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PART EIGHT -

Klein met with Elara and Kay outside the clinic, and the three headed towards the inn behind the others. Once everyone was settled in, and introductions were made, Elara turned to Jack, whom she figured was in charge as the oldest. "So... does this have to do with the one who took Sophie's eyesight?"

"It does," Jack admitted, allowing his mischief to fade to a more serious expression,"The gang she was once a part of seems to be under the impression that they still own her and her life, and apparently are intent on cashing in on that, so to speak."

He swept back around and nabbed a teapot, putting it on to boil. He might not have been Briar's level of tea-awesome, but he could brew a fair pot of tea when he had to.

"And it's likely we're all targets now that they've seen we're on her side." Buddy added, looking down. "Which may or may not involve the other gangs in that area."

"Let's hope for the 'not' option." Dusty said, sighing and looking at Eva who was now asleep beside him. "I think we'd rather avoid the Fists or Shadows getting involved in this."

Elara hummed softly to herself, looking the group over. So some of these kids had connections among the other gangs as well? What a coincidence. "I do not think you need worry about the other gangs for now." She said at long last. "The Kaveri Explorers Guild has put out some rather nice warrants for the deaths of the gang leaders, and capture of many of the higher-ups in each guild. They are too busy saving their own skins to come all the way out here." She smiled. "I knew back then who had attacked Sophie, I have been hunting for Drogo with Vexar for the past four years. He's a slippery one, and Sophie was his only slip-up. I wanted to get more information from her, but the damage he'd done was too deep, she did not want to speak and I didn't want to hurt her more than she already was. So I helped her heal and bury the pain and fear, and set her off towards this area, away from danger to heal."

She paused, glancing at Sia who had kept quiet until now. "You're the one he kidnapped, aren't you?" Sia jerked, eyes wide. "I had the feeling you were still alive, despite the reward for your rescue being taken down." Sia flinched, looking down as she swallowed hard. She tried so hard to forget what had happened three years ago...

Jack raised a brow,"Kidnapped, huh? Well, that adds a layer in complexity." He sighed,"man, I'd better get in touch with Kohaku and Amelia pronto, then."

"Well at least that's something." Buddy sighed, also hoping the other gangs won't get into this. At least they had the gang leaders outlawed officially. He had known the Fists were exposed in that one cop out his friend had executed, and even now they were probably still trying to recover, in the downlow. He raised his head with curiosity at the mentioning of Sia having been kidnapped.

Dusty's stomach turned and went into knots at what Elara said. Sure it was good that the authorities were (finally) doing something about the gangs but... Thor. Swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat he turned his attention to Sia when he heard Elara's last comment. Kidnapped?

Sia felt the scrutiny, and didn't like it. She gave a deprecating smile. "Drogo and his thugs broke into my home three years ago... and between Duan and another of his cronies they killed my parents, forcing me to watch... then they took me away down to the deepest part of the canyon." She looked down, smile and composure slipping as the pain and horror seeped into her eyes. "Then he... he .... 'trained' me... for a year."

Jack snatched a piece of paper and hurriedly scrawled out his request for team moonshine to come to tao,wording it in such a way to pique his brothers interest enough but to give too little information just for a reply in writing. Hey, it was underhanded, but since when had Jack ever used the concept of 'fair'? If this method got his brother *and his team* here, so he wouldn't have to call his mother or sister(who'd never leave if they got here), then he was all for it.

"That's awful... " Buddy commented, knowing that horrors happen behind gang doors. He never got close to those sorts of businesses, but he heard dark stories about it.

"Wait, I still don't understand, why is that gang after Sophie, specifically? Is there something missing or did he just want to finish what he started?" Robin asked, wanting to know the motives behind the sableye. He had been listening intently, but was still quite lost in all the gang-related talk.

"I'd like to know that too." Dusty admitted. What had Sophie done to be hunted like this. It coulda just been tying up loose ends but it could have also been more.

The medicham remained silent, and Sia looked up finally. "She knows too much... about him, about his lair... and about his weaknesses." She shook her head with a wry smile. "I was such a fool too... See, he promised me and Duan he'd let us go... let us remain here as part of the Rogue Guild, if we helped him kill Sophie." She laughed, "But I know what Sophie knows. Duan knows even more intimately how to destroy him. He never planned to let us go. Ever. Had I let him kill Sophie... we'd be back to being his little slaves."

"That's troublesome.." Robin replied, frowning. "It's almost a lose-lose situation there."

