The Mercenary

[gantzgun74]

Gantz and Misty looked on at the reunion, both feeling a tad bit sorry for Erin. Oh if only she knew...

"Go ahead Metal." Gantz said with a mutter... "What happened?"

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One explanation later............

Taking a moment to consider this, Gantz rubbed his chin. "Seems to me like Kavma's making sure Yana doesn't get the chance to run into his old friends..." He growled a bit. "That must've been what he meant when he said I was an unforseen variable. He didn't want anyone meeting up with Yana."

"So what do we do then?" that question came from Rosaline, who looked quite worried herself. "According to Metal, Kaitlin could be anywhere..."

Shaking her head, Misty looked to Rose. "Kavma mentioned Mt. Bonsai when he punted her. She's probably there somewhere."

"Well we need to go find her-"

"We can't." Gantz groaned. "As much as I hate to admit it, we're pressed for time. Soul Edge and Nightmare could be causing all kinds of chaos in the Industrial Park... And Max is already on his way to the mountain." He thinks a bit. "I probably could get a hold of Wally and Talim and have them look around that area, so at least that's covered."

[doctorzero]

Yana was hardly able to believe what he was hearing. Still, it DID make sense...those two names were the only things he could remember that morning.
But now that he knew what was wrong with Kaitlin and Max, he was torn--he wanted so badly to go after them, and find out how they knew him, but Nightmare was doing who knows what in that park...
Erin looked up at him worriedly. "Vee?"
Yana sighed. "I don't know what to do. I'm scared, I really am...I want to go find those two, but..." He looked up at the others. "I think you guys should go find Kaitlin and Max. I can go to the Park by myself with Soul."
He awaited their storm of protests.

[gantzgun74]

And indeed they did come.

"HUH?!" Rosaline looked especially torn, Red too. "We're not going to do that!" Red nodded quickly in agreement. "Your not going to face that challenge alone-!"

Misty groaned. "But you heard Kavma, he pretty much has no choice but to fight Soul Edge by himself anyways... And we know what happens if we try to question that."

Mechanical mind shorting out a bit, Metal sighed in exasperation, "Yeah, me and Climber learned that the hard way not too long ago..."

"That doesn't mean a few of us can't go with him." Came Gantz, quickly correcting. "And it shouldn't mean that." He looked to Yana with a smile. "I'll go with you to help out with Soul Edge if the help is needed." He looked around. "Metal; you and Misty head out to Mt. Bonsai and see if you can find Kaitlin or Max. While your there, see if you can look up Talim, Wally or Otto too. Arcadia Valley isn't too far away from there."

Red looked to Gantz with a small look.

"Not to worry Red, you, Rose, Climber and I will go along with Yana to the Industrial Park and see what the damage is." Gantz pulled out Soul Calibur. "Sides, I still need to loan Soul to Yana-"

There came the sound of hurried footsteps downstairs...

Looking panicked, Gantz looked downwards. "Looks to me like the police are here." He motioned to the others. "Guys we'd better gather around and get out of here."

If Yana gave him a questioning look, a shamefaced grin appeared. "I'll be honest, Yana. A multitude of us look armed and dangerous. It wouldn't really surprise me if they thought we were affiliated with Princess and her goons..."

[doctorzero]

Yana figured that Gantz had a point. "Okay...let's go then, I don't want any of you to get into any more trouble on my account." He smiled. "And Gantz...thanks."

---

Meanwhile, on the roof of one of the buildings overlooking the DTBS, Jihl Nabaat surveyed the activity below. She activated her headset. "Jihl here. They're leading the hostages out of the building."
"And Yana's group?"
"I don't see them, but they may have left unnoticed."
"Good. I want you to initiate the lockdown for the Bonsai area, understand?"
"Yes, sir." She hung up, then activated it again. "This is Jihl."
"This is Site 22 Command reporting."
"Initiate the Lockdown. I want the entire area sealed up tight. Not anyone goes in or out, understood? We cannot risk having the subject wander off."
"Understood, m--what the hell?!"
"What is it?!"
"Something just--you're not going to believe this, Superior, but the drones just identified something fly over the perimeter!"
Jihl nearly dropped the set in shock. "What?!"
"We've managed to identify it...looks like a girl, actually...she's landed somewhere on the mountain."
Jihl regained her wits immediately. "Send troops to the mountain! I don't care who it is or if she survived, I want whoever it is to be detained, understand?!"
"Understood, Superior."
"One last thing. If that person survived, and she's who I think she is, bring her to me alive."
(Think we're almost done?)

[gantzgun74]

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(Theme music for this scene)

Somewhere in the Industrial District...

There was the sound of a monster getting slain before all things suddenly went quiet...

What appeared to be a haggard and out of breath warrior wearing tattered armor appeared, clambering out of a nearby storage building. The armor was a light royal pink and white, with a bucket like helmet topped with a ribbon-like plume, had armored gloves and boots, white sleeves to close the gap between the gloves and the armor, a brown leather skirt and armored leggings...

The young woman in said armor appeared relatively young, maybe around her late teens, with green eyes and blue hair pulled into two buns behind her head. As she stumbled along the path, similar to how a drunkard would (likely because she had multiple injuries), her mind was racing back at what happened in the Dysett region...

Where was she? How did she get here?

What became of her kingdom?

"J-Jack..."

Looking close to insanity, she continued on, muttering that word under her breath... ... ... ...

And in her hand was what appeared to be an ornate keyblade made up of dragon scales and decorated with dragon teeth as the hinge...

The Captain of the Argent Faucon brigade, Radiata Knight, and Dragon Slayer Nina had DEFINATELY seen better days...