tushanshu_logs | Late Catchall is Late

Entry tags:

Late Catchall is Late

Characters: Yuri Lowell and You
Date: The month of March
Location: Keeliai
Situation: A little bit of this and that.
Warnings/Rating: None at the moment.

The month of March sees many ups and downs for Yuri. His relationship with Dove was moving to a different level. Brave Vesperia was getting new members. The mess regarding Milyn's past was just that, a mess. Among various other things. He mostly kept himself preoccupied with the guild, and was avoiding theJagaiz rings when he learned of Chihuelans showing up. He also found an interesting metal ore from home that he had one of the Metalworkers refine for him.

Yuri can possibly be found most anywhere, but mostly in Keeliai this month. Not Hatal as much as the last month.

Closed to Dove
Yuri had heard the radio announcement that Milyn had seen stabbed. He also caught that Dove was rushing to the scene. Good. If anyone could save the Cherrywood Healer, it would be her. His confrontation with Milyn had left a bad taste in his mouth. But she sure as hell didn't deserve this.

He waited near a console and the radio for news. When it came, Yuri was in shock. Milyn was dead? And then the anger crept in. He hurried home, getting upstairs just in time to see Dove coming out of the shower.

"What the hell happened out there?!"

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The surprise was satisfying enough. A part of him enjoyed rattling creeps like Yunxu. But he was here on serious business, and Yuri's expression remained stone cold.

"Yeah, you could bring back Milyn," Yuri said icily.

"She's dead, and we all know that one of your people did it."

You know, just in case you missed the memo Yunxu. But Yuri highly doubted that.

If Yuri was watching closely, he might have noticed Yunxu tense at the mention of Milyn's death. The odd thing was that it didn't seem an angry tense, or a nervous tense. If anything, it seemed very similar to when Yuri first jumped down from the rooftop - surprise, though abruptly censored.

Yunxu had been watching the Hotel nearly the entire day. He hadn't been near a console, nor had he spoken to anyone other than the owner of the cafe whenever she brought him a fresh drink.

"I see," he said at last. He didn't sound genial anymore. He didn't sound much of anything. "Why do you believe my family had something to do with it?"

Yuri's eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed the reaction. Suspicious, a bit odd perhaps, but Yuri was not convinced.

"Because her murderer was wearing your symbol."

He let that hang in the air for just a moment before he went further.

"These games are over, Yunxu. You've gone too far this time."

And there's intent to his voice. He meant what he said. This was going to end one way or another, even if Yuri was the only one to walk away.

Yunxu cursed quietly, an old kedanese word even some kedan would be hard-pressed to recognise. For a moment he didn't move, gaze somewhere past Yuri's face as if he'd forgotten Yuri was even there; then he shifted his stance onto his back foot and glanced down at Yuri's sword.

"I don't consider anyone's death a game," he said quietly, "let alone a healer's. I didn't order her death. Is this the Foreigners' idea of what justice should look like, or were you simply hoping to threaten a confession out of me?"

This brings pause, and puts a seed of doubt in Yuri's mind. This wasn't exactly the reaction of a selfish politician who used and killed his own people. Or a power hungry knight who sacrificed the innocent for his cause.

"Whatever, works. I haven't decided yet," Yuri said lowly.

He didn't expect Yunxu to be an idiot like Cumore or Ragou. Maybe more like a misguided man in power like Alexei who thought he was doing the right thing by being terrible. Who knows.

"You've got two minutes to explain yourself. And if you tell me that this was just another misunderstanding of your orders than I'll be really disappointed."

He's going to give him a chance at least. Whether he believes him... well, that's another thing entirely.

Another ultimatum. Yunxu's feelings about them hadn't changed, but there was only so much even a man like him would argue against a swordsman with violence on their mind.

"It's difficult to misunderstand an order never given," he said instead, keeping perfectly still. "If someone killed her while wearing my symbol, they've made a dangerous mistake. I assume there was a witness. Was a symbol the only thing they saw?"

