The sun was high over Serif City as the tan woman slipped unnoticed out of the city's gates and headed towards Ablin City. There was plenty of work to be done there. Her companion, a large, spotted wildcat, followed just behind her. Quickly glancing over her shoulder her energetic grayish-white hair she whispered to her pet, "Mai Mai- Go ahead and search for our target. You will find him easily enough. Don't let him see you though." The fierce creature bounded off down the highroad terrifying a group of merchants leading their caravan towards Serif City. The woman smirked and followed down the road in the same direction as Mai Mai at a leisurely pace.
Murasaki Fuji no Shita ni Kuni
"The Country Under the Purple Wisteria"
Chapter 4- The Flame Assassin at Work and Rumblings of the Earth
Ablin City was a fairly quiet place in the state of Serif watched over by Bishop Sorinn, a very educated, but stern, man from Crystal Valley. The mysterious woman crouched on top of a roof waiting for Mai Mai to return with news of her quarry. "You have no quarrel with the young man with the cat-eared hat and his company." That was what Turan Magno had told her. She allowed her eyes to stray and scan the city streets. What did the cat-eared hat look like? Sonoa had no idea who she was even keeping an eye open for. Her orders were simple. Kill Bishop Sorinn and make sure the blame was placed on the citizens of the state. When news of the assassination reached Rupanda the aristocrats would be enraged that their handpicked priest had been killed and troops would be sent to hold down the area. That was when the real revolution would begin. The Aronian Imperial Army would be lured into the city and attacked from the outside.
Sonoa was to join the boy with the cat-eared hat and attempt to raise just enough forces to scare the king. Turan Magno would take care of the rest. The cat-boy was to be used as merely a figurehead because lack of control in the nation had led to his family's deaths. This wasn't the first time Turan Magno had tried to stir up the region, but he usually got away with it because he would just pass the blame onto someone else and step away unscathed. Sonoa seriously hoped it would be the last. As an assassin her livelihood did depend on there being people she needed to get out of the way, but the last two years had been ridiculous! Although she was Turan Magno's favorite assassin in the region, that was no excuse for successfully carrying out nine missions in the last two years...this would make ten.
She heard a growl and turned to see Mai Mai leap from a stack of crates onto the roof beside her. "You found him?" Mai Mai growled again and Sonoa nodded in understanding. The team left the flat roof and snuck through the back alleys to the temple. A ceremony was taking place in front. Sonoa watched mercilessly. Mai Mai tried to advance further from their position, but Sonoa snapped her fingers at the animal, "Bad Mai Mai! Wait!" They crouched in the shadows and waited for the ceremony to end- that would be the moment to strike.
Meanwhile, Kiisan, Falina, Junsuke, and Rizu had just entered the city. Rizu had been pestering Kiisan the whole way there. "Come on, what's your name? It can't be that bad! Come on, Kiisan- tell me, please!"
Kiisan rolled his eyes and ignored Rizu who simply turned to Falina, "Hey, Falina! You know his name, right?" She nodded thoughtlessly. "So, you think you could tell me what it is?" he cajoled.
"Yeah, sure..." she mumbled, "His name is Hi-"
"FALINA!" yelled Kiisan, "Cut it out already!!" Junsuke snickered. Kiisan shot him a numbing glance. Seeing a stack of boxes to the side of a lottery ticket stand Kiisan took his chance to try and rally the crowd. He scrambled up to the top and stood up, hoping he wouldn't loose his balance and fall. He took off his hat and waved it at the people in the streets. Slightly embarrassed, Falina sat down on one the crates below Kiisan and put her head in her hands.
"Aren't you sick of all the fighting?! Don't you wish the government would end it all?! Did anyone here have friends or family living in Finnel Village? If you did, they're dead now. Medinan soldiers destroyed Finnel Village! And do you know why? Because the king's government can't keep the states under control! Don't you want your children to grow up without hearing about war every day?! We need to do something! The king can't rule this country! Aronia is going to fall apart! Stand with me! Let's build a new nation! One where we can all live in harmony!" Kiisan swung his fist up in the air and as he opened his eyes he realized he really had drawn a crowd. He stood gaping for a moment before loosing his balance and toppling over into the stack of boxes. The crowd had caught the fever. Forgetting about Kiisan they headed towards the temple to demand the bishop send their voices to Emperor Leo Maximilian.
Kiisan lifted up his aching head from between the crates where he lay and watched the majority of the crowd stream southward further into the city. Anxiously, Falina pushed aside some boxes and pulled Kiisan out. "I was afraid you were hurt! Seriously Kiisan, try to be more careful!" Rizu and Junsuke smiled at him.
"That was better than I expected," complimented Junsuke through his shining teeth.
Kiisan brushed himself off, "I didn't think anyone would listen to me!" He looked down the street towards the temple, "Should we go see what they're going to do?" When Junsuke gave no sign of disapproval and Rizu looked at Kiisan with interest in his eyes, the four comrades set off to watch the changes begin.
Sonoa saw the crowd approach. The few guards stationed near the temple came out to see what the problem was and as Bishop Sorinn started to hurry back inside Sonoa took her chance and stepped forward. "Good a'ternoon, Bishop."