"Can't we use a bit of knowledge about him then??" Buddy suggested. They could maybe use it against him, of course. That way they would be at an advantage.

"That would be useful. Sia? Is there anything you can tell us about him?" Dusty asked. At this point all of them were gonna be targeted, having more information on the enemy wouldn't make things worse. It would just help.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The group was still going over specifics when the door to the Inn burst open. The poor messenger was nearly hit with half a dozen attacks from startled pokes who barely averted them, and Jack eyed the damage to the inn in mild disgust. ‘Briar was going to KILL them’...

Wide eyed, the poor little Furret gave a squeak,”Trouble, trouble!” her voice cracked, and she shook. “Jasmine’s been kidnapped! The guild leaders are calling every available team--”

“..We’re kind of in the middle of something..” Jack tried to cut in, but the poor rattled thing went right over him,

“--To help with a rescue mission; All merchants and rescuers are to report to Mike, and all rogues, to PK. Naysayers and deadbeats will notice an increase of property taxes if they don’t attend.”

Jack scowled rather viciously,”Really?”

The furret chuckled nervously, fearing retribution,”It *IS* important...If Jasmine dies...” She trailed off, and Jack grunted. The others, looking just as stressed, reluctantly nodded. Damnit.

-----------------------

When PK’s order to split up and prepare for a confrontation came, the group was high strung. Briar stayed behind, with Sophie(Like hell he was leaving her when EVERYONE ELSE was going away. she’d make too tempting a target otherwise), and Jack smirked smugly, assuring the Ivysaur that they wouldn’t be too long.

Mike, the rescuers and merchants split off from the rogues and PK, stealthily sneaking along the flank, while the rest of the roguish crew followed PK into position.

Both groups were rather tense as they saw Jasmine, shackled and injured, being manhandled by the Zorark, but not even Klein dared to be impulsive in this situation, waiting restlessly for PK’s signal.

Everyone was distracted, but they tried to focus. Hopefully this wouldn’t end terribly...

And hopefully the gangs wouldn’t see the opportunity to strike while Sophie was so far from them..

| First | Previous ||| Saving Sophie |||

This side story is a colab between Hikaru, Kai, zyo and myself.

The teams are
Silver Fang
Bandit Bros
Team Spark
Soul Song
Frostbloom

Description
PART EIGHT -

Klein met with Elara and Kay outside the clinic, and the three headed towards the inn behind the others. Once everyone was settled in, and introductions were made, Elara turned to Jack, whom she figured was in charge as the oldest. "So... does this have to do with the one who took Sophie's eyesight?"

"It does," Jack admitted, allowing his mischief to fade to a more serious expression,"The gang she was once a part of seems to be under the impression that they still own her and her life, and apparently are intent on cashing in on that, so to speak."

He swept back around and nabbed a teapot, putting it on to boil. He might not have been Briar's level of tea-awesome, but he could brew a fair pot of tea when he had to.

"And it's likely we're all targets now that they've seen we're on her side." Buddy added, looking down. "Which may or may not involve the other gangs in that area."

"Let's hope for the 'not' option." Dusty said, sighing and looking at Eva who was now asleep beside him. "I think we'd rather avoid the Fists or Shadows getting involved in this."

Elara hummed softly to herself, looking the group over. So some of these kids had connections among the other gangs as well? What a coincidence. "I do not think you need worry about the other gangs for now." She said at long last. "The Kaveri Explorers Guild has put out some rather nice warrants for the deaths of the gang leaders, and capture of many of the higher-ups in each guild. They are too busy saving their own skins to come all the way out here." She smiled. "I knew back then who had attacked Sophie, I have been hunting for Drogo with Vexar for the past four years. He's a slippery one, and Sophie was his only slip-up. I wanted to get more information from her, but the damage he'd done was too deep, she did not want to speak and I didn't want to hurt her more than she already was. So I helped her heal and bury the pain and fear, and set her off towards this area, away from danger to heal."

She paused, glancing at Sia who had kept quiet until now. "You're the one he kidnapped, aren't you?" Sia jerked, eyes wide. "I had the feeling you were still alive, despite the reward for your rescue being taken down." Sia flinched, looking down as she swallowed hard. She tried so hard to forget what had happened three years ago...

Jack raised a brow,"Kidnapped, huh? Well, that adds a layer in complexity." He sighed,"man, I'd better get in touch with Kohaku and Amelia pronto, then."

