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"Not the best of artists." he piled his own images to the side so they didn't mix with Ritzu's, amusedly humming as he sifted through the collection before him. He couldn't help but ponder over the gender of the photographer before falling silent. "...Hmm." The hooded individual bore similar markings to someone from memory and with past readings fresh on his mind, along with the inclusion of those papers infront of him he found it make perfect sense for someone who didn't want to be found, to be residing in Lady Snake's City... He had little interest in stirring trouble, but after glancing through the neatly stacked bundles, Creed concluded that this suspect would most likely have not been around when the bullet was dispatched...Eliminating him from the line - for now.

The female proved more interesting however, he'd caught glimpses of her in the past and had always wondered what part she played in the big game, but his eyes narrowed after some scrutiny of her photographs and his hand suddenly extended towards the images of Richard and Lina. Silently, as though pieces of a great puzzle were finally fitting together, he placed her picture between that of the two before folding his arms and leaning forward on the desk to scrutinise them closely.

"Take a look for yourself." it wasn't the lead they were looking for, but it was certainly an interesting development. he scooted back on Ritzu's seat to allow her a closer glance, "I haven't yet decided who owns the bullet, but she could prove a little more interesting than someone's discarded projectile." he reached for the stack of personal images, flicking through the anthology of animal pictures whilst he waited his fellow scientist's reaction.


Cyrus didn't take the 'Old Man' comment to heart, but he added it to his growing list of things to despise the Owls for... There was no respect for anyone below them, regardless of their age or rank. He took his place a safe distance away so he wouldn't be accused of endangering the Tigress's life, then turned his head to see that the masked youth still hadn't moved and the Owl was becoming a little irritated at his apparent disobedience...

"don't you dare show me up. Boy." she leant into him slightly, then gave him a shove, forcing the male to his feet. He stumbled, but recovered remarkably well before turning his masked vision back towards her as though glaring... "No weapons." she added, "I'm sure Lord Dragon won't appreciate blood on his carpet..." she smirked at this, not really caring for the Owl's carpet as she wasn't going to be staying there.

"Won't those pretty sleeves get in the way?" Cyrus attempted a little smack talk, but with his face hidden behind the mask the youth seemed indifferent. "Let's get on with this then hmm?" He took a stance, preparing himself for a strike before exhaling a sigh as his opponent made no move to advance. "I guess I'll start then." he started forward, but before he was even halfway across the floor, the youth was upon him.

Initially, he saw but a fleeting glance of the mask up close, the cold eyes staring back at him through the holes before it disappeared, twisting away, the male spun around the Hunter's back, landing a hard kick that sent the man staggering forward. Cyrus righted himself and turned to find the male standing as he had before. He was quicker than he remembered... Was it really Tala? Or had he been mistaken? "I see." Recovering himself, the Hunter smirked, then started forward again, waiting for the youth to react.

A flash of blue met his eyes, but this time, Cyrus was ready. Turning, he grabbed the offending foot that had sent him flying the last time, spinning round and taking the youth with him before releasing his grip and watching as his opponent flew across the temporary arena. The youth skidded on his back across the floor before pushing himself up and landing in a crouched position, there was no moment of recovery however and the masked one lunged forward, his hands momentarily touching ground to balance him before he threw himself at his enemy. Cyrus took the full force of the hit and the pair were pushed back a few inches before his opponent struck upward - an attempt to throw him perhaps? The Hunter had experience at his hand and caught the offending limbs, landing a strike across the youth's face before gripping the scarf that had been wrapped no neatly around his neck.

His hand free, the masked one also took a hold of the scarf, locking a brief glance with his opponent before tugging hard and wrapping the cloth around the Hunter's hand. Cyrus was momentarily confused, but stiffened as the eyes behind the mask glinted maliciously and the youth suddenly dropped to the ground.

In that one swift motion, the masked one slid between the Hunter's legs, dragging the man's wrapped hand with him. The motion drew his opponent downward and as the youth rose to his feet, Cyrus's posterior was in great position for kicking. Landing a strike, the youth tugged his scarf free of his somersaulting elder and returned it to his neck. The act earned a round of applause from the crowd, and even the Tigress looked a little impressed - even though she was clearly trying to keep up her aloof composure...

It took the Hunter a moment to rise, but as he straightened up, stretching the ache from his muscles, he turned to find the youth standing once again like he had done before the battle, silent, unmoving, as though waiting for him to make the first move. "You're fast, I'll give you that." Rolling his shoulders Cyrus took a step forward, attempting to read his opponent for any sign of weakness, he quickened his pace as he advanced, twisting as he moved within striking distance before aiming a blow right for the youth's head. His eyes widened as the vision suddenly disappeared, letting out a gasp as a blow came from behind, knocking him forward into the crowd who shied away as he stumbled and dropped onto his hands and knees.

"I think you should take a break," Tigress cooed from her seat as the man struggled to rise, "Go and have another drink," She extended a hand, willing her pet to her side, "I wouldn't want you to embarrass yourself any further..." there was a grin on her lips, then she spread her other hand out towards the crowd, "Does anyone else want to try their hand?"

"Wait!" Cyrus moved to advance, but Tigress's guards moved in, ushering him away from the scene as the youth returned to his seat beside his Mistress... The Hunter muttered something beneath his breath as he walked away from the gathering, it may have looked like a loss, but he'd achieved what he'd intended to discover and retired to the drinks station to plan his next move.

