he following Characters are owned by Ken Penders(King Gong, Dark Legion, and Lien-Da(referenced)), Ian Flynn(Shinobi Clan), Michael Gallagher(Barby Koala), Karl Bollers(Jack Rabbit(mentioned only)) and Frank Storm(Monkey Khan, Lau Khan, Li Yuen). Also I think the four clans are owned by all of these people one way or another. If I'm wrong on any of them, please correct me.

Chapter 9: Arrivals and Ambushes

Back in the luscious and jade covered lands of the Dragon Kingdom, Antoine and Bunnie D'coolette would be making their way through large crowds, keeping their eyes peeled for any signs of a young chimpanzee. Their adopted son who, if the Shinobi's information was accurate, had snuck off to settle a political affair. That political affair being that Ken was the lost descendant of Lau and Hera Khan, and therefore heir to the throne of the Dragon Kingdom. Considering there wasn't a single other species of ape here, at least as far as they knew, the two figured he would've been easier to find if they went that route.

The flight had been long, and certainly nerve wracking for both the rabbit and coyote as they only continued to worry for the safety and well being of their boy. Not to mention further paranoia on Antoine's part when the plane was lacking in French cuisine, something Bunnie spent two hours of their flight calming him down over. But now that they were here, they could focus that same energy on finding him. Not Antoine's paranoia though. Bunnie made it a point to warn him against losing his nerve again unless he wanted to suffer further discomfort from her. Besides that, they were likely already stepping into dangerous enemy territory with the current king likely being aware of their role in Ken's life. On top of that, this wasn't their first time dealing with an evil dictator. It was likely that everyone knew who they were.

Bearing that fact in mind, both former freedom fighters also took extra precautions to avoid public detection. Bunnie wore a bright red, long sleeved kimono with her hair braided into a single ponytail covered in beads and seashells. The southern rabbit also wore a large straw hat, a pair of black yoga pants, a pair of cotton white gloves, and boots large enough to cover her feet and ankles. Admittedly not the most subtle of disguises, but none of the surrounding Mobians appeared to pay them any mind. Antoine's disguise would be far simpler: an aqua blue hoodie with the hood up, rather fitting of him now that Bunnie really thought about it, and a pair of blue jeans with walking sandals. Admittedly, Bunnie advised against wearing the sandals in case they had to make a run for it at any point during their search, but Antoine insisted anyway. For the sake of comfort.

But there was another reason for the disguises. That being that their friend Sally had insisted on it. Before the couple had departed to the airport, Sally had expressed a concern regarding the current king that, while nowhere near as important to them as finding their son, was still something to consider. Gong was, despite his position, a conqueror. And an effective one at that. Anyone who knew enough about him could easily tell you that his methods to keep order were ruthless. Heck, the guy literally slaughtered the previous rulers while they begged for mercy, something Gong had publicly gloated about. Bearing that in mind, the concern the Princess of Acorn had expressed was that, regardless of their intentions, Gong would either see or try to frame their very presence as a means of invasion. Considering Maximillians less than pleasant reputation, not a difficult feat. From there, Gong would likely take the discovery as an opportunity to conquer more land and wage war against the nation's monarch. A war that Gong would undoubtedly win. If not for Maximillian's lack of sympathy for any class or nation he deemed as lesser than his own, then likely due to Gong's vastly superior resources. Much as it might have hurt their country pride to admit, that battle would be over in a matter of minutes.

Of course, that wasn't to say Sally was trying to talk them out of going. Having two children of her own, Sally was more than sympathetic to their worries and urgency to simply ensure that Ken was safe if nothing else. While Sally doubted the experience could really compare, she had recalled in conversation how it felt losing her son in a grocery store multiple times in the same day. Luckily, she had had Sonic with her to search the store in two seconds flat each time it happened, but it hadn't been any less nerve wracking. Bunnie almost hated to imagine what would have happened had either of them caught anyone trying to grab him. Almost. She had had Flash and Rosie over enough times to have grown attached to the little critters. Still, Bunnie was more than glad for her compassion and support.

Both would only become more grateful upon venturing deeper into the city, finding armored guards and uniformed Mobians from the Raiju and Shinobi clans just about around every corner. Everyone would also be armed with a variety of close range weapons. Several of which Bunnie recognized. Luckily, no one appeared to be possessing a firearm, unless you counted bows and arrows to be in the same category, but Bunnie doubted that would give them a winning edge in a fight. With such a variety on display, it was likely every guard knew just how to use them. Skilled as the Coyote and rabbit were, the odds in numbers definitely wouldn't be in their favor.

Upon getting far enough into the city limits, both figures decided it would be best not to push their luck and ventured carefully into a nearby alleyway where there wouldn't be any guards in sight. Admittedly, the location didn't look very inviting, but petty thugs wouldn't be a problem for either of them. For obvious reasons. So long as any fighting wouldn't break out and become too public, they knew they would be fine.

Fortunately for the two, this alleyway would prove itself somewhat useful as Antoine would soon after discover a wanted poster on the wall nearest to him. Closer examination revealed the subject of said poster to be the very son they were looking for. The photo was admittedly unflattering, the boy displayed being below one of Gong's feet planting him to the ground. Regardless, the coyote could recognize that young face anywhere.

"me amor, look at zis!" Antoine whispered.

Her attention earned, Bunnie would look first at her husband with a sense of alarm(considering where they were, who could blame her?), then at the sheet of paper in her husband's outstretched hand. Her eyes would immediately widen as they caught sight of the monkey in frame. The bunny practically snatched the poster from her husband's hand and pulled it close enough to read towards her face. At first, her expression looked worried, mainly as the image of their boy defeated by Gong would be the first thing to catch her attention. Bunnies face would then turn to relief upon noticing the bold letters atop of the photo: WANTED ALIVE.

"Oh ma stars!" Bunnie quickly wrapped Antoine in a tight hug. "Sugah-twan, our boy's still out here somewhere! Now it's just a matter of finding where!"

The two would share their embrace for but a moment before Antoine would then pull away with a worried expression. "But I am finding a problem with zis: how are we finding ze where?"

At this, Bunnie would frown for a moment. "Can't say I know yet, sugah." Then she would give the coyote a smile of optimism. "But I reckon if we look around for long enough, then we'll find something eventually. Don't you?"

Though Antoine was doubtful, this being a much larger country after all, he decided he wouldn't give up hope just yet. Even if they weren't blood, the coyote saw Ken to be just as much his son as Jacques. He had been there the day a stranger had dropped him off as an infant on their doorstep, and he and his wife had both made a decision to raise him how they could. Last Antoine checked, making an effort to be there for them was definitely part of the job description.

Antoine smiled and nodded, cupping her cheek with his response. "Of course, moi belle. But once we find him-."

"He's grounded." Bunnie smirked. "For a month."

Either fortunately or unfortunately, the pair wouldn't have to wait much longer to get more answers. Or at lease a resemblance to one as the two would turn their attention to the sound of shouting at the other end of the alleyway. The couple would make quiet haste towards the source of the noise, though do their best to remain within the alleyway. Upon stopping near the very edge, Bunnie and Antoine would both spit the source of the commotion. Several feet ahead, four armored guards would stand around an open manhole, each taking a turn at yanking cuffed Mobians out and into a line that led towards the massive castle of jade, red, and gold atop of a hill several miles away. On ether side of the line would be a row of Raiju and Shinobi that stretched all the way up to the castle.

Bunnie would narrow her eyes at the sight. "Guy shore likes to show off, doesn't he? First the wanted poster, now this?"

"And who are zey pulling from ze sewer?" Antoine questioned with a head tilt.

Bunnie would peer closer at the crowd of mobians being forcefully escorted from the manhole opening. From what she could tell, most of them definitely weren't combatants. They looked a bit too down on their luck, if not too elderly, to put up a fight. Every other mobian in the line looked to be Shinobi, but different somehow, or in dated military gear. Were these freedom fighters? If so, how long had they been fighting? Why did it take Gong as long as it did to find them? More importantly to both at that moment, did they have any idea where Ken was?

Bunnie would express this question to her husband who simply shrugged and responded: "I am zinking ze better question is how can we see if zey know anything about our son?"

"I'm open to suggestions. Whad'ya got?"

Both would nearly jump in surprise as Gong landed in front of them with a ground-shaking thud. The gorilla would then stand to tower above both with a smirk. "You could always ask them in a shared cell."

