Sonya and her crew were following her down a dark alley as they made their way toward the docks. They were an odd-looking group, Yoshino in her traditional clothes, naginata in hand, Sonya in her heavy armor, and the sailors in uniforms with tiny skirts.

Sonya turned around to look behind her. “Did you hear something?”

“No, just keep walking.”

“It was like someone was calling my name…. Was it… Viki?”

“You’re just imagining things. Now keep quiet. It’s hard enough trying to get me out of here, let alone you and your crew.”

Sonya sighed. “At least we’re leaving. And somehow getting some sleep made my hair turn normal. I always wondered how the inns did that.”

“Did what?”

“Got your status back to normal and managed to heal every single wound you were dealt in a single night.”

“Oh…. I’ve had no experience with that.”

“Of course, though there seems to be an exception with the… ‘status change rule’… dealt to my crew here.” Sonya pointed at her still female following of sailors. “ Anyway, you’ll see soon enough. There will be many monsters on the path ahead. There will most likely be injuries, but your fighting technique will improve thoroughly on the way to the Toran border.”

Yoshino stopped in her tracks and swirled around. She gave Sonya an icy stare. The general started and nearly fell backwards. “What? What did I say?”

“So… we are going to Toran….”

“…Yes, I was planning on going home.” Sonya had one hand instinctively resting on her weapon, but she tried with all her might to relax. Yoshino wouldn’t hurt her. She knew better than that… didn’t she? “Is there a probl—“

Sonya stopped herself. Of course there was a problem. Yoshino was married to Freed Yamamoto, one of the highly prominent names of the City-State. How could she have been so stupid? She banged her head vigorously against a nearby fence to show her frustration.

“Sonya, stop.”

“Gladly,” said a slightly woozy Sonya.

“Great, now the neighbors might have heard us.”

“I don’t see what slinking around will do for us. We’re going to be seen no matter what we do. We have to get out in the open in order to catch a boat to Banner.” Sonya rubbed her forehead. Damn, that was going to leave a mark.

“Must I explain this again?” Yoshino flattened herself against a wall and looked around the corner. No one in sight, but that didn’t mean no one’s on the lookout.

Her question was left unanswered. Yoshino turned around to see that Sonya had fainted. “Great. Now that we look like we’re carrying around a dead body, we’re sure to be stopped.” Sonya was a nice person, but a mite stupid at times. If she wanted to be thonked on the head, she could’ve asked me to do it for her.

Still… there’s no turning back.

She clumsily hoisted Sonya up onto her right shoulder and held her naginata in her left hand, receiving help from the “sailor scout” known as “Billiana” in carrying the incapacitated general on the other side. Sonya grunted, and they both dropped her.

“Ow…” groaned Sonya. “Be a little more gentle next time.”

Yoshino shook her head and turned back around the corner. Still no one. It was a cool evening, but Yoshino could feel the sweat trickling down her forehead. She closed her eyes hard. Calm down, she thought to herself, or you’ll never get within ten feet of freedom.

She clutched the water amulet hanging around her neck and took a deep breath. The success of this operation is vital. Nothing should go wrong. Not as much for my sake as for his.

Yoshino motioned for the others to follow. The plan was to head for the docks a few at a time and generally in the shadows so there was a lesser chance of discovery. Easy enough. Except for the existence of one certain “detective….”

If Richmond were around, of course he would notice everything and suspect everything. Sometimes Yoshino wondered if he was born with a million eyes and ears that he could place anywhere he wished. Her face became very pensive. At least she and Sonya had to slip by unnoticed. The rest of the sailors were of lesser significance, though their passing was also important and would preferably be as quiet as possible.

If anyone caught Yoshino leaving, they’d definitely stop and ask her what she’s doing out at such an hour. That wouldn’t be too unfortunate. If anyone caught Sonya….

“Does she have any sense in her, now?” whispered Yoshino to Billiana.

Billiana nodded his—I mean, her head slowly.

Yoshino stared again at Sonya, who leaned against the fence. “You must understand, I am not planning on going to Toran with you.”

Sonya nodded. “I know that, but I’d like to know where you’re going. You can’t travel alone just yet.”

“I think it would be best for me to leave of my own accord.”

Sonya blinked hard. “Then you’re coming with us…?”

“To a point, though I have no idea where that point may be.”

Yoshino turned back around, not waiting for Sonya’s reaction. “I think it’s best that our first group leaves now. Each of the following groups will wait until the group before it is down the street AND the street is clear. Got that?”

The sailors looked at each other confusedly and shrugged. Yoshino and Sonya were already on their way to the docks, and there seemed to be no one else who fully understood the plan. Well, they’d make something up as they went along.

