[h1][center]Bak and Yuuto’s Night[/center][/h1]

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Bak hardly even remembered Yuuto leading her inside, which is something she would come to regret later but really there was no helping it. Rurik’s joke had shocked the life right out of her, and just as she had been recovering from that Christine had shown up in an utterly scandalous costume that took her breath away a second time. A terrifying double whammy. Horror, embarrassment, stark relief, slight anger, puritanical stick-up-her-ass indignation all swirled together inside her and essentially nessiciated she run on autopilot until all the emotions were sorted into the relevant boxes. 

When she finally came out of it she found herself crunching through some kind of cracker, richly adorned with some black jelly that certainly tasted expensive. She looked around, worried a little, as she blocked a section of a table laden with various fancy snacks and refreshments, but compared to the fanciest parties of her fantasies the spread was actually little disappointing. Nevertheless she quickly reached out from under her costume and snatched another of those jelly crackers.

Gulping it down she turned to Yuuto. “Uhhhhhh, I hope I did not do anything embarrassing.” She said. No one was screaming and nothing was on fire, but it didn’t hurt to ask.

Yuuto glanced over at Bak, fighting to prevent form chuckling at how the machine girl had to maneuver to eat her snacks. However, at her query, he shook his head. [color=lavender]”[i]Iie[/i]. No embarrassment came to you, Bak-[i]san[/i].”[/color] At this, Yuuto turned back to the crowd he’d been watching like a hawk ever since the two had stepped foot inside the ball. At first, Yuuto was sure he’d spotted some THRONEs agents, but they’d disappeared as quickly as they’d appeared. Yuuto grunted in annoyance. Keeping track of THRONEs was as hard as keeping track of a ninja (something he had some experience in). If they didn’t want to be seen, there was no way he’d be finding them any time soon.

However, Yuuto’s attention would be drawn to Katherine and her rather explosive exit. Yuuto’s body had tensed, prepared for action, but he relaxed as she left. He reached out for some punch, casually sipping on it as his eyes continued to wander.

Bak tried to follow where Yuuto was looking, briefly flipping on her thermal vision as her eyes landed on a girl ruining her pretty blue princess costume as she stomped away and flinching at the sudden white that engulfed her vision. She quickly flipped it off, realizing from a glance who it must have been and tensing up right alongside Yuuto, but to her relief the girl didn’t even notice them. After a few moments she lowered her weapons and giggled. “It is good thing we are wearing masks. I see why it is you do it all the time. It would not be good idea to get in fight with Christine's sister here.” She sighed. “Still, is nice to know she is all right. For Christine’s sake.”

Yuuto nodded his head absently at Bak’s assessments. [color=lavender]”[i]Hai[/i], for sake of Christine-[i]chan[/i], is good to know. However, bigger concern is demon inside.”[/color] At this, Yuuto shook his head.

[color=lavender]”Perhaps is better to change subject. After all, would not want to ruin good evening of relaxing, [i]ne[/i]?”[/color] the ninja asked, after finishing off his punch. [color=lavender]”What say we spar sometime, Bak-[i]san[/i]? Am always seeking to improve myself.[/color]

“Hah, you want to test yourself against second scariest monster in all Yek. Da. Da! I would be honored.” She said excitedly. She suddenly turned and looked around the room, thoroughly scanning from side to side. “I do not think they have Bear Pit here though. Is disappointing. We could have done so right now, after I got rid of bear.” In fact, this was less extravagant than what she had expected of a decadent foreign princess. No wrestlers, so aria singers, so acrobats or small people that tumbled. “Maybe princess is impoverished.”

Yuuto himself glanced around, after making note of Blak’s pleased expression. However, he quirked an eyebrow at her. [color=lavender]”Second scariest, Bak-[i]san[/i]? Who is scariest?”[/color] he asked. As she continued, Yuuto just became more confused, though he tried to hide it from his face. Bear pit? What kind of place did Bak come from? 

At the impoverished bit, Yuuto couldn’t help but chuckle. [color=lavender]”[i]Hai[/i], is possible. No pachinko machines, no entertainers, and no tea station. Is very unusual party. Perhaps restrictions prevent better party?”[/color] he speculated. After all, it seemed to make sense to him that the Rhean government would restrict more dangerous displays. 

