3rd times a Charm?

It was warm and peaceful evening in Hosenka as there was a light breeze, and the sounds of the various hot springs and restaurants filled with people could be heard throughout the city. Wolfe had reached the city earlier that day after completing a simple job, and decided to spend the rest of the day just enjoying himself. At the current time in this evening the city was starting to wind down a little, but Wolfe was far from ready to call it a night and decided to stop in at a local restaurant and grab a little food.

As Wolfe walked along he found the place he was looking for and made his way in. It was the same place he had met Ardere before he joined Infinity Hydra, or at least that is what he had read in his notes he found in RAINE’s database. It seemed he had kept some basic notes of his timeline before he lost his memory. Since he was here he decided he would check out the spot he had met Ardere and see if maybe it helped jog his memory.

Wolfe walked in and took a spot at a table looking out towards the boardwalk in front of the restaurant and the small grass field just past that. As he sat down Wolfe unbutton his shirt as it was a little on the warmer side. He was wearing his normal black cargo pants and black boots. His shirt was a plain blue, short sleeve button up shirt. He hadn’t dressed up for the job as it was a simple task, but it seemed he had lucked out since it was a lot warmer than he had planned for.

The restaurant had and open area where the tables were placed so they could look out towards the rest of Hosenka, and boardwalk area. To the back of the building was the kitchen and a Mongolian style grill area as well. To the left of his was a set of huge fish tanks linked with each other with some having various types of shellfish such as lobsters, crabs and the such. The rest filled with different types of fish used in their food to make sure the fish were as fresh as they could be.

Wolfe waited till the waitress came out to his table and ordered his standard amount of food, something like 16 plates of various sushi rolls and entrees. At this time the restaurant was actually pretty empty and there were only like two other tables with people at them, but they both looked as if they were pretty far into their drinking for the evening. So Wolfe leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes as he took a deep breath and enjoyed the relaxing tone of the evening.

Yona was adorned in her usual clothing, short brown shorts, a cropped black halter top, and knee high leather boots. She was healthy and fit, from all of her traveling, wearing still a dusty ankle length white coat with long sleeves. She stuck out somewhat because of it, but with it flapping open in the night breeze and the shops closing up for the night, the civilians of Hosenka paid the traveler no close attention. The green haired woman was antsy, feeling the need to finish what she had started quickly.

Prior to her travels here, she had been seeking out a dangerous man for information on local fire magic users, in specific a man in his dark gang. It was risky, but she had bluffed and played out her tale as far as it would go. Luck had not been on her side two nights ago, and as she was on the run from debts owed and promises falsified, Yona needed two things: money and a safe hiding place. Leaving town was not a real option considering the influence of the local gang; the paths out were likely being watched closely. Yona was tense all over and she hated the feeling, a frown ever present on her lovely pale face.

The emerald haired female bit on her lip as she sat cross-legged on a bench, watching the passersby. She took note of the white haired man and tried not to stare at the oddity of it. A quick glance told her that this man was a good target. He was distracted, relaxed, looking for food apparently as he made his way to the outdoor area of the large restaurant. Yona stood up and walked lazily behind him, and towards the place where he sat, eavesdropping on the man's considerable order. So, she thought, he had money. From the opposing side of the thigh-high fence lining the restaurant, she pretended to drop something and pick it up, a rush of her green hair spilling over her shoulders and hiding the quick motion of her own left hand. Upon rising once more, she could smell the odor of the man, giving off a sense of power.

Her small deft hand slipped between the slats of the fence and into his large cargo pocket, grasping onto a soft pouch of what could only be a money purse.

Wolfe sat and waited for his food as he enjoyed the evening. He could smell the delicious smells coming from the kitchen as he sat there with his eyes closed. He didn’t remember eating here, but if the smells were any indication of how the food would taste, then he was really looking forward to eating it. Even though he didn’t remember any of his past, it seems one of the few traits that managed to stick with him even after the memory loss was his love for food. Since he had returned to Infinity Hydra he had made his way to many cities and stopped for food, and most of them remembered him as it seemed he was a regular at a lot of them.

Wolfe’s senses were suddenly spiked slightly as he felt the presence of a mage around him. It was a weaker presence so he knew it was a lower ranked mage but as he looked around he didn’t see anyone that looked like they fit the bill. Wolfe was not worried so much as he was overwhelmed with curiosity as to where this sudden presence had come from. Right around this time he felt as it something was slightly touching him around his pocket area and turned around and stood up at looked right down in front of where he was standing at the small fence and the emerald haired girl trying to hide herself slightly. Wolfe had a very questionable look on his face as he realized this girl had just tried to steal his jewels ”Really?.....” He figured she would have been able to at least sense his power slightly and figured this to be a bad idea, but then again maybe she was really that desperate. Hopefully she wouldn’t try and run so he would have a chance to find out.

The green haired woman exhaled sharply when the man stood and looked down at her. He might have stood, but her hand remained in his pocket and he had made no move to stop her. She looked right up at him with her reflective green eyes, mesmerizing as she had always been to the men before her. She flicked her dark lashes up at him, looking somewhat innocent, somewhat desperate, but her lithe fingers grasped the money purse and pulled, attempting to withdraw it from his pocket.

