"Maru, you need to come out here."
Hanamaru opened the door. Yō was there. She lead her to the living room. Everyone but Kanan was gathered there.
"Maru… someone's taken Kanan."
"I know. She contacted me when it was happening." Hanamaru replied bitterly.
"Did she say who did it?" Mari asked.
"No. She didn't get a chance to. All I know is that it's some girls who did this." Hanamaru said.
"What do they want with her?" Chika asked.
"Well, from this note, it appears they want the kingdoms to split again. They also want compensation for everything they've suffered from." Dia said as she handed Hanamaru the note so she could read it, "If we give them that, they said they would give her back unharmed."
"What do we do?" Yō asked.
"Let me see if I can track anything about this." Hanamaru said.
Everyone waited as Hanamaru felt the note for any sign of who had sent it.
"I think I got it."
"Where are they?"
"It seems they're at the outskirts. An abandoned shack." Hanamaru said.
"I know that place. Kids used to play there often." Dia said.
"Shall we go and get her back?" Mari asked.
"They have dark magic." Hanamaru stated, "It's dangerous. A lot more dangerous than you think."
"We can't just leave her there!" Mari protested.
"Of course not. But, you can't just rush into this." Hanamaru tried to calm Mari.
"What do you recommend we do?" Dia asked Hanamaru.
"Honestly, I think this is something only I should do. It's too risky for you guys. Dark magic isn't something you want to come into contact with if you don't have any form of protection. Being a witch gives you protection already." Hanamaru said.
"You can't go by yourself!" Yō protested.
"What choice do I have? I'm not going to risk anyone getting hurt." Hanamaru stated.
"It's too dangerous. You can't go alone." Yō stated firmly.
"I'll go with her, if that makes you feel better." Sarah spoke up.
"Huh?" Everyone looked at her as if she was insane.
"What? I'm a witch too. That means I have the protection from black magic." Sarah reasoned.
"I guess that is true." Hanamaru said, "Will that make you guys feel better if she comes with me?"
Everyone eventually nodded. They were still unsure. They didn't know what they were dealing with. None of them wanted anyone to get hurt, but they weren't giving the girls what they wanted. It would show that they're weak.
"Tonight, we will set out." Hanamaru stated.
…
"What do you want with me?" Kanan growled.
She had woken to find herself in a rotten shack. She was tied to a chair. The three girls were standing over her. Kanan didn't show any fear. She kept a firm stance. She wasn't planning to cave and let these girls get the upper hand.
"We've demanded some things from the castle. If they give us those things, we'll return you to them safely. If not, however, we won't have any issues with torturing you." The leader said.
"I assume I won't be told your names?" Kanan asked.
"Right. We aren't giving you our names." The girl nodded.
"I'm sure my friends will find me. They won't give you what you want." Kanan stated.
"And just what can they do? We have black magic. They'll get affected if they try to fight against us." The girls laughed.
"Well then, isn't just wonderful that some of us have immunity?"
"Maru!" Kanan's face lit up.
Hanamaru appeared before them. Her arms were crossed. She sent the girls a glare. They stared at her with wide eyes.
"Now, I'd appreciate it if you'd release my friend before we have to get nasty." Hanamaru asked them, though it was more of a demand.
The girls looked at each other. One of them ran for the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" Sarah came out of the shadows and blocked the door.
"P-princess Sarah?" The girl backed away.
"I remember you. You caused hell for the poor." Sarah growled.
"How so?" Kanan asked.
"Taking everything from them. She'd trick them into thinking she was helping them and then take everything they worked for." Sarah stated as she cornered the girl.
"Let her go or else I'll kill her." The leader of the group held a knife to Kanan's neck.
Kanan just smirked. She had been secretly untying herself this entire time. She grabbed the girl's arm and knocked her to the ground. Kanan stood up and yanked the knife from her grip.
"What do you think we should do with these girls?" Hanamaru asked.
"Imprison them. They've done a lot more crimes than just this one." Sarah stated.
"Alright. Kanan, would you like to capture them?" Hanamaru stepped back.
"Gladly." Kanan smirked.
She walked up to the girls and knocked them out with a firm punch to the jaw. Hanamaru used her magic to make some rope tie them up. Once they were satisfied, they all teleported back to the castle. They reappeared in the dungeon.
Hanamaru moved the girls and made sure they were tied up. Once she was done, she walked over to Kanan and tugged her down the hall. Sarah followed after them.
"Where are we going?" Kanan asked.
"To see if you have any wounds." Hanamaru stated.
"Alright."
"Do you need me for anything?" Sarah asked.
"If you'd like to learn, you can come and watch." Hanamaru replied.
The three of them went to Hanamaru's room. Chika was sitting in there. She perked up at the sight of Kanan. She ran over to Kanan and climbed up her. Kanan chuckled and pet Chika.
"I'm glad you're okay." Chika purred as she licked Kanan's cheek.
"Lay down on the bed. Also, can you undress?" Hanamaru closed the door and started ordering Kanan around.
Chika got off of Kanan. She left the room and stated she was going to tell everyone that Kanan was okay. Kanan stripped and then laid down on the bed like she had been asked to.
She was used to this whenever she got injured. It was just a slight bit more embarrassing now that Sarah was also in the room watching them.
Hanamaru started examining Kanan's body. She paused at her neck. There were burn marks covering it.
"What happened here? It looks like you got burned?" Hanamaru asked as she grabbed a salve to apply.
"The black magic they used…" Kanan mumbled, "Once it touched me it started burning me."
"Does it still hurt?" Hanamaru asked.