Read: did anyone know who the killer was, or would someone at the very least be able to describe them? It was difficult to tell from Yunxu's expression, but anyone who'd lived in Keeliai for any significant length of time would know how dangerous the Snakes' grudges could become.

That was the leverage that Yuri had been hoping for, yeah. Someone like Yunxu didn't take you seriously unless you made them take you seriously.

"So... what. You're saying you were framed?"

That wasn't out of the realm of possibility, and something in his mind then clicks. Even Yuri knew that an assassin normally wouldn't want witnesses unless that's exactly what they wanted.

"There were witnesses, yeah." But that's all Yuri said on the matter because he wasn't sure what else they saw. Fletch hadn't given them a lot of details. But at the same time Yunxu could have made him want to think someone framed him.

"So lets pretend for a moment that I believe you. Who would want Milyn dead? Daseng, maybe? And why would they want to frame you."

Edited 2016-03-30 00:05 (UTC)

"Framed?" Yunxu frowned, considering the question. He didn't answer it immediately - he was, after all, still mere metres away from a swordsman with violence on their mind in what looked like an empty alley. But Yuri didn't wait for an answer, likely assuming he had it already, and his next question merited even further consideration.

"I won't deny I wanted Milyn dead," Yunxu said carefully after several moments. "But I never knew anyone else who shared that sentiment. Daseng and his cultists are a possibility. It may not have escaped your notice that Milyn is - was - a woman with a checkered past; there are any number of people who might blame her for their own problems. I don't know why they would want to frame me. Perhaps they were hoping someone would kill me for them."

Yuri's expression hardened and for a moment all he heard was that first sentence. He had wanted Milyn dead. And really that was the first words out of Yunxu's mouth that he believed 100%.

"Then maybe I can help them out with that," Yuri said darkly as he advanced on Yunxu.

Hands tightened on his sword and in one swift motion Yuri swung the weapon in a vicious upper cut. His intent was to slice through flesh, not to kill, but rather to leave a deep and painful wound across his chest. And to ruin that pretty shirt of his.

It wasn't that Yunxu didn't know how to handle himself in a fight. He knew a fight was coming, and stood prepared to dodge a strike. There were several reasons why he didn't actually dodge the strike.

The first was that he was out of practice. Perpetually relying on bodyguards combined with the availability of guns among the Snakes in recent months had put his hand-to-hand skills on the backburner. The second was that he, perhaps foolishly, thought he'd been talking some sense into Yuri. Angry men taking revenge usually thought twice when there was a chance they might be helping the very people they wanted revenge against. It seemed Yunxu had misjudged Yuri's character - or perhaps said something he shouldn't have.

The third was that he'd taken precautions against magic. He knew said precautions wouldn't do anything to stop a normal blade, but apparently that hadn't quite been enough to stop his pride from getting the best of him. And finally, the fourth was that Yuri's sword was quite a bit larger than swords Yunxu was used to dealing with. It cut differently through the air. Yunxu could dodge, yes - but he didn't dodge far enough.

The blade sliced his shirt open diagonally from hip to shoulder, and for a moment that rip was all Yunxu saw. A part of him was surprised he could still see anything at all, actually. Then the pain of the wound hit and he stumbled back against the wall with a grunt, momentarily stunned.

Admitting that he wanted Milyn dead certainly hadn't helped Yunxu's case. Yuri owed her for helping him with his soul gem. Sure she had a past and did some pretty questionable things, but who was he to judge? She thought she was doing the right thing, just like he did.

As Yunxu stumbled back against the wall, Yuri moved forward like a predator closing in on his prey. Dark eyes focused intently on the injured Kedan. He then raised his sword once more, ready to finish the job. To give the final blow, giving Yunxu a moment to realize his intent, to make sure he knew what was coming.

"It's time for your exit, Yunxu," Yuri growled. "This is for Milyn."

Edited 2016-03-31 14:07 (UTC)

No one saw Yuri on the roof. No one saw Yuri drop down from the roof. No one had any reason to pass near the secluded alley where Yunxu was currently within seconds of losing his life.

No one, that was, apart from patrolling Snakes.