Both freedom fighters would act fast, Bunnie shifting her robotic arm into a plasma cannon while Antoine unsheathed his cutlass. Unfortunately for the pair, Gong would be quicker, grabbing and crushing the end of Bunnie's cannon, and gripping the blade to Antoine's cutlass once it was swung towards his neckline. Blood would drip from the gorilla's palm as the blade cut into the flesh, yet Gong's response was to smirk and snap the blade in half with a squeeze. Bunnie would do her best to cover for her husband in his shock, punching and kicking at the tyrants face. The gorilla would wince, but only for a moment before chuckling and headbutting the rabbit. Antoine would gasp in shock as he saw his wife collapse unconsciously to the ground, a distraction Gong took full advantage of as he grabbed him by the nape of his neck and kneed him in the face, knocking him unconscious as well.

Though victorious, the armored would also find himself disappointed. Despite having remained practically stationary to the nation of which he ruled over, Gong was far from ignorant regarding the identity of these two. Bunnie Rabbot and Antoine D'coolette.' Gong thought. Their weapons had given them away. Furthermore, he knew that the two were part of the unit ultimately responsible for the defeat of Julian Robotnik. From such legends as these two, Gong had honestly expected a much bigger fight.

Gong's disappointment aside, however, he couldn't help but notice the sudden mystery of their appearance. Far as he knew, Antoine and Bunnie were supposed to be stationing in Mobotropolis, taking care of any crimes or threats to their senile king behind their nations borders. Considering Maximillian's refrain from any kind of association with the Dragon Kingdom, Gong couldn't imagine invasion being an idea in any part of his decaying or frazzled brain. So what business could a couple of freedom fighters from a country on the other side of the world possibly have here. Was it possible that Maximillian had some under the table dealings with the Koala? Surely he could buy that theory if that overly compassionate daughter of his was the one calling the shots now. Or did these two know the bastard heir somehow?

Any speculation, Gong decided, would have to wait for now. Tossing the unconscious bodies of the rabbit and coyote to the ground just behind one of the lines of his attentive soldiers, Gong would order: "Bring them to my personal quarters and relieve them of their weapons. I have questions for our new visitors."

Despite the king's talent for observation, the one thing that would fail to catch his attention would be the eyes of the fox child, Li Moon, watching carefully through the vent of a gutter as the two freedom fighters were taken away. She knew by now that they were Ken's adoptive parents. The child had been told at a much younger age, in fact. But how did they find out what was going on? Was Ken in trouble for running away and wanting to help? Regardless of the "how" of the matter, Li Moon knew better than to dwell on that right now. With everyone out of the Dragon Kingdom, and all of her other friends behind bars, the girl decided it was up to her to get them out. The only question on her mind now was a simple, albeit complicated one: How?

It hadn't been too long since the group had departed from the caverns of the Gossamer Clan, a clan of spiders who were dedicated to safeguarding their homeland and a web somehow capable of predicting the future. Maybe a couple hours if Ken had to bother himself with accuracy. Yet despite that long passage of time, Relic still hadn't stopped rambling about that near fatal trip. 'No, forget the fact that we almost died so long as you get to obsess over ancient crap both physically and metaphorically speaking.' Ken wanted to tease. Only reason he didn't was because of a prior argument already on that topic which ended with Relic very audibly for everyone else's pleasure, lecturing him on the difference between an anus and a thorax. A topic the monkey was a hundred percent certain was uncomfortable for the entire group. 'Maybe the nex time we're alone though.' Ken thought. He couldn't say he had gotten used to this trait of hers to exposit uncomfortable facts about different things with no clue as to why it should be bothersome to anyone, but he could at the very least tolerate it. But with Barby simply nodding her head to Relic's rambling for now, Ken decided he would stick next to Espio and Li Yuen. Though he had a feeling he may have to apologize for that later.

Thankfully, Ken would be pulled from his fears of Barbys subtle and impending wrath by the watchful Chameleon next to him: "While the Pika is busy sharing her thoughts on the Gossamer with our sensei, would you mind sharing your own with us?"

Ken's thankfulness immediately shattered, giving way to a worried frown. "I'm a bit less enthused about my time there, actually."

The elderly Lion spoke next, frowning as he stated: "Considering her courteous demeanor during our visit, I would have thought you'd be more grateful than anything else."

Ken did his best to manage a smile. "I'll admit, that was a huge relief considering what that web told her."

"Then what troubles you, your majesty?" Espio asked him.

Ken would go quiet for a moment, his then frown bearing much worry as he responded: "It's about what the Bride told me before she gave us directions. A war with the fate of the world in the balance? A battle resulting in the deaths of a lot of the spiders, if I'm understanding what she said correctly?"

"That is correct." Espio nodded. "But I fail to see where particularly your concerns lie."

"It's everything." Ken responded, finally gazing back at the Chameleon. "I've got all these lives in my hands, not to mention the people back at your base currently fighting and dying to secure a place on a throne for me that I don't even want. How am I supposed to deal with that? Is it even right for me to keep fighting knowing that more people are going to die in the process? Maybe even as a result?"

Ken would only stop as he felt the lion's hand touch his shoulder, looking up at Li Yuen and noticing they had stepped into a clearing surrounded by many pools of water. What would only make the matter concerning would be the group of bats in skin tight black uniforms, each with a sash or belt attached to holsters for various weaponry. Based on the baskets of fish and grapes, as well as clay jars of water that others carried by handles over their backs, Ken could only guess that these people were on a supply run. Least he hoped so. If this clan of bats had a hostile reputation, he figured that their current task might keep them from attempting any harmful actions upon the significantly smaller group. On that topic...

"Any idea who they are, tiny?" Ken asked his Pika friend.

Relic resisted the urge to grab the thickest hard cover book from her bag and chuck it at Ken's head as she gazed observantly at the who had, since their arrival, stopped their work to gaze back with individual expressions of anger and surprise. A couple would even gaze over with suspicion in their eyes. Despite immediately feeling intimidated, Relic couldn't exactly blame them for their annoyance or suspicion. As far as they might know, they were foreigners trespassing on their land. A land in a war-torn country, no less. The surprise was a little concerning though. Did some of these people know who they were? Sure, there was a probability that they were aware of who their monkey friend was, but what would that mean for the rest of them?

Luckily, for Ken's curiosity, Relic would find an emblem on each of the bats uniforms, almost immediately informing her of who they were. "They're Yagyu. Or good impressions at least."

Barby's gaze would be cautious as she looked around at the staring bats. "What faction?"

Relic felt her heart skip a beat. "What?"

"The Yagyu have been engaged in a civil war for the past fourteen years." Espio explained. "It's why a select few are allied with Gong."

Ken raised an eyebrow at the Pika as a bead of sweat formed on his head. "But you definitely knew that, right?"

Relic went quiet.

"... You definitely knew that, right?"

"No, I didn't! Okay?!"

"Well quick, you're the history expert!" Barby said. "Is there a difference in their uniforms?"

Relic would visibly struggle to find such a difference. "Uuuum!"

Suddenly having been blessed with an idea, Ken suggested: "Quick, try to talk to them! Maybe they'll be generous and give us some answers!"

Seeing no other option at that moment, Relic would immediately comply, telling the bats in Chinese that they were travelers who meant no harm and didn't want any involvement in their war. Only to pass by without any problems or confrontation. No response. Relic would try again, in Mandarin this time. Still no response. However, the group would hear the group of bats converse in some other language they weren't familiar with.

Barby would immediately appear worried and ask: "Relic? Care to translate?"

Relic herself would express visible worry. "They're speaking Xiang. I have limited experience with that language."

"Can you take a guess?" Ken suggested, his expression growing more nervous by the second.

Relic stuttered a moment before listening closely. Due to her priorly mentioned experience, Relic wasn't able to interpret much. Considering much of her knowledge on the language composed of commonly used terms and phrases, Relic could at the very least figure out that they were being very careful with what they said, not wanting their intentions known. At least not yet. That alone would concern her greatly.

Relic's concern would immediately skyrocket when she recognized two of the words they were using. Her eyes widened and her heartbeat raced as she told them: "Guys, I think we have a problem."

"Why?" Barby asked. "What did they say?"

To make matters worse, the bats would immediately go quiet, appearing to be aware that she knew their intentions now.

"I recognized two words." Relic explained.

"And what were they?" Ken asked, more worried now as he felt the eyes of every bat linger on him in a way that made him feel very uneasy.

"Reward and monkey."

Barby sighed. "Guess that answers our question then.

Immediately, each bat would unsheathe their individual weaponry and charge or fly towards the group. Espio would be the first to attack, tossing shurikens into the faces of four of them who would immediately collapse and either trip or tumble into other Yagyu. Barby and Li Yuen would follow up with quick punches and, in Li Yuens' case, swift and harsh smacks with his walking stick, occasionally clashing it with their weaponry. Ken, meanwhile, would rush ahead of Relic, grabbing a bo staff from the nearest attacker in mid-swing, then taking advantage of the Yagyu's firm grip on the weapon and swinging the staff towards a distant tree. The end result of this action would send the Yagyu into the tree. With enough force to crack it.

