Aftermath ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Sunset City General Hospital, Brookwood East District Ryo had been quick to get everything together after what happened to Yun-Yun and the Mao-Kung Dojo. He quickly called an ambulance for the downed Chinese girl and got in touch with Shun Son Lee, who had been visiting a friend at a neighbouring dojo. Once that had been taken care of Ryo then called Kayde. He had work to do at Whiteout but this was far more important. He took the night off and came as quickly as he could to Sunset City General Hospital. Thankfully Yun-Yun had no serious injuries. That was at least one thing they could be thankful for. The two youths stood outside the door to Yun-Yun's room. She was resting up in bed now and they stayed outside to keep things quiet for her. She had seen enough stress. The last thing they wanted to do now was to wake her up whilst they were talking. Ryo sat on one of the chairs on the outside of Yun-Yun's room, waiting around patiently for any more news about Yun-Yun (if any was coming). Kayde stood up, leaning against the wall of the room. Watching the doctors go by every few minutes. This all seemed so out of the blue. But they couldn't help but smell all the foul play that was at work. "This is all just too convenient..." Kayde said grimly, "That Cyria woman invites you to a meeting that barely lasts three minutes and then Yun-Yun is attacked? Hmph. This was what they must have planned all along. But why?" Ryo shook his head. "It's obvious. To get at me. I know I didn't say anything before, but when I was at the Rainthorn Building, I was attacked by some woman named Black Widow. She tried to kill me but she wasn't enough for that. I'm sure that Cyria was the one who hired her to kill me." Kayde thought about that. "...Hmm. She must have thought that the assassin after you would not be enough. She must have had Rockeye attack the Mao-Kung Dojo for her while you were busy in the Rainthorn Building. I knew there was something wrong with the KAIGA Group. I have no idea what that Cyria is up to, but... Rockeye must be in her pocket." "...Rockeye..." Ryo socked his fist into his palm, "...That sneaky, muscle-headed son of a bitch! I swear that I'll kill him!" The American blonde shook his head. "Don't bother wasting that energy on Rockeye. He was just a lackey. A lapdog. He probably doesn't even know the real reason that Cyria had him attack the Mao-Kung Dojo. Right now we have to concentrate on Cyria. She's the real enemy here. It's about time we realized it." "So how are we gonna handle this?" Asked Ryo. Kayde crossed his arms. "We're going to meet with that woman and see what it is she wants from you. If she's willing to use a street punk to attack an innocent in all of this then I can guess that she's up to no good." Ryo thought about his meeting with her. Even then he didn't trust her. "She did say something about my Father a couple of times. I wonder if she knows more about him and his death than she's letting on?" "Hopefully you'll have your chance to ask her," Kayde answered, "Because you and I are going to the Rainthorn Building for some answers." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Hutchingham Apartment Building, North-Western District "...You're getting ready to kill her, aren't you?" Maya laid out under covers of her bedspread. They were clinging tightly to her body. The night had gone well for them. While at the Diamond Star they were able to relax and open up to each other. Which was good news for Maya. She was a journalist but she cared more for Liza than anything else. She wanted Liza to believe in her. To trust her even with her darkest secrets. Which was something that Liza had lots of. Secrets. The biggest being that she was a member of an elite Swiss family, the Argand, who were known to be in the business of assassination for as long as mankind had been walking the earth. The secrecy that Liza was bound to was proof of how much the Argand Family risked if their true nature came into the public eye. Which was why it might not have been in her best interests to date a journalist. It was the biggest problem that their relationship had. And although Maya had no intention of doing anything like that, it was just a matter of convincing Liza of as much. Liza herself was not in bed. She was buzzing around her apartment building to get ready for what she had planned. For her duty and mission. For the honour of the proud Argand Family. The snow-blonde assassin was dressed only in her pink bra and panties as she skirted around the room for the things she needed. Just her clothes mainly. But everything needed to be taken care of before anything happened tonight. She and Maya had had a good night up until now. Thus she wanted to leave on a good note. "Yes," Liza finally answered, "Camilla has to die. There are no ifs, ands or buts about the issue. The honour of my Family is at state. She has broken our laws for far too long as it is." "I know that. But can you really bring yourself to kill your own flesh and blood?" Maya questioned curiously. Liza stopped whilst searching through her chest of drawers. "...I don't want to kill her. I am not her biggest fan... but... I can sympathize with her will to act on her own. To have personal glory rather than scraping at the coattails of the family. All members of our group have faced such a dilemma. Even me. It's nothing new." "...So then why?" Asked Maya. "Because I didn't betray the Argand Family by acting on my misgivings," Replied Liza, "Camilla wanted individual triumph at any cost. She forsook her right to live on the day she began killing in her own name. She broke our laws. Tore my Family apart. In the name of both my Uncle and my