Firestorm (Ace x OC)

Chapter 27: A Rising Storm

Ryoko flapped her wings as she began to circle the capital, high up in the night sky she could survey the city without interruptions. Her eyes flicked over the many houses, all seemingly abandoned at the moment, there were some soldiers currently moving barricades around the city. "It's a smart strategy if only to control where people can go." She says quietly to herself as she moves her circle closer to the palace.

Silver blue eyes widened as she saw a courtyard covered in red with blood. At least that is what she could assume at this distance, she tracked a few large piles of bodies that had been hastily moved off to the side. Her eyes darted around the scene once more before shifting her body around and flying back towards a large clock tower which she quickly perched on top of.

Ryoko shifted back to her human form, hand pressing against the roof of the clock tower as she leaned forward with her eyes shut tight while gagging. Her stomach gurgled unpleasantly as she fought the urge to empty what little contents there were in her stomach. She reached back into her pack and pulled out her waterskin, unscrewing the cap before bringing it to her lips and drinking a few small gulps.

Once her stomach settled slightly she opened her eyes again, looking around as she drank some more of her water. She could hear the sound of faint, muffled, clinking noises along with the turning of large gears. However, a sound that wasn't muffled came from below her, which had her looking over the side and immediately choking on water. Below her, tied together at the waist on a makeshift corded rope, were two people hanging out of the clock.

Ryoko turned around on her narrow perch and screwed the cap back onto her waterskin, "Okay. Well... I know that Ryoto did what I asked... Hope he didn't hurt anyone innocent though..." She mutters tucking the waterskin back into her bag before hopping off the tower and spreading her wings once more. 

She beat her wings a few times as she came to a level with a window, she then attempted to get inside. However, it was very much an awkward scene as she latched one taloned foot into the window sill and transformed her wings back into arms. She managed to catch one arm on the window sill as well and pulled the other up to grab on too. Her taloned foot turned back to her boot as she pulled herself up slid her leg over the sill and tumbled inside. She landed on the ground inside the building and sighed, "Never again... How does Ryoto make it look so easy?" She pouts and sits up rolling her shoulder.

After a moment, she stood up and dusted herself off before walking up the stairs leading to the clock room. As she got to the top floor, and into the room, she gagged once again seeing the crimson pool that was spread out from a mat in the corner. She looked around the room and saw a much smaller puddle of blood next to a big canon. 

She walked further into the room, crossing her arms over her chest and swallowing anxiously, eyes flicking around until they landed on what had been making the clinking noise. Hanging from one of the gear shafts was a long chain and two sheathed sickles, which Ryoko moved over too quickly. She grabbed one handle and unclasped it from the chain before grasping the second weapon and beginning to pull the chain around the shaft and back to the floor of the room. 

Her heart sank in her chest as she noticed a piece of paper tucked inside of the sheath. She carefully pulled it out and unfolded it. On the paper was a short scrawled message addressed to her, "Ryoko. Dealt with millions and billions in Alubarna. Deal done. You're on your own now, you better not die." Ryoko's complexion paled as she swallowed thickly and flipped the page over. However, whatever she was looking to find was not there, it was simply a blank scrap of paper with one message.

The air began to feel thicker, and harder to breathe as she fell onto her butt, both weapons hitting the ground on either side of her. Ryoko gripped her chest trying to take a deep breath, as she shut her eyes tightly. "Why couldn't you just tell me what to do?" She whimpers softly, head tilting forward and coughing softly before taking shaky breaths.