Interrogating Suspects

Yuiisai had been in her room within Sol's castle as she so often was, she didn't normally leave her room unless she had reason such as a job that had been left of her. Opening her window she looked over the small village that was dwarfed below, she bit her lip as she felt the gentle evening breeze on her face. At the moment she was wearing a spring green and white hanfu "How long have I been inside my cage this time?" she asked herself with small sigh as she sat on her window sill looking around her beautiful colour filled room lavished in silk, her every whim and desire was given to her but she was still denied true freedom as Sol or Aguya always had to accompany her or she got given into severe trouble. "I haven't done anything in a while so perhaps...." she thought she should go to the company and take a job, perhaps she could get back before it was noticed she wasn't in her room.

Moving to the table she brought forward a piece of parchment and a calligraphy brush, dipping it into the ink she wrote a letter stating that she had gone to the company to look at the job board. Yuiisai made sure the ink was dried before folding the parchment in half writing both Sol and Aguya's names on it before standing and leaving the room, she moved quietly down the halls almost scared that she would get caught but before long she was outside and heading to the company's headquarters. After getting into the town she hired a carriage and within twenty minutes she was walking up the white marble steps and towards the job board, before she could get there a receptionist moved over holding out an envelop "Yuiisai, Sol said to give you this.. we were just about to have it delivered to the castle." a young man dressed in a pure white suit, his black hair neat and his ice blue eyes warm towards her.

"O.. oh thank you Johnathan, I hope I haven't burdened you." she said taking the envelope opening it. "Not at all, take care." he said with a polite wave walking back to the reception desk that seemed to have been swamped. Opening the letter she read that something had happened on a ship and that four people had been fingered but it was still uncertain which person done it or if they had been perhaps working together, regardless they where being held at the largest port in Fiore. "This isn't good, I want to do this on my own but at the same time if I don't have someone with me Sol and Aguya will get mad." biting her lip she looked around in the hopes to find someone but she had a feeling that someone would notice her standing there with her letter and perhaps talk to her to find out what was going on, after all this was how the company worked.

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The day could not have been better, sunny with few clouds to spare and a gentle breeze that traveled the skies. If I wasn't here trying to find a job I would most certainly be training, but enough of that was done this morning. I was walking towards the headquarters to pick out my first job of the day, rather the entirety I've been here, but I chose today because I didn't want to end up being the one man who does nothing. If that happened no doubt I would have found a ticket off the island, but that's not something that would happen to me due to the fact I didn't break rules nor did I start fights with other guild members.

I've been resting for about three weeks, recovering and fasting food, protein and vegetables, to help rebuild any muscle loss or wounds I had been recovering from. The first day I awoke in my bed I couldn't move without a massive pain pulsating throughout my body making going to thr restroom a journey all on its own. After a week I had started training my body so I'm not completely weak when applying for a job, and by the gods it was difficult, the pain was a constant nuisance and I was poorly out of shape. By the third week I had already grown used to the rough regime I put myself through, mornings after training I would go to a nearby stream and wash up so I did not smell like a sweaty pig.

And now I felt ready to take on a simple task, granted my body was very achy and my muscles were slightly stiff, I still needed to recover more but needed to push myself at the same time. Today was nice as it is, so I might as well do what I can instead of acting like a recluse. As I approached the building there seemed to be a line-up, indeed the day was nice so it was busy, of course that also meant I needed to deal with people in the way. I pushed myself passed some strangers, few noticing the white company outfit I wore ajd moving out of the way and most disgruntled by a force pushing them slightly. One man turned to confront me when another shoved him, causing him to assume that I did it.

I ignored him, proceeding to my current destination pass the receptionists desk. Right before I pass by the desk I noticed a woman who seemed lost, as Sol stated before, "You need to work of socializing. Its beneficial to the company."

This was something I was not used to, but, as an employee for a company I might as well help the young lady. I walked up to her, keeping a neutral expression and a tone that matched it I had the outfit that allowed me to look like an employee, "Excuse me ma'am, may I help you with anything?"

I could have looked happier but this would have to do, I am in a good mood just did not like showing it. I was more human, just played the machine to avoid people in the long run, I didn't feel the need to talk with anyone but I could see why Sol would tell me to do something like that. It affects cooperation and attitude towards fellow members and associates of the company, I could care less, I needed to play nice however.