Creed found it hard to hold back the comment as to whether his associate was doing her job properly when she mentioned having not seen the picture before, choosing to nod in understanding and regard for Ritzu's Soldier comrade's profession and urging rather than dwelling on the thought, "They were...in the documents you left me," he tilted his head, "I merely took a glance over the old files and there they were, hidden amongst the leaves, so to speak..." he smiled, then rose, making his way back to his desk before opening up the folders he'd read on the computer.

"I also wouldn't discount that she may have some connection to our victim, you are correct of course about her residing in Lord Dragon's city, I've seen glimpses of her myself." he nodded, sitting back in the chair so Ritzu could re-read the documents he assumed she'd skimmed before. "You may also want to read over that piece regarding the 'Homeless' Man in Lady Snake's city, I don't believe someone can just disappear like that, y'know?" He casually flicked through the animal pictures as he leant against the edge of the desk, "Awweh, so cute...!" he smiled at the picture of a young puppy playing with its littermates, "Maybe I could take a few of these to hang on my wall...?"


The Tigress had almost mocked the crowd for not stepping forward to challenge her pet, but as she was about to call the youth back to his place, her eyes flicked towards the man who advanced and requested so politely a chance to take part - and for her entertainment as well! "If you want to try your hand, then by all means," she held her stoic expression, then cast a glance towards the masked youth who returned to where he had stood to fight the Hunter.

As Silver had predicted, the youth remained still, watching from behind the mask as the waiter took the man's jacket and left the space so he wouldn't get in their way. He now observed the Shader's slow approach, narrowing his eyes as he pondered over what the guy had planned, all the while remaining still before bracing himself as Silver put on a burst of speed.
As the man reached his target and feigned off to the side before delivering a blow, it would unexpectedly phase through the youth's body as Tala's vision disappeared from sight, before reappearing to deliver a shove that would see Silver continue on his trajectory.

The masked youth landed neatly behind, watching as the man came to a stop and turned, moving back with speed towards him with a right fist clenched and prepared to strike. Instinctively, the youth lifted his arms to block the hit, losing vision momentarily as the left hook struck him in the temple, he fell at an angle, landing on his hands and knees, a crack visible in the side of the blue mask.

Tigress sat bolt upright in her seat, a look of shock and perhaps a little anger on her face as she watched her pet go down. Without a word, she held out an arm, stopping the guards in their advance as they started to move towards the scene, "Continue." she watched as the youth pushed himself back to his feet, steadying himself before retaking his initial stance.

A gasp from the crowd upon Silver's blow had drawn the Hunter's attention and Cyrus lifted his head to glance back towards the temporary arena. It was a likely chance that the youth had claimed victory over another hot-headed male vying for the Tigress's interest, but with a growing crowd, it was getting harder to see. Taking his glass in hand, the Hunter rose from his seat, taking a moment to steady himself before advancing towards the scene.

"I wish I had access to the resources you do..." Skylar sighed, then paused in his flicking through the images as a thought sprung to mind, "Mind you, I do have that Hunter...Maybe I could get him to do what I want?" this comment was of course to himself, but fully audible. He adjusted his position, then turned his gaze to Ritzu,
"I can't make any promises, but I'd certainly love to try and capture her." he smirked, immediately considering ways as to how he could wrangle someone with such agility. If she was a shader, then she might easily be able to teleport... "I'd never dismiss someone's artistic flair though, you never know how long these people are going to be around..." it was grim, but he said this with such a calm voice as though he'd experienced this many a time he'd hardened to the fact.
Pocketing the pictures that had held his eye, Creed rose from his seat and stretched, "Is that food I smell? I quite forgot how hungry I was..." he smirked,


He'd seen this kind of move before and had already predicted that Silver would feint away before striking at an unexpected angle. Aware of this, he allowed the man to advance, remaining still as the Shader moved around him before stepping back to avoid the kick. The punch wasn't so easily blocked, but he was able to raise his arms in just enough time to take some power out of the blow - he was forced to take another step back with the strength of the hit, but as their eyes met, the youth would smirk behind the mask before twisting away to the side.

"I have full faith in the abilities of my...Pet." Tigress smirked, having a good idea as to what would come next before narrowing her eyes as the youth performed something quite the opposite...

Without warning, a large, black shadow in the shape of a wolf would appear before Silver's eyes. It formed seemingly out of mid-air, just infront of the crowd, landing all four paws on the ground before leaping up at the Shader's chest - This blow when it connected would indeed send him back as a result of the semi-failed hit, but as Silver shook it off the crowd were already starting to murmur about what they'd seen...

The masked youth had already resumed his position when Silver started on his next move, he watched as the Shader charged in, narrowing his eyes as his opponent seemed to disappear at points before leaving his line of vision altogether... The blow struck would throw him to the ground, but instead of falling flat, he would roll, pushing himself up before charging in with a full force attack of his own - If it connected, the impact would throw the man back into the crowd, if it didn't, the youth would continue forward several steps before twisting round and disappearing completely.

