Why of all people did it have to be him? Why-
"You! I can't believe you!" Blake screamed.
Scarlet started clawing at his hands. It was getting harder to breathe.
"After everything we did for you!" he yelled, "You come back to try to rob me!"
She started gasping for air and her vision was getting dark.
This is it. He's going to kill me and no one is going to know. He...
She went limp in his hands.
"Goddamnit!" Blake screamed as he dropped her to the ground.
He kicked a chair and it hit the wall, breaking upon impact. He knelt down and checked. She was still alive, she was just unconscious. Blake picked up her limp body and carried her while he avoided his knocked out comrades.
Blake stripped her down to her underwear and bra to make sure she didn't have anything else on her. He tied her up with rope and heat resistant metal. He grabbed a chair from the other room and sat down. He was going to wait until she woke up.
X
X
"Mom... Is Dad mad?"
Akairo looked down at Ash.
"No. Not at you."
"He's mad because no one has seen Mom. Isn't he?"
She bit her lip and looked away.
"You think everything will be better when she gets back home?"
"I don't know. We will try though."
"You guys can get married! That will make everything better!" Ash said excitedly.
Akairo laughed. She brushed his black hair back.
"Getting married is a big process and everyone has to be able to trust each other."
Ash nodded, "I know. I know... Mom didn't leave because she wanted too. She left because she had too."
"What makes you think that?" she asked.
"She told me herself."
Akairo's smiled disappeared.
"What?"
"It was a few nights before we came back home. She came in the middle of the night. She told me that she left because she wanted to keep me safe. She said if she left then you guys didn't have to fight the bad guy Blanche."
"Why... Are you being serious?"
"Yea. Mom was upset and I believe her. I was hoping Dad would see her and convince her it was ok to come back. Then I could help fight the bad guy."
Akairo's hand went towards her mouth and she started biting her nails. Ash pulled on her arm.
"Mom! You can't do that."
"Huh? Oh... Um... Is Dad here?"
"He was playing one of my games. Why?"
"You wanna stay with Grandma tonight?"
"Yea! I can practice with Grandma! She's super tough for being old!"
Akairo snorted. Ash ran out of the kitchen and to the stairs in the living room.
"Red."
Red continued playing his game, "Hm?"
"Call Yuri and Jazmin. We are going to meet at her nightclub."
"I'm not in the mood for dancing."
"It's not for dancing."
Red paused the game. He looked at his girlfriend's face to see she looked extremely upset and angry.
"Alright. Let me save this and I will."
X
X
Akairo and Red waited for Yuri to show up. Jazmin was waiting for the blonde to show up so she could take a break when he showed up. Akairo had went through eight drinks in thirty minutes. Red had tried to slow her down but she just didn't want to listen.
She seemed... Distracted.
Yuri walked through the doors by nine, an hour later than he said. Akairo was on drink twelve already. He ordered a large beer for himself. Jazmin made herself a drink and sat down beside of the blonde man. She handed him his beer and turned her attention to Akairo.
"Are you ok? You've been drinking pretty heavy since you've been here. You don't even look drunk."
"It's about Scarlet."
Yuri nearly dropped his drink. He managed to use his cast covered arm to catch it without spilling the beer.
"You haven't mentioned her in years. Did something happen? Did you find her?" he asked.
"Ash told me something."
Jazmin frowned, "What do you mean?"
Red looked shocked.
"We were talking about her in the kitchen. He said something that has me thinking. Thinking she didn't leave on her own free will."
"What do you mean? You and Red saw her leave on her own," Jazmin said, "Scarlet always did what she wanted."
"He said she visited him before we came back to the house."
Everyone was quiet now.
"What he said was she came and told him that the reason she left was to keep him safe. Safe and so we wouldn't have to fight the bad guy named Blanche. We never told him who Blanche was. We never mentioned his name to Ash. I never did. Now, Ash is convinced we can tell her it's ok that she could come back and he can help fight the bad guy."
Red got up and stormed off.
"I don't think she wanted to leave on her own."
Akairo got to find Red.
Once she was outside, she spotted him. She could feel his anger from here but it didn't stop her. She chased after him, calling his name over and over again. Red never broke his stride once. She pulled her hair in frustration.
"DAMNIT STOP!"
Red turned around but his face didn't show anger, it was sadness.
"Red..."
"I've been mad at her and I hated her. I was angry she left thinking we weren't good enough for her. I can never ever live up to Crimson. He's not even my dad and his shadow looms over me. I can't escape it."
"What do you want me to say?" Akairo said, "He was a big rule in this city."
"We save Scarlet. After that... I want to leave Vale."
She didn't say anything.
"I'm tired. At this point... I wish I had left Scarlet at that bank. I wish I never saw her. I wish that night I turned my back and let her rob me at that Dust shop. I... I can't do this for the rest of my life. Ash shouldn't have to do this for the rest of his life."
"If you want to leave then I will let you leave."
Red shook his head.
"I have no reason to stay."
Akairo watched as he walked away.
X
X
Ugh... What the hell?
Scarlet looked around and saw she was in a room with a table, chairs and books. She was tied up and she remembered seeing Blake's face last before blacking out.
"Awake huh?"
Scarlet jumped.
"Why are you here?" he asked as he sat down with a large cup if tea.
"I came to get someone... I had no idea you were here."
Blake knelt down in front of her.
"Where's Blanche?"
"Back on the train... He's waiting for me."
"Is he your boyfriend?" Blake sneered.
Scarlet stayed quiet.
"In my life... I had people I wanted to protect and not hurt but... you seem to be hurting all of them. Maybe I should just rid of you here and now. I could drop your dead body off to your... boyfriend and be on my way."
Blake grabbed her neck. She stiffened up and let out a whine.
"I should call Red."
"Please don't."
"Why not? He can finally face you after all these years. Akairo was pretty torn up."
"Is... Is Ash ok?"
"Why do you care?" he snapped.
"I left because I had too!"
Blake put his tea down and punched her in the face. She let out an angry scream.
"YOU BETTER DO BETTER THAN THAT!" she screamed.
Blake got up and left the room. He pressed a few buttons on his scroll.
"Hello?"
"Red..."
"Blake! It's been months... Is everything ok?"
"I have Scarlet."
The other line became silent.
"I'm not lying. She tried to rob me but said she was looking for someone."
"Are you serious?"
"I am. I did... rough her up a bit."
"Hmm."
"I can let her go or I can keep her. She did say Blanche was waiting for her."
"Hold her there. Where are you?"
Blake gave him directions.
"You don't have to hurt her."
"I'll do my best."
Blake hung up and walked back into the room. Scarlet was in the corner drinking his tea. He didn't say anything and just sat in the chair to watch her.
Red... I don't why you keep doing this. I would just run away instead of holding everything together. You owe no one anything.