Hey, all! Well, we've got ten reviews, so here's a bonus chapter, as promised! I know the last one was kind of depressing, but Yusei's just a masochist when it comes to his feelings for Akiza. I promise that things will get better, but there may also be some turbulence on the way there ^_^ A lot of turbulence.

That being said, I want to apologize if I don't necessarily reply very quickly to reviews and such. My pet cat passed away this morning, so I'm still kind of a spazzbot. I promise I'll reply before the next chapter on Monday, though.

Anyway, many thanks to theforgottenpeople96, FiringShootingStar, RobotFish, Mixer18, Cecil Kain Cerberus, Rapis-Razuri, RunoandAkizafan, and TFRiD Queen for their awesome reviews!

And to the two anonymous reviewers, LDC and The Prisoner, I thank you for coming along and, more so, for your kind words! Thank you and, as promised, here's an update!

This chapter is brought to you with precise grammar by the beta work of RobotFish. Thanks again! Your help is amazing!

Sunset Horizon
Chapter 05 – Freedom and Fraud

He fought the urge to throw up, knowing it had nothing to do with the liquor he drank as he walked down the stairs of the bar. He didn't know what he would do now. He had kept going on his chosen path, knowing deep inside that he would be able to right all his wrongs with her. But now he had gone and messed up everything. He had told her to her face that she wasn't worth anything to him.

He ran a hand through his hair, gritting his teeth. How could he have said that?

"Why'd you turn her down?"

Yusei turned at the sound of the voice, blinking in the night to find Jack leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Frowning, he muttered, "Eavesdropping isn't polite, Jack."

He didn't even give a shrug as he pushed off the wall and fell into step beside him. "That still doesn't answer my question. She's right. That is all you've wanted."

He remained silent for a short while, letting Jack boil in curiosity for a bit as they walked away from the bar. He didn't want to voice his response when she could still be in earshot. The winds of this town seemed to like carrying secrets with it, and he definitely didn't want this one to get out. It would be too dangerous for her.

"Well?"

"Well…" he started, taking a deep breath and tipping his head back to take in the stars. He always loved the twinkling lights in the sky. He could still hear his mother's voice, telling him the story of the Dragon Star that gave birth to the Crimson Dragon. "It's complicated."

"Are you serious? That's all the answer you're going to give me?"

"Look, it's simple. I don't want her to give herself to me out of some feeling of debt. Do I want to be with her? Yes. More than anything? Absolutely. But I don't want to take advantage of a situation like this that'll leave her pissed off with me. I want for her to want to be with me."

His friend blinked, staring at him for a long moment as if he didn't believe his ears. Finally, he looked away with a scoff, muttering, "Whatever."

He didn't expect him to understand. His friend didn't know what it was like to be a man in love. He drifted through his nights without a destination, roaming from woman to woman like he was king of the world. He couldn't understand. It was hard for Yusei to understand that, but he valued Jack's friendship more than he cared to say anything.

From the moment he laid eyes on Akiza Izinski, he knew he was in love with her. He had felt the instant connection when he first saw her on the street, only to find out a year later that she was opening her own bar. He had been absolutely infatuated with her, even going as far as sneaking into her room in the middle of the night. He had snuck in without even considering his actions, only realizing how much of creep he was later when talking to Kalin.

He had since reverted to going to the Dragon's Claw when he wanted to see her, letting her have her personal life. He wanted to respect her and give her the space to do what she chose. Still, he did tend to be a little overprotective. He was sure she had caught on quickly as to how he would only pick fights with the men who had treated her inappropriately.

But now he had ruined it all. He had let his mouth run without his consent and now he'd lost her forever. He had never had her to begin with, but he had lost any chance of ever having her. No, that wasn't right. Akiza Izinski didn't belong to a man. She was her own person, and though she might one day choose to settle down and marry, she would never belong to her would-be husband.

Regardless, he had lost whatever slim possibility he'd had to be the man she chose.

…

Three days. That should have been enough time, right? Word was starting to spread around and suspicions should be lifted by now. The town knew that their beloved bank manager was in custody for disobeying a direct law of Yliaster, and many of the citizens had been in shock. How could Mr. Izinski be accused of doing anything wrong? He was the embodiment of a good man. He did all that was expected of him and more.

But there was no denying it. He had been taken into custody and there was nothing anyone could do about it. At least, nothing any normal person could do.

Yusei sat in his home, dressed in the black clothes he wore whenever he snuck into Goodwin's, glancing over the maps spread out on the table. It had been a long time since he'd been in the prison block of the courthouse. He didn't really have much of a reason to be in there, so he tended to avoid it. After all, only the town's most guilty of criminals were locked away in there.

"Where are you off to at this hour?"