If Silver was indeed thrown, Tigress would lean across towards Lady Snake with the comment "What do you think of him now?" before sitting back with a pleased grin; should the latter happen where the youth disappeared, her eyes would widen and she would leap to her feet, looking around shocked before wondering if the youth had taken the chance to escape - if that was the case, she would call off the fight and then order her guards to disperse and search for him.

Having felt the chill in the air as the youth had summoned the wolf, Cyrus had woven his way to the front of the crowd, watching the fray between the pair before tensing at the result of their latest assault... If Silver came flying towards him, he would brace himself to take the impact, steadying the man and lifting his unimpressed gaze towards the youth, if the hit had been dodged and the masked one ended up on a collision course with the crowd, he would be one of those amazed when the youth's vision suddenly disappeared into thin air...

"Hmm?" he lifted his eyes when Ritzu mentioned the Hunter, "Ah, no, I was just thinking aloud...heh, nevermind." he made a mental note not to voice his mutterings so he could save any future confusion for himself, but with regards to Cyrus, he might just know the right people to be able to tempt their target out into an accessible area where she could be detained... "If I were capable of capturing her, how would you propose we interrogate?" he'd noticed she'd fallen silent but chose to ignore her additional comment about the one who causes his 'stress' as with the distractions, he'd almost forgotten about the boy until then...

Not wanting to start lingering on those particular thoughts he decided a change of subject was needed and so that's exactly what he did. "Y'know, the trick is to eat when nobody is looking," Creed winked in her direction, "Maintain your sustenance whilst giving the impression you don't touch a crumb. It also works in other wonderful ways, like drinking tomato juice around your comrades, but feasting on proper meals in secret... He chuckled at the thought of soldiers believing he was a vampire because the only time they saw him eat was when he took that blood-red smoothie in the evenings just before nightfall... But then again, I find my job keeps me a little too focused sometimes..." he chuckled at this and made a move for the assortment Ritzu had brought back, helping himself, but leaving some so not to look like a pig - also just incase his comrade hadn't eaten anything herself...


"A trick?!" The Tigress hissed, initially taking offense at Silver's comment before noting the compliment and then pausing to ponder over his words for a moment,"Yes...Yes, I guess it is." she started to sit down, "Perhaps you were too much for him...he is still young after all...and you have such a unique fighting technique." She'd watched him like a hawk and was more than a little fascinated by how he'd moved with such speed and agility during the fight...

"...what the hell?" It was sobering to have someone run at you as though they were going to hit you full pelt, but it didn't take the Hunter long to realise the youth wasn't coming back... Certain something had changed in the masked youth's mind, Cyrus backed through the crowd, his eyes scanning the area for anything out of the ordinary...if his suspicions were correct, there was a chance the male might just have taken cover nearby...

"How dare you..." She turned towards Lady Snake, "None of my pets have ever run away to kill themselves." Tigress snarled towards the Serpentress, whispering harshly as the crowd started to disperse, "And I see no need for seducing my pets when they are trained to do as I command. He must have realised he was no match for his opponent and ended the fight of his own accord." She lifted her head at the sound of alarms and the fall of water as the sprinklers sparked into life. Part of her hoped the boy had realised his opponent was too strong and had chosen to escape and hide, but there was an underlying suspicion his 'training' hadn't worked and it had all been an act...Which meant that when he was recaptured, he was in for a world of hurt...

As the crowd started to head for the exits, Cyrus decided it was best to hang back and see if the youth made a reappearance...he watched as the guards began to spread out, some ushering the Owls away down separate corridors and pushing aside anyone who got in their way - Clearly their safety was imperative, but he also started to notice several individuals that had chosen to stay put... These people, similar to the guards held their positions, but were no doubt scrutinising the fleeing guests. He narrowed his eyes at them, but as they made no attempt to apprehend anyone, he chose to turn his attention elsewhere.

It was starting to look as though the youth had fled but as Cyrus started to make his way past the tables and towards the exit, a small, black muzzle peered out from beneath one of the tablecloths, sniffing the air before emerging a little further. "C'mere." Leaning down, the Hunter scooped the small fox into his arms, enclosing it within his jacket before following the crowd out of the doors. The creature squirmed in his grip, clamping down on his gloved hand, but the Hunter winced through the pain and wove his way away from the crowds and towards the quieter parts of the grounds before casting the creature to the ground. "You should be grateful I bothered to pick you up!" he scowled as the little fox landed, rolling before standing up and shaking itself from head to toe. "I could have left you there to burn!"

The fox turned its head towards the Hunter, stiffening its tail and letting out a snarl before twisting round as though to run. Cyrus had more than sobered up by now and lunged for the creature, catching it by its hind leg before gripping it by the scruff of the neck with his free hand. The fox gave a yowl of disgust and attempted to struggle before suddenly becoming heavier...
Cyrus was forced to drop the creature as it started to grow in size, he watched as it landed on the ground before turning round to face him as its form became complete. The snarling wolf, with pitch black coat and hackles raised now bore its fangs and made a mock lunge, forcing the Hunter to back up.

"I don't know what they did to you, but this needs to stop right now." Trying to speak with a calm voice, Cyrus held up his hands to show he was unarmed, "It's not safe here, there are guards everywhere and our window to escape is closing fast."

