Shortly after sunrise, in her bedroom in her Jade Creek lakeside house, an olive lynx stirs from her gentle slumber. Checking her alarm clock, she decides to snooze a little longer. Pulling her blanket over her head, she rolls over… and falls onto the floor with a yelp of surprise. "Ow," she groans, sitting up. "Why was I that close to the edge anyway? And now I'm an alert kitty, I may as well go do something."

After a brief struggle, the lynx untangles herself from the blanket, dumps it on the bed, then puts on a black sports bra and shorts. Electing not to wear a dress for the moment, she pads into the den, on her way to the kitchen to make breakfast. However, halfway across the den, she pauses suddenly. Holding her breath to minimise noise, her ears twitch as she picks up an odd… rustling? Scrabbling? Skittering? Something abnormal. The lynx dashes back to her room and returns to the den armed with her ninjato and tanto. Carefully, she approaches the front door and opens it slowly, ready to fight whatever threat is outside.

What she wasn't expecting to see is a bound, blindfolded, and gagged pika struggling to free herself without success. And she certainly wasn't expecting to recognise the pika.

"Kaede Himura," the lynx growls, placing the tip of her ninjato on the pika's neck.

Kaede freezes. After a few moments' silence, a strange muffled sound emerges from her.

At first, the lynx is confused, but it's not long before she realises what's happening. "Are you… Are you crying?" she asks, withdrawing her ninjato.

Kaede nods weakly.

The lynx places her blades on the ground, then sits next to Kaede and removes the blindfold and gag. "I did say, if I ever saw you near the Origin Kingdoms, I'd kill you where you stand," she reminds.

"I know," Kaede sobs. "I never wanted it to end this way… Just know that I'm so sorry for what I did to you."

"It's easy to be remorseful when you know you'll be dead soon." The lynx smiles a smile that is an odd mix of innocent and threatening. "Death is the easy way out. So, I think I'll let you live. For now."

"Thank you, Maria," Kaede smiles weakly. "Can you untie me?"

"This kitty ain't stupid," Maria answers. "You're staying in those ropes until both me and Blondie are absolutely sure you're not going to kill us or enslave us or do something equally icky and mean."

"I promise, that's all behind me now," Kaede lies convincingly. I hope she buys it.

"Promises are easy to make, and easier to break," Maria replies.

"You sound like a fortune cookie," Kaede quips nervously. She's wary… Can't blame her.

"Except I'm a kitty, which makes me a fortune kitty," Maria quips in return. "Looks like it's going to rain soon," she continues, looking up at the gloomy overcast sky. "I don't like getting wet, unless I'm swimming, so we'll continue this inside. Of course, I can't carry you. You don't mind being dragged, do you? Then again, it's not like you have a choice."

An hour later, with a light rain falling outside, an ochre badger pads into the den dressed only in his purple bathrobe to find Maria sat in the chair reading a comic book. "Morning Maria," he greets.

"Morning Blondie," Maria greets in return. "Look what I dragged in!"

Confused, the badger finally notices the pair of bound legs poking out from behind the coffee table. Curious, he moves around to get a better look.

"Hey Danny," Kaede greets meekly.

"Hello," Danny replies icily. "Why are you here? It's obviously not voluntarily."

"It's a long story," Kaede answers.

"You're helplessly bound, and in the home of two people who would, let's be honest, prefer to see you dead," Danny states. "Is it worth keeping you alive?"

"Yes," Kaede asserts.

Danny thinks for a moment. "Since Maria decided not to kill you, I won't kill you either," he decides. "The story better be worth it. Unfortunately, I have things to do this morning, and I'm not going to delay them just to hear your sob story. Maria, was she gagged and blindfolded when you found her?"

"Yep!" Maria grins.

"In which case, refit them, and we'll put her somewhere until we're ready," Danny decides.

"How long will‑" Kaede manages before the cloth is stuffed back in her mouth and secured in place.

"As long as it takes," Danny answers as Maria refits the blindfold. "Where shall we put her?"

"Where shall you put who, Dan?" a purple‑spined hedgehog asks as she pads into the den dressed only in a cobalt blue bathrobe.

Danny notices Kaede flinch at the sound of the voice. "Seems Kaede Himura recognises you, Sal," he comments.

Sally Flynn stops dead in her tracks, frozen with fear. "Sh‑She's h‑here?" she stammers.

"Correct," Danny confirms. "Seems someone decided to kidnap her and dump her somewhere they knew she'd likely not leave alive."

"Are we s‑safe?" Sally asks, fear threatening to overwhelm her as memories of the Shang Tu Invasion flood her mind.

"She's bound, gagged, and blindfolded, and utterly helpless," Danny assures.