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Yuiisai looked up as she heard a man's voice and blinked her milky blue jade eyes taking in what the other looked like, she had never seen the other before but then she never really left the castle so that was nothing unusual. It was then she took note of the trading companies pin that even she and Aguya wore on their traditional clothing so it was known they to where employees. "Please don't call me 'ma'am' I am not a house mother." she giggled a little after raising her sleeve to how the other had first spoke to her "My name is Yuiisai, I am in the service of Sol Terumi." she explained trying to introduce herself to the other knowing recently Sol had been promoted to a vice president to the company and so hoped that the other would know him, if he hadn't she would have just come off the fool; she really hoped that indeed wasn't the case that was for sure. It was then she noted he had offered his help as she must have looked so lost and so nodded.

"Yes, you could say that I am in need of assistance." she said her tone gentle as she looked to the letter once more "Someone caused an explosion on a ship in the port city of Lavanitir, the magic council have requested help from mages to try and find the true culprit, they have managed to narrow it down to four. Sol left this task for me given my.. um.. insight to people." she wasn't about to tell the other that she was once a courtesan and so had been taught in how to make people open up, such things could be seen as unsightly out of pleasure districts. "Where I am able to do this task Sol and my own attendant Aguya don't like me leaving without one of them by my side, at the same time I want to do things without them there." she said with a deep sigh, she cared for both deeply and though she didn't really understand the full reason behind them being so over protective she felt smothered. "Also, you should smile more it is part of customer services of the company after all we are traders." she giggled in the hopes the other would smile a bit.

After short moment she stopped lowering her sleeve "Would you mind escorting me to Lavanitir Port City and helping me find whom done such a dreadful act and why?" she asked the other her voice constantly warm as she spoke a smile on her lips. "There's a ship likely heading there since it's the main hub for traders, if we're quick we can go with them." with that she turned and headed to the double mahogany doors, down the white marble steps and to the docks looking for the ship that would be heading to the port city, once found she boarded hoping that the other had agreed and had followed her. She knew that these ships often held wind mages and so they would be at their destination in no time when they started on the journey.

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Total Word Count: 1'034

She said to not call her ma'am, and she said she was not a  house wife? Amose had used manners before which was good on his part, but he had not thought this woman a house wife at all. She giggled and Amose found it a joke? He was very confused, then again this might be the secondary reason for Sol telling the man to, "Socialize with other people." A lot of things go right over Amose's head but he couldn't be blamed for it.

This man hadn't really felt the need to socialize in years, then again he couldn't, being in the wilderness for years without anyone to contact at all, it left him more machine than anything but somehow he never broke in those two years. Plus, since he had the tools to actually cook again it would be beneficial to befriend... "befriend" shop keepers and such, just make niceties. Amose loved to cook, but the only thing he only knew to make was three different types of stews and roasted seasoned meat. He wanted more knowledge of spices beyond just garlic and pepper, more recipes to make from and even craft his own. But that would come later, for now he had to stick with food given to him.

Before Amose opened his mouth the woman said she was,"Yuiisuii,"... "Yuisay?" That would be a difficult name to pronounce, but when she said she was under service of Sol, Amose couldn't help but question, "What kind of service?"

Luckily these questions, and name pronunciations were kept in his head to avoid minor conflict and rudeness. Still though, was she a training partner? Perhaps a maid? Or better yet a personal cook? Amose did not see... Yuiisak, as a body guard, granted she could be a mage, he never would know until that day comes. For now he could only assume she was Sol's friend, or wife.

As the woman spoke it seemed his assistance was needed, finding the party or individual who caused a ships explosion. This got his attention quick, however she needed an escort as Sol, most likely her husband, and another individual wouldn't be present for it.

"Why not?"Amose answered back as Yuiiyuyui... If that was her name, turned to walk to the docks to a ship. He too walked through the open mahogany doors and down those white marble steps. It would seem like Amose had his first job, escort Yuukuuii and deal with an investigation... what caught his attention was the investigation itself, and if it dealt with dirtying his hands too... this would allow Amose to utilize some "techniques" he learned in his past.

Amose needed to keep up with his training as well as his hand with weapons, perhaps he would find a suitable place to purchase throwing knives and practice swords? Perhaps while he was on the harbor he could run into a vendor or merchant after the investigation. For now, he boarded the same vessel with the woman, uncomfortable with larger ships. Not that he should be, just there were circumstances that scarred him on ships like these.