"Then take it and leave." the voice was not quite the boy's, but it came from the wolf and Cyrus narrowed his eyes,

"Not without you." He took a step forward and the wolf flattened its ears back against its skull, bowing down on its front paws as though it prepared to lunge, "Now come on." He made a grab for the beast, but it gave a snarl and bolted between his legs, knocking him down as it darted towards the station. "...Not in the mood for this." Getting to his feet, Cyrus gave pursuit.

I'm sure I'll find a way. Creed nodded, his eyes flicking from the food in his hand to the blinking icon on the screen beside him. "And I guess you learn to find a medium when it comes to work and eating." he smirked, then exhaled a sigh as the light proceeded to distract... "What's that?" leaning over, he clicked on the offending icon and watched as a window opened with the title 'Breaking News' The man stiffened at this, a piece of filling dropping onto the table in his absentmindedness before he grumbled and cleared it away...


"I've not seen him for a while now..." The Tigress frowned, "Not since he was prowling for pretty girls to dance with." her eyes scanned the crowd for her pet, in truth, she'd been more interested in the fight than Dragon's activities, but now even she was concerned for their comrade, "Do you think she had something to do with whatever happened?" she'd presumed the incident was linked, but knew not to assume anything until the evidence had been gathered...


The guards weren't impressed when Cyrus broke past the search line in pursuit of the beast. The trains were already filling but the creature seemed set on weaving between the masses in the hopes of evading its capture...
"Wait! You cannot go that way Sir!" One of the guards watched as the beast darted past him, then stepped into the way as Cyrus advanced at speed, hoping to barrel past. "They're only allowing those that have been screened to board the trains at this time...!"

"How dare you! Do you know who I am?" the Hunter scowled at the guard through his mask before moving to push by, "Do you want me to tell Lord Wolf you allowed one of his beasts to escape?!" The guard swallowed, fearing the wrath of the Owls he bowed his head and stepped aside, "Don't just stand there!" Marshall gave the man a shove, "Gather a squad and give me a damn hand!" the Hunter shouldered his way past and paused for a second to locate his target before resuming pursuit.

*He just doesn't give up!* grateful that the guard had given him a few seconds to pull ahead, the wolf cast a glance over its shoulder and gave a snarl as it realised its route was now blocked by a boarding train. Already the radio message between the guards was spreading the word that he needed to be captured and men were starting to turn towards his direction...
Growling, he started running parallel to the train, looking for a gap before grinding to a halt and twisting at a right angle to his left as the station master made a lunge for him.

"Over Here!" Another shout and the wolf found an ever closing circle of soldiers advancing towards him...

*That's it...* Lifting his head, the wolf gave a howl. A rush of air filled the station, blustering clothing and flickering the lights as two pairs of shadowbeasts emerged from portals in the ground to fight by his side. One pair went left, lunging for the guards, the other pair went right, leaving just the Hunter and two men at his flank.

"Don't do this!" Cyrus ground to a halt as the beasts appeared, his eyes glanced across the crowd who didn't know whether to panic and rush for the train, or stay and watch... Most were already on the vehicle and even more were ushered inside fearing the assault would extend towards them, but they weren't his main focus. "You don't need to fight!"

"Call off your Hunt! Or I'll make you regret it!" in wolf form, his lips didn't move, but somehow Cyrus heard every word and narrowed his eyes,

"Enough of this!" Hearing nothing but snarls, one of the guards made a lunge for the beast, landing a glancing blow before retreating to his place beside the hunter, his comrade followed suit just seconds later, dealing a second hit before flanking Cyrus who checked what little he had in the form of weapons and prepared to lunge.

The wind started to pick up and as the last of the observers boarded the train, shadows lurched forward from every crevice, pooling at the wolf's feet before drawing upwards. His form bubbled and pulsed for a moment or two, then the shadows exploded out in all directions, injuring one of the guards in the process. Unshielding his face, Cyrus looked across at the creature - it was similar to the wolf before, only its tail was much longer and it had grown in size...

"...What have they done to you?" The Hunter looked saddened for his young comrade, but knew the time was serious. Reaching down, he claimed a blade from the fallen soldier and ushered the second away, "Seal off the area, let nobody pass." he turned his full attention towards the beast, making a motion with the blade before starting a charge.

"Not this again." The wolf sneered, having seen the Hunter's attack beforehand in the arena, he braced himself, tail held high before seemingly disappearing from view as Cyrus rushed towards him.

Recalling how the original fight had played out, the Hunter twisted round, spinning his sword as he did so and glancing its blade across the flank of his opponent as the wolf reappeared behind him. The force of a back leg hit him square in the chest, but Cyrus pushed away, turning to face his enemy as they both landed in the centre of the empty train station.

"We don't need to do this!" he watched as the wound on the creature's side dropped specks of black onto the floor, "I don't want to hurt you!"

*Pity.* the wolf snarled, *Because I want to rip your throat out!* it lunged forward, darting to the right and whipping the man with its long tail before twisting round and standing on its hind legs to strike out with its massive paws,

Cyrus braced himself against the strike, holding his crossed arms above his head to shield from the battering paws before pushing back and driving the blade into the gut of the beast...
He was shocked as the shadows seemed to envelope the sword, crawling up his hand and claiming his sleeve before he could pull back. The darkness gave a hiss and dissipated as he pulled away but he was given little time to ponder as he was then forced to drop and roll to the side to avoid the beast's massive jaws which threatened to take his head...