He glanced up at the sound of Kalin's voice, only to find himself staring at the other three Enforcers all standing there in a similar get-up. Crow turned away and set his hands behind his head, muttering, "I thought you said you screwed up?"

It didn't surprise Yusei that they knew what his plans were. What surprised him was how they were all set to go with him for something that wasn't related to Goodwin. "You guys…"

Jack coughed a short laugh and said, "Come now, Yusei. We might not get what the big fuss is about your girl, but we're still here to back you up when you go to do something stupid."

He couldn't help but grin at that. Leave it to Jack to bluntly state how big of an idiot he was without even cracking a smile. There were certain things about his brothers that were entirely irreplaceable. Somehow, even when he felt like an utter failure, they made him feel good about himself again. He shifted to pull Stardust's belt on over his black pants, saying, "I was thinking about going to rescue a bank manager. You guys with me?"

Kalin offered a slight nod and a small smile. "As always."

…

Yusei slipped through the halls with Kalin behind him, glancing around for targets. He was going to make a guess there were guards posted by the prison, but had yet to encounter any. They had only just gotten into the building and were sneaking down towards their destination. The plan was to avoid any unnecessary killing and only shoot to injure if absolutely needed.

Jack and Crow had split off, going in first to find any guards and keep them busy. The plan was for those two to serve as a distraction, then Yusei and Kalin could sneak in and rescue Akiza's father. They had a handmade smoke bomb courtesy of Crow, so they would use that when they got to the prison to keep the man from knowing who his rescuers were.

The town knew the identities of the Enforcers, but they didn't want Akiza's father to know they were behind his rescue. Yusei wanted the act to be anonymous. He had pushed Miss Izinski away, and he didn't want his rescue of her father to seem like some kind of pathetic attempt to win her favor. At this point, he knew he didn't stand a chance in her heart anymore. What he was doing now was his own choice. He was saving her father because he knew it would make her happy to see him safe, not because he wanted credit for it.

At this point, all he wanted was for her to be happy.

He left Stardust in its holster as he snuck along, slipping down the corridors he'd studied beforehand. A left up there, then skip three doors, a right, staircase to the basement, and a left-hand turn before he reached the confinement block. It sounded simple in his head, but it might actually get a little tricky if he didn't want to open fire.

But it shouldn't be too difficult. If it came down to it, they could use the smoke bomb on any guards, then use the masks they'd pocketed as a last resort. Hopefully, they wouldn't need them. It should be an easy job. Get in, get back out. Nothing more to it.

Then why did it seem to matter so much more than any other?

He shook his head quickly to clear his thoughts, then darted down the stairs towards the prison. This job didn't matter more than any other. It was just a part of their plan to free New Domino. If they could save this man from Yliaster's law, then that would be one more step into rebellion. Of course, he wouldn't be able to return to his business, and would probably have to go into hiding.

But Akiza said that she didn't care about– No, he couldn't go back and bring her into this. He had to keep his mind clear. He slowed to a stop and leaned against the wall, peering ever-so-slightly around the corner. As expected, two guards stood waiting by the barred entrance to the prison. Yusei drew back to stay hidden around the corner and glanced at Kalin, holding up two fingers to silently tell him how many men were on guard.

A smile crossed his lips as he thought to himself. Five… Four… Three… Two… And…

An explosion sounded from the other end of the building, causing the two guards to turn and stupidly look that way. One pulled a key from his belt and unlocked the gate towards the cells, shoving it open as they both ran to see what the commotion was. Just as planned. Jack and Crow were making the best out of their job as the distraction.

Once the guards were out of sight, Yusei leaned around the corner and tossed the smoke bomb into the cell block, pulling a handkerchief over his nose to block out the putrid smell. Kalin followed with a similar mask, the two of them doing their best to see through the smog and locate Akiza's father. Luckily, the whole town knew what he looked like and, even if they didn't, he would probably be the only one in there who was wearing a suit.

He made his way down the left-hand side cells as Kalin walked along the right, both searching for the target. Every cell he looked in just seemed to hold delinquents and radicals. No sign of the prestigious bank owner. Kalin's voice, muffled by the smoke, shouted out, "Over here! I found him!"

He ran in the direction of Kalin's voice, coming through the smoke to find him bent down in front of the cell door. Picking locks wasn't one of Kalin's strong points, but he was better at it than Yusei was. He knew that, so he stood beside him, tapping his foot impatiently while waiting for him to get the door open. The smoke would only last so long.

Finally, a click sounded and the door slid open. Yusei dashed inside as a vaguely familiar voice demanded, "Who are you? What do you want with me?"