Although her appearance put him off somewhat her demeanor threw him off guard, "Good afternoon, Miss. What brings you to the temple today?"
As he spoke with her the bishop walked into the temple. Sonoa followed, making sure the doors were not quite, but almost, closed behind her. Her wild eyes flared as she responded the light of the tall, slim candles casting a feverish glow on the scene, "I've come here to kill you."
The last thing Bishop Sorinn saw was Sonoa's hand swinging the strangely curved dagger. It had been quick and easy. Sonoa wiped off her dagger and sheathed it carefully. She then pulled a simple kitchen knife from her sash, ran it through some of the blood, and left it lying stabbed through the bishop's cloak. "Perfect," she thought, "Nothing out of the ordinary there." She slipped out a partially open window and circled around the crowd to look for the boy from her instructions.
Neither Kiisan nor any of his companions could see very much over the crowd, but from the yelling it sounded like Bishop Sorinn was not so much as coming out to try and calm the people. The enraged city-folk knocked out a guard, stole his javelin, and smashed past the other guards into the temple in a heated rage. The noise was overwhelming, with anger and frustration humming in the air. Junsuke understood the danger of the situation as soon as he heard, "The bishop is dead! Someone killed the bishop!" He glanced quickly about, assessing the situation to find the best escape route. He made his decision. A back alley to the right.
He grabbed Falina's sleeve and tugged at Rizu's arm, "We have to get out of here while we still can. This way- quick!" They scurried down the alleyway and Junsuke led them back around to the main street further north.
One of the gatekeepers was attempting to take charge at this end of the city. He stood up tall and said sternly to Rizu; "We're closing these gates until we can get this situation under control."
Rizu grabbed the gatekeeper and shook him, "You idiot! You don't understand! When a pot of water starts boiling you lift the lid a little so it doesn't burn over and knock the lid off itself! Let us go!"
The gatekeeper shoved Rizu way and spat, "I don't know who you are you little punk, but if I were you I wouldn't talk so big!"
Rizu was about to retort, but Kiisan pulled him away, "Don't get in a fight now! It won't be long before there's rioting down here too!"
Falina squeezed Kiisan's hand, "What are we going to do?! How are we going to get out of here?! Kiisan, I'm scared!"
Kiisan looked up at Falina and smiled recklessly, "Okay. You did it. I did say that if you said you were scared I'd take over, right?"
Falina shook her head, "I don't remember you saying that..."
He winked energetically, "Well, I did now." Kiisan straightened his hat and turned back into the alley, leading Falina behind him, "Come on, you two, we'll think of something."
Sonoa looked over her shoulder momentarily to make sure Mai Mai was still following. Mai Mai chirped a short meow when Sonoa made eye contact with her. Sonoa nodded to herself, everything was as it should be. The mission was going exactly as planned. She raised her head and saw just ahead Junsuke and Rizu standing in the alley with an ebony-haired girl and a boy wearing a calico colored hat...with what looked like ears on it...cat ears. Sonoa squeaked happily and ran forward, "Ri'u! Junsuke!" She threw her arms open in a greeting to Turan Magno's other agents. Rizu didn't turn around in time to avoid Sonoa squeezing him tightly. Junsuke sidestepped out of the pale-haired woman's grasp.
He shook his head in exasperation, "Sonoa, what in the world are you doing here of all places?"
Sonoa let go of Rizu, who took advantage of the opportunity to breathe, and answered, "I came to kill Bishop Sorinn for Turan Magno. And I carried out my mission success'ully." She smiled cheerily.
Junsuke was aquiver with rage, "Why didn't the turan tell us you were going to be here?! Why didn't he tell us what you were going to do?! Then we wouldn't be stuck in this stupid mess!!" As Junsuke let out his anger over the situation Mai Mai approached Kiisan and Falina with curiosity. Falina dropped down on her knees to get a better look at the wildcat.
"Hello, what's your name?" she whispered sweetly. Mai Mai sniffed at Falina nervously before rubbing her head on Falina's hand.
Kiisan shivered, "W-what is that animal?" His friend didn't recognize his fear; Kiisan had always been rather good with animals, especially birds.
Falina looked up at Kiisan and shrugged, "I don't really know. But it's a very nice cat."
Sonoa noticed Mai Mai's meeting with the newcomers and took a step closer to the situation to offer some information. "That's Mai Mai. She is my partner."
Falina laughed, "I'm sure she's very helpful." Sonoa laughed back. Kiisan backed away from Mai Mai slowly. Mai Mai glared at him dangerously with a hunting look in her deep brown eyes and growled softly. Kiisan felt himself grow rather faint for a moment and took a long breath.
Sonoa beamed, "I think Mai Mai likes you." Mai Mai's tail had begun to flip in excitement. Left, right, left, right, and little bit up.
Kiisan clenched his teeth, "More like she'd like to eat me..." he commented to himself. Tensing up visibly as Sonoa, Falina, Rizu, and Junsuke began to discuss a plan of escape. Mai Mai opened her mouth and yawned, exposing two rows of relatively large, pointed teeth. Kiisan backed into the wall and suddenly felt fate pressing on him very heavily, "I'm stuck now aren't I? ...And I'm scared of a cat."