"Over here!" a shout turned the gaze of the creature and it spun round, large tail brushing just inches over the Hunter's face as he moved to rise; A second squad of soldiers had appeared, clearly ordered by the first to assist. They ran in with little concern for their own lives and took their place, urging the creature forward and away from the Hunter.

Although not impressed by the intrusion, it bought him some time and Cyrus rose to his feet, watching as the soldiers attacked from all angles, chipping away at the creature's health before retreating as it took down two men and then turned towards the third, chasing him down. The sight was bloody, but as the beast snapped round to face those that had pursued the assault, they struck through with a barrage of gunfire.

A large plume of dust hid the creature from view, but the silence after the storm was only temporary and Cyrus had to pray to his own gods as a monstrosity of pure blackness rose high above the haze. The soldiers hadn't expected the wolf to survive the onslaught, so when a dragon arose from the smoke, they practically bottled it and turned to flee.

Huge wings sent the cloud - along with the soldiers - away to the winds, casting them across the vacant station before quaking the ground as it landed its forepaws on the stones before moving to pursue its prey.

"...I didn't want to do this." behind his mask, Cyrus exhaled a sigh, casting off his jacket before making a motion with his hands. "HEY!" The head of the dragon snapped round, white fangs now visible as it turned to face him.
Any normal man caught in the fray would have turned as white as a sheet at this point, but the Hunter held firm, watching as the beast started towards him, maw wide and ready to rip him apart...

As the Dragon drew within striking distance, Cyrus unfurled his arms, drawing from nowhere a sword that shone like the sun. His aura was radiant and he lifted his blade, twisting before thrusting the weapon into the throat of the beast as its jaws started to close around him. The shadows enveloped the Hunter, pulsing like fire before collapsing in on itself as though to smother the light...there was a breath of silence then, like an explosion, the shadows were expelled outward along with a rush of air that blew all but the pair from the clearing...

Like a bolt of lightning rushing skyward, the clouds above swallowed the light before fading away. The station was now lit purely by the moon, the armour that had appeared upon the Hunter's body - giving him the appearance of a white knight - also dissipated, leaving Cyrus looking like he had before the fight... He withdrew the blade from the youth's shoulder, catching the masked male as he fell forward and holding him close. It was only when he was within his arms that the Hunter could see the extent of the youth's injuries - and he was angry.

Scooping the male up into his arms, he started to walk towards the station exit. It was as he approached the gates that his eyes narrowed as a small cluster of soldiers advanced, their leader blocking his way.

"You found the Tigress's pet! We must return him to her custody immediately! She has been very worried!" the man held an arm to stop the Hunter's advance, but Cyrus pushed his way past.

"He is nobody's pet." The Hunter paused, locking eyes with the soldier for a fleeting moment before moving on, "Tell your superior he is dead. I am taking him for burial."

The soldier glanced down at the youth's bleeding shoulder, his unmoving body in the Hunter's arms...there was no breath on the chill wind, but with his face hidden by the mask, the soldier wouldn't have been able to tell either way...

"Then you have killed something that belongs to her...and shall be placed under arrest for your crime!" the man reached for Cyrus's shoulder, but met the Hunters cold glare and recoiled,

"He is dead." Cyrus reiterated once again, "You will pass on the word and leave it at that. Understood?" The soldier nodded, stepping aside to allow the Hunter to take his leave.

Outside, Marshall waved down a farmhand in an old truck wagon - the man had decided to hold back so not to anger the crowds by the slow pace of his vehicle and was more than obliging to give the Hunter a lift when asked. "Where to?" leaning out of the window he glanced back as Cyrus climbed into the back and set the masked youth down against some sacking,

"As far away as possible." Cyrus mused, slapping the side of the vehicle once he was seated.

The truck wagon started into life and chuttered at a reasonable pace towards the main gates. It was clear that many people had been curious as to the events inside the Palace - especially the bright light - and large crowds had gathered eager to look past the tape, but the guards kept to their orders and focused on getting the injured party goers out of any further danger. Covered by a tarpaulin to hide them both from view, Cyrus held the masked youth close until he was sure they'd left the city before he drew the cover away, watching as the citadel disappeared behind the hills...

"Dead?" Creed himself was stunned at the news, "Well, it could have been anyone." he shrugged, acting as casual as ever following the initial shock, "Silver would never do anything so rash..." A sudden choking on his meal might have caused concern, especially as he reached for a drink to clear the obstruction before slumping down in the chair trying to catch his breath... "Ahem...urgh... Well, whomever it was, they would be looking for cover somewhere...Running for home is always the first option, but if the military are wise to their hideout - which I doubt, then they'd probably start looking for somewhere else..."

He started to clear away the rubbish, tossing it towards the bin before turning back, "I'll need to be heading back soon, so if you have something swift and discreet I was wondering if perhaps I could borrow it...?" he thought of the bike, then of how much he might need if he was going in pursuit of the mystery female... "Might borrow a laptop or two as well if you're offering?" he ducked under the desk for some rubbish that had made it to the floor during his struggle for breath - discretely retrieving the small device which he slipped into his pocket before moving the trash to the bin. "Have to admit, the old Security module I have back at home is a little bit past its best years..."