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It would be hard to tell by appearance or voice if Yuiisai's gender due to there androgynous look and voice, how they dressed didn't exactly help either as they where fully covered and showed enough curve to put doubt one way or the other on their gender. She had guessed her words would have been taken the wrong way mainly because they were most of the time "Sorry, I should reword when I say house mother... it is a term of where I was raised." she said gently "House mothers looked after those within the house, made sure everyone was doing what they where suppose to and nothing got out of hand." she finished remembering the woman whom had helped raise and educate her, even though evidently very old she still had an unearthly beauty that demanded respect from younger courtesan and held obedience from those whom visited the house almost as if they where afraid it would make her cry or angry if they done something untoward.

She was caught off guard when he finally opened his mouth to ask what kind of service she provided for him and wondered exactly how to answer that question as she herself didn't truly know. "I am a trained oiran, so I normally do information gathering or espionage however..." she said finally speaking after a few long moments of thought. "Sol is in possession of my contract and so owns me, I do the tasks he gives me without question even if I don't like what they are." she said her voice showing clear pain, she had done some terrible acts in the past that made her sick even to this day but those where the duties that had been given to her so had to forfil them. "I normally have Sol or one of my attendants with me when I go to do tasks but I want to try do things on my own but it's so difficult because I know better than to go against his wishes thanks to how I was raised." she looked down a sigh crossing her lips, she wasn't ashamed of how she was raised or where she came from in the slightest but everything had to be just so; now and then she just needed time to experience things away from her gilded cage and those who watched over it.

Though she seemed like a delicate flower who would pose no threat to anyone, this couldn't be farther from the truth in frightened or angry; as if she was frightened her magic could go off without warning making her a ticking time bomb and well no one found the bodies if the latter happened. It was the reason she travelled with her attendant Aguya so often he knew how to calm her and why certain safety measures had been put in place for everyone's safety within Sol's home. She was glad that the other had agreed to come along on the journey as when she got back she knew she was going to get into trouble for apparently having no one with her; now she could say that she had been accompanied. It was then she realised "You haven't introduced yourself, which you likely should have done when you first approached me to see if I needed help." she said gently trying to give him tips on how to socialise when a member of the company. As they had been speaking the ship had set sail and before long the ship was docked again allowing them to depart from it, her eyes looking around like a lost child, she had no idea where they where going.

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Total Word Count: 1'645

Amose spoke not a word till the lady was done, intently listening to her the entire time she spoke. So she is a house mother, as she explained, and she takes care of others in that fashion. However Yuiisai seemed to be intelligence for Sol and the rest of the trading company. Why they used a woman who seems frail was beyond him; she could have some death magic about her, but he has yet to see at all. If she was intelligence and she was sent to interrogate suspects it was most likely it was a test of her skill, so Amose thought.

Several years back before the kingdom had fallen Amose had a mission to capture and interrogate a spy. They had known who it was but couldn't do anything in public so as to keep peace among civvialians. He went at night and kidnapped the individual, and while Amose wasn't the one doing the interrogation he picked up on a few methods that he wanted to try out since then. However Amose needed to keep in mind that this was Yuisai's mission, not his, and if she asked for help he could suggest or even jump in to help out.

The question popped up in his head though: why would Sol or someone else need need to accompany Yuisai? Is she that fragile? Or perhaps she was more dabrerous than Amose had thought. Whatever the case, Amose had no interest in knowing why, he wanted to get this job done and over with... and find the nearest smithy or merchant. He could use some of the pay to buy a few practice swords, maybe even a suit of armor he could utilize on more dangerous missions.


It didn't take long before the pair arrived to the docks, seemingly only a few minutes passed of the woman talking, and as Amose watched her get off the ship he followed suit. Something that hit Amose though was how Yuisai was raised, that having to do with Sol's request for an escort, it made him wonder what had happened in that time. He couod have asked a question about it, but if it was something too personal he did not want to intrude, so Amose kept his mouth shut until he exited the ship as well. He stepped unto the docks as the woman looked around like a lost child.

Amose gave a brief sigh, wandering if the woman had any clue what to do. The first thing is getting information, like where the suspects lived and how active they are in a day, that way they could take the suspect and interrogate them. However, Amose had a different idea of getting his answers out of a suspect.

"Yuisai, perhaps it is best to look for one nearby. You have all of the suspects information correct?" Amose asked the question a little firmly, hoping that the woman had any info to whom they seek. He does not wish to get lost looking for someone he does not know what they look like.