Ken would immediately widen his eyes at this and smile nervously as he called in apologized: "duì bù qǐ!"

Relic would roll her eyes behind the monkey. "Sure, that you remember."

Ken narrowed his eyes at Relic teasingly for a moment. "Shut it."

Ken wouldn't remain distracted for too long before two other Yagyu would come charging, swinging the bo staff harshly across their faces before knocking one into a nearby lake with a midair roundhouse kick. For the other Yagyu still on his feet, Ken would rapidly clash his weapon with the bats katanas, striking him with with the staff at every opening. Upon finally getting his opponent to stumble, he would deliver a palm strike, knocking him towards another Yagyu that had begun to glide towards them. The gliding Yagyu wouldn't be downed like the others, however, flipping over the tossed Yagyu while unveiling a pair of sais.

The Yagyu would land on his feet in front of him as Ken would hear two sets of footsteps rush towards him from behind. Acting quickly, Ken would grab the Pika, making her yelp as he jumped atop of his staff and leapt over the sai wielding Yagyu just in time before the other two could reach him. Still holding onto Relic, Ken would land on his side and kick the sai wielding Yagyu's feet out from under her and deliver a palm strike to her body, hard enough to send her barreling towards the other two. The first would knock her aside with a kanabo while the other one would swing a pair of axes attached to a long chain wrapped around her at him. Ken would catch the first axe, then spreading his legs wide and sitting up as the other nearly came down on his crotch. In retaliation, Ken would yank on the first chain and kick her in the face, sending her flying unconsciously over the battle. Then seeing the final Yagyu charging with a prepped swing with his kanabo, Ken would toss the then screaming Relic to the side and bring up his bo staff to block the swing.

Ken would do his best to hide his worry as the staff would immediately crack from the impact of the long handled club, forcing back against it. As if sensing his weapons now limited integrity, the Yagyu would immediately lift and swing the kanabo in a rapid succession too quick for the monkey to react with anything other than a block. Eventually, the staff would finally give, cracking in half as the Yagyu raised the kanabo once more to deliver a fatal blow. Fortunately for Ken, the Yagyu would then collapse unconscious as a result of a large history book hitting him in the head.

Ken would find himself momentarily relieved, smiling at the blue pika and completely oblivious to her rage as she picked up her book and approached him while he was still seated. "Thanks, Relic! For a moment, I thought I was a goner-!"

Ken quickly found himself wishing that the Yagyu had finished the job as he was met with a wild flurry of smacks with the same book that had just been used to knock him out.

"OW! OW! Hey! What's the big deal?!"

Relic only continued to smack her friend with the book as she practically roared: "DON'T! EVER! THROW! ME! AGAIN!"

While Ken was busy getting beat up by the pika, several Yagyu thankfully backing away from the scene, Espio, Barby, and Li Yuen would be managing themselves. For the moment at least. Espio would be swinging his kunai/rope dart?rapidly between strikes and foes, slashing through hearts and necks. Barby, meanwhile, would be ducking and weaving through swings of weapons and other attacks, occasionally using the curved claws on the ends of her fists to either parry their weapons or slash at their pressure points before taking them out with a kick or firm palm strike. Finally, Li Yuen would keep a single arm behind his back, likely to keep himself balanced, as he would continue to strike and parry with his walking stick, doing so with much more speed and precision than his age might suggest him capable of.

Unfortunately, with the much larger number of Yagyu(and Relic still beating on Ken while ranting on about Pika persecution in the 1800's), this escalating fight only proved itself more difficult as time went on. Sure, they weren't exactly dealing with an army here, but by now their desperation for whatever reward Gong was promising was definitely showing. Especially as they would now be getting more thoughtful with their attacks. Flying higher and diving, attacking from behind in the dozens, coming in at all directions, sometimes even finding a way under. At this point, Barby began to wonder if defeat was only a matter of time.

But fortunately, right as that thought had entered Barby's mind, numbers of Yagyu would begin to drop rapidly. The sudden commotion would even cause Relic to stop attacking Ken, her eyes following something. While initially unsure of what exactly has caught the Pika's attention, Barby would eventually spot it. A metallic fan spinning through the air, ricocheting off each bat that would be brutally slashed in its aerial onslaught. In fact, the group would eventually notice that there were several fans flying from Yagyu to Yagyu.

Eventually, one of the fans would return to its original owner, a bat dressed in blue with blue fur, blue and emerald green hair, and emerald green eyes, hidden in a forested area in the clearing. She also wore a black mask that covered the lower half of her face. The bat would quickly wave the group in her direction as more fans would make their ways past her and towards the other charging bats who now struggled to surround them. A closer glance into the trees and background behind the bat would reveal several different bats in a different variety of Yagyu uniforms. A closer glance at said uniforms, with the faded colors and symbols not as visible, would have revealed them to be far older.

"Come on!" The blue bat shouted. "Reinforcements will be on their way in a minute!"

Barby would bark her next order quickly after that. "You all heard the lady! Now move it!"

With that, the rest of the group would make a run for it, practically dashing in the direction of the other bats. Ken, meanwhile, would take quick advantage of Relics distraction, picking her up and running with her as quickly as his body would allow while also ignoring the many threats screamed into his ear by said Pika.

It wouldn't be too long after that the Freedom Fighters and the second faction of Yagyu would have gotten far enough ahead to make the other bats lose their trail. Something Ken could tell everyone else was great for as they were practically drenched in in their own sweat. Both from the time spent running for their lives, and the time they had spent fighting the other yagyu. Not this one, the one they had just fought. Ken rubbed his forehead in a confused annoyance. There simply had to be a better way of addressing the two factions other than Yagyu and other Yagyu.

Meanwhile, Ken could see that Relic could barely contain her own excitement. Likely due to an essays worth of things she could probably tell you about the robes and their material, history, significance, whatever mythological figure did what in it, etc. etc. The more he thought about it, the more Ken grew to believe that the Pika really did have a weird idea of fun. But the chimpanzee thought better than to question her on it at the moment. Between hearing another potentially disturbing lecture or getting beat over the head again with one of her books, Ken would have to say he preferred the former. Though he admittedly remained hopeful that he could ignore both if he simply remained quiet.

Much to his relief, the next thing to catch his attention would be from the Koala approaching the bat in blue who had just saved their lives, a pleasant smile on her face. "Thanks for having our backs back there." Barby told her. "I was almost certain were gonna be made into chowder back there if we went on any longer."

The bat simply gazed at her as she responded: "You seemed to be handing the situation fairly enough. I can't say for certain if you would have needed it once you had gotten through that initial wave. Am I correct in assuming a tactical retreat would have followed after?"

Barby would have a surprised expression as she responded with a head tilt: "Yes. But if that was the case, then why go through the trouble of rescuing us?"

"Because our Bride takes great interest in your primate companion." The blue bat responded simply.

Ken's expression immediately became a nervous smile as he asked: "Great means good in this case, right?"

"If it were not, we would have left you for the traitors and their deluded Prince to dispose of you, your majesty." The bat responded.

Ken would blush at that, still not entirely used to royal titles as he replied: "You can call me Ken if it's no trouble."

"In our culture, a Yagyu may only address the King of the Dragon Kingdom by name if betrothed or married to him." Ken's face went red as the blue bat gazed back at him, her green and blue hair flowing in the wind. Redder still as he was almost certain he saw the outline of a mischievous smirk behind the mask. "Do you intend to ask the Bride for my hand?"

Ken would let out a short statement of stutters as his mind processed that question. Was she serious? Is this what flirting was? Either way, the introverted monkey definitely wasn't used to it. Especially not from a girl who he could easily admit was desirable with her long hair, thin face, emerald green eyes and athletic body frame.

"A-are you fourteen?" Ken would then ask, trying and probably failing to sound confident.

Ken would immediately cringe as he felt a sharp kick to his shin. "Ow!" He practically glared down at the Pika, her gaze disapproving and about as angry as before. "Sweet Chaos, Relic! What is with you today?!"

Relic didn't respond, only keeping her gaze pointed away with her expression the same. Ken wasn't sure whether or not to feel better when he heard the bat chuckle. It certainly sounded nice, but he'd be lying if he said it helped. Did she think he was a loser now?

"Sixteen, actually." The bat responded much to Ken's surprise. "If you're actually curious."

Ken's smile grew a little wider. "It might, miss..."

"Emerald." She responded. "And you fight pretty good if you don't mind me saying."

"Thanks." Ken responded. "You too."

Unnoticed by both figures, Relic would be fighting the urge to gag.