That didn’t seem right to Bak, her country had tons of restrictions and that didn’t mean the nobility couldn’t throw insane parties. At least, that was what she had heard when listening to her fathers old war friends and the closest they had ever gotten to such a party was setting fire to the mansions they had been held in. She was happy to know that she wasn’t the only one that thought the entertainment was kind of light though.

That was less concerning than Yuuto’s first comment, because that meant she got to talk about her favorite subject. He could see her eyes light up through the holes in her costume. “That monster is Baba Yaga. She is greatest, most frightful monster in whole world. An evil old witch woman that flies around the night, cackling, giving out blessing and curse according to her whim. Some say all monsters that live in Yek come from her somehow. She is my hero.” Bak suddenly got a curious look in her eyes. “Do you have monster like this where you come from?”

The ninja listened in fascination as Bak talked about the Baba Yaga, almost as if it were some sort of celebrity. At Bak’s question, Yuuto chuckled. [color=lavender]”In Jubanese culture, we have many such creatures. [i]Kappas[/i] that drown humans that wonder too close to river bank, vicious [i]kamaitachi[/i] that chop legs off and sew wound before can blink, and [i]kitsune[/i], fox spirits that can transform into human to trick targets. Even [i]shinobi[/i] such as I were used to scare children into behaving.”[/color] Yuuto finished. [color=lavender]”We have many horrors, not just one.”[/color]

Bak listened like a child to a bedtime story, except these stories that were used to frighten children only inspired wonder and excitement in her. She wanted to see these many horrors, she wanted to fight with them and see who was better. She would like to see a Kamaitachi try to cut its way through her legs, or one of these Kitsune try and outfox [i]bullet.[/i] It was interesting how even someone as normal looking as Yuuto could be considered a monster back in his home though.

“Rhea does not have nearly as many horrors as our homes, does it?” She said thoughtfully. There were demons, but every place had trouble with demons. You could walk in a forest or down by a river here and not have to worry about something coming to devour you. “Do you think this is why Mr. Mephesto had to find horrors like us?”

As Yuuto finished telling these tales, he grew wistful for his homeland. Jubanese cities had a certain air about them that Rhean ones just couldn’t compete with. True, he’d never lived in Juban, but he’d gone on trips with the family. The Kugekino ancestral grounds were still occupied, and they’d gone to report on how business was doing with Rhean clients. However, Bak’s comments brought him out of his reverie.

[color=lavender]”[i]Hai[/i], compared to home, this country quite tame. However, Rhea not completely safe. Mephisto-[i]dono[/i] operate from shadows, as do many others. Plus, we walk streets, do we not? Rhea maybe not have horrors, but Rhea still must deal with us. Perhaps we try to do homes proud, [i]ne[/i]?”[/color]

Bak giggled. “Da, I have been trying. I can not walk in so many shadows though. Clank too much. Would get Tovarish in much trouble if I were to make too many people afraid, draw torch and pitchfork mob right to Mephisto’s door.” She wished she were able to be that kind of scary sometimes, lurking and moving like a ghost through places. People only knowing you were there from the creeping hairs on the back of their neck stiffening. Then again, from what she had seen, being a ninja wasn’t all fun. “Yuuto, are ninja very much like you see in movies? What is it really like? Oh, if this is not big secret I mean!”

Yuuto nodded in understanding. Of course Bak would have issues with stealth. However, she then asked about… ninja? Yuuto shook his head. [color=lavender]”[i]Shinobi[/i] you see on film are not like real [i]shinobi[/i]. Real [i]shinobi[/i] prefer stealth, efficiency, and going straight for kill. We are assassins, killers, and to be used like a honed blade. There is no such thing as ‘honorable’ [i]shinobi[/i]. We do not allow feelings to get in way of job. We are not humans. We are tools, to be used by clients as needed.”[/color] As he said this, his voice was hard and determined. This was what he had been taught from birth. He was not a person, he was a tool. His goals were to serve his clan and his clients. If he failed, then he was more worthless than a broken tool, and would be discarded as such. This was his life, and he regretted telling Bak about it. He’d hoped to keep her innocent to the darker side of what he did, but he also wouldn’t lie to her. 

“Oh.” Bak said, queer understanding layered in her voice. “You become tool because tool does not have to feel bad, da?” She said softly. “Tool is not guilty of anything because tool can only be used by someone else.”

