Late Catchall is Late

[wolfstrike]

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?!"

Comments

Dove thread obvi

[phoenixstrut]

She jumped a little as the door downstairs slammed shut, wrapping herself in a towel just in time for Yuri to come bursting into the room. Her hair in a bun atop her head, she stared back at him almost fearfully for a few seconds, shocked at the anger rolling off of him.

Oh. Right. He didn't know.

"Hold on, calm down..." she told him as she approached, willing to somehow talk him through this. She reached out to him, hoping that her touch would at least soothe him the slightest bit.

[wolfstrike]

But Yuri dodged her touch. Not because of anything she did but because he didn't want to be comforted.

"Calm down? Why should I? Milyn was murdered by the Snakes. I think that's a pretty good reason to be upset."

He didn't yepl but the tension was obvious in his voice. Yuri moved away from her to kick the corner of the bed before moving to the window.

"Dammit, I should have seen this coming."

[phoenixstrut]

She flinched at the swear and the sudden kick to the bed, warring mentally with her decision. The more people that knew....

She shook her head, her choice made. "We got there in time, Yuri," she told him quietly, her gaze wary. She couldn't keep it from him.

Closed to Yunxu

[wolfstrike]

The night Milyn was announced dead, Yuri had slipped out of his home and into the shadows of the streets. Like a wolf hunting his prey, the raven haired man stalked the alleyways, searching for a certain someone. He used Lambert's nose to help track him down, the dog leading him to the Fire Sector where Yuri would expect to find him. Once he caught sight of his target casually walking the streets, Yuri watched and waited. Leaving Lambert behind and keeping himself hidden until the time was right.

It wasn't until the Kedan passed into a secluded, dark alley where he could be easily cornered that Yuri finally dropped down from above. Blocking the path of the Snake Leader.

"Yunxu," Yuri said in a voice that he wasn't here to fool around. A dark glint in his eyes, and his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. Though he made no threatening moves just yet. Tonight he left Second Star at home and was carrying Dein Nomos. He didn't carry that sword unless he meant business.

[wolfstrike]

"What are you talking about," Yuri asked, looking over at Dove. That got his attention, but it made him frown.

[ironrule]

This particular visit ran a little late. The dusky evening light had lengthened the shadows around the buildings by the time Yunxu stood up, paid for the day's drinks, and started back to the mansion. A little later than he would have liked, he freely admitted to himself, but if there was one man who could walk the streets of Keeliai without fear of violence it was Yunxu.

That was part of the reason why a Foreigner dropping from the rooftop startled him so much.

There was no point in hiding the surprise, nor in wiping it quickly from his face, so the wariness in Yunxu's gaze was uncensored. "Hello," he responded, his voice lacking anything but geniality. "Yuri, isn't it? Can I help you?"

[wolfstrike]

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.

[phoenixstrut]

She glanced over her shoulder in all caution before she moved to gather her clothing. Slipping back into the necessities, she shook her head. "It's not true."

Almost nervously, she pulled her tunic on over her head and looked at him again, urging him silently to understand without her having to voice it all, regardless of the fact that they were alone.

[wolfstrike]

"What do you mean it's not true?" And now Yuri is getting angry again.

"You mean the whole thing was a lie? Milyn's not dead? Were you going to go along with this?"

[phoenixstrut]

She flinched again, assuming his anger was now being turned on her.

"Shhhhh!" She dropped what she was doing, making her way to him quickly and taking his arm. "I'm sorry-- we can't let anyone know, but no, she's not dead." The look in her eye was almost fearful still, and she continued to explain in a whisper. "She pulled off some weird trick and moved her heart, and we got there in time to keep her from bleeding out."

[wolfstrike]

When she finally explained Yuri calmed himself, his anger subsiding to a low simmer. He took a moment to digest her words.

"So it's a cover up. They're hiding her? I guess that makes sense."

He didn't like it but he could understand the reason why. And that Dove was probably going out on a limb by telling him this. But there was still another very important question.

"But one of the Snakes really did try to kill her, huh?"

[phoenixstrut]

She nodded, letting him go and moving to sit at the edge of their bed. "Yes, and they would of have succeeded if Milyn hadn't pulled that stunt." Brow furrow. "She somehow moved her heart. Internally."

That, unfortunately, wasn't what was bothering her most, but it would be obvious that something was weighing heavily on her mind from the extremely quiet countenance.

[wolfstrike]

Yuri blinked in surprise at that. "Huh, clever girl. She's better at shape shifting than I thought." Though Milyn wasn't the only one to surprise him with her skill lately.

But then he noticed Dove's demeanor. He could tell there was something still not right.

"So then what's wrong?"

[ironrule]

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?"

[wolfstrike]

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.

[ironrule]

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?"

[wolfstrike]

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.

[ironrule]

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.

[wolfstrike]

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."

[ironrule]

"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."

[wolfstrike]

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.

[ironrule]

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.

[wolfstrike]

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."

[ironrule]

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.

[wolfstrike]

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?!"