About an hour later, the group would finally reach a massive settlement covered in yellow stones and decorated with many open tents. Inside each tent would be displayed a splendor of clothes, blankets, pillows, gold, and other items of value. Ken was certain Relic would have a field day with this place if they set her loose. Ken half considered doing that anyway after she tried to embarrass him in front of Emerald.

Despite no longer hurting, that priorly mentioned action still bugged Ken a little. What business did she have interfering with that conversation anyway? Considering how pleasant his conversation had been with Emerald earlier, he doubted he had much to worry about. 'Is it the age difference?' He wondered. Considering he and Emerald were both still in their teen years, Ken admittedly didn't find much problem with that. Still, in any case, Ken still didn't think it was right.

Much to the monkey's surprise, he would find the Pika a little on edge. On guard, even. Practically clutching her bag close to herself as if it were an infant in desperate need of protection in a harmful environment. Considering Ken had heard Relic literally call the books her babies, he couldn't say he was too surprised. Nonetheless, he was curious.

"Are you still mad at me, or are you gonna tell me what the big deal is with you and your bag right now?" Ken asked her.

Relic sighed. "We're in Yagyu territory, Ken."

The monkey raised an eyebrow. "And?"

Relic gazed up at him in shock. "Did you not pay attention when I talked to you about these places?"

"There's a reason why I'm tutored in this subject, Relic." Ken replied with a bit of a flat expression.

Relic groaned. "The Yagyu pride themselves in thievery!"

Ken would cringe and cover Relic's mouth. "Relic, not so loud!"

"No, she's right." Emerald told them. "Definitely watch your pouches while you're here." She would say that last part while giving a wink to the monkey.

Ken probably would have fainted in that moment if not for a sharp pain in his palm. "OW!" Ken would immediately yank his hand away from the Pika's mouth, finding small, red tooth marks in his palm. The monkey was surprised he wasn't bleeding from how it still stung. Not to mention the amount of pressure she used. "Why did you bite me?!"

"You were taking too long!" Relic complained. "It was getting harder to breathe. Also YES! I'M STILL MAD AT YOU!"

Ken decided at that point to keep his distance until he was sure the smaller mobian had calmed down. He would walk far ahead of her, in fact. In between Barby and Emerald seeing as they were the only girls in the group who weren't mad at him for whatever reason. In hindsight, it might not have been the best idea to be next to Emerald while in Relic's line of sight. Still, Ken had at least put distance between them for now, so he considered that a small victory. No pun intended. 'So long as she doesn't want to risk losing any of her precious babies by throwing one at me.' Ken thought.

"That friend of yours definitely has a "wonderful" personality, your majesty." Emerald told him with a bit of a nervous smile.

Ken rolled his eyes and whispered to the blue bat: "Don't even get me started."

Much as he really wanted to vent to his new friend on the matter, he found that that conversation would have to wait. The group would now find themselves in a much more shaded room. A bedroom, it seemed, much to Ken's surprise. A lot fancier than his own, in fact, with a large crimson carpet on a floor of tanish-brown marble. The ceiling would be a tanish-brown marble as well with chandeliers of pure diamond hanging elegantly from it. Hanging from the walls would be a multitude of paintings and framed portraits of whom the monkey could only assume were once influential or famous people in the nations history. On either side of the group would be rows of ancient artistic vases, each either jade green, red with golden engravings, or other artistic mixtures of different colors, and wooden chests, some of them in the center of a mixed collection of vases. Both the vases and the chests would be filled beyond the brim with golden bars, coins, and a variety of jewels not easily affordable.

Against the far wall, all the way to the back, would sit a large wooden bed frame with four pillars stretching up to the ceiling, engravings of emperors and dragons on every side. Even the headboard. If Ken had to make a guess on the size, he would say it was an Alaskan King. For humans. The mattress would be decorated with crimson red bedsheets and pillows, all containing golden engravings of a Chinese dragon. Upon the elegantly decorated mattress sat a purple robed bat, looking to be in her early forties. Much like Emerald and several other Yagyu in her faction, she too wore a face mask that covered only the lower half of her face. Unlike the other Yagyu, hers would be of a white fabric, cut into wide strips that hung over her mouth and nose. Atop of her head would also be a crown of sorts, wrapped around her head in two connecting strips of white cloth much like the one in front of her face, with a third strip stretched over the top of her head. I'm the center of the forehead of this makeshift crown would be a shining red ruby in the shape of a flattened chaos emerald, framed in a lining of gold. In both of her hands would rest a red fan with golden, razor sharp edges, one of which she used to fan herself as she gazed at the approaching group with a patient expression.

Ken would also take notice of the fact that there were two more bats in the back corners of the room, both in red robes and face masks with razor bladed fans at the ready to be thrown at a moments notice. Very likely her bodyguards should they catch the Bride of Rich Nights unprepared. Considering the Brides relaxed posture, Ken wasn't sure if that was possible. Maybe it was because of the other guards in the room, but he really couldn't be sure. Regardless, he chose to trust what he genuinely believed to be be a warning from the Holy Spirit telling him not to cross this woman if he wanted to make it out alive.

Barby would make a half bow to the Bride of Rich Nights upon reaching her, the others quickly following in suite. "Bride of Rich Nights, thank you for graciously inviting us into your lovely home."

The Bride of Rich Nights would respond with a kind smile and a hand gesture that Ken guessed meant "You're welcome." The bat would then gaze curiously at the monkey and point to him before inviting him to walk closer. Ken, unsure what to think of the gesture, would step forward cautiously, his eyes darting from one side of the room to the other in case of impending doom. Much to his relief, he found no sign. To make things a bit more reliving, the Bride would rest both of her fans on the bed and invite him closer with a relaxed smile and inviting gaze. At least he thought there was a smile. Didn't keep him from being any less intimidated though. The monkey nearly tripped over himself once he had been signaled to stop.

The bride would let out an amused chuckle for a moment, her eyes seeming to be reminiscent in some memory foreign to Ken before she once again pointed at him questioningly.

Now guessing that she was inquiring as to his reason for being there, Ken would respond with: "We were actually on our way to the Mountain of Roaring Skies when we ran into the other clan of Yagyu." The monkey would then give the Bride of Rich Nights a nervous smile. "On another note, I'm really sorry if we inconvenienced you in any way."

The Bride of Rich Night's expression would only convey confusion as she made more hand gestures that Ken was unable to recognize. In his confusion and struggle to put together what exactly she was asking him, the monkey would turn desperately to Ember, his request more than clear to the then chuckling bat. Embarrassed as he was to need asking for her help, all while he was trying to look attractive and dependable no less, Ken wasn't too willing to make this woman impatient. Especially not while they were in her domain, surrounded by maybe hundreds of loyalists who could probably attack at a moment's notice.

Emerald would chuckle, not helping much in the case of Ken's pre-existing embarrassment as she elaborated: "The Bride asks if you were aware of our conflict with the Traitors of Rich Nights before your arrival."

Relic would be the one to answer for him, doing so with a flat expression: "Nope. And I tried to tell him too."

Ken would cast his friend an annoyed face as he retorted: "I told you I'm not good with stuff like this!"

Relic raised an eyebrow and almost seemed to take pity on her friend as she asked: "You mean basic geography for your own country?"

Ken narrowed his eyes. "I wasn't even raised here! How much sense does that make?!"

Relic shook her head with a disappointed gaze. "My generation is sad."

Ken decided to resist the urge to curse at her in French and ignore her at that point before turning back to the Bride of Rich Nights with a both apologetic and defeated smile. "Sorry. I really don't know much about the Dragon Kingdom in general aside from what I've been told for the past couple days. If I'm being completely honest, I've been riding this journey by the seat of my pants practically."

"We heard you beat a Gossamer in a fight on the way over, so if it helps, you've definitely been doing a good job so far." Emerald said, clearly trying to make Ken feel better.

The Bride of Rich Nights' expression would turn thoughtful for a moment before inviting Emerald to stand between them to the side as a translator, whom she would immediately put to good use as she once again made a collection of hand gestures. Ken made a mental note to study sign language at a later point if they made it out of here.

"She says that regardless of what you may or may not know, the important matter is that Gong has been a persistent problem for the both of you. Therefore you share a common enemy." Emerald stopped for a moment to watch another collection of hand movements. "The Bride of Rich Nights would like to offer you and your friends a generous bargain. She believes that you being on our side may turn many of the traitors back to our ranks now that your reputation is growing, and you have vested many in combat. Help her put an end to this conflict, and she will send warriors to accompany you and grant safe passage on the way to the mountain." She waited once more for another collection of gestures. "And she will assist you and your freedom fighters in their war efforts."