Tigress took her time getting from her vehicle, but her unimpressed expression quickly changed to shock as she finally reached Lord Wolf's car and read the headline that passed beneath images of the military police as they fought back reporters itching for an update on the situation... "That fool had it coming..." she grumbled, averting her eyes before holding her tongue and lifting her gaze as Lady Snake mentioned about hunting down the female responsible...


With time to spare now that they were out of imminent danger, Cyrus took a moment to tend to his companion, carefully removing the youth's mask before using a handkerchief to wipe away some of the makeup Filous had used to hide the bruising... His face, his arms, even the area around his shoulders, all were covered with bruises and with each new injury he found, the Hunter's hatred for the Owls increased.

Perhaps it was the soft rocking motion of the vehicle they were travelling in, but as the breeze drifted gently across his face, the youth's eyes opened slightly. A shadow was cast across his vision, but as it drew back, his eyes widened at the masked face and he threw his hands upwards, forcing the man to recoil as he rolled away, hitting the back wall of the wagon.

"Tala Stop!" The Hunter scowled as his own mask fell away, "Why is it Always a fight with you?!"

*Tala?* ...Yes, that was his name... The youth had to steady himself as the truck travelled over stony ground, but he lifted his gaze again, then turned it towards the scenery as they passed it by... "Where...?!" his gaze snapped back towards the Hunter, but his demand fell short as he recognised the man's face in the early morning light...

"We're outside the walls," Cyrus remained kneeling, keeping his distance from the male, "We're going home."

"...Home." Sitting, his back against the edge of the truck wall Tala looked down at the floor, his thoughts were scattered, but he could remember everything... The fight inside the palace, the alarms and watching as people tried to leave... Large hands scooping him up and covering his vision... Then he saw the station in his mind and his eyes lifted momentarily to regard the suit Cyrus was wearing before dropping again. He'd attacked his own comrade...He'd tried to kill the only person that really gave a damn about him...but Cyrus hadn't just given up and abandoned him to fate, no...he was still there...

They sat in silence, the wind ruffling their hair as they dipped down below the hillside, the sound of movement lifted the youth's eyes once again and Tala stiffened as Cyrus appeared to extend a hand towards him, "Don't touch." it was more of a request than a growl, but the Hunter respected his words and placed his arm on the side of the truck instead, turning his gaze towards the view as they climbed the hill once again,

"Looks like Aphelia is slowly fighting back," he was beginning to see more patches of green on the landscape, but then again, the area was still within the rule of Delta, so the nearby farms were able to run on whatever they could scrape together from the city... He looked back at his companion, Tala's eyes were once again focused upon the floor of the truck and the Hunter breathed a sigh,

They travelled on in silence for some time until the familiar ringing of a cell phone drew the Hunter from his thoughts,

"Have you heard the news?" Creed had obtained the keys from Ritzu and was making his way towards the garage when he decided to call and check in on his comrade, "The reporters are saying Lord Dragon has been murdered!"

Cyrus was shocked, but hid it well - not that Tala was looking anyway... "How?"

"They reckon he was stabbed before being burned to death in one of his rooms...they're looking for a female suspect, but we can't be sure until they've found evidence..." he nodded to the man on the door, tipping an imaginary hat as he passed the man by before making a beeline for the bike. "I'm gonna be needing your help at some point, so keep your phone close alright?"

"Uh-huh..." shutting off the phone, Cyrus tapped the back window and motioned for the driver to pull over,

"Nothing but dead trees and soil here, you sure you wanna get off?" the man watched as Cyrus hopped out the back before helping his younger companion down, "Woke up finally then?" his eyes regarded the youth, but Tala kept his gaze averted, pulling his hood up as he turned away,

"Hey bud, it's not much, but take this as thanks for the lift," taking a couple of coins from his pocket, Cyrus pushed them into the man's hand - along with the phone, "Might wanna change the card on that, seem to get prank phone calls a lot nowadays..."

"Much obliged," the farmhand nodded, taking the items before starting up the truck again, "You two take care of yourselves alright?" Cyrus would wave as the wagon pulled away, then he'd place a hand on Tala's shoulder, earning a hiss which was quietly ignored.

"Do you remember the way?" he looked down at his young companion who was already scanning the area for familiar trails before nodding, "Let's go see what's left." The pair made their way down the embankment, disappearing from view into the undergrowth.

Creed wasted little time in returning home, parking the bike in the alleyway before hiding it behind the crates so it wouldn't be found so easily. Once he was inside, he set up both laptops and drew the small device from his pocket. It didn't take long to connect to the system and as soon as the data appeared on one screen, Creed began copying it to the other. The result would allow the man to make a hard copy of the information he'd gathered at Ritzu's laboratory. Most of it was just personnel files and information on the latest experiments, but one folder in particular held something of great importance - he'd happened upon it whilst snooping for his own benefit and although he'd been granted access, he couldn't help but have taken a copy for himself anyway.

It quickly became clear that someone had actually taken the time to write up all the notes from a certain experiment...putting them into carefully labelled files which left him feeling as though he were a child in a candy store... The rejoicing for his luck soon faded when he soon realised the majority were just that, notes...a handful of scanned drawings, but mostly shorthand, illegible notes... "A fascinating read...but what use is it?! Urgh!" in frustration, he threw a book which had been close to hand across the room before pushing a stack of papers off the opposite side of the table and slumping back in a huff... "All that effort for Nothing!" His darkened eyes stared angrily across the room, his arms folded across his chest as he wondered if it had all been for nought...

