybe he was. Still!

The young man folded his arms, looking off to the side, an air of pride about him. He closed his eyes, pretending to ignore the man standing before him. He sure looked skilled, but... Jude couldn't take that as intimidation. He wasn't one to back down from a challenge, a fight, or especially, rights to stolen treasure. "Petty thief?" He said, bemused. "I'm a pirate, gods damn it." His tone was fierce, focused, and unafraid. "I've sailed all the seas of this world, stolen my fair share of sh*t-- but this? That's gotta be worth a small fortune. I want it. Sorry."

He looked back down at the man, his wild red eyes fixing themselves on the man whose blade rested perfectly between his eyes. "And Near? What the hell kind of alias is that? Seriously, anyone could've picked a better pseudonym than that. I could've helped ya out there, ya know. Near. Please."

Jude let out a belly laugh and parted his legs, leaned forward, and brought his arms in crossed diagonally at his chest, each hand near a different breast pocket. "I was born with hell on my agenda, old man. You wanna come at me, then come on!"

In one fluid, quick motion, Jude drew and thew two throwing knives, one from each hand, right then left, in a motion that was as shapeless as water, and refined in the same way. They glinted in the dark, flying forward. Once they were away, he reached behind him, and with the same fluidity drew his dagger again, rushing forward. He leaped into the air, over the path of his daggers, and spun his entire body in a twirl, spinning through the air.

He came down hard, his dagger aimed down and between his legs, aimed right at the man's head. "And I'll show you what we PIRATES can do!"

[Ryuzaki]

"..."

Wanting the ring would not get the 'pirate' the ring. He could not be that foolish. And who was he to criticize the name of Near? The name had worked just fine, and he had evaded 'wanted' status, so it seemed to have done its job quite well.

But old man? Was he that taken by his hair? Hah! The fool would die... A humble, glory-free death. A death fit for one who tried and failed to break into a league he knew nothing of.

The 'pirate's' hands flew down to his belt and then back up. A telltale sign. The assassin dropped to a crouch, as the throwing knives shot overhead. A nice opening strategy, but poorly executed. He choreographed his motions too much, making them easy to predict. And the spinning jump-lunge combination? Beautiful and elegant, but so slow!

Ryuzaki backflipped, springing up and away from the descending attack. As he moved through the air, his hands twitched, and Gemini split once more into two separate blades, the jagged edges catching the light as the assassin landed, smirking, the twin swords held up in the stance of one who knows he has the upper hand. Confident, assured, and determined. Ryu knew the man's skill level now, and he could easily defeat him.

"Perhaps you'd better stick to the sea, then, lad, because I think you've picked a bit too large of a fish to fry. Now! You've had your fun - now it's my turn!"

The assassin stood unmoving for a second, and then, suddenly, with no warning, he lunged, his sword blades slicing downwards and outwards like a twin-bladed guillotine. The attack was aimed to injure, not to kill - Ryu hoped to do enough damage to convince the thief to flee quietly. If nothing else worked, then he would be forced to end the hapless interference. But for now, he hoped that he could scare him enough.

[Jude]

Jude had barely the time to shift his weight in the air, spinning his body once more over and to the left, to make a landing on his feet, sliding back and away from the man as his blades split in two.

"TWO?! Are you KIDDING me?!" Jude gritted his teeth, surprised at this trick. He had to admit, he wasn't prepared for this... He wasn't ready for suck a trick. Dual-wielding? Even Jude knew he was too inexperienced to deal with that. But would it stop him from trying?

These questions didn't plague his mind; he was reckless and forward-thinking, and right now, the lurid color of his eyes spoke only of his desire for victory, his inability to back down. Oftentimes it was of great benefit to him, but in this situation, it seemed that perhaps that wasn't the case... Regardless, he was ready. And he was having fun, to say the least. He loved fun... The thrill of battle really brought forth the life in this 19 year old boy-at-heart. Jude crouched down low as the assassin came forth at him, in a fluid, lightning fast motion that looked pretty dangerous.