Ken would hesitate in his decision for a moment. 'How have I gotten into this situation twice now?' He pondered. There were already people risking their lives over him back in the city, and as capable as they were under Espio's training, many had still died in service to him. On top of that, there were many elderly and other refugees far too young to comprehend their struggles. Ken genuinely hoped they'd never have to with as much danger as they were already in. Now he would have half of an entire clan counting on him if he went through with this proposal. How was he ever supposed to pay them back if a lot of people died under his watch? 'More like when.' Ken thought.

At the same time, he really didn't have much choice in the matter. Lineage and the Bride's superior numbers aside, these people were already losing lives in their own conflict. Many at that if Ken had to make a guess based on him simply being here. A quick glance at the Bride of Rich Nights would even tell him how desperate she was. Ken saw now that to refuse them, while with an intention to spare the lives of everyone here, would only result in worse consequences. Both for himself and the bride. Much as he wished he could spare further blood, Ken knew that wasn't what his parents would have done. Nor was it what they had taught him.

"I'm in." Ken replied, his head hung for a moment before smiling shyly at the Bride and pointed a thumb back at the Koala. "But she's the leader of this group. Not me." Ken turned back to the aforementioned koala with a pleading expression. "What do you say, boss?"

Much to Ken's relief, it wouldn't take long for Barby to make her decision, simply nodding before asking: "What time do we leave?"

With the group having already fought much earlier that day, the Bride of Rich Nights had decided to be generous and allow them shelter, a large meal, and rest for the night at their base. Emerald herself had made an attempt at generosity and offered Ken her tent and company for the night. An offer that Ken was immediately ready to accept, and maybe a little too excited for Relic's liking. He thought of Relic specifically after she decided to continue her quota of being a buzzkill and "reminding"(as in there had been no plan to do this earlier)him that he needed to further his studies on the culture of his soon to be kingdom. To make matters worse for the monkey, Li Yuen(per Barby's orders apparently, would also engage in a long and uncomfortable conversation topic with him. One that his parents had already had with him a little under a year ago, and one that he tried desperately to no avail to talk his way out of.

Now traumatized for the second time in his life, a particularly moody Ken would enter the hut with a far less appealing girl who sat in waiting in a expertly carved and engraved wooded desk by the moonlight.

"Would it literately kill you to let me have something nice while on a death defying journey for once?" Ken asked, making his irritation more than noticeable in his tone.

Relic didn't look up from her book, nor did she appear intimidated as she calmly replied: "I doubt an unplanned pregnancy would add positively to your increasingly dire situation."

Ken's face turned red, both from anger and embarrassment. "I am not having this conversation a third time."

Relic looked up from her book finally, an unamused expression on her face as she looked over at Ken. "Believe it or not, we're trying to help you. And if you would start thinking with your head for a moment, rather than a blossoming set of chemical reactions-."

"Reliiiiic."

"What? Are you denying that she's physically attractive?"

"She's the girl of my dreams, Relic!" Ken shouted. "Of course she's physically attractive!"

Relic's expression went flat. "You're in lust, Ken."

Ken would be quiet for a long moment as he was caught off guard. "Excuse me?"

"You're not in love with her, dude. It's why I've been mad at you for most of the day. It's an objectification and has nothing to do with an emotional connection. You only want her for her-." She got a warning glance from Ken. "... assets."

Ken crossed his arms and looked away, expression just as uncomfortable as it had been earlier. "That is really not better."

"Well am I wrong?"

"Absolutely."

"You really think you love her?"

"Yes!"

Relic paused for a moment before setting her book down and turning herself towards him. "Okay then." She leaned forward and clasped her hands together while gazing at him with an expression of either genuinely great or mock interest. "Name one thing you like about her. And it can't be anything to do with her body or capabilities in battle."

"Relic-."

"I'm serious. Tell me one great thing about her personality and I'll take it back."

The time it took for Ken to think of an answer would be embarrassingly long. The blue Pika's patient stare and occasionally visible attempts to contain laughter didn't exactly make things better either. Ken briefly considered bringing up the flirtatious part of her personality, but he was sure Relic would have told him that was only something to satisfy his own ego. 'To be fair, that reasoning wouldn't be wrong.' Ken thought. It did feel nice knowing that stunningly gorgeous girl like Emerald seemed to be interested in him. Still, it didn't really help his case of being "in love."

"That's what I thought." Relic chuckled, then returning to her book.

Ken's expression went flat. "I'm not studying with you tonight. I'm going to bed."

Relic could barely contain her laughter as Ken walked over to a flat bed and rested himself atop of it, back turned to Relic to hide his embarrassment.

The start of the next morning hadn't proven itself to be entirely eventful for the monkey king to be. Silent, in fact. Considering he was still a little irked at Relic over the conversation from the night prior, Ken didn't exactly have much to say anyway. Relic definitely seemed to be in a chipper mood about it though, her expression giving away the fact that she was fighting not to go into another fit of laughter. A fact that made Ken briefly consider tossing her into the nearest fountain. Until he remembered how it felt being hit by one of her books.

The morning feast on the other hand, wouldn't prove to be anywhere near as bad. Still not entirely pleasant with Relic and Barby laughing up a storm on the other end of the long, bronze metal table, but the food was great and had managed to snag the seat next to him. Li Yuen would also be seated elsewhere while sharing pictures of Li Moon with the elderly non-combatants and Espio in a tree meditating. So overall, not much to complain about. That was until...

"What do you suppose your friends are laughing about down there?" Emerald asked.

Ken's face reddened as he would look anywhere but the supermodel of a woman to his left as he replied: "They're making fun of me for almost accepting your invitation last night."

The bat tilted her head for a moment. "Why would they be..." The bats eyes widened as the realization hit her like a truck, her face turning red as she asked: "Wait, did they think I was inviting you to-?"

"Yeah."

"Did you think I was inviting you over for that?"

Ken would go quiet, his face going red as well. "I mean, I-."

Emerald would be covering her face in embarrassment when the conversation was thankfully interrupted by the Bride of Rich Nights, the figure tapping her golden fork against her wine glass to effectively silence the room. Sensing that as her cue to translate for the Bride, Emerald would turn quickly back to the monkey.

"Try not to die." Emerald said. "I promise we'll talk later."

what followed from there would be a public thank you from the Bride of Rich Nights to Ken(Still simply referred to as "your majesty") for agreeing to assist the Yagyu against the Traitors in what she genuinely hoped would be their final battle. According to Relic, whom had been gracious enough to share the details yesterday, "Thieves" wasn't their actual name. They also called themselves Yagyu, but the Bride saw their usage of the name as a dishonor to their clan. A thievery and abuse of their name. Plus the fact that their leader literally called himself "Lord Yagyu". An insult to injury where the Bride and everyone else in the clan were concerned.

The next thing the Bride of Rich Nights would go over would be in concerns to their plan of attack. For a "final battle", the plan was surprisingly simple. The entire clan would be divided into two groups. Group A would compose of Ken, Barby, Relic, Emerald, and the Bride. This group would go in as a means of distraction. She admittedly didn't imagine Lord Yagyu would be willing to bend a knee to any term that didn't end with the Prince of the Dragon Kingdom being exchanged for money, so a fight would be inevitable the second they stepped inside.

That would be where Group B came in. Their task would start out as a stealth mission, taking out any Thieves who guarded the outside or in eagles nests on the inside. Once that was done, both groups would lead a full scale assault against Lord Yagyu and any remaining forces inside their base, hopefully overwhelming them. Once Lord Yagyu was properly disposed of and the remaining forces surrendered, victory would be theirs.

Again it was a simple plan, but considering Ken was never really one for strategy, he had no right to complain on the lack of complexity. If the strategy of the battle were up to him, Ken probably wouldn't have gotten as far as to think of stealth. The monkey was nervous enough regarding the idea of stalling via negotiation. Yet another area Ken would need practice in in the future. Though he didn't believe violence was always the answer, it was his normal go to in these situations.

Soon after the plan had been announced, the Yagyu and the DK Freedom Fighters would make haste to reach their destination. Nearly everyone would have no trouble keeping up. Everyone except for Relic, that was. Lack of training aside, the Pika's lungs were simply too small to ensure she would keep up. Ken half considered leaving her behind. Both because she had annoyed him and due to the fact that she had no experience in martial arts. But then he would have left her alone. In the middle of a foreign land where Gong was using every advantage he could to find the boy. And Ken doubted that hurting smaller girls to get to him would be within his limits. Reluctantly, Ken would allow Relic to cling to his back provided she would say nothing more regarding his feelings for Emerald.