He might have been surprised and he might even know her face, but Yona was not bothered by his strange inaction. His lack of calling for authorities or going on the offensive sent her the message that she still might get away with it. And with power like his, she doubted running away would have helped anyway. She took him in, breathing in as her eyes scanned upwards, looking over his form and his intense facial expression. As relaxed as his posture was, as unconcerned as he seemed to be, there was something about him that radiated power. She tugged hard on the money purse, putting real effort into stealing it, making no effort in hiding her action, relying on her performance to distract him the way it did others.

"You can't blame a girl for trying," She uttered to him softly, her pink pout forming into a subtle smirk. Her body moved into a crouch, readying to pull her arm back through the fence and spin on her heel, and race out of the area.

Wolfe looked from her down to his pocket that her hand was still in and he could feel her trying ever so hard to grab his jewels. She obviously wasn’t the smartest person, but she was determined and he had to give her that much. Wolfe shifted his gaze back at her face as it was obvious she was trying to charm him with her looks and possible innocent demeanor, but her hand still being in his pocket kind of ruined her attempt and he just shook his head a little. Wolfe just sighed and closed his eyes for a moment as he shook his head a little bit more.

There was then a very sudden flash of light and Wolfe was no longer standing in front of the girls. He had phase shifted about a foot directly right behind her. The shift was instant as he teleported from one spot to the other, her hand was now touching nothing and just hanging in midair. He stood there not breathing as he didn’t have to breath to live, and made no sounds as he waited to see how long it would take for her to realize she was slightly screwed.

Yona's frown deepened as she pulled her hand back. "Damn it. Am I crazy?" She mumbled to herself, pulling her hand out from the fence and standing up from a crouch. She took a step back and bumped into something somewhat warm and solid. The green haired woman turned around slowly and saw a torso, her eyes sliding upwards to see up at his chin. She stepped back again but found the fence to be directly in her way. Yona glanced behind her and then back up at him. He was a towering presence and she began to wonder if he was trying to intimidate her.

"Step off, back up." Yona demanded, crossing her arms, placing a barrier of sorts between them. She straightened her posture, trying to appear strong, unafraid, and above all unaffected by his domineering presence. She was not going to let him boss her around just because she tried to pickpocket him.

Wolfe just waited as he watched her stand up slightly confused. He smirked a little until she backed up into him and spun around. He just looked down at her as she backed off and tried to act tough. He couldn’t help but shake his head again as he thought about what exactly to do with her. He had no intention to turning her over, and even if she did try to steal his jewels he didn’t have any ill will towards her. However, he was interested in finding out exactly why she needed jewels so bad that she would risk stealing them, and more so stick around after being found out just to get them.

There was another bright flash and Wolfe was gone again. He was sitting in his chair again as if he had never moved, his back to her as he spoke ”Well don’t just stand there. Come join me and we can talk about why you thought it was a good idea to steal from me, and you can even have some food. On me.” Wolfe, without even turning to look at her, waved for her to come join him, ignoring what she had said completely. At that same moment she waitress was bringing out the first few plates of food.

Yona was not pleased by his response. She had expected an argument, a fight, and at the least a few insults. Thieves were not treated well under the hand of the law and this man was perfectly capable of bringing her in for arrest. She could tell by looking at him that if he wanted to, he could do just about anything. So just what was he playing at here? Sparking around, messing with her mind, inviting her to eat with him? There had to be an ulterior motive, a gain of some sort on his end. She pursed her lips together, not sure what it could be even then.

A clear force of grace, Yona considered quickly her options. He had seen parts of her now, but she could create a persona of some sort to work with here. Something just to give her a bit of an edge, an escape, an advantage. She looked well traveled she knew, and her big white coat was unusual here. She had both played the part of a small thief girl and the part of a brave and feisty young woman. Yona kept her straight posture and walked with unusual grace to sit at the table across from his seat. Settling on a persona to play, Yona started working whatever angle she could come up with.

The green haired woman looked somewhat bedraggled from her travel, and she used it to her advantage. "I think it's obvious enough that I don't have any sort of funds to be payin you with," She said, her accent a subtle touch to draw out the idea of foreigner or traveler. "Nobody steals nothing they don't have to steal.  And you can't be thinkin that I'll owe you in some other fashion cause, sir, I am just not that kin'a girl." Her voice was strong, as it had been before, her eyes shone the essence of hostility and hesitance while her expression was that of defensive behavior. To anyone who looked, she was the epitome of a young woman, desperate, street wise, and poor.

Wolfe waited patiently as the emerald haired girl was obviously thinking over her options, but if she was smart she would take his offer. She had seen what he could do, and it would be obvious that she couldn't outrun him. He didn't intend to turn her over and despite her trying to steal from him, he didn't intend to punish her in any way. He was more interested in hearing her story as to why she was this bad off.

