Chapter Twenty-three: Things can change

Masami kicked off the handle, before she jumped over a table knocking off a man who was stepping on Hajime, with much ease and almost little struggle. Hajime had knocked the man out with the blade, perhaps out of knowledge of what happens if he kills someone. It will result in a feud, which was the last thing anyone wants for that matter. Especially if they were here on a passing trip.

Only to see Junri kicking him, with much ease. Just as they were about to go outside, where even more of them came around. Surrounded, it seems they were. Although whether they served Kouya was debatable, given that the only appearance the boy had was a single incident, attributed to him.

It seems that there was no one here to say it. Knowing that there was few ways to go about it, and likely they were being taken elsewhere. Yuki threw her parasol in an attempt to distract, while Kazuho ran out of the front entrance the same moment. With Masami ending it with distracting them with chairs, before getting the tables off the ground.

They weren't even sure whether anyone was here, but he left the moment they were distracted. Time wasn't on their side, furthermore in a city they barely knew. He ran out, as fast as he could.

When he was far enough to declare himself safe, only to find himself staring at Shino and Hajime who trailed after him. Hajime decided to knock down a couple of carts on the way there, thus making it almost impossible to track them down and somehow gained a strawhat. Whether it was some poor farmer or Kisuke, he didn't feel like wanting to ask. He leaned back against the door, taking the chance to look outside, while they were in an alley.

They were seperated, for good or better. There was no option but to continue from then on, and see how to contact them again. They couldn't stay long. While Shino held her foot, probably because she had accidentally fell over something.

"Is your feet fine?" He told the girl, who limped to him. It was obvious that it wasn't, if anything was showing. Although still wearing the pair of geta, Kazuho was convinced that it was far from cheap. Or expensive enough that it made her unlikely to choose to abandon it.

"I thought you said that you were fine." Looking at the limping of his cousin, without any semblance of worry nor did he show any sign of concern. Almost as though she was a stranger.

"Did she fall recently?" He asked.

"Yes." Hajime mentioned, as he held her hand. Of all things to happen, this had to. While there was little they could do. "And dropped this."

Which was nowhere to be found. Kazuho could guess that she stuffed it into her sleeves. Not wanting to show it.

"I told you not to say it." She folded her hands. Although Kazuho will not ask further, because she holds a fair share of his secrets. Though he could get back at her, but decided not to. Since she has fallen down, and was likely to bear this grudge even deeper.

"I forgot." She glared at him, which Kazuho could say was the better option of the two. The other option was Shino deciding to be Yuki and punch him.

"I'll go out and see what happens first." Kazuho could guess, and he wasn't one to disagree if not for the fact that he caused a lot of trouble on the outside. As for how Shino fell, it was probably after all the chaos that has occured.

"Since you knocked down all the carts, that might prove to be a bad idea." Since people will remember the guy who planted a hole in their wallet. Although Hajime had the subtle feeling there was another reason behind it, but he could not doubt it.

"Can't disagree with that, although are you sure you're up for it." Hajime gave him a smirk, throwing his straw hat. He caught it with ease, before putting it on. While standing in a way that was sure to attract attention, both the good and bad kind.

"I have walked streets similar to this before." He walked out without looking back. Knowing . that he had to look at the situation before he could make a decision at this point. He walked in the direction of fallen fruits, spills and vegetables. Knowing just who it was behind this. Along with fuming farmers, merchants, and artisans.

Although his too long hair will draw attention, since few others will have found the means to keep their hair long, even for women. Seeing that it was almost empty helped. Although he just wondered, where were the men.

But he knew why the moment he saw the dark blue uniform. He took off the straw hat, placing it back of his head. Knowing that if he were to cover it now, he will have gained the suspicion on many. And that they must have been caught by the patrolling officers. But all he saw was just two of them.

"Who goes there?" He turned holding a blade to his chest. He looked to a young man, with his hair tied into a low ponytail. Despite the proximity, he didn't even blink. His hair was long, tied into a ponytail by the side.

"Just a passerby." He didn't try to deny it. Thankfully, his only weapon was within his sleeves. "I'm a traveller from a foreign land."

"Seems like it.." Although a great deal of them here knew foreigners, but it wasn't exactly rare. The man lowered his sword from Kazuho's neck.

"Were you here just now?" His other colleague followed him, a boy who was younger than the man pointing the sword. Unlike him, the boy had shorter hair, which was messy and a little long. He held a book, almost as though recording down the details.

"No." Hajime was here thrashing the place, while he was running to the nearest alley was the truth. He wasn't even here. But to confirm it, they took an owner to see him.. Who shook her head.

"You're free to go." The younger of the two declared.

"We have something we need to ask you as well?" Before Kazuho turned around, just what will draw them to answer questions from.

"If you're a traveller, where did you come from?" The elder did.

"Giomitta."

"That is so cool, it is an actual city." The boy showed them a map, where he pointed to somewhere in the middle. He was even less certain that it was fabricated.

"Can I leave?"

"Yes."

"What's your name?"

"Sanada Hikaru, you cannot be serious." The other man snapped at his comrade, more angry than anything else.

"Kazuho." Before he went back to the direction he came from, going into an alley by the side. Not wanting to know them further.

Masami ran out of the door, with Yuki taking the chance to grab her own umbrella, before returning to the door. Where she kicked the table to distract them, leaving through the back door.

Junri had found somewhere safe, which involved jumping onto a roof. Although she rarely was one to do it, and Kazuho or Shino being around was the only way this was possible. Both lacked the strength to be able to climb it. And so, they did it.

Hoping to get away from the place, they could reunite with the other when it was easier for them to roam around. Although even she no longer knew where she was, having almost never stepped foot into the city as it was. The place was large, and a mystery for one who has never gotten the chance to really understand it. Other than just a few hours walking around the safer districts.

Yuki decided to keep her parasol, since foreigners were not a completely different site. Hence, all she did was to walk with her being mostly exposed. As they passed through the smaller streets, a danger that could have happened even more than before.

"You forgot me." Kisuke came to them, a boy who lost his straw hat. And his hair was anything but ignorable, although cut short. Junri looked behind, almost guessing that they will have followed. But they did