It took him a few minutes, but eventually he heaved a sigh and sat up, turning back to laptop number one before loading up the photographs of the unknown female, "Maybe if I can capture her, she can help me pass the time..." he started drawing up plans, putting them to file before rising from seat to set them into action. He needed a Hunter and he knew the exact man for the job.


Tigress shrugged, "Either way, we need to discover who was responsible for the attack and string them up for their crime." Although it could have purely been an act of hatred towards Lord Dragon and his many misdeeds, the underlying concern was that if someone was seeking to eliminate the Owls, who would be next? "We can all agree it would not be wise to leave Dragon's throne unguarded...Yet we all have duties in our own citadels, so why not set up a new ruler? We can continue the investigations whilst giving the impression that if one of us were to fall, we could easily refill their position with a strong leader. They don't have to have any power, just the ability to rule and follow Our orders." she emphasised the 'Our' and looked towards the others, a smirk on her face,


Cyrus had been reassured to see that Tala knew exactly where he was going, the familiar twists and turns of routes would lead them to the small portion of cleared land, marked with remnants of sodden carpet where it had once been sheltered by a large cabin... "Let's have a look, eh?" stepping ahead of the youth, Cyrus crouched down infront of the locked basement hatch, finding the key before pulling free the seal and lifting the heavy wooden doorway to reveal the stairs. He turned with a smile towards the youth, but it faded slightly as he realised Tala's gaze was averted... "You coming down?" his words seemed to draw the youth's attention, but Tala made no attempt to advance and instead sat down on the steps where the front door had been. "Suit yourself." Breathing a sigh, Cyrus headed down the stairs.

It was reassuring to find a lot of his old gadgets in their places, his desk, the old radio - he turned this on before seeking out the lights which illuminated the room nicely. There were a handful of traps and weapons which had been set aside for when times were rough, he took these up and laid them out on the table to inspect before wrapping them up. "These'll come in handy later on." he mused, lifting his gaze as a shadow caught his eye, "We'll have to think of somewhere to sleep..." he watched as Tala sat down on the top step - still keeping his gaze averted, "But there should be something we can bring down to make do for the time being." he shouldered the pack containing the traps and approached the stairs, "You alright to guard house whilst I lay some snares?" he approached the male, leaning sideways so he could attempt to make eye contact, Tala's silence left him uncertain, but forcing a smile the Hunter chuckled and ruffled the youth's hair before stepping past.
It was hard not to look back as he walked away, but as Cyrus disappeared into the undergrowth he had to wonder if the male was going to be okay...

Tala wasn't keeping time, but he must have sat there for quite a while after the Hunter had left before he realised he was alone. Casting a glance around the clearing he silently reached out for a blade of grass, tearing it into strips between his fingers before closing his eyes as the breeze drifted through the trees. It was a soft hush, a sound he'd missed...but it felt strange to him... In the distance, he could hear birdsong, the sound of water running along a stream nearby... At the fluttering of wings he opened his eyes and looked skyward as a pair of birds flitted overhead.

He sat there a moment longer, breathing in the familiar scents before the warmth of the sun became too much and he reached for the hatch, slipping down into the cool shade before pulling the doorway closed behind him.

The sound of music reached his ears as the radio played away to itself somewhere below. Tala descended the steps, the palm of his hand running down the wall as though to steady him before his feet found the ground. He stood there a moment taking in the sight of the dusty room, then he advanced, sliding onto the chair beside the desk. His hands reached out for one of the man's gadgets, twisting the tiny key between his fingers before watching as the automaton started to move.
He set it back down on the desk, watching it for a moment before turning away.

Looking around the room again, he remembered flickerings of the night they'd taken cover from the soldiers, he could recall faces and some words, but it was as though pieces of the puzzle had been lost or forgotten and it hurt his mind to recall them... Getting to his feet he made his way to the corner where they'd knelt in wait, listening to the men moving around above them... His hands brushed the wall, then he looked up towards the stairs. Was there not a danger they would be found again? Several more minutes passed and he made his way back up towards the hatch, pushing it open before shielding his eyes from the sunlight.

"Hmm...He might be a good idea," Tigress had almost forgotten about the man with the fascinating talent for fighting, "He was a little strange, but then again, he would be much better than a bumbling drunkard..." she recalled the man her Pet had so easily bested, then bit her lip as she realised the boy was still missing... "It would no doubt be an issue finding him...he did disappear amongst the crowd in the panic after all..." she exhaled a sigh, leaning against the side of the vehicle as she wondered what had happened to her pet.


"I had a feeling I would find somebody back here." A shadow blocked out the light making Tala turn to look before stiffening at the sight. "I don't know why I go to so much trouble giving you a phone when you never answer it...Wait a minute! It's You?!" Skylar had to do a double take before he was certain - and even then he couldn't believe the youth was actually standing there right infront of him!

In the man's moment of disbelief Tala made a lunge for the hatch, slamming it down as he retreated inside before holding on for dear life as Creed gripped the handle. It shook violently as the man tried to pull it upwards, but Tala's keen eyes spotted a bolt which he pulled across to hold the door in place before retreating down the stairs.