After a little bit she finally walked around and took a seat in front of him, across the table. He could instantly see the shift in her demeanor, and it seems she was trying a new front on him. He was interested to see where this one would go. She instantly went into it about not having jewels and how she would be paying back in any "weird" ways. Wolfe just smirked and looked down at his food as he picked up a pair of chop sticks and motioned to the waitress for her to bring the emerald haired girl something to eat with as well. Moments later she returned with silverware and a pair of chopsticks and placed the down in front of the young girl. Wolfe nodded at the waitress and thanked her as he motioned for the emerald haired girl to pick up what every she wanted to start in on some food. Wolfe took a few bites of various sushi rolls before he spoke up "Well for starters i didn't mention anything about jewels or paying me back did I? No I didn't so just dig in. However, for starters i want you to know just how bad you messed up on this one. I am the Ace of Infinity Hydra, and if you know anything about how legal guilds work, then you know how bad you screwed up. However, I have no intent on turning you over. Instead i would love to hear your story that caused you to end up in such an ......interesting...... perdicament." Wolfe then continued to work on a few more pieces of sushi as he waited to hear what the emerald haired girl had to say for herself.

Yona lifted the chopsticks and pushed around a piece of nori wrapped sushi. The green haired woman didn't much care for sushi, but food was food and she was also not that picky. Without breaking her character, she shifted her eyes downward, as if ashamed and closed her mouth. As he started to speak, she lifted up the piece of sushi and moved as if she might eat it- until he mentioned being an Ace of the Infinity Hydra. As elegant as she was, as trained as she was, her surprise was evident when the sushi plopped unceremoniously from the chopsticks and back to the plate.

If what he said was true, and he had no transparent reason to lie, then she was in deep trouble. Put him feeding her on top of that and she felt the heavy weight of an invisible debt being applied. Yona despised this feeling. She despised it even more when he suggested to her that the payment could be her open answering during what looked like an initial interrogation. With a bitter taste in her mouth, she spoke back with a practiced and subtle accent, a tone conveying that she was not about to crumble and just tell him whatever he wanted to hear, "If you ain't going t' turn me in, and you ain't asking fo' repayment, then what you think I am going to tell you?"

She frowned, and it was a genuine frown, her lips curling down at the corners as she leaned forward, pointing with her chopsticks. "Without leverage, I am a free woman, ain't I?" She stayed pressed forward, her eyes fearlessly gazing into his. He might have been tall, powerful, and apparently influential. But if he wasn't going to do anything, she had no motivation to do anything in turn. She was far too secretive, her personal life and her personal endeavors were her own.

Wolfe gave her a few minutes to really let it sink in and the moment that she dropped a sushi roll he figured she finally got it. Wolfe continued to slowly place piece after piece of sushi in his mouth as he was going to give her a chance to figure out her next move. He figured she would try and play it cool, and after the initial shock was gone he watched as she shifted back to a colder demeanor and tried to play it off. Wolfe was starting to piece together a little bit just by watching her in the last few minutes and pegged her as someone who got around and was fairly traveled. He could tell as by her little details she obviously had done some traveling, and from her shifting demeanor he gathered she was the type to try and shift based on whatever would help her in the moment. A trait used by someone that tended to find themselves on the raw end of a few deals.

What Wolfe couldn’t piece together was the exact nature of whatever had landed her here, and in obvious need of jewels. However, it seemed she had no intention of giving up that information all that easy. Wolfe just shook his head a little as he answered her ”Well… I was kind of hoping you might tell me how someone as traveled as you would get yourself into something bad enough for you to have to try and pick pocket someone. Yes, it is obvious to another traveler that you have been around and have some world under your belt. Which also means you’re obviously capable and smart enough to keep yourself alive. Not to mention your ability to shift your demeanor at will to suit your needs paints someone that uses that to try and get out of tights spots. So yeah, you ARE free to just walk orrrr… you can drop the act and just tell me what has someone like you stuck in a corner. If you really feel like pick pocketing every person in town just to make a few jewels and chance getting caught by someone who WILL turn you in, be my guest. OR you can accept some free food and drink, enjoy a little quiet time and see what I could offer. Now if your smart you will pick up that menu and tell the nice waitress there what you would personally like to eat, cause obviously sushi doesn’t seem to be your thing, and order a drink and start talking. Your choice there captain.” Wolfe didn’t blink an eye as he called her out, and the moment he was done talking he went straight back to eating as if a word had never came out of his mouth. Wolfe’s face was emotionless, and calm. His demeanor was almost unworldly at this point as he ate his food, giving the presence and vibe of someone who didn’t have a care in the world.

The green haired female felt her facial muscles relaxing as a smile crept over her face. She wasn't happy that he saw through her, she would have to work on that, but the way he spoke to her was less that of an authority waiting for her to admit her wrongdoings and more of a mentor or older brother. He was trying and teasing, demanding, and giving her space. It was a highly persuasive technique and it was also true that as Yona sat there with him in open air, she was more safe than she had been for the past two days. Yona inhaled and exhaled, dropping most of her act, and looking up at the waitress who had been patiently waiting nearby, trying to hide a soft and confused expression of her own.