"A little… it's just a constant tingling." Kanan replied.
"This is going to hurt you. It has to remove the magic." Hanamaru stated as she showed Kanan the salve.
"How much will it hurt?" Kanan asked.
"Probably a little less than what it felt like when that happened." Hanamaru said, "Do you want me to silence you?"
"Probably for the best." Kanan said.
Hanamaru cast a spell to mute Kanan, "Okay. I'm going to apply it now."
Kanan bit her tongue as immense pain overcame her. She tried not to cry out even if she wouldn't make a sound. Kanan hated seeming weak. She wanted to seem tough even in a situation like this one. A few minutes after Hanamaru finished, the pain finally seized. Hanamaru removed the spell from Kanan.
"You feeling okay?" Hanamaru asked.
Kanan nodded. She was too out-of-breath to speak. Hanamaru finished up the rest of the exam. She found only minor scratches and such. She helped Kanan clothe herself again.
"Maru, is there a chance the magic could affect her?" Sarah asked.
Hanamaru sighed, "There's always a chance. But, seeing as how it didn't spread at all, I think she's safe."
"Alright." Sarah accepted the answer.
"What do you plan to do to those girls?" Hanamaru asked Kanan.
"Get some info from them and then probably a public execution to deter others." Kanan replied.
"What type of info are you interested in getting?" Sarah asked.
"Y'know, if there's any others plotting similar things. If they're part of a group. Any other motives they might've had." Kanan listed a few things off.
"Sounds like a good heap of info you want." Hanamaru commented.
"Yeah… I doubt we'll get all of it." Kanan sighed.
"Break someone enough and they'll talk." Sarah stated.
"I'd prefer not to." Kanan stated.
"Why not?" Sarah asked.
"I just… I feel like it's not a good idea." Kanan didn't know how to explain it, "I can't help but feel like something bad will happen if we break them."
"I don't know what you're so worried about, but it's your call."
"I wish I knew what I was worried about as well…" Kanan sighed.
"Why don't you just rest for a bit? Gain back some strength and then you can decide what you're going to do." Hanamaru suggested.
"Alright…" Kanan agreed.
DIVIDER--
After an hour, Kanan got up from the bed. She made her way out of the room. Yō was sitting outside the door. She jumped up at Kanan. Kanan chuckled and pet Yō.
"How are you feeling?" Yō asked.
"I'm fine." Kanan replied.
"Mari already started the interrogation." Yō said.
"Take me to her?" Kanan requested.
"Okay!" Yō agreed and started walking down the hall.
They went to the cell that Hanamaru had left the girls in. As they got closer, they could hear Mari. She was raising her voice. Kanan and Yō walked into view. Mari paused and looked at them.
"Look who's back." One of the girls taunted.
"Shut it." Mari growled and kicked her.
"So, how's it been going?" Kanan ignored the girl and spoke to Mari.
"They won't talk." Mari grumbled.
"I can help!" Yō stated.
Kanan and Mari looked at Yō. They knew she could be very intimidating. They weren't sure if they wanted to use her though.
"One." Kanan stated.
"Alright…" Yō sighed.
She was only allowed to hurt one of the girls. Kanan wasn't going to risk starting more drama. Having a wolf as a pet was already making people wary of them.
"So, are you going to talk? Or are we going to let her kill one of you?" Kanan threatened.
"Never."
"Yō. Go slow." Kanan ordered.
Yō let out a low growl and stalked toward one of the girls. She snarled and snapped. Yō was trying to intimidate her if she could. The girl looked a little scared, but wasn't talking.
"Tell us if there's more of you, or else Yō will kill you." Mari growled.
"We won't talk."
Yō snapped at the girl's leg. She screamed in pain as Yō's fangs sank into her flesh. Yō shook her leg around a bit and then released her. The girl was crying and shaking. Yō growled at her.
"Going to talk yet?" Kanan asked.
"Y-you'll have to do worse." The girl muttered as she tried to calm herself.
Yō growled and snapped at her again. Her fangs sank into her other leg. The girl screamed louder. The other two were watching with fear clearly present on their faces. Yō let go and stepped back again.
"Still not going to talk?"
"T-there's no more of us…" The girl mumbled.
"What did you want to achieve?" Mari asked.
"We won't ever tell you!" The girls all growled.
"They wanted us to split. I think they want to overthrow the kingdom." Kanan stated.
"Is that true girls?" Mari asked.
"You won't find out."
Yō leapt back at the girl. She grabbed her neck. The girl was crying and trying to push Yō off of her. Yō was staring at Kanan. She was waiting for the command to kill her.
"One last chance. Tell us what you wanted and we'll spare her." Kanan said.
"Nope."
"Go ahead, Yō." Kanan said.
Yō growled and bit down. The girl screamed. Her screams became garles as blood started coming out of her mouth. Yō stepped back. The girl was spluttering, unable to speak. It didn't take too long before she died.
"Still won't talk?" Yō asked as she showed the other two girls her bloody fangs.
The two girls were pale in shock. They gulped nervously.
"W-we do want t-to overthrow the rule… we want freedom from royalty…" The one girl admitted.
"There are many places you could've gone. Why stay here?" Kanan questioned.
They didn't answer. Yō walked back to where Kanan was standing. Kanan and Mari shared some glances.
"Tomorrow morning, we'll be publicly executing you." Kanan stated, "Enjoy the last bit of life you have."
Mari and Kanan left. Yō offered to stand guard for a bit. She was lying down in front of the cell. A knight would soon come to relieve her. She just didn't want to leave the girls alone. Who knew what they might get up to.