(They're late.) I think, looking out of my office window.

(You shouldn't have sent them in the first place.) My "kind" side thinks. (If that Oren kid is with the Keisetsu, those two wouldn't stand a chance! If you're going to use them like that, at least fight beside them!)

(The goal isn't to fight them. We're simply stealing that sword. That's all. Besides...I want the satisfaction of killing them myself. I'm sure it would please your master, no?)

(Besuro doesn't want us to kill! Heck, he wouldn't approve of your actions obtaining the money we need, either!)

(Correct. But this is extra money. We had enough a long time ago.)

(I KNOW!! And that's why I don't approve of your actions!)

(Wouldn't more money help with his research?)

(At what cost for others!?)

(Compassion doesn't suit us. Especially after everything we've done.)

(What YOU'VE done!)

(I doubt a thief has the right to lecture me about morals.)

(You're the bigger thief here! You stole my body! My freedom! My life, and the lives of countless others!)

(Thus proving I'm more fit to be in control and survive.)

(Money isn't power! And power isn't everything!)

(Au contraire, power means everything when it comes to survival. Life's a whore who only pleasures those who pay her, after all. Coin or blood, the type payment means nothing. As long as she has enough to give back.)

!!

I look outside and see Sutoria, wounded!

I open the window.

"Sutoria!"

(Water Drive: Vapor Body!)

In my gaseous state, I swoosh over to Sutoria and, upon solidifying myself, catch her before she collapses.

"You okay!? Speak to me!" I say, trying to sound concerned.

"To..go...Tog...o..."

"Take it easy!"

I look around and set her down against a nearby tree. She jerks away in pain as her injured shoulder touches the bark.

"They took Togo..." she says wearily with tears in her eyes.

"Don't worry. We'll get him back!"

She smiles weakly.

"And the sword?" I ask.

"I'm...sorry..."

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

(Damn it!)

"Don't worry. You did great."

"Is this...really the best way...to pay off...my father's debt?"

I remain silent, then sit down next to her.

"The best? No. But it's the fastest method we've got. Besides..."

"Besides?"

"I'm...sorry, but are sure you're ready to hear this?"

...

"Would I...ever be ready?"

"Perhaps...not."

A frown appears on her face, but she nods.

"I wanted you...to get revenge before you learned the truth."

"Truth...of what?"

"That boy...Oren."

"What of him?"

"He...obtained that sword...at the cost of Dodge's and Chate's lives."

!!!!!!!

"The sword belonged to a friend of theirs, who they were meeting with in New Vegas. And their deaths, along with the destruction of New Vegas, had to do with that group you fought. More specifically, that Oren kid, who recently joined them."

"So...Dodge...and Chates are..."

"I'm sorry."

Sutoria removes her kunoichi mask and begins to start sobbing. I put my arm around her shoulder and hold her close.

(How much more must you play with everyone's emotions!?) My "kind" side thinks.

(Why should a snake tell the truth?)

As she weeps, Sutoria pulls out a hankerchief...

And a communication crystal.

"At least...I got this..." she says, trying to wipe away her tears.

I take the crystal from her. It's the crystal they use to communicate with their other members, much like how El Escudo did when I took their communication crystals from those members I killed in Terraz. Even if she couldn't steal the sword, the rest of the plan was to swap the recharged communication crystal from Terraz and swap it with their current crystal. At least that part of the plan worked. Aside from smell, which I've taken procautions to hide, the only way to check without using the crystal for contact is to check the frequency of the crystal, which most electric tones can't do.

But luckily, I know someone who can.

"You've done enough." I say to her, wiping away some of her tears.

She hugs me and continues to cry.

After she lets me go, I let her have the alone time she deserves...

And head to the Pira Attis prison.

When I arrive, I vaporize my body and pass through the ventilation system to avoid being found by the guards. The further down I go, the more dangerous the criminals. To check my 'options', I solidify my body on the third floor from the bottom.

"Who's the bitch?" inquires one of the thugs.

"Not hot enough to be worth the effort." another says.

I look around. None of them seem useful to me.

Amidst the insults and sexual harrassment, I hear one familiar voice.

"YOU!!" Abram yells.

I walk over to his cell.