"Shot of warm sake, make that two. Got to rinse my mouth out," Yona started glancing at Wolfe and seeing if he would find that an issue. Some men had this strange notion that a woman couldn't or shouldn't drink like a man. "Roasted vegetables and chicken yakitori, for me." The waitress nodded and scurried off. Yona was quiet for so long that he might have assumed she was simply not going to speak to him for calling her out like that. But what she was really doing was scanning the area with her vibrant green hues and giving the waitress time to return with the sake.

Once the sake had been placed before her, Yona took a shot right then, fast and hard. As it slid down her throat, burning her dry mouth, she let out a sound of relief and closed her eyes. "I'm Yona. I have a serious problem and we can't talk about it here. I broke the law with all intentions of un-breaking it and some seriously dangerous people are after me for it on both sides." Her pale fingers moved from below the sleeves of her coat, resting on the table, to slide over and touch the still warm but empty shot of sake. "I don't want or need any help, but if you insist on knowing, you'll have to get us either a better table or a secure location to speak."

Wolfe watched as it seemed like he had finally broken through to her a little. He could tell the slight shift in her demeanor as she relaxed a little. However, he could tell he did rattle her cage a little. He figured she wasn’t used to being talked to like he had talked to her, but then again he had called her out and she seemed like the kind not to be called out often. He just kept his presence and demeanor as calm as he could as he continued to eat pieces of sushi.

Wolfe nodded as she finally ordered and nodded to the waitress as she walked away and then went right back to eating his food. He instantly noted that she scanned the area and seemed a little iffy about wanting to talk about whatever was going on with her. He figured it was probably bad and she was in trouble of some sort of she was being this cautious about even talking about it. Wolfe braced himself a little as he waited to hear whatever the young woman had to say.

There a long silence before the waitress brought out the sake, which the woman grabbed the first shot and dropped it like water. Wolfe just smirked a little and continued to eat as she took a few more seconds to compose herself and began to speak. He listened as she gave her name as Yona and explained that she had done extremely questions stuff and had ended up in the middle of two separate groups, and both were out to get something out of her. She then went one about if Wolfe wanted more info then he would have to find them a more secure area to speak. Wolfe looked around for a second before he spoke ”Ok, well…. How about this? Pick a location you feel would fit the premise of “more secure” and I we can do it. I would like to hear a little more about this.” Wolfe went back to eating as the waitress brought out a few more plates of food, this time each plate was a variety of different types of food such as pasta, pizza, steak, and bread to name a few.

Yona watched him in near horror as he consumed his food. She was particular about elegance, appearance, hygiene and manners. When she saw the sheer amount of consumables brought before him and the vigor with which she ate, Yona stopped herself from scoffing or rolling her eyes by downing the second shot of sake. It wasn't smooth, it wasn't even very good. But the sake did it's job in distracting her from his eating and her situation for a couple seconds.

Yona thought carefully and cautiously about areas in Hosenka. An Inn would be too suggestive, she hated the idea of some InnMaster or this white haired man considering alternative uses for what was basically a bedroom with a desk in it. She considered other shops, but decided against it, noting that too many people trafficked the areas and it was all too likely that some would be the ones seeking her out. The most obvious bet was the bath houses and the springs, but the honest truth about those places was that all weapons and goods were required to be locked up before entry. At this place, and this place alone, might she find solace and believe she might be safe enough to not be attacked. She glanced at the white haired man and made a face as she realized that she had to actually tell him so.

The waitress came by and deposited her yakitori plate quickly moving to the next table and then away, too busy to stay and chat. Yona took a breath and rubbed her temple with her right hand before lifting her chopsticks up. "The Onsen a few roads away should do. Clothing and items left at the door, we can get a personal tub with a divider." She flicked her eyes up to him, "But towels are required in my presence. I have no interest in seeing you naked, I just want privacy and security. You have the Jewels to spare, I imagine?" Yona began to eat the simmering food before her, the aroma enticing her so much that her mouth watered; still the green haired woman had the cultured experience to moderate the size and speed of her bites.

Wolfe continued his trend of devouring plate after plate of food. He knew that it was not the most appealing thing in the world to watch, but he wasn’t a monster and he did finishing chewing before swallowing and didn’t talk with his mouth full. He watched as the gears in her head began to turn as she was obviously thinking about the options open to her for a place for them to discuss what was going on with her. There were more than a few options so he was just waiting to see what she decided.

Around this time the waitress brought out Yona’s food and she started into it. She then finally spoke up as she spoke about a place a few roads down that was a Onsen. It seemed like a good idea and he was up for it. Wolfe nodded at her suggestion. She then started in about privacy and demanded that Wolfe wear a towel around here. He couldn’t help but smirk a little as he nodded at her agreeing to her terms. He then began working on his last plate of food as he considered what she might have to tell him.

It didn't take Wolfe long before he was finished with his food, so he leaned back and got comfortable as he waited for Yona to finish her food. As he did, he took a second to take a deep breath and took a sip of his drink. He had never expected this kind of night when he had chosen to take a seat here and get some food, but then again at least this was interesting. Wolfe looked back at Yona as he spoke "By the way, you may call me Wolfe, and whenever your done and ready you can lead the way." Wolfe then motioned over the waitress and paid her for all the food and then leaned back in his chair again as he waited for her to finish and lead the way.