Billiana scratched her head. “I think it had to do with no one being around.”

She looked down the street and waited until Yoshino and Sonya were well out of sight, then sent each group accordingly.

“Whatever you do, don’t falter.”

Yoshino wasn’t quite sure whether she was talking to herself or the staggering general next to her. She’d been fighting the urge to drop all of her plans and run home to a normal life.

Sonya put one hand on Yoshino’s shoulder in an attempt to steady herself. “I’ll be OK. Let’s just keep walking.”

“Uh-oh….”

“Wha…?”

Before she knew what was happening, Sonya found herself being dragged into some shrubbery by the side of the road. She just hoped there weren’t any vicious animals in there….

“Shhhh….” Yoshino pointed down the street at a lantern. They both ducked as it neared.

“…I thought I heard something.” It was a familiar voice, most likely that of the barkeep. Yoshino didn’t dare lift her head, and she was having a heck of a time trying to tell Sonya to keep her head down.

“Sonya, get down!”

“Wait, I want to see who it is.”

Some general. “Haven’t you ever had to sneak around at night before?”

“With my ships.”

The voice came closer. “Hey, I think I heard something over here.”

Oh, shit.

Sonya ducked her head as the light passed by them. The two women held their breath, waiting, waiting.

He passed by them, very fortunately, but they did not stir until his footsteps were a good way down the street, barely audible. Even then, all they did was breathe normally. It felt like everything was at stake in this crazy game of hide-and-seek.

Now he was gone. Good. They could at least get to the docks.

“Quickly,” Yoshino whispered and motioned toward the river. “We’re almost there.”

They jumped out of the shrubbery and ran, trying to make their steps as light as possible. Yoshino ran ahead with her eyes almost closed. She didn’t dare turn her head. Looking back would heighten the pain in her heart….

I feel like I’m betraying everything I’ve ever lived for.

Almost there, the dock was just around the corner….

No, don’t stop and think. Just go.

There, the boat was just some yards away. They just had to jump in and somehow hide in the storage area.

Yoshino halted suddenly, turning her attention to a nearby cottage. Sonya slowed next to her and stared too. “Something wrong?” she whispered.

Yoshino looked back at Sonya. Her eyes were wide and filled with terror. “I really hope that Amada’s a heavy sleeper. Or that he’s not home. He’s a frequent traveller.”

Sonya smiled. “Yoshino, you seemed so calm and confident back there. You’re frantic now. Relax, we’re almost outta here.”

They were able to slip onto the ship unnoticed, as no one ever seemed to be on lookout in this homely little port town with only a single destination. At least, that’s the way it was on this side of the sluice gate. The two crept into the storage room where they hid behind some flour barrels. The rest of the crew came in time, a few at a time, somehow exactly the way Yoshino had instructed them.

When finally Billiana and Henrietta (the second one) were safely onboard, Sonya turned to Yoshino. “Are you ready for this?”

Yoshino gave no answer. She hugged her knees close to her body, trembling, beads of sweat dripping all over her forehead. She sobbed, too, almost uncontrollably. How much more could she take? Everything was suddenly so different from before….

“Yoshino….” Sonya felt like crying herself. Maybe it was a mistake to take her from this place where she had lived for so long. Maybe it’s just too much for her. Even if anyone ever did manage to get her out of that boring routine, maybe it would have been that much better if it weren’t me.

“You know, Yoshino, you can always go back.”

Yoshino shook her head violently. “No,” she gasped between sobs. “I’ve… made up my mind to go. I won’t let myself down. I’m just….” Her sentence trailed off.

Afraid, she thought. Deathly afraid of anything and everything that might happen. Of Toran, the City-State, and most of all, of Freed. Oh, why did I ever make this decision in the first place? Destiny?

Damn Destiny.

“I know you’re afraid.” Sonya’s voice was soft and soothing. “Anyone would be in your situation. But you are the only one who controls your life, and if it’s you that want to leave, then you can leave. The sun doesn’t rise for a few hours, and the boat doesn’t leave for a while after that. I’m not saying you have to come with us. I’m just saying that it’s your decision to make, and it always has been.”

Yoshino turned away. My decision…?

Of course. My decision. It was my decision to come. Maybe that’s what hurts. If anything goes wrong with my decision, it’s my fault. But I’m not turning back. I will take the blame, and I will do my best to see that as few things as possible go wrong with my decision.

She closed her eyes and smiled to herself. “I’m going, Sonya. Don’t you dare try to stop me.”

She managed a little giggle, and she loosened up a tiny bit. Sonya smiled back.

“Don’t worry. I won’t.”

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"Yoshino", "Freed", "Sonya" and "Rikimaru" are (C) Konami. This chapter was posted on February 16, 2000