"Well at least that's something." Buddy sighed, also hoping the other gangs won't get into this. At least they had the gang leaders outlawed officially. He had known the Fists were exposed in that one cop out his friend had executed, and even now they were probably still trying to recover, in the downlow. He raised his head with curiosity at the mentioning of Sia having been kidnapped.

Dusty's stomach turned and went into knots at what Elara said. Sure it was good that the authorities were (finally) doing something about the gangs but... Thor. Swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat he turned his attention to Sia when he heard Elara's last comment. Kidnapped?

Sia felt the scrutiny, and didn't like it. She gave a deprecating smile. "Drogo and his thugs broke into my home three years ago... and between Duan and another of his cronies they killed my parents, forcing me to watch... then they took me away down to the deepest part of the canyon." She looked down, smile and composure slipping as the pain and horror seeped into her eyes. "Then he... he .... 'trained' me... for a year."

Jack snatched a piece of paper and hurriedly scrawled out his request for team moonshine to come to tao,wording it in such a way to pique his brothers interest enough but to give too little information just for a reply in writing. Hey, it was underhanded, but since when had Jack ever used the concept of 'fair'? If this method got his brother *and his team* here, so he wouldn't have to call his mother or sister(who'd never leave if they got here), then he was all for it.

"That's awful... " Buddy commented, knowing that horrors happen behind gang doors. He never got close to those sorts of businesses, but he heard dark stories about it.

"Wait, I still don't understand, why is that gang after Sophie, specifically? Is there something missing or did he just want to finish what he started?" Robin asked, wanting to know the motives behind the sableye. He had been listening intently, but was still quite lost in all the gang-related talk.

"I'd like to know that too." Dusty admitted. What had Sophie done to be hunted like this. It coulda just been tying up loose ends but it could have also been more.

The medicham remained silent, and Sia looked up finally. "She knows too much... about him, about his lair... and about his weaknesses." She shook her head with a wry smile. "I was such a fool too... See, he promised me and Duan he'd let us go... let us remain here as part of the Rogue Guild, if we helped him kill Sophie." She laughed, "But I know what Sophie knows. Duan knows even more intimately how to destroy him. He never planned to let us go. Ever. Had I let him kill Sophie... we'd be back to being his little slaves."

"That's troublesome.." Robin replied, frowning. "It's almost a lose-lose situation there."

"Can't we use a bit of knowledge about him then??" Buddy suggested. They could maybe use it against him, of course. That way they would be at an advantage.

"That would be useful. Sia? Is there anything you can tell us about him?" Dusty asked. At this point all of them were gonna be targeted, having more information on the enemy wouldn't make things worse. It would just help.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The group was still going over specifics when the door to the Inn burst open. The poor messenger was nearly hit with half a dozen attacks from startled pokes who barely averted them, and Jack eyed the damage to the inn in mild disgust. ‘Briar was going to KILL them’...

Wide eyed, the poor little Furret gave a squeak,”Trouble, trouble!” her voice cracked, and she shook. “Jasmine’s been kidnapped! The guild leaders are calling every available team--”

“..We’re kind of in the middle of something..” Jack tried to cut in, but the poor rattled thing went right over him,

“--To help with a rescue mission; All merchants and rescuers are to report to Mike, and all rogues, to PK. Naysayers and deadbeats will notice an increase of property taxes if they don’t attend.”

Jack scowled rather viciously,”Really?”

The furret chuckled nervously, fearing retribution,”It *IS* important...If Jasmine dies...” She trailed off, and Jack grunted. The others, looking just as stressed, reluctantly nodded. Damnit.

-----------------------

When PK’s order to split up and prepare for a confrontation came, the group was high strung. Briar stayed behind, with Sophie(Like hell he was leaving her when EVERYONE ELSE was going away. she’d make too tempting a target otherwise), and Jack smirked smugly, assuring the Ivysaur that they wouldn’t be too long.

Mike, the rescuers and merchants split off from the rogues and PK, stealthily sneaking along the flank, while the rest of the roguish crew followed PK into position.

Both groups were rather tense as they saw Jasmine, shackled and injured, being manhandled by the Zorark, but not even Klein dared to be impulsive in this situation, waiting restlessly for PK’s signal.

Everyone was distracted, but they tried to focus. Hopefully this wouldn’t end terribly...

And hopefully the gangs wouldn’t see the opportunity to strike while Sophie was so far from them..

| First | Previous ||| Saving Sophie |||

This side story is a colab between Hikaru, Kai, zyo and myself.

The teams are
Silver Fang
Bandit Bros
Team Spark
Soul Song
Frostbloom