He didn't answer, but slipped beside him before linking his fingers and slamming both hands into the back of his head. Knocking him unconscious, the man slumped to the floor as Yusei reached out to catch his arm. Pulling, he tugged him to an upright position and propped him against his shoulder in order to carry him out. Under his breath, he muttered, "I apologize for the injury, Sir. Let's get you to your daughter."

He called out an order to Kalin, telling him to lead the way before starting after him as quickly as he could. He was reduced to a slower pace because of the extra dead weight, but went as quickly as possible. When they reached the stairs, Kalin came up beside him and lifted the bank owner's other arm over his shoulder to distribute the weight between them.

It made the process of climbing the stairs a lot easier. When they reached the top, a familiar voice whispered in the night, "There you guys are."

Yusei blinked the haze from the left-behind smoke from his eyes to find Crow and Jack standing there. The latter thrust a thumb over his shoulder as he said, "Shall we?"

He nodded with a smile, gesturing as best he could in the direction of the door before saying, "Lead the way."

…

Akiza sighed as she made her way down the stairs. It was hard to sleep these past few nights. She found herself waking in the middle of her sleep, worrying about her father. Were they feeding him? Treating him like a filthy criminal? She didn't understand it. How could they let bastards like the Enforcers walk the streets while good men like her father were imprisoned for asinine reasoning?

Yliaster had a few things to explain about their law book.

Not that she could ever ask them. The second she spoke up, they would have her thrown away on account of treason. It would never be her right to speak out against them. Over the past few nights, she had found that fixing herself a glass of warm milk often helped her anxiety and wound up with a now-nightly ritual of heading downstairs to her kitchen to make some.

The stairs of her upper-level home went down into the bar, so she walked through the moonlit room, eerily quiet in the middle of the night. She froze on the bottom step, pausing to make sure she was hearing correctly. Yes, she could definitely hear the sound of someone breathing. But who? Did one of the kids come down and fall asleep in here?

She glanced through the open room, pausing at the sight of a grown man slumped over at one of the tables. That definitely wasn't one of her kids. She slipped back behind the bar silently, treading her hand along the counter's edge before reaching underneath for the gun she kept hidden there. Drawing it out, she gripped her fingers around it and moved back to the main area of her bar, calling, "Who's there? Stand up!"

The man didn't move an inch, didn't even grunt. She moved silently through the room, keeping the gun in her hand as she approached the figure. It was impossible that it could have been a drunken patron. Sheriff Trudge's men made sure they were all out before she closed, and she had made her thrice-nightly searches through the building to be certain. Who could it possibly be?

She moved closer, keeping her revolver tight in her grip, and called again, "Who are you? I said get up!"

He groaned and finally shifted, slowly lifting his head from the table. The moonlight struck his face and recognition struck through her like lightning, causing her feet to carry her to him in a rush. Discarding the gun on the table, she ran around beside him and set her hand on his shoulder. "Papa! Papa, are you all right? What are you doing here? Did they let you go?"

He blinked, confusion clear in his eyes even in the darkness of night. A slight moan sounded from his lips as he reached a hand back to touch the back of his head. He looked around, just finally making sense of the situation and realizing Akiza was standing there. He spoke, saying, "Akiza? What…? When did I…?"

She frowned slightly, not entirely sure what to make of the circumstance. "Papa? Are you all right? What happened?"

"I'm not sure…" he mumbled, averting his eyes to glance at the table. "I remember sitting in my prison, awaiting my trial. Then an explosion sounded outside the building, and smoke filled the room. Someone opened my cell, then a sharp pain hit me. That's all I remember before waking up here."

"Stay here, Papa. I'll get a compress for your head," she said, shifting to step back towards the kitchen in the back. Her mind started to put together the pieces of the puzzle, immediately placing the Enforcers behind her father's rescue. Who else could it have been? No one else in the town would stand up to Yliaster, especially to save only her father. Yusei had said that she wasn't worth doing rescue work for, but there was something in the way he said it that made her refuse to believe it.

She'd admit that a small part of her was deeply hurt by his words, but it wasn't because she was vain. No, she couldn't care less if people thought she was attractive or charming. As long as she could safely and successfully run her bar, she was content.

But it was different where Yusei was concerned and she didn't know why. Well, she knew, but she pretended she didn't. Over a year ago—she'd forgotten the exact date—she had realized she had developed feelings for the man. She hated him and all his selfish and foolish causes, but she couldn't deny that her stomach flipped when he smiled at her.

Beyond those feelings, she hated him. She hated him as much as a human could hate another human. She hated how he could be so cynical and narrow-sighted to try to force the government out of town. What could he possibly gain from that? Didn't he realize that if he forced Yliaster from their own town, chaos would break loose and people would run, leaving behind an empty wasteland? She didn't have answers and Yusei wasn't the kind of man she expected to have a heartfelt chat with.