"How do I know I can trust you?" Yona asked him, but it was kind of a rhetorical question. Plus, did it much matter? If the organization after her blood had sent him then she was already dead. Yona continued eating at a delicate human pace, showing clean white teeth and a natural grace. The woman had perfected her etiquette so if she was ever impolite, it was a matter of how well she controlled her temper or emotions. Because the fact was that she could play nearly any role was always undermined by her control of emotions and her patience. She had played her role well enough three days ago, but her cover slipped the day after.

Still ego-bruised and persistent, Yona finished her meal knowing that for the first time she might truly have been in over her head. Again, she questioned herself, did she really have a choice to trust or not trust this massive white-haired guy? She took a sip of his water, showing that she still had both the power and the lack of fear in the situation she was in.

The green haired woman stood and pushed in her chair, making sure Wolfe indeed paid the bill. Then she lead him out of the eatery and into the street. It was dark now, sun having fully set, and that same chilly breeze whispered through the air, telling Yona that the streets were more or less empty now. That meant it was more dangerous, really. Yona gestured with her chin, nodding the way they were headed, "Two blocks that way. I saw the place, the Spirit Onsen when I got here a few days ago. Looks like some sort of healing and bathing center." As they got closer, the pungent smell of mint and lavender ran rampant through the air, a few steam vents on the large building peeling out clouds of aromatic steam from inside. It was a large but short building, with a curling red roof and golden paint applied in thick decorative lines. Outside there was a large but empty hot spring, wrapped around by a tall rock wall. The sound of a small waterfall or fountain could be heard as the two approached. A small sign by the front door designated that this was "The Spirit Onsen: Great for refreshing minds and bodies!" And just beside it was a smaller sign which read: "Two people for the price of one, bring a friend!"

Wolfe answered her question with silence as he just gave her a half smile. They both knew that she didn't really have much of a choice, and that if she wanted to even have a chance at getting out of her ordeal and trouble, then she was going to have to trust Wolfe rather she wanted to or not. Wolfe watched a she slowly ate her food, making sure to be proper and elegant about it. He wasn't sure if this was more of a facade or if this was her actual personality. Either way he had to give her credit for ability to shift between her different demeanors and personalities.

Wolfe waited till she was done and stood up, following her lead he also stood up. He began to follow her as she started to leave the restaurant taking up right behind her. Wolfe listened as she spoke "Ok, sounds like a idea. Lead the way." Wolfe walked slowly behind Yona taking in the smells and sounds. At this time of night, the town was fairly quiet and most of the city was calming down. At this time of the day the city was actually very pretty and kind of nice to walk around in.

It didn't take long for them to get to the intended building, which was surrounded by an intense aroma. Wolfe saw a sign on the outside that mentioned something about a 2 for 1 deal. Wolfe followed as she led the way into the building and he made his way over to the desk and paid for himself and Yona. He then nodded to her and waited for her to enter the room marked female before he headed to the one marked male.

One inside he stripped down and grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist before heading into the bath room and making his way to the large spring tub and stepping in. He removed his towel as he sat down in the water and made his way to the corner and sat down in the hot water. He was enjoying the moment as he waited for Yona to join his so she could explain whatever it was that she couldn't explain in the restaurant.

Yona had been too paranoid to enjoy the town at night as Wolfe seemed to. He seemed so relaxed and comfortable, and a part of her wanted to get under his skin and change that. Shake his unshakeable and calm grin right off his stupid face. The female strode in with him, figuring he would pay, and when he did she slipped through the red cloth curtain for females only.

In the changing room, there were no others, probably because of the time of night. She had received a small key and with it opened a small locker. She slid her money purse, clothing, everything into the locker and obtained a tiny soft towel. She knew the rules of an onsen and had no modesty about her appearance, despite the burn scars stretching down from her waist and over both of her legs. She held it up around her chest and let it hide her body before moving to the onsen's rinsing area. She hung up the towel, noting another woman rinsing off on a stool. Yona minded her own business, rinsing the day off her with a quick stream of water, careful to keep her green hair from getting wet. The other woman left to go to the changing room and Yona retrieved her towel and moved to the private onsen.

When she got to the room, it was filled with billowing refreshing steam, fragrant and natural with minerals she imagined. As it clung to her skin, giving her a healthy glow, she glided towards the tub edge to see a towel resting on the side of the large tiled spring. Beside the row of potted exotic plants, of which she did take note in her head 'Strelitzia nicolai, Philodendron, and a rosy red Amaryllis', a small white towel rested. And then she frowned, her eyes lifting to Wolfe where he sat in the tub.

"Didn't I say to keep that damned thing on?!" She asked him in a frustrated voice. Her green eyes were wide and she hid them with one hand for a moment. She was far too tired of the stress of the day, of always looking over her shoulder, to really argue on it. At least it was clear he was unarmed and not about to kill her, which is what the whole point of the onsen was as a meeting place. Displeased as she obviously was, Yona moved and sat on the edge of the tub across from him, and slipped her legs in. Her burned legs looked even darker in the water, a stark contrast to her vanilla skin. He surely would reply, but after he did, Yona would begin, pulling her hand down from her eyes.