Yunxu's chest burned with a fiery pain he hadn't felt in years; it robbed the strength from his legs and his arms, clouded his vision, made him slide slowly down the wall to the ground. He scraped together the wherewithal to look up at Yuri, forcibly blink the world into focus, look - despite his usual control - afraid. Then he cried out, his voice ragged and hoarse.

Seconds later, there was a shout from the end of the alley, and a gunshot. The shot went wide, deliberately so - a warning shot to scare off what looked like an ordinary mugger. That changed when the group of three Snakes came a little closer and recognised Yunxu.

The second gunshot was immediate, and aimed right at Yuri.

And then Yuri brought his sword down, seemingly ready to relieve Yunxu of his life. But as the man cried out, the blade stopped mere centimeters from Yunxu's throat.

The sword was then lowered as right on cue he heard footsteps coming, reaching out a hand to the fallen Kedan. "Hey, you all right?" Yuri asked of Yunxu, loud enough for the approaching Snakes to hear. Just before the warning shot went out. He then took a step back, only to have another shot directed right at him.

They didn't really have guns in his world. But Yuri knew they existed here. He didn't dodge the bullet, but moved just enough so that the bullet wouldn't pierce anything vital. Instead lodging into his right shoulder. Yuri cried out and fell to the ground. Dropping his sword and clutching his wounded shoulder.

"H-hey, is this any way to thank the guy who just saved your boss's life?!"

Yunxu would have been lying if he'd said he didn't feel any vindictive satisfaction at the bullet piercing Yuri's shoulder. The fact that he could barely see it and his whole body was shaking, however, took some of the enjoyment out of it.

The Snakes didn't pay Yuri's objection any attention. The gun came up again. Another click of the trigger, but no accompanying gunshot, leaving Yunxu to idly wonder what the rest of the bullets had been used on while the Snake deftly ejected and reloaded. With a surge of effort, Yunxu pushed himself a few centimetres up the wall and said, "Wait."

Older training overrode new instincts. Yunxu had given an order; everyone stood still.

Yunxu looked at Yuri. His gaze was as impassive as someone who'd just been slashed across the chest was capable of. He didn't say anything, however, and after a moment it became clear he was waiting for Yuri to explain.

Yuri had gotten some satisfaction himself seeing how the mighty Yunxu had cringed under his blade. Now it could be said that they were even.

Yuri stared up at the gun leveled at him unflinchingly. Though his teeth were gritted in pain as the bullet had shattered part of his collarbone. His hand and shirt getting soaked in blood from the wound. His right arm limp at his side. However, when Yunxu told them to wait, Yuri saw his chance.

"Geez, you'd think your guys would be better at protecting you after Milyn was murdered. Or did you guys not hear about that? Lucky thing I was nearby, or your boss would be a dead man right now. Someone's out to get him too."

Edited 2016-04-01 23:43 (UTC)

Yunxu's dislike of Milyn was not a secret within the Snakes. The mention of her death more than anything else was what made the Snake holding the gun turn to look at Yunxu, surprise on his face.

Yunxu hadn't taken his eyes off Yuri. A silence stretched out. No one but Yunxu moved a muscle, and even Yunxu moved as little as the injury would allow him, breathing shallow, the wall behind him a physical support.

Then he let out a breath, swallowing visibly against the pain. "Thank you," he said. "I'm... surprised a Foreigner would go out of their way to help me, but - " The sentence ended in a choked gasp, and the nearby Snakes snapped out of their reverie.

Two lifted and supported Yunxu's weight between them. The third holstered his gun and looked back at Yuri, expression unreadable, before nodding. "We'll take it from here."

"Yeah well... maybe we're not as bad as you think," Yuri said in a slow strained voice, but still managing a cheeky little grin. But that was soon wiped off his face as Yunxu's strength seemed to be giving out.

With a returned nod to the Snake, Yuri carefully rose to his feet, letting go of his shoulder to instead pick up his sword. Letting the Snakes take care of Yunxu, Yuri stumbled through the streets towards home. Hopefully he wouldn't pass out on the way there.

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Late Catchall is Late

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