Father... she must die." Maya lowered her face. "I can't convince you to do otherwise, can I?" "No." Liza retorted frankly, "...You can't. It's out of my hands now anyway. Camilla has forfeited her right to wield the name of Black Widow and Argand. I have to right her wrongs. If I turn back on that now... then I'm no better than she is." That pretty much confirmed that there was no way she could convince Liza to let this whole 'family pride' thing go. And so Liza got ready. From her chest of drawers she took a small white top with the image of a rose on it. From the next drawer down she took out a relatively short white leather skirt. And beside her chest of drawers was a pair of length white high heel boots. Liza put it all on bit by bit. Then attached a certain bracelet to her wrist. Maya remembered that. Liza had told her that the silver bracelet was given to members of the Argand Family who were in contention to become head of the house. Now Maya began to understand how important this was to the other woman. Liza was the future successor to the Argand Family. Thus she had to carry out their laws to the bitterest end. There was one last thing she needed. Liza pulled up her thumb and bit it. Blood slipped from the cut. Liza smeared her blood on her cheeks in a line, one over each of her cheeks. The marking symbol action of an Argand Assassin with the duty to kill one of their own. She was no longer Elizabeth Argand. In this form, she was the fearless assassin, White Rose. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Rainthorn Building, North-Central District It was the middle of the night. Kayde and Ryo stood at the front doors of the Rainthorn Building of the North-Central district. Yun-Yun was resting back at the general hospital. With Shun Son Lee finally there, she would be more than safe. Shun was an accomplished Grand Master. And far stronger than Yun-Yun herself (after all he was her teacher). She could have been left in no safer hands. The two of them left the hospital behind and went off to this particular district to meet up with Miss Cyria Mau herself. It was time they had some answers. About what her true intentions were. And how they involved Ryo. The two teens watched around for anything. The building had been closed up for the night. Most of the bodyguards were gone. The building probably had security systems but this thing couldn't wait. They had to find Cyria now. Kayde looked up at the towering heights of the Rainthorn Building. "So her office is at the top of the building, huh? I don't know if she'll still be around but we might as well search the place. Even if she's not in there... we could find some info on where she lives or learn of some places she frequents often." "I'll make her pay for this," Ryo seethed, "First she tries to have me killed and then she orders that moron Rockeye to attack the Mao-Kung Dojo? Agh! It gets me pissed just thinking about it!" Kayde tossed his bangs. "...Calm down. Getting flustered about this will do nobody any good at all. Just try to relax and focus any anger you feel into energy. Now lets just do this thing and find out the truth." Ryo nodded in acceptance of that. The American youth Kayde rolled his head around his shoulders and stepped forwards, to the revolving glass doors that were currently locked. He pulled up one of his legs and then smashed it through the pane of glass on one of those doors. It shattered into tiny fragments, all falling to the ground like snow. Kayde then reached in and broke the inner lock on the door. It swerved open to allow access. Kayde gestured over to Ryo as he walked in. And the Japanese lad followed along. Though it wasn't filled with flair, Kayde's way had gotten them in easily enough. The whole of the building was pitch black in darkness now. It would be a chore to find the light now so they didn't bother. They simply walked forwards to the lift that would take them to Cyria's floor. Until... "Hold it!" Kayde and Ryo froze as the lights suddenly came on. The dark room was suddenly filled with luminosity and revealed that third voice. He was on his own but just the sight of him made Ryo's stomach turn. Ryo seethed out his name through gritted teeth. "Rockeye..." The burly, hulking man stood at the other side of the room with his arms crossed and with a violent smile of intent on his face. He looked just as burly as ever. But from the expressions on Ryo and Kayde, they were far less happy to see him. "So," The giant began, "You remembered me. After you humiliated me at the Whiteout I was gagging for a chance to get you back for what you did. Taking care of the Chinese girl might not have been very direct... but it did the trick, right?" "Bastard!" Ryo shouted, "You think I'm gonna go easy on you again after what you did to Yun-Yun?! You scum, I'll rip your damn guts out!" But before Ryo even got the chance, and believe me, he was ready to, Kayde stuck a hand out and blocked the Japanese fighter from kicking off anything with the titanic Rockeye. "What are you doing!?" Ryo yelled out, "He has to pay!" Kayde nodded. "Yes. He does. And he will. I'll handle this guy. You just concentrate on Cyria. You said it yourself. This might be your only chance to find out the truth about your father. She might know something. And we can't assure Yun-Yun's safety, or our own, until we figure out what she's planning." Though Ryo Asagawa was still burning with anger, he accepted that much. Kayde could take care of Rockeye. Cyria was the true enemy at the heart of it all. After throwing one last look of hatred at Rockeye, he ran towards the lift and pressed the button that would take him to the 25th floor. It was time... to find the truth.
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