"So you wanted my story," the green eyed woman started, looking down at her legs in the water. They were a constant reminder, almost annoyingly so, of this whole mess. "I was seeking out information on a fire user. Some locals suggested speaking with a gang known as the Knives. Stupid name as it was, I followed up on my lead." She moved her right leg through the water, sighing as the warmth relaxed her muscles. "I met with a man and made a deal. He would tell me everything he knew about this fire user if I could bring him a package. It seemed simple enough. I agreed and signed my name in blood as required." She lifted her cut left palm to show the healing lines.

"Long story short, I brought the package in to him. He opened this heavy large black box right in front of me and inside was a young boy, maybe 8 years old. They were going to take and sell the kid, right in front of me!" Yona's anger crept into her voice. "Of course, they went back on their word. The guy only knew that a fire user was indeed in Hosenka area, about a month ago. He had no idea who it was, if it was a man or woman, and had no idea where they were now." Yona smirked, "I got pissed. I drugged the kid to keep him quiet and in the night, I stole him back. I brought him to the main square and found his family. And you know what I get for all my trouble?"

Yona paused huffing. She stretched her arms a little, holding the towel and then decided she needed a full body relaxation, whether or not Wolfe was looking. What did she have to be shamed of in her delicate womanly form? She deposited the towel and sank down into the water up to her chest, groaning as the water hit her skin. As she pinned up her green hair, she continued, "The damn family wanted me arrested. So now the Knives want me dead or alive, and I figured if I got the money they'd leave me alone. Doesn't quite settle my score with that family or the authorities though."

Wolfe sat in the tub taking in the welcoming and soothing aroma of the bathhouse as he did. The hot bath was a nice kickback from everything he had been doing recently. As the Ace he didn't really get to take a lot of time away so this was a nice pause from it all. The sounds of the rest of Hosenka were muffled in here, which helped to set the relaxing mood. He figured this was a good thing as he expected her story to kind of weight down the moment.

It didn't take long for Yona to join him in the room and make her way to the bath. It seemed she quickly noticed his towel next to the bath and made a comment about it. Wolfe shrugged his shoulders without even opening his eyes or looking at her. He wasn't running around naked and he was already in the water, so it wasnt that bad. If she had an issue she could just not look at him, but he decided not to say anything as it was obvious she was just being flustered. Either way he continued to just sit there with his head leaning back, eyes closed as he waited for her to get in and tell her tale.

It took just a bit longer for her to get into the water, which he felt as the water began to move slightly. There was a pause then she began talking. Wolfe didn't move, or make a sound as he listened to her. He made no attempt to interrupt her or stop her till she finally finished. Wolfe let some time to by with a quiet pause as he pondered on her situation and how he should about it.

Wolfe finally broke the silence as he pulled his head up and opened his eyes "Ok. Well this is how it is going to go. As you did the right thing by returning the child, i will fix that for you, even if you might have done it for the wrong reason. As for the Gang.... i will help you take care of that as that is now business i intend to get personally involved with" The last part was said with a sense of hate and anger, and it was obvious that he meant it in a very vicious way. Wolfe continued "and that should get you back to point 0. As for the fire user, I can offer you an alternative. He is an elemental, same as me, but made of fire. He also user fire slayer magic. So if you have questions for a fire user, he would be one of the best places to start." Wolfe looked at Yona as he finished waiting to hear what she had to say about his offer. If she was smart she would take it, or else she was screwed and he was pretty sure she knew it.

Yona wasn't sure as to what exactly an elemental was. It sounded obvious enough, but to her, Wolfe looked like a man. A large man with an insatiable appetite, but still a man. As he spoke, she clenched her fists, eager to interupt him and tell him that stealing the child in the first place hadn't been what she had in mind. Sure, Yona was pretty positive that whatever the package was, it was illegal. But an actual human? That wasn't her fault and she felt defensive about making sure it was known. How he planned to 'fix' her breaking the law and the authorities coming for her, Yona hadn't the slightest clue, but she didn't really know what the job of an Ace was anyway.

Helping her take care of the Knives was also a good and solid offer, but she didn't want him to just take care of it for her. It was her problem, her mess, and the independent woman was not the sort of damsel in distress Wolfe might of thought she was. She crossed her arms and huffed but the man just kept on talking. She thought he talked even more than she did, which even Yona could admit was a lot. Yona tucked a strand of hair that had fallen over her face back up and into her makeshift bun at the back of her head. Her face glistened and she looked down as he spoke of a fire user. She wasn't sure if she could ever find the fire user responsible for the death of her family and the scars on her legs. Yona had no issue with the idea of mass killing all fire users just to get that one she wanted. Her anger ran too deeply and her hate ran like thick sludge through her pulsing veins.