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Yuiisai turned and looked to the one that had accompanied her and smiled gently, she was lost because this was her first time within the large port city not that she was incompetent of doing the task she had been sent to do. This wasn't the first time she had been requested to do something like this but it was usually in somewhere smaller. Hearing his voice she shook her head "No, all this information is being held where the suspects are." she explained to the other, it was a strange question he had asked as to her it would be stupid to send such sensitive information as it could be intercepted or forged. "Also that sigh of frustration isn't needed... um..." she paused once more as though she had mentioned that he had yet to introduce himself he still hadn't, she was wondering if she needed to have it written in ten foot letters in the sky before he would answer the question. "I mentioned you hadn't told me your name and still you haven't told me, I am not in the habit of repeating myself so would you mind?" she said her tone still gentle but held an undertone of annoyance.

Where it was her task she wasn't above allowing the other to help her find out the information so longs nothing abusive happened, she could tell that he was a warrior that most likely seen battle and though never took part in it herself she knew that people that done so often lost themselves to the beast of war. She also realised she looked delicate and frail and the other must be wondering why she was chosen to do such a task, looks were so often deceiving and she was no exception to this rule that was for sure. She had taken a few notes from how he had been standing and looking at her one the boat and it seemed almost like he had questions "You can ask me things you know, I don't bite." she coo'd those words almost "If I don't want to answer I'll decline and give you a reason." she let him know as she moved towards a map on a board so she could get their bearings, this is when she wished Aguya was around as he seemed to know how to get everywhere.

After a few minutes she pointed "We are here and we need to get..." she pointed to a building at the other side of town "here..." she said with a smile as she started to wander off not really paying much mind if the other was following her or not. To her he was uncouth not even introducing himself though she herself had, even ignoring her as she asked when they where on the ship. She wanted this task dealt with so she could go shopping in Shirotsume but this was only a secondary reason, in fact she wanted to go there because it was close to where her friend Ahote lived. She knew she was forbidden to go back up the mountain as the snakes nest was there, so it was the best she could do without breaking the rules to much in the hopes to see him.

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Total Word Count: 2'187

Amose had forgotten two things whilst talking... Listening to the woman. Firstly were his manners. Amose had gone years without using them much with his previous rank in a military and two years of survival alone can cause one to forget. He was not very talkative, more on his thoughts than anything. He could only think of the ship and whoever was on it, not that he cared if anyone cared, its just if anyone died he had hoped their deaths were fruitful... Not of someone's selfishness.

When Amose turned seventeen he and the other knights had ambushed a massive cargo ship delivering food to the unified armies of several kingdoms, sabotaged it and poisoned all of the food. Reports later that week came in, their results were the deaths of thousands of civilians, no soldiers. It turned out their Intel was completely wrong and it quickened the upcoming war. Amose never forgave himself from that, and that was the beginning of his Burdens. Those citizens of the opposing kingdons vouched for Amose's king, and now they were all dead. It made even the Blood Knights mourn as battle hardened as they were.

It was the number one thing that still bothered Amose, if they hadn't of poisoned those supplies in the first place perhaps things would have turned out different. But that's all in the past, and now he has to deal, well, Yuiisai has to deal with something similar. A petty theft turned explosive. If it was indeed a theft how in the hell did it cause a ship to explode? That was Amose's secondary question, how it was done and why?

There was another thing he forgot though, the most simple thing he needed before meeting anyone and greeting, and it seemed quite rude that he did not give.

Hm? Oh yes, due forgive the rudeness... My mind is on many thungs," Amose said to the woman as he walked next to her, following her footsteps and change of directions, "You can call me Laterallus... Or "Latty" as some tend to do... If they want a quick lump to the head that is." It was said in a sarcastic manner, a slight smirk on his face for the briefest of moments.

Amose heard the woman speak about questions, if she did not want to answer and so forth. He did not mind, however did have a question or two, but before that, he had something to say.

"Should you find it difficult to interrogate someone, or have trouble with a method you can either drag me in or have me help. I have quite the experience in this." Amose stated as he walked with the woman to the building. The questions would have to wait, he was going to have to be patient with both the woman and the interrogation.

Indeed, Amose was well familiar with it, and had many methods in dealing with anyone. This interrogation was not really meant to have any harm to the as the city deemed it so... Or whoever contracted the two. It didn't make things more difficult, just more interesting as Amose would say.

"Were there any deaths involved with the explosion?" Amose asked Yuiisai, not caring if there were or not.

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