The journey wouldn't be particularly short, Nor did Ken expect it to be considering it was a literal journey into enemy territory. But it wouldn't prove itself to be entirely bad either. For one thing, the occasional change in scenery would be pretty nice, the group stepping upon other villages(of which they had to sneak past, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable.) of Mobians of different singular species. Much to the monkey's surprise, Ken would also witness several of the Yagyu depositing handfuls of gold into the hands or buckets of any homeless people they passed by, provided they were either well out of eyesight or the mobian in question was isolated. Emerald included, much to his delight. Something Ken would be happy to point out to his small blue friend until she pointed out that he was taking notice of other details about her as well.

Ken had been lucky enough to be granted permission to walk through the village, and put in the open. Granted, this served the practical purpose of keeping attention away from any Yagyu passing by on rooftops or past visible tree lines. Not to mention getting the attention Lord Yagyu should any of his informants be around. Relic seemed to enjoy this as well, rambling about the civilization and their culture for one second, only to wave and shout greetings at them in their native language. Much as Ken enjoyed the sights, as well as the fact that his friend seemed to be playing nice again, Ken couldn't say the same about how everyone looked at him with expressions of shock and awe. Considering the Prince of the Dragon Kingdom was still quite uncertain of his recent effectiveness, not to mention his priorly mentioned guilt over deceased Freedom Fighters, Ken couldn't help but feel a certain pressure with every glance from the strangers they passed. A certain expectation even. Surely to rid them of the tyrant gorilla and to bring about a better future than what came before. It might have actually been unbearable for the teen if not for the Pika on his back, patting his shoulder and doing her best to reassure him that his future responsibilities to these people wouldn't be too bad or difficult. To try finding ways to look forward to it, even. It didn't do much for his anxieties, but it helped him feel a little better. Emerald sneaking a flower into his hair as they passed a field of lotuses admittedly helped as well.

it wouldn't be too long after passing that field that the group would finally arrive at their destination. Close enough as they could get at least, observing the base from behind thick shrubbery. Considering he had spent a night at the other base, Ken couldn't help feeling that this one seemed underwhelming in comparison. The structure in question would be four stories high, composed of stacked gray stones and covered in many places in an overgrowth of vines. Guards in black uniforms, the very same the Freedom Fighters had seen at the clearing yesterday, would be stationed at every window and at the four corners of the roof, each armed with a crossbow. There would also be a pair of guards on either side of the door, both so large that the Kanabos in their hands would have looked like baseball bats if not for the metal tips and longer handles. Ken wasn't at all intimidated by the guards, but he almost immediately began to worry for everyone else's safety.

As if sensing his thoughts, the Bride of Rich Nights would place a hand on his shoulder and offer a calm smile. Ken didn't need a translator at that moment to realize that she was trying to settle his nerves. A gesture that the monkey was more than grateful for at the moment. Especially considering that it came from a Bride.

In response, Ken would smile a bit and nod. "I'll do my best, your majesty."

The Bride of Rich Nights would shake her head and move to point at the monkey.

Ken would surprise her with a gentle grab of the hand. Probably not the best idea in hindsight, but it was the best way he knew at the moment to get his point across. The monkey would then give the best reassuring smile he could offer as he told her: "Please. I'm not King yet. Until then, I take orders from you."

Though the Bride of Rich Nights would smile at the gesture, Ken help noticing, though it would only be there for a brief moment, a bit of painful reminiscence in her eyes. The exchange of kind words somehow familiar to her, though Ken dared not ask why. Not when battle would be moments away. Not while both needed to keep what little nerve they had.

With the pleasant moment now passed, the Bride of Rich Nights would turn her head to and nod at the other Yagyu and Freedom Fighters, most of whom would leave to begin their tasks. Ken, Barby, Emerald, Relic, and the Bride would remain as planned, the monkey placed ahead of the group as they exited the shrubbery and proceeded towards the front entrance. The tall guards would notice them immediately, yet they took no action against him. Ken wasn't sure whether or not to be relieved by that, but he would proceed forward with caution, eyes open and sense attentive for any potential threat to himself or the people who followed.

Much to his own rising anxiety, there didn't appear to be one. Not a cautious glance. No warning to step back or wait outside as they walked closer. Not a single weapon raised. Not even once they had ventured inside. By now it was clear to the monkey that the Bride's plan with Ken approaching the Thieves out in the open had definitely worked. Their lack of surprise certainly showed as much. But it didn't make Ken feel any less intimidated, now opting to keep a hand behind his back near the holster that contained his bo staff.

The inside of the base proved to be only slightly more glamorous than the already unimpressive exterior. Golden coins would be scattered here and there across a floor, a shade of brick red. As were the interior walls. An odd contrast of interior and exterior colors in Ken's opinion, though he doubted the Yagyu Lord cared much about that. The very leader in question would be seated on his back at a sideways angle atop a large throne of concrete gray, the backrest stretching higher over the armrests than that of a regular throne. The backrest would also contain engravings, carved to mimic the face and stoic expression of a mobian bat, the top splitting into two over the face and carved in the appearance of bat ears.

The purple bat who sat upon the throne, would occasionally shift between bearing a smug grin at his new visitors, his red irises more visible to them, to biting purple grapes off of a severed vine. The Yagyu Lord wore a sleeveless v neck top with a line of black at the center between lines of purple with silver shoulder plates. The pants he wore were slim, squeezing tightly against his legs, as well as the muscles beneath the cloth, something Ken believe believed to be intentional for the sake of intimidation. Ken would also take note of the belt around his waist and the sheath fastened against it, holding a sword with a curved golden handle and cross guards. Finally, atop the Yagyu Lord's head would rest a silver metal helmet with a row of spikes across the center.

Ken would stop about fifteen feet away from the throne, not quite certain of what the Yagyu Lord's plan would be if he stepped closer as he spoke: "Next time you send your goons out on a supply run, it might be in your best interest to let them know Gongs reward comes at a cost."

The Yagyu Lord chuckled in response. "You get the Gossamer Clan to roll over for you and suddenly you think you're high and mighty?" He scoffed. "Please. The very fact that you're allied with the hag over there-." He stopped for a moment to wave at the Bride of Rich Nights. "-means you're desperate after Gong humiliated you before your own nation." The Yagyu Lord shrugged as his smug grin made a nasty return. "At least you're consistent, I guess."

"I didn't come here asking for trouble." Ken replied. "It sort of has a way of finding me."

The Yagyu Lord snorted. "Clearly."

"I'm on a journey to recover the Atom Bat." Ken explained. "I was on my way to the Mountain of Roaring Skies when your men attacked me and the Bride made me aware of her situation after."

"Can we just get to the point where you ask me to leave you alone, and I say no?" The Yagyu Lord asked, his boredom evident in his expression.

Ken smiled a bit. "Actually I don't care much for the forces of any man who sends them to do his dirty work for him." The monkey couldn't be sure whether or not the Yagyu Lord had found that comment offensive, but it definitely got his attention. "I'm actually here to demand you leave the Bride and her people be. Agree to end the war for good and the two of you can go your separate ways doing as you please."

The Yagyu Lord raised an eyebrow, his expression unamused. "Or?"

"Or I might become a bigger problem for you once I take the throne."

The Yagyu Lord's immediate reaction to this threat would be to simply stare at him for a moment. As far as Ken knew, he was either in genuine shock or looking for something in his expression. Maybe both. The silence would then be abruptly ended as the Yagyu Lord went into a fit of laughter, nearly dropping the grapevine in his hand as he flailed about in his throne. Despite the Yagyu Lord's grip on said vine, a couple grapes would loosen and be sent flying. One even found it's way to Ken's face, though the monkey assumed that was on purpose.

The Yagyu Lord fought to contain himself as he said: "You... you threaten me like you're actually guaranteed to get that thing!"

"We know the way!" Relic spoke up, clearly not taking kindly to her friend being mocked judging from her tone. "The Gossamer gave us the necessary directions to find it."

The Yagyu Lord was really fighting not to laugh at that point. "And you think you're the only ones to be granted that information?"

Relic would glare at the bat as he readjusted his position on the throne to once again sit on his back. "Of course we are! If anyone else had ever gotten directions, the rest of the world would know about it!"

The Yagyu Lord smirked. "And you find that a coincidence?" He sat up this time, his smug grin back as he informed: "The dragons judge the hearts of all who trespass upon their land. If it weren't so, I would've gone myself to retrieve the Atom Bat if it wasn't for that." He looked at Ken then. "And apart from that, you lost a fight to a gorilla twice your size. What do you plan on doing against a dragon if it refuses to give you the weapon? Or just their Bride, though that's not being generous considering she is the size of a mountain." The Yagyu Lord leaned back into his seat after a moment, his red eyes glistening in narcissistic glee as he said: "If it weren't for the bounty on your head, I'd actually let you leave just to see how many more people die because of you."