Her heart longed for him, but her mind hated him with every ounce of her being. She hated herself, too, for loving him. She wished she could lose those feelings and just hate him. She couldn't stand anything about him and she didn't plan to start. There was nothing good in him that was worth looking into, no part of him that could ever make overlooking his faults plausible. She never wanted to see him as more than a nuisance and, if his words to her were any indication, he didn't realize she felt more for him.

She intended to keep it that way.

…

Yusei walked up the stairs to the Dragon's Claw, tipping his hat down over his eyes. He and his friends had brought Akiza's father there the night before, staying to shadows and leaving the man at one of the tables without being seen. He knew that, because they had rescued him without taking credit, he wasn't anymore forgiven for his statement than he was yesterday. He was still a lowlife scoundrel to Miss Izinski, but he hoped that she might be in a good mood and he could possibly apologize for his insult.

But at the same time, he had to act oblivious to her father's rescue. He had to act as though he had no idea the man was out of prison. Not that it would be that difficult. Miss Izinski hadn't given him the light of day over the past three days. She even went so far as to let Bruno get his drink if he was around. If he wasn't, she would pour the glass without a word and slide it across the counter towards him without making eye contact.

Her coldness was expected, but it left a hollow ache in his chest. He knew he'd crossed a line, but he hoped he could remedy it somehow, someday. For now, all he could do was follow along and see how it all played out. He hated seeing her behave so coldly, but it was obvious it was his fault. Before now, they'd played a game of touch and go, never saying anything too harsh, but always baiting one another for a comeback. It was an innocent game, one played with two people who pretended they didn't care what happened to each other.

Except, perhaps, she truly didn't care.

He sighed as he approached the counter. There wasn't much he could do about it now. There wasn't anyone else at the bar, just several tables occupied by small groups of regulars who drank away their dinner time instead of eating like normal people. Bruno wasn't in sight, either, leaving Miss Izinski as the only other person in the general area. Inhaling deeply, he approached the counter and turned his back, leaning against the bar while avoiding her wandering gaze. He couldn't face her cold evasion anymore. He might have to find a new bar to go to.

"Whiskey," he muttered, waiting with his hat tipped down for the sound of the glass to thunk heavily on the counter before she walked away. Surprise filled him at the sight of a glass filled with amber liquid raised evenly with his elbow, held out for him to take. He turned slightly, letting the disbelief stay on his face as he took the drink from her. Not a word was said as he met her eyes, so full of an unreadable emotion. Finally, the silence burned through him and he couldn't hold himself back as he asked, "Miss Izinski?"

She shook her head slightly, averting her gaze once more with a slight red flush on her cheeks. "Er, thank you, Yusei."

He blinked. "For what?" She couldn't know, could she? Had she seen them bring her father in?

A slight smile spread, but she still kept a solid eye contact with her counter. "It was you, wasn't it? You saved my father, didn't you?"

He let his mouth drop open a little and widened his eyes a bit more to convey shock as he whispered for her ears only, "Your father's free?"

She drew away slightly, turning away to glance at the wall behind her. Either she bought his act, or she was going to let it slide for now. He hoped she would drop it permanently. He didn't need her to think he was a good guy, not when they were so deep in Goodwin's affairs. It would only be dangerous if she knew at this point. "I guess it wasn't. My mistake," she muttered, then shoved his hand with the glass towards him forcefully.

He drank a sip and turned away. Pausing briefly, he glanced back over his shoulder and said, "That's good news, though. My well wishes for him, Miss Izinski."

She nodded curtly and turned away again, ending their brief conversation before turning back to the wet rag lying on the counter to continue cleaning it. It was for the best, after all, if she didn't know what he was up to in the long stretch of things. She would be safer.

It was crucial that she didn't get involved. He could live at an arm's length from her, but if she wound up getting hurt because of him, he would never be able to forgive himself. That was his greatest fear. His friends knew what they were in for and they were aware of the dangers. Miss Izinski didn't know their plans, nor did she have a past crossing over with Yliaster like each of them did. Each of them had a reason to be there and would give anything to achieve their goal. Until that day came, he had to keep her safe by ignoring her.

Fate wasn't just a cruel mistress. Fate was a bitch.

Another kind of depressing chapter, though I think the next one will be one you've all been waiting for. It may not be exactly what you're expecting, but I promise it'll be an interesting turn of events :) As I said, there'll be some masochism on Yusei's part before he can actually get his head on straight, but he'll get there. I promise.

On the bright side, we finally get to see Akiza's view on their relationship. That counts for something, right?

Please review!

-Valk

In loving memory of Spot Acquittle, 10-12-1996 to 6-21-2012. Sleep well, my angel.

P.S. Go ahead and call me weird. I love my cats.