[color=lavender]”We become tool because that is how we live. We earn living by being tools of employers. As for guilt… is difficult to overcome, sometimes…”[/color] Yuuto said, trailing off. Some might say that one as young as Yuuto should not speak in such a tone, but Yuuto also knew how [i]close[/i] he’d been to actually killing another sentient being during the tournament. Ironically, him doing his job had brought about a spate of… unpleasant circumstances in his life lately. Part of why he was here. Yuuto shook his head. [color=lavender]”Please, let us talk about other things. Perhaps later we will discuss more about [i]shinobi[/i], but tonight is for enjoying, [i]ne[/i]?”[/color]

Bak instantly understood that she had overstepped her bounds, and shrank down inside her costume. “I am sorry.” She said. “Why do you not ask me question, then? I have asked so many of you so far. Anything at all.”

Yuuto shook his head. [color=lavender]”Is okay, Bak-[i]san[/i]. Is sometimes sad to talk about work with friends.”[/color] As she continued, he had trouble hiding his surprise. What would he ask about Bak? [color=lavender]”What brought you to Rhea, Bak? If is okay to ask.”[/color] Yuuto always had wondered why Bak would be in a place like this.

Bak was slightly taken aback. She hadn’t expected a question like that. “Mr. Mephisto’s man recruited me. I...there was not...ummmm,” She struggled to word the answer, though it didn’t seem as though she were trying to hide anything. At least, not from him. “I had nothing left to do at home. There was no one that would...mind...if I were to leave and Mr. Tatthel, this was the man’s name, he told me Rhea was beautiful city and that I would have more fun doing work here than waiting for Fearless Leaders men to come pick me up. So he put me on cart full of spiders and put me in crate in back of airplane and smuggled me out of country. And now am here.”

Yuuto patiently listened as Bak told her story, hiding any thoughts he had about the incident. However, after she finished, he quirked an eyebrow. [color=lavender]”Is… interesting way to travel. I hope Rhea has brought you good tidings. Is good place, when you know where to look.”[/color] the ninja cryptically replied. After all, his family business had found success in Rhea. No matter how much you polished a city, there was always a seedy underside looking to acquire more, even if it meant working outside the law.

“Mmm-hm!” Bak went, nodding. “I did not think so at first. I thought, when I first arrived, that all the people here were like the children back home. Mean. Scornful. Only good as targets.” As she spoke an incredibly cold bitterness crept into her voice. Her eyes became glassy and hard, like the glass sight on a rifle. “When I first came to St. Lucifer’s they surrounded me to make sport. Laughing. Jeering. Trying to drive me away. So I started blowing them up like always. But then do you know what happened?” All of a sudden that glassy look vanished like an exorcised ghost and Bak pointed across the room to the boy currently doing his best to leave it. “Rurik came, and he started blowing them up too. With me. I did not know what to think, because this had never happened before. And then I met council, and Miss Celestine, and you and...city is good place. I found where it is good.”

Yuuto nodded at her story, surprised at how… [i]bitter[/i] Bak had sounded. Yuuto had never heard that tone from her before. However, it quickly passed, and Yuuto smiled at the end of her story. [color=lavender]”Is good that you have found where you belong. Void Wisdom say ‘Is not power that makes one strong. Is people to fight for and protect that gives one strength.’ Treasure friends, Bak. They will make you strong.”[/color] Yuuto dispensed the advice as if it were from a wise monk on top of a lone mountain peak.

Bak tilted her head, lost in thought. Was that really true? What about back in the village, when she had been alone. She had felt so much stronger back then. She stood alone against the scorn of the entire village and laughed as they broke themselves against her. So had she been protecting something from them? What? Who? She could only think of two people, but the villagers would never think to harm them.

Then who else could she have been protecting them from?
What was it that had made her so strong?
What was she doing wrong now?

“I will have to think about this.” she said, her voice making it obvious that she was taking what he had said maybe more seriously than even he had meant it. It took her a moment to remember that they were supposed to be having fun, she she pushed those questions down to perk back up. “If this is case then it would be better to spend more time with us. I will make you strongest shi-no-bi to ever live!”

As Bak’s head tilted, Yuuto saw some minor emotional conflict that she only betrayed in a few quick flashes of emotion. Confusion was chief among them. At first, Yuuto was worried he’d somehow managed to break the poor girl, but then her voice sounded out after what felt like an eternity. However, it was her declaration that stunned him. Him? The strongest shinobi ever? To stand up to the likes of Hanzo, Goemon, or even Fujibayashi? He smiled to Bak, and as only his eyes were covered by his mask, it was obvious it was a full beaming smile.