She doubted that meeting a fire user was ever going to go well for the fire user, but the one he spoke of in particular might have been off limit. A friend of Wolfe's was like to be a certain and horrific death for any who attacked them. Still, information was information. She needed to be stronger to kill a fire user anyway. Yona kept her darkness at bay and looked up at the man who waited, looking for her answer whilst assuming what it would be. "I appreciate the help but I need to repay you for it. Nothing in this world comes for free. Not to mention, the Knives are my problem. I can handle them.. if I am careful and I plan it out real well."

It might have taken over a month of elaborate plans and hiding holes, but Yona was positive she could manage, if she survived that long. "But you know a fire user? That is worth more than my life ever could be. What do you want for these things? I am only a fair dealer, see. I don't plan on owing a single person a thing in my life. I won't take your help for free, it's against my code." It really wasn't. In fact, Yona often took things without asking and manipulated people into giving her things or help for free. But with Wolfe, she felt the need to assert her strength and demand his respect.

Wolfe looked at Yona as she mulled it over for a second before she answered. He had noted her shift for a second when talking about the child and figured she had some kind of input, but he ignored it. He figured it pertained to the taking of the child in the first place. However, he didn't need her to tell him anything. From her story and what she had said, plus just him being able to read her a little, he got the impression that even if she was someone who would break the law, she still had lines she wouldn't cross and codes she lived by. She didn't strike Wolfe as the type to actually steal a child. Also she had returned the child and that was the important part. Even if it had been only done as an act to piss off the gang for screwing her over, it was still the right things to do.

As she spoke Wolfe took a deep breath and let out a sigh as she declined his help, and then went on about what it would cost her for the one things she was willing take his help on. He knew she was the type to be independent and most of the time Wolfe would have to agree that nothing was free, but she had just gotten free food and a warm bath, and all he had asked for in return was to help her. Wolfe took a second to gather himself for a second "Ok, look. I don't want anything from you. I already fed you and i am giving you the chance to bath and soak yourself and all i have asked is some of your time so you could explain to me how you screwed yourself over. I am offering help not because i want a damn thing from you, but because it is the right thing to do, so put your stupid pride away for a second and realize your up shit creak. I am not offering to take care of your mess, i am offering to HELP YOU take care of your problem because i am also vested in shutting them down now that i know what kind of shit they are up to. As for the fire user, he is like a brother to me and a very powerful mage, even more than me. He is one of the most righteous men i know and his moral compass does not waver. He and i would ask nothing of you for nothing more than offering knowledge. So just accept my offer already." Wolfe cut right to the point as he spoke as it would be slightly obvious that her that Wolfe was getting a little tired of her need to act tough. Everyone needed help from time to time, he knew knew better than most.

Yona grabbed her towel from the side and stood up, disturbing the water. She climbed out of the water, nearly slipping, catching herself on one knee hard. She made a face and then arranged the towel hastily around herself. Once gathered up, she sat on a large decorative rock bordering the pool, looking down at the tall man. It made her feel more powerful, more in control. Half of her pinned up hair fell down around her in waves, making her look either unhinged or bed-ready.

"Listen, I.. I apparently don't get a choice. You can help all you want, but I swear, their lives are mine." Her eyes narrowed on him, "They tried to sell a kid, set me up to take the fall, and gave me crap for information. I am going to slit all of their throats and hang them out to dry and you had better not be in my way." It was darker and bloodier than what she actually wanted, but Yona hated the idea of being treated like she needed help. She didn't need nobody. Her exhaustion was obvious now, after three days. She hadn't gotten much sleep or eaten much either, being too focused on who and where the attack was going to come from. Between the law and the gang, nowhere was safe.

She sighed and rubbed her temples with both hands, hunched over. The female was finding it a challenge to deny Wolfe the intrusion into her life and adding into that the goal of meeting a fire user was promising. She didn't want to hear about what a good person either of the men were, not when her standard point of view on fire users was to be hostile and even violent. Now was not the time for such complaints or questions, however. Now was the time to pay the Knives back and move on with her life. She lifted her head to look at Wolfe and finally really listen. "All right. What do you need me to do?"

Wolfe watched as she stood up and wrapped the towel around herself. She then took her place sitting on the side of the pool like tub and then began talking. She started with a slight stutter, and was agreeing to let Wolfe help her but then she started to go off into a tangent about spilling their blood and killing them all. Wolfe knew she was pissed, and she had the right to want vengeance but killing them all was not the way to go. Wolfe stood up and took a step and a half and was now standing right in front of her his arms folded across his chest. So far he had let her say pretty much anything she wanted and had not held her back from anything, but this is where he made the line.

As Wolfe now stood in front of her, he was exposed, but in his moment of anger he didn't think anything of it as he waited for her finish speaking as she had talking again. He was glad she was finally giving in and agreeing to let him help her, but he was still going to set limits. If things got crazy and they refused to give up and some of the members of the gang forced their hands, then yes someone might die, but he refused to walk into the ordeal with the spilling of blood as the main goal. That would insure that people died, and he knew it.