That comment would visibly catch the monkey off guard, something Barby noticed quickly before stepping forward and placing a hand on Ken's shoulder. "That wasn't his fault." Barby said, the comment directed at the Yagyu Lord. "He was sent away for his own protection."

The Yagyu Lord rested his cheek into a hand propped up by an elbow on his left armrest as he replied: "Of course. Prioritize the infant's safety over the hundreds if not thousands of lives lost after that point." The Yagyu Lord directed his gaze back at Ken who nearly avoided it. "Regardless, the damage is done, and I don't think I need to reiterate to you why the trip to the Mountain of Roaring Skies is a guaranteed suicide mission. So why not spare yourself a little more blood? If you agree to come along quickly, I'll let the rest of your friends leave this place unharmed."

Ken would be lying if he said he wasn't genuinely considering taking the Yagyu Lord up on that offer. Though he couldn't be certain as to whether or not the killings taking place before his arrival had been his fault, any death to Barby or the Bride of Rich Nights' brothers and sisters in arms certainly were. Where he was concerned at least. However, two things stopped him from doing so. Firstly the fact that if he were to turn himself over and die on his knees before his uncle, there would only be further bloodshed. Likely worse considering Barby had practically requested his help out of desperation. Whether he thought he was fit for the role of king or not, Ken genuinely was the Freedom Fighters final opportunity at victory. And secondly...

"What about the Yagyu?"

The Yagyu Lord shrugged. "What about them? That's my business. Nothing to concern yourself with."

"I meant the Bride and her people." Ken clarified, narrowing his eyes up at the Yagyu Lord. "What happens to them if I agree to come along quietly."

The Yagyu Lord looked annoyed. "Again, not your problem. My quarrel with her has no reason to concern you, anyway. You'd have nothing to gain from benefiting either of us in that count. Can you please come along quietly now?"

As if on cue, the bodies of the two guards at the windows fell on either side of the small group. Ken would then unsheathe his bo staff and get in a proper stance as the remaining Yagyu would flood into the base through the front entrance. The others in Ken's smaller group would ready themselves as well, Emerald and the Bride of Rich Nights unfolding their razor fans while Barby simply raised her clawed fists. Relic, in turn, would bring out one of her history books. Ken doubted that would do much against a Theif, but with all of the Yagyu Lord's guards disposed of, he doubted she'd need it anyway.

The Bride of Rich Nights would make a series of hand gestures then, Emerald translating for her: "I believe it's time for you to come along quietly."

Despite the now overwhelming odds against him, Lord Yagyu would simply smile down at them from his throne, his cocky smile still in tact as he replied: "Oh no. My nearly defenseless guards posted in plant sight. Whatever shall I do?"

Ken's expression became confused. "Do you intend on fighting us all by yourself?"

Lord Yagyu's smile remained. "No. Don't get me wrong, I never intended to come along quietly. But there is a benefit to serving Gong if a certain fugitive of his is in your area: you get extra perks."

Lord Yagyu would then snap a finger and resume munching on his grapes. A notion that confused everyone until a loud metallic creak caught their attention. Everyone would immediately turn their attention to what on first appeared to be a large metal statue, about twice the size of everyone else with red glowing eyes, black claws at the ends of its hands, a color scheme of a sickly green and silver, and a body reminiscent of a Mobian Komodo Dragon. In that same second, everyone, to their own horror, would come to realize that the now in motion statue was actually a recommissioned Badnik. Or an upgraded egg trooper. Regardless, without a certain blue hedgehog around to smash it, the situation certainly seemed grim.

Ken would be the first to action as the machine raised its arm above one of the Yagyu, preparing to slice through her with its massive claws, as he dashed past every opening in the crowd that he could find to get to the Yagyu. With an answered prayer, the monkey would reach her with just enough time to tackle her out of the reach of the razor-sharp swing. Ken heard the tearing of cloth and felt a wet sensation in his back as he and the woman crashed to the ground. Thankfully, with the much needed adrenaline rush, Ken wouldn't yet feel any pain from the four deep and bleeding gashes in his back. Still, Ken felt that the situation was much too urgent to pay that any mind. For now at least.

Standing quickly, with his bo staff at the ready, Ken would stand between the large mechanical lizard and the still grounded Yagyu. "Get out of here!" Ken urged. "I'll keep it busy!" He looked back down at the Yagyu, noticing as she bore an expression of both surprise and concern. "I'll be fine! Hurry!"

Once the Yagyu had complied, running after the other retreating Yagyu, Ken would turn his attention back to the Kamezon, barely ducking back in time before a swing nearly tore him in two. Instead, the claws would make a scratch mark across his chest, damaging the hoodie further. Luckily the new scratch had been no where near as deep as the one on his back. Still, the monkey now had more reason to keep his distance and not underestimate this thing.

Meanwhile, the Yagyu Lord had taken the chance to go on the offensive while the commotion was still fresh, making a wild dash for the Bride of Rich Nights as he unsheathed his sword. But the Bride of Rich Nights would not be caught off guard so easily, bringing up one fan just in time to block the blade from hitting her neck, forcing the blade down and using the other fan to make a deep gash across his face. Though briefly stunned from the pain, the Yagyu Lord would recover quickly, bringing up his blade against both fans as they came against him at lightning speed.

"Decoration will not save you on this day, my former master." The Yagyu Lord growled. "Today student will finally best-!"

The Bride of Rich Nights had a bored expression before moving his blade to the side with a push from both fans, then bringing a single one up quickly to cut him across the lip. The Yagyu Lord released a surprised screech before backing away and growling in pain as he covered the bleeding wound. Only furthering his anger would be the sight of the Bride of Rich Nights giving him a look of mock pity.

Things wouldn't be going so well for Ken at the moment, the chimpanzee being knocked through a wall near the entrance. Ken ignored the ache that ravaged his entire body as he rolled to his feet and grabbed his bo staff. At least what was left of it after the impact that forced him outside had practically shattered it. At this point, Ken had started to wonder if he should consider mastering a different weapon. On the bright side, all the Yagyu were outside and doing what they could from a distance, shooting an occasional arrow at the large Badnik. Unfortunately a metal tip flying as several miles an hour could only do so much against this walking tin can.

With his only means of defense not likely to do any damage, unless you considered a metallic thud to be damage, Ken would look around frantically for any other weapons. Among them would be several pairs of bows and arrows, none of which would be helpful due to aforementioned examples. Eventually, he would remember the pair of Thieves who had been at the front door, both wielding a kanabo. Not thinking twice about it, Ken made a dash for the weapons, both laid at the sides of the now dead guards. The monkey would pick up the pace as he heard the rushing metallic footsteps of the Kamezon behind him. Finally reaching them, Ken would, in one swift motion, grab and swing both behind himself with all the night he could muster.

The Yagyu Lord would be tossed against his throne, almost covered in cuts as he would duck to the side to avoid another swing. The Yagyu Lord would then elbow the Bride of Rich Nights harshly in the face and slashed towards her arm. With his desperation growing, he had been too fast for her to react, gashing her across a forearm and causing her to drop one of the fans. From there, the Bride of Rich Nights would do her best to block his oncoming attacks with her remaining fan. A tacit that worked well for the most part, the Bride of Rich Nights had trained in a multitude of fight styles for dual and singular fans. Still, the Yagyu Lord's ferocity and speed proved to be a near enough match for her to mainly resort to blocking at that point.

Both bats would stop fighting for a moment as they turned their attention to a loud metallic crash. The crash in question erupted from the Kamezon being flung into the entrance onto his back, Ken rushing inside shortly after, wielding the pair of kanabos as the Kamezon rose to it's feet. The large, mechanical lizard would attempt another swing at the monkey with his claws, only for Ken to swiftly bring up one of the broad weapons to block the attack. Ken quickly followed this up with a swing of the other kanabo, smacking the opponent harshly in the head with enough force to effectively dent the metal plating. The Kamezon would sputter and glitch for a moment before attempting a downwards slam from its other fist. Ken rolled himself quickly across the floor to the Badnik's right to avoid the potentially fatal impact and smacked again with both kanabos across the back of its head.

The Yagyu Lord took quick advantage of the Bride of Rich Nights surprise and jumped over her, slashing her across the chest as she was given little time to prepare herself. The Yagyu Lord would follow this action with a harsh kick to the stomach, the force harsh enough to knock her into a seated position on the throne and loosen her grip on her other fan. With both weapons out of the Bride's hands and her being in a defenseless position, the Yagyu Lord would quickly advance with his sword pointed towards her heart. Luckily the Bride of Rich Nights would be ready this time, bringing her hands together firmly against both sides of the blade as it was inches away from her chest.