"What are you doing here!?"

"I see no reason to tell you anything. You don't work for me anymore."

I begin to walk away.

"WAIT!"

I stop and turn to him.

"Give me another chance."

"You're too weak."

"By yourself, you don't stand a chance. And I want revenge just as much as I do my freedom. Please. Give me fre...!!!!"

AGU!!!

"Gggaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!!" Abram screams...

As one of the snakes attached to my arm slithers into his cell and bites his leg. In a matter of seconds, the poison seems to take effect, as he struggles to even stand. The prisoners in all the other cells fall silent.

"I don't...want to..."

"The weak have no right to talk to me like that. As a form of mercy, I will give you only two choices. A quick death, or a slow, painful one."

"I...I..."

"Ah right. I forgot how difficult it is to talk."

"FREEZE!!!" yells a guard coming around the corner, pointing a gun at me.

"Hold your tongue, weakling."

"Don't move, or I'll shoot!"

"Humans. You give them a gun, and they feel empowered. How foolish..."

I walk towards him, as the door to the lower levels is right behind him.

"You brought this on yourself!" he shouts, as he shoots.

GA! GA! GA! GA!

But I continue to advance, unfazed.

"What the hell!?"

GA! GA! GA!

The bullets have no effect on me...

As they go right through me, as though my body wasn't solid.

"Back up! Send ba....GGGAAAAAHHHH!!!!"

After one of my snakes bites his leg, it slithers up and bites his neck. I throw his body across the room, then vaporize myself to go through the cracks of the security door leading to the lower levels.

Pi-po-! Pi-po-! Pi-po-! Pi-po-! Pi-po-! Pi-po-! Pi-po-! Pi-po-!

As the alarms sound, more guards arrive and continue to block my way. Some using guns. Others using their rhime attacks. But it matters not.

(Weaklings. All of them.)

None of this even scratches me. With them all subdued by my snake poison, I continue to descend to the lowest level.

(Perhaps I should have done this in Terraz. Then again, even if one of them was a Keisetsu member, I didn't see any reason to waste valuable water rhime on them. Maintaining my hydra form is tiring as is. But... THESE fools are even more disappointing...Oh well...)

To work off some anger, I use one of my snakes to break the last door down.

BATAN!!!

As I walk in, I see that the majority of the inmates are either suspended in the air, their limbs pulled apart with chains, while others have their mouths covered or gagged. Even after all these years...

It seems the members of Sutoria's father's yakuza are still forces to be reckoned with.

"Who are you?" the one of the farthest end asks with a voice as hateful as it is weak.

"Ask me who I was?" I respond as I walk towards him.

"I'm in no mood for riddles."

"Sure you're not."

I stop right in front of him. His body still seems well built, in spite of his restraints. Guess they are given chances to exercise here, after all. I shouldn't expect anything less from the yakuza's right hand man. He looks up to see me.

!!!!

"You!!!"

Some of the other inmates turn towards us.

"You took away our victory!"

"Nice to see you again too, Jericho."

"All those years... I couldn't forget your ugly face!"

"Check a mirror recently?"

"Silence! I knew from the beginning I'd end up, at least, behind bars. We all did! But we wouldn't have minded so much if our goal was completed! Why must the blood of Amado continue to plague our lives, even when we never got the satisfaction of spilling it!?"

I summon a giant snake and send it towards Jericho, its fangs mere centimeters from his body.

"I did what I thought was right, just like you. And Amado's daughter is one of the closest friends I have."

In spite of his current situation, Jericho remains unfazed, glaring at me with ferocious eyes.

"Fearless... I like that. So...why don't we strike a deal?"

I look around and see some of the people around me talk in confusion.

"You want me to trust a snake?"

I remain silent. Jericho, and a few others, chuckle.

"Guess some things never change. Out with one asshole boss, and in with another. What did you have in mind?"

"Before I make my proposal, where's Jonathan?"

"Here." one of the men says.

I create four snakes and send them to bit the shackle joints, which quickly break.

Agu! Agu! Agu! Agu!

Batan!

Jonathan falls to the ground, then gets up slowly. I walk over to him...

And take out the communication crystal.

"Think you can track this?" I ask.