The fear drains from Sally in an instant. "Really?" she asks, curiosity taking over. "How come?"

"A long story, apparently," Danny explains.

"I'd love to hear it," Sally replies. "Unfortunately, I need to be at the Palace in an hour."

"Don't worry, I'll fill you in some other time," Danny promises. "It would be tonight, but I'm busy, unfortunately."

"Pity," Sally sighs. "Oh well, nature of your work. Anyway, mind if we skip breakfast and just get ready and go? Helpless or not, I don't want to be around her longer than necessary."

"Very well," Danny agrees.

"How's this Blondie?" Maria interrupts, standing by the lockable storage chest she just emptied. "To put her in while we're busy."

"Excellent idea," Danny agrees.

Maria helps Danny load Kaede into the crate while Sally returns to Danny's room to get dressed. "You going to be OK here by yourself while I'm taking Sal to Shang Tu?" Danny asks once the crate is securely locked.

"I'll be fine," Maria assures. "She's not getting out of that until we decide."

"Good point," Danny concedes. "Well, guess I'd better get dressed if I'm taking Sal to work. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Over the next ten minutes, Kaede listens as Danny and Sally leave for Shang Tu, and Maria settles down to watch cartoons. My plan could be going smoother, but I'm still alive. And later, I'll convince those two idiots I'm 'reformed', and from that point on, things should be easier. As long as they don't forget I'm locked in here… completely helpless… I really didn't think this plan through.

Three hours later, with the light rain replaced by warm sunshine, Danny returns from Shang Tu to find Maria relaxing on the beach after a swim. After parking in the garage, he joins the lynx on the beach.

"Anything happen while I was gone?" he asks as he sits down.

"I watched some cartoons, napped a bit, then had a swim once the rain had stopped," Maria answers. "And now I'm drying in the sunshine."

"Our prisoner was no trouble?"

"Yes, as it turns out. She escaped, killed me, dumped my body in the lake, then stole my trike and headed to Shang Tu to hunt you and Miss Spiky down."

"Oh well. We'll give you a tasteful funeral at least. In all seriousness, was she any trouble?"

"Not at all," Maria confirms. "She's been very quiet in fact."

"Do you think she's stewed enough yet?"

"I guess we should get her out so she can tell her story while we have lunch."

"Works for me."

Danny stands and helps Maria to her feet, and once the lynx has shaken the sand from her fur, they head into the house, and to the chest Kaede is locked inside. Danny unlocks the chest, then with Maria's help, moves Kaede from the chest to the chair.

"Sorry we took so long," Danny apologises insincerely as he removes the blindfold. "It's just‑" he begins to continue, halting when he sees Kaede's bloodshot eyes and tear‑stained cheeks. "Oh…"

"I think we left her in there too long," Maria opines.

Danny removes the gag. "Kaede, please understand. Based on your past actions, we felt it necessary to protect ourselves. However, it's now clear that we were mistaken to think we were in danger."

"It's OK," Kaede sniffs. "You gave me time to think," she continues, her voice weak and sorrowful. "I won't blame you if you choose to end my life. I haven't earned the right to live."

"I think we broke her," Maria concludes, her voice soft and quiet.

"Yeah… Cut the ropes," Danny decides.

"Are you sure?" Maria asks.

"Yes," Danny confirms. "Besides, if this does turn out to be a trick, it's two against one, and she's unarmed."

"OK." Maria heads to her room and returns wearing her baldric over her swimsuit, with the ninjato sheathed on her back and her tanto in hand. With expert precision, she slices the ropes from Kaede's torso, but elects to leave the ropes binding the pika's legs in place for now. "Just in case," she comments to Danny.

"I'm guessing you want a drink," Danny asks Kaede. "Water OK?"

Kaede nods weakly.

"Maria, keep an eye on her," Danny requests as he heads to the kitchen, returning moments later with three glasses of tap water which he places on the coffee table. "You said earlier the reason you were left on our doorstep is a long story," he begins, handing a glass to Kaede. "Now is the time to tell it."

"Thank you," Kaede whispers as she takes the glass, her arms shaking slightly as she drinks. OK, don't let the fact you genuinely thought you'd die in that crate affect you. You've rehearsed this story so many times. You've got this. Just don't ham it up, and you'll win them over. "When you left me hanging upside down in the catacombs below the Kyuden, my cheeks dripping blood onto the floor, I really did think that was it for me. Thankfully, Hideyoshi and Chika came for me, and while you were battling Aquila, all five of us escaped the island. I returned to my dojo and reassessed my life, and I decided it was time to change. But the others, they weren't convinced. And so began half a year of a steadily worsening living hell…"