Jude smirked, leaning backwards. As the attack came forward, he leaned his entire back until he had to catch himself by bringing his arms beneath him, placing his palms on the ground to keep him level. His torso was horizontal now, and he watched through his wild red orbs as he watched the blades meet and then pass down over him, the brute of the attack having missed him. What he didn't account for, though, was the way the blades came down towards the ground, slashing his hands as they laid palms open against the ground.

The sharp edges pierced the flesh in both of his hands, and sensations of heat and tearing filled his mind. His skin flushed a bit and his eyes widened in fear as he felt the blood start to pour out of the tops of his hands. "Sh*t!"

He rolled back clumsily, feeling now the sting in his hands. They were bleeding a lot more than they should have for a normal sword attack... Were these blades sharper than most? That wasn't good.

Jude pushed himself back against a set of crates in the corner, the fire and anger not leaving his eyes or his face. He held one limp at the ground, unable to hold his dagger-- the pain was intense, and gripping anything hard made it worse. With his other hand, he drew his last throwing knife and spun it around by the open circle at the end of its handle. He held it gently between his index, middle, and thumb, prepared to throw as the man finished out his attack. The fire in Jude's eyes refused to die, and even as he faced death, the man was completely fearless, like a fighting dog ready to give it his all until death. Through an open mouth and gritted teeth, the fervor nearly radiated from the pink haired boy.

"Come on, damn it, I don't have all day! If you're going to kill me, just do it already!" His eyes were trained on those of the assassin, as if he could simply kill the man with a glare.

[Ryuzaki]

"TWO?! Are you KIDDING me?!"

"No. I would not joke about something so deadly serious..."

His blades came humming down, and as the 'pirate' bent back to avoid them, Ryu controlled their descent, slowing them so that as they contacted his hands, they did not chop them off - merely sliced them.

"Sh*t!"

"Yes, indeed. These blades are special, child. They're finely crafted, finely honed, and as sharp as can be. It's all thanks to the alloy. Wonderful stuff."

The foe rolled away, leaning against some crates and staring at the assassin, his face still conveying his determination to fight it out to the bitter end. What a foolish child. His chest was heaving, he was bleeding profusely, and yet he still tried to fight? Still tried to draw a dagger to inflict any sort of damage? Oh, the poor fool.

"Come on, damn it, I don't have all day! If you're going to kill me, just do it already!"

"Oh? You wish a quick and painless end?"

Ryuzaki laughed, throwing his Gemini Edges up in the air, his hands straying to his chest as he did so, and then, in a split second, two throwing knives embedded themselves on either side of Jude's head. The twin swords then dropped back into the assassin's hands, palms up to receive them, and Ryuzaki smiled, his eyes gleaming as he fused the two swords into one, sheathed it, and then tossed the kid a vulnerary wrapped in gauze bandages.

"Take it, and slather that gunk on the cuts. I like your guts - you might've gotten the ring, if you'd been better with a blade. Plus, no way can you fight with just a dagger. You need a sword, kid.

Clearly you're new to this whole fighting thing, but I'm impressed you got this far. Stick with me. Grab as much loot as you can carry, and load it in these bags. Then we'll get the hell out of here. We can talk later. But for now, let's go, before anyone grows some balls and shows up to find the 'ghost.'"

Ryu tossed bags down and began loading the more indescript loot - gold coins, gold bars, and less fancy jewelry - into the bags. The pricier stuff would actually be harder to sell.

"Plus, you'd never have been able to pawn off the ring for its whole value - and you'd likely have been betrayed and caught anyway. I have a much better use for it - just wait and see."

Ryu chuckled, grabbing his daggers from the wall and stowing them, only stopping briefly to chop off the guard's ring finger. Walking back to the table, he took the ring, slid it on the detached finger, and held it up to Jude.

"How do you like it, kid? I'm going to present this in high fashion to the bride - I have a message for her, and I figure this might get her attention."