The Kamezon would now be effectively covered in dents, an optic cracked and flickering between black and red as Ken continued to attack it with a series of merciless swings from both long handled clubs. Unfortunately, Ken too would become distracted upon noticing the Bride of Rich Nights struggling to keep the Yagyu Lord's blade from penetrating through her chest. A distraction that would prove near fatal to the chimp as as the Kamezon would attempt another scratch towards his face. Ken barely noticed in time, bringing up both kanabos which were only shredded to bits. The machine would then leap on top of Ken as the force from the shattering of the clubs had caused him to stumble.

While Ken did his best to get out from under the Kamezon and get to the Bride of Rich Nights, the blade would inch itself closer and closer towards the Bride's chest. Ken felt himself begin to panic and his desperation grew. He would turn his attention away from the Bride of Rich Nights for brief moments at a time, punching at the Kamezon's metal exterior in an effort to get it off so he could rush over to help. But while his fist proved effective against the metal, crushing and denting it more with each impact, his divided attention only made progress slow.

Luckily for the Bride of Rich Nights, Emerald, who had been hidden in the shadowed corner of the room, would make her move, swinging both fans viciously towards the Yagyu Lord's left wrist, the one facing her. The Yagyu Lord would shout and drop the sword as he clutched the now severed wound. Now relieved for the Bride's safety, Ken turned his full attention to the Kamezon, delivering a harsh uppercut to its chin, knocking the head off and sending it flying across the throne room. Ken would then curl himself up on his back under the machine and deliver a double kick to its chest, strong enough to send it standing back up and falling backwards. At the same time, the Bride of Rich Nights would glide towards the Yagyu Lord with her wings, spinning midair and delivering a harsh kick to his body, knocking him into the path of the falling Kamezon. The Yagyu Lord could only look up in horror before the Badnik collapsed on top of him with a sickening crunch.

Luckily, the Bride of Rich Nights hadn't been too badly injured in her fight with the Yagyu Lord. The cuts to her chest had been deep, but nowhere near enough to cause irreparable damage. The medics did advise that the Bride take several days off to heal however. An order the Bride wasn't too happy with considering there was much work to be done to the Yagyu Lord's old base for the sake of expansion. But on the bright side the war was over, so at the very least no threats existed against her for the time being. Ken was simply glad the clan still had a Bride.

On the topic of the monkey, his wounds had been worse. Not fatal, but still significantly worse. Mainly the ones in his back. While there wasn't much to worry about regarding the scratches on his chest and face, the scratch from the Kamezon at the beginning of their fight had gone through the muscle tissue and nearly severed his spine. Luckily that hadn't been the case, but judging from the depth and agonizing pain Ken was currently experiencing, pain he had tried and failed to hide by the way, the Kamezon definitely came close.

As of the current moment, Ken would be shirtless and seated on a large rock in a private forested area nearby a small river. Behind him would be a dirt path leading back to the base. Much to his relief, far away from it. The notice of his injuries had caused an uproar of concern from both the freedom fighters and the Yagyu. Considering he wasn't very social to begin with, that situation had made him more than a little uncomfortable. It was only fortunate that the group had found this place earlier on their way here.

Unfortunately for the monkey, Emerald was the one tasked with cleaning off and bandaging the wounds with a cloth soaked from the river. While he was shirtless. Cut as he was, he was also a cyborg. Something he and the others forgot to mention earlier. As if being half naked in front of his crush wasn't embarrassing enough, now he would have to worry about her reaction to the metal plating for a skeleton beneath his skin when cleaning him off. He worried she'd find him a bit freakish, but so far she hadn't had much of a reaction. Actually, Ken wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

Ken would be grateful when Emerald made an attempt to break the awkward silence: "Have you always been like this? Half robotic?"

"For as long as I can remember." Ken answered. "Mom said I must have weighed fifty pounds as an infant."

Emerald went quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have asked."

"No, no. It's okay." Ken reassured her. "Whatever Gong had done to me, I was way too young to remember it."

"Still, to do that to you when you were a baby?" Emerald cringed. "That's really messed up if you ask me." The bat would feel guilty when Ken didn't respond. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to call you a freak or anything. You're still cute."

Ken blushed at that. "Thanks. You're cute too."

Emerald smiled. "About last night."

Ken groaned. "Do we have to talk about that?"

"Would you rather keep sitting quietly while I keep washing you off in suspense, your majesty?"

Ken blushed more. "What about last night?"

Emerald would smile and chuckle for a bit. "Don't worry. I'm not gonna beat you up or anything. I just want to elaborate on a couple things." Emerald explained while squeezing blood out of the wet rag. "Firstly the fact that I really was just trying to be nice when I invited you into my tent. Besides, the clans all have a tradition for things like that."

Ken raised an eyebrow. "Marriage"?

"In your case." Emerald answered. "In the four allied clans, reproduction is mainly viewed as a means of expanding with each new generation being stronger than the last."

Again, the monkey would raise a curious eyebrow to the blue bat. "And how exactly is that supposed to work?" Considering Ken had seen quite a variety of heroes come from the most unsuspecting of backgrounds, at least in his lifetime, he failed to see how exactly a new generation of skilled warriors was supposed to be at all.

"If a male Yagyu observes a female to be an incredibly skilled warrior, and believes that their genes together will create a better warrior for the new generation, he may challenge her to a fight." Emerald explained. "The fight is held before the entire clan so that victory or failure is made public knowledge. If the female admits defeat, the male is allowed to mate with her until a child is conceived. If the male admits defeat, he is shamed and forced to train his way back up to his prior position from a pupil."

Ken's expression turned to concern. "Wouldn't that eventually lead to a lot of in-breeding?"

Emerald wiped at his wounds once more, making him cringe a little. "The Bride of Rich Nights has a document of genealogy to keep that from happening. Or at the very least to make sure the two's genealogy is distant." Emerald would shudder visibly at that thought. "It's not perfect, but it's our tradition."

Ken would nod, though a bit uncomfortably. "If that's the case, then is there any validity to that comment on me asking for your hand yesterday?" Ken would then ask, turning to the bat with a bit of a smirk.

Emerald would smile, but only for a moment. "There have been some exceptions in the past, sure. And marriage to a king of the dragon kingdom would definitely be in bounds." Ken noticed her frown. "But if I were to be approved as your Queen, I would also be required to renounce my status as a Yagyu."

At that, Ken's expression would turn to a disappointed, but sympathetic frown. While her answer, as well as the evident feeling behind it, was certainly disheartening, it was also one that Ken understood far too well. If given the option, had he not known of Gong's cruel actions towards his new friends, Ken almost certainly would've backed out of his soon to be responsibilities. On top of that, the possibility of never seeing the people who raised him again and missing out on so many moments in that life. Graduating from school with a proud smile on their faces, watching them grow old and happy together, watching his siblings grow up, chasing boys away from his sister who would look to take advantage of her, comforting them through hard times, in heart break, watching them get families of their own, arranging play dates between his children and their cousins. All just to make sure his family knew their love and appreciation was reciprocated. How could anyone else not in his position choose a throne over that?

Ken would be snapped out of his funk upon feeling both of Emerald's hands rest on his shoulders, turning to see her smiling down at him as she said: "Don't get the wrong idea, Ken. I like you. I think you're cute. But asking for marriage at your age and risking not really loving the other person for who they are is... more than a little risky. Don't you think?"

Ken looked to the side for a moment with a shrug, not really able to argue with that logic. He was sure his mother might like her though. Despite coming from a clan of thieves. One whom Relic herself had warned everyone to Watch themselves around. That reasoning aside, Emerald was right anyway. Like each other as they might, they knew close to nothing about each other, other than the fact that one was flirtatious but friendly, and that the other was just as skilled with a stick as he was nervous. Whether or not Ken wanted to admit it, jumping into things and asking her to abandon her entire life for him was not only huge, but also selfish on his part should he go through with it.

"For now, let's just get to know each other." Emerald suggested. "Just to make sure a big change like that is worth it to the both of us." She would surprise him with a kiss on the cheek. "After that, we'll see."

Sorry about the long wait for anyone who is reading this! Life stuff got in the way a bit, and I only recently found a bit of a slot for time. But chapters should be coming out a bit more frequently, so stay tuned. Key word being SHOULD. ; But what did you all think of the chapter? Please feel free to let me know in the reviews, and may the Lord Jesus Christ bless, protect, and watch over you all with happiness, good tidings, heath, and that you would all come to know Him as your Lord and Savior if you haven't already. Jesus is Lord and Jesus bless you all!

Also, Emerald the bat is an OC owned by JayFoxFire.