Before the dust even cleared, Kiori saw that his target was prone, complete open and ripe for stabbing. Just one thrust of his sword and it would all be over. Yet, the dust was given time to clear and Rylee time to ascertain his identity; Kiori was just standing there. It was barely discernible, but his hands were clenching the swords a bit too tightly, and his arms were shaking, not from fear or fatigue, but from something else, something deeper. It was as if his years of bloody conditioning and the last shred of humanity that he had managed to cling to were having a tug of war with his soul. He couldn't kill Rylee, but at the same time he couldn't put his swords away. He was stuck. Then, Rylee spoke.

It seemed that he wasn't unrecognizable after all these years after all. She remembered him, she remembered his nickname. When was the last time he'd heard his name uttered with even a drop of compassion in it? In fact, when was the last time anyone had used his name at all? The guildmaster simply needed to look at him to address him, any business he conducted was under an alias, and his targets never knew his name. It was one of the guild's tactics to dehumanize the assassins; they were weapons with a single purpose, not people with individual names. But hearing her say his name was like a sudden burst of nourishment for his shriveled, withering soul. His stoic expression was cracked with the beginnings of a smile and he replied with a nod. He lowered his swords. "Yes, it's me..."

Kiori had no idea what to say next. As a boy he had never been short of words. In fact, the adults usually found him obnoxiously talkative. But for over a decade speaking had simply been a means of acquiring information with him. Assassins didn't need "friends." Those assassins that did associate with one another were so depraved that they would just as eagerly put a dagger in a "friend's" back as share a mug of ale. They were like rabid wolves barking at one another just to hear how loud they could bark. So, when it came to this, talking to a normal person, hell an old friend, he was at a loss. 

Kiori let out a sigh and shook his head. "Why did you do it? I'm sure you realize the mess you made with all this, so why the [i]hell[/i] did you think it would be a good idea to abandon your guild?" His tone was harsh, but his reprimand was filled with concern rather than malice. Nobody escaped the guilds. She was dead; [i]they[/i] were dead. Her reasons for leaving wouldn't change that simple, undeniable fact, but at least he'd have a chance to chat with an old friend before they died.