Wolfe saw as she finally looked up at him and asked what she needed to do. Wolfe looked down at her with piercing hazel eyes. As he stared down into her eyes sparks of lightning began to spark through his eyes and for the first time since he had met her he exerted some of his presence as he spoke "All you have to do is go along with the plan, which we can knock out the details over in the morning. As for your desire to kill them all, i don't blame you, but we ARE NOT walking in there with the intent on spilling all of their blood. If they force our hands, then shit comes to shit, but till then, NO. I don't know you or your past, but killing them makes you no better than them. I may not be human, but i understand the idea of humanity, and i refuse to watch someone just toss their's aside for something like petty revenge on some piece of shit thugs. You want to extract legit vengeance on whoever did that to you" Wolfe nodded towards her legs "then be my guest. However, chose wisely when you decide to become a monster." Wolfe didn't know exactly why, but as he spoke, he felt as if he was speaking from somewhere deep within. However, that was not important at the moment. What was important was trying to stop her before she became just as bad as the worthless thugs she was out to kill.

Yona had been so ingrained in her rant, in her anger, and in her precarious situation that she hadn't much noticed when Wolfe got out of the tub. She had sighed out, looking up, asking what she should do. When she saw only skin colored flesh, she blinked twice, and then her green eyes widened, opening farther and farther until her gaze had lifted up to the eyes of the tall man standing naked before her. She shrieked, a loud startled sound, more like an alarm than a cry of fear. She jumped back, faltering, trying in vain and too late to grab the decorative rock she had been sitting on. Her body fell back almost as if in slow motion, gravity depositing her in the hot water, towel and all.

After trying so carefully to maintain dry hair, and dry towel no less, Yona was stunned into silence when she emerged from the tub. Waves of roiling hot water slid up and out of the sides, displaced across the tiled floor of the onsen before returning to settle back. She stood in the churning water, holding with one hand the sopping towel over her pale figure. The other free hand moved over her face, moving the water from her eyes and brow line. Yona's face had turned bright red, but whether it was from seeing him in the nude, falling so clumsily, or the roiling water she had been dumped in was not clear.

When her green eyes met his, the hues muddled from the steamy water and covered by a swash of soaked green hair, they did not find an amused or laughing man, at least not at first. Yona saw in his hazel eyes a grave seriousness that didn't seem to quite match the situation at hand. Despite his bared form, he exuded power in a way that she could almost feel it. In his eyes were sparks of lightning and as entrancing as it was, the expression and force of his presence was somewhat reminiscent of a prey looking up at it's predator. No smile came to her lips, her smugness, her anger, her facades all faded away. Wolfe was not a man to be messing with.

Yona still felt compelled to kill the Knives who had betrayed her, but all in all, it was not enough of a compulsion to go against the white haired male before her. She turned her eyes downward, respectfully and demurely, as if she had ever been demure in her life. "Fine, we do it your way," Yona answered simply, her voice filled with reluctance. After being so admonished, Yona climbed her way out of the slick tub, careful to not fall a second time, her towel sopping so much water it might have filled up a whole separate tub. "Just, put your towel on, would you, Wolfe?" Yona had no intentions of becoming a monster, and the way his attention had focused on her legs and scars had heightened within her the importance of getting information.

The revenge she wanted was not to be directed to a petty gang. What she had in mind was more foul and malevolent indeed and it was all for the fire user who had destroyed her childhood, her family, and her legs. Wolfe had been right, the gang as bad as they were, just weren't worth the extra effort or risk. Yona had to take care of the unfinished business, but no more need be invested, no more time need be wasted after that.

Wolfe started to come out of his moment of anger just as he realized that Yona was looking up and as her eyes met his, he realized in that moment that he was standing out of the water enough that as she had looked up she had caught an eyeful of everything. Wolfe had let his anger get the better of him and it didn’t accrue to him till this moment that by standing up combined with his height that most of him was out of the water. However, at this point it was a little too late to do anything about it as he watched her start to let out a startled shriek and fell backwards from the rock she had been sitting on.

Wolfe watched as she fell backwards off the rock and plunged into the hot water. He almost felt bad for a second as he realized he had obviously caught her off guard. He then watched as she gathered herself and stood up trying to use the wet towel to cover her body as best she could. Her now wet hair was now falling everywhere as she pushed it out of the way revealing her red face. Wolfe’s facial expression softened a little as he realized he obviously scared her a little, which was not his intent, but rather he was just caught up in the moment. Either way the moment was over and he could tell she was a little flustered.

Wolfe did see as she turned her eyes downward as she spoke agreeing to his terms and to do thing his way. He could tell by her voice it wasn’t her first choice, but he knew it was the right one. She then made a comment about him putting a towel one, but in reality it kind of was a little too late for that, but he was willing to sit back down so he wasn’t exposed. So Wolfe took a step back towards the corner where he had been before and slowly sank back into the water as he spoke ”I know you are not happy about it, but thank you for agreeing…. And I am sorry if I frightened you. It was not my intent, I just got a little passionate about it for personal reasons.” Wolfe then motioned for her to get back in the tub ”Please just get back in, and I am sorry I exposed myself to you, but honestly at this point trying to cover yourself with that is pointless. So just get back in and enjoy yourself. Its not like you have anything to hide.” Wolfe gave a little laugh with the last part of his statement.