"You open this hatch Right Now!" How had this come to be? He'd seen the boy carted away to become a slave for the Owls! There was no coming back from that! Yet there he was! In the flesh! "I demand you let me in this instant!"

"...Creed?" The sound of commotion had forced Cyrus to quicken his pace and the Hunter stood there now, scratching his head in curiosity as to why the scientist had left the citadel... "What in Aphelia are you doing here? I thought you were with that woman and her Monster?"

"Cyrus?!" Skylar snapped round, unsure if looking innocent would help his case any, "Damnit Man! What did you do with the phone I gave you?! They don't come cheap y'know!" his attitude then switched to anger and he advanced, waggling his finger at the man before pointing back towards the hatch "And how long have you been hiding Him?!" he glared over the rim of his glasses before retracting the arm to push them back up the bridge of his nose.

"We've not even been back a couple of hours and you've already come to visit..." Cyrus tried to act impressed, but underneath his calm composure, he was resisting sending the man across the clearing with one swift blow...

"Visit...heh...yes." Creed gave a huff, "I actually came to request your help, seeing as though you never returned to my place after the Gala...How did that go by the way? I heard Someone killed Lord Dragon?" he meant this comment to be sarcastic and biting, but the reaction he gained wasn't the one he'd hoped for,

"That's impossible!" Even Cyrus had to admit he was shocked and even a little impressed that someone had pulled off such a feat... "When did this happen?"

"Well...If you hadn't given my damn phone to a crazy hobo, I might just have been able to tell you!" he folded his arms across his chest and turned away, "If I had wanted to discuss how many varieties of potato there was in the land I would have called my aunt's son in law."

Cyrus muttered something beneath his breath at this point, but it turned out Skylar had returned his attention to the hatch and was now crouched beside it, hoping to sweet-talk the youth out of hiding.

Tala had made his way to the bottom of the stairs by now and was glancing through the hardware Cyrus had kept hidden - it wasn't that hard to find a weapon if you knew where to look, but at the same time, he was within two minds as to whether or not it would be safer to just wait it out and hope the man gave up on his quest and went home.

"What are you going to do now?" clearly the youth was ignoring Skylar's tempting words and so Creed approached from another angle, "Do you honestly think you can just live out here like you did before? They know where you are now and I'm certain they'll come looking." he glared back at the hatch "And even a stupidly reinforced doorway isn't going to stop them from getting to you!" he said this loud enough whilst glancing over his shoulder in the hope the youth would hear...

"If Lord Dragon is dead, Delta will be in turmoil." Cyrus knew it would be far too dangerous to venture back into the city so soon after such an incident, but who was to say Creed wasn't right? The soldiers had found them before, they could easily find them again if they were looking...

"Listen...I'll make a deal with you." Creed now figured tactics would be worth a go, especially as he needed a favour... "I have a task that needs doing and you're the perfect man for the job, I'll even set you up somewhere in another citadel where you can live out your life as you wish when you're done."

"What's the catch?" It was the Hunter's turn to fold his arms across his chest, knowing there was always a subtle addition to his requests...

"...I want the boy."

"Don't you think he's been through enough?" Cyrus narrowed his eyes, "You of all people should know the lengths the Owls have been known to go to in order to get their slaves to obey their every command..."

"Which is why..."

"No."

"But Cy! I'm literally on the edge of a major scientific breakthrough! All I need is a few more samples and I'll...!" throwing his arms out to the sides he moved aside as the Hunter started to advance,

"I said No." Cyrus stepped past the pleading scientist, placing himself on top of the hatch, his arms still folded across his chest, "Now kindly remove yourself from my land, I have better things to be getting on with than listening to you rant on about how much of a scientific wonder the boy would be if I allowed you to have your way with his already tortured soul."

"What?!" Creed scowled, "He looked fine to me!" he watched as the Hunter defiantly sat down, "Cyrus! Please!" he drew forward - practically crossing the space on his knees now, "All I'm asking for is just a few samples!" he'd quite forgotten all about Ritzu's request on locating and trapping the mysterious girl...With his sights on the boy, all his previous plans had been wiped off the board and he was desperate... The Hunter remained silent however, turning his head away as though putting an end to the conversation... "FINE!" the Scientist finally pushed himself to his feet and stepped backwards, "Don't think I'll forget this! All I've done for you! And you deny me the key to my dreams!" fuming, he turned and stormed away. "I'll made sure you regret this decision!" His voice could be heard cursing as he walked from the clearing, then the sound of an engine - that of a motorbike - reached the Hunter's ears, fading away as the scientist moved further away...

Cyrus remained seated for a few minutes longer - just in case - then he heaved a sigh. Yes, he probably would regret that decision...but for Tala's sake, it had to be done. Getting to his feet, he knocked twice upon the wooden hatch before stepping back as the sound of the metal latch was dragged across the underside. "The plan was to rest up for a while, but it looks like we're heading off again..." he lifted the hatch as Tala's silhouette appeared a safe distance down the stairs, "You alright with that?"

"...Is he...Gone?"

"For now." Casting a glance over his shoulder, Cyrus made his way past, noting the distance the youth put between them before taking a moment to gather a few more supplies before saying goodbye to the place he'd known for many years...