[Jude]

Jude's glare redacted only a bit as the man expertly tossed two throwing knives his way, and his head shifted only briefly as he heard the metal notch itself into the wood on either side. Eventually, Jude let out a heavy sigh and allowed his eyes to shut; the man could've killed him at any moment, and he had chosen not to. Was this fate, or whatever they called it? Jude wasn't one for coincidence, and he certainly wasn't one for pity. As he looked at the vulnerary and bandages in his lap, he thought about how weak he truly was... As often as he liked to feign strength, in truth, only his spirit and his liveliness were anything to shake a stick at. While having spent his time in piracy, he learned how to intimidate, how to secure what was his with appearances, but with mettle? With metal? With the intent to kill? Maybe not...

Jude's red eyes slowly opened again, looking much less angry, and almost at ease. He sighed heavily again, deciding to deal with the cuts on his hand. He applied the salve, which stung, but his face remained unchanged. He had dealt with pain before... It was incredibly easy for him to put it out of his mind. Once he finished, he wrapped the cloth bandages a few times around his hands so that he had layer upon layer of safety that would even allow him to hold his weapon again. Was a dagger really so bad?

"Hope that wasn't out of pity," he said half-heartedly, turning to the assassin as he stood, brushing himself off. He didn't question the man's intentions. Jude was a simple guy, and he let combat and actions speak louder than words. He had been spared, and despite the man's ability to easily kill him, Jude no longer felt defensive; he no longer felt animosity between the two. Friends, he didn't know, but certainly not enemies. That was good.

"Stick with you? You serious?" Jude's gaze tried to look disgusted, but he couldn't hide his smile. Maybe there was something to be learned. "...Alright, old man. I'll ride with you for a while."

Walking over to some tables that held what looked to be fairly expensive items, Jude dismissed them all. "If I don't have the ring, I don't want any of it." He sure was hard-headed, but Jude chalked it up to diligence and pride, two things at which he was certainly proficient.

With a raised eyebrow, Jude excitedly eyed the man's handiwork-- a severed finger with the ring attached. He liked this man's style. "Nice." Jude said, clearly impressed. "I won't ask, but I'll definitely follow. I like where this is headed. But, uh... Something tells me we won't get out of here without a scrap. Someone's gonna come deal with these ghosts." Jude placed himself beside the door, peeking out. Nothing yet, but someone was bound to come soon...

"I'm all for getting attention when the pooch is screwed. What's your plan, uh, Near?"

[Ryuzaki]

"By all that you hold dear, you obstinate punk, pack the damned bags! I could use the money, even if you can't!"

Sighing, Ryu shoveled the stuff in, filling two bags and then moving to the rear of the room. He looked, feeling the wall, and then shoved an ornate chair to the side, grabbed onto a metal ring, and pulled, opening the doorway to a musty and unused staircase.

"The back way. I've got the layout memorized, so don't worry about us getting lost. Now, listen... One, I'm not old. Older than you, yes, but probably not by more than five years. The hair's a good disguise, no?

Two. We're going to take the bags and go up the stairs, turn left, and then up one more flight. Then go down the hall, turn left into the door right by the table without an urn. If it has a glass door and a balcony, that's the one. We enter, stash the loot on the balcony, and then go down to the main area. We present the ring to the father of the bride, I say my words, and we bolt like hell back in the house and up to the loot. I hook on two grappling hooks, we slide down the ropes, and disappear into the forest.

Three. Profit. You'll get yourself a damn sword, and I'll teach you how to fight like a monster. We'll become well-bonded, I can predict that much. For now, though, just trust my experience. We'll get out of here, fast.

And kid? Call me Ryu when we're alone. We've got to have some sort of trust if we're going to be working together. Near is reserved for targets and public places."

Smiling, Ryu nodded and grabbed a bag, lifting it over his shoulder with a grunt and heading to the open back door.

"There's a reason some survive and others don't - it's got something to do with connections. You've got yourself a good one... And I see in you a promising torch, if I can just kindle your flame."