Chapter Word Count: 400||Story Word Count: 4,800||Chapter Count: 12/20
She stood in the middle of the road, legs braced, arms crossed over her chest, sharp violet eyes staring at the two of them as if she'd never been more annoyed by someone in her entire life.
"We're in a hurry, ma'am," Juri said, holding hard onto Leomon's shoulder. "You might not believe us, but we're following that carriage that passed by here – did you see it? Princess Shuichon is in it."
Takato could not help but be glad that Juri believed him, when she had so little other than his own word to go on. Though the fact someone had clearly tried to attack him did help convince people.
The stranger looked from one of them to the other. "I already knew that. I'm going after them."
"Why?" Leomon asked, his voice deep and rumbling. It would've given Takato pause if he didn't know the great Digimon so well.
Faint starlight revealed the stranger's red hair as she tilted her head back. "Because that's my job. Prince Jenrya hired me to track down the kidnappers and finish them off."
"Then we're all on the same side!" Takato pointed out. At least now they had help of some kind. Or she had help. Did it matter which? "So let's get going."
She didn't move a muscle. "We might be on the same side, but you aren't going any farther. You're peasants. You don't know how to fight." Her eyes moved to Guilmon and Leomon. "Though your partners could be useful."
Takato sputtered, then paled as a tall figure slipped down to land behind the stranger. Starlight, faint as it was, revealed a golden-furred Digimon with fox-like features.
"We could use all the help that we can get, Ruki," this new creature murmured. "For a distraction, if nothing else. Those kidnappers are well-armed."
"That one guy's arm tasted bad," Guilmon offered. Takato patted him; he'd have to make sure that he got lots of bread to make up for it. Not to mention some decent meat. Hopefully the butcher would co operate.
"You ate someone's arm?" The mercenary – Ruki – asked.
Guilmon just shrugged. "He tried to kill Takato."
"Why don't we start from the beginning?" Juri asked, trying to make some sort of peace here. "You tell us what you know and we'll tell you what we know, and then we can figure out what to do from there, all right?"
To Be Continued
Notes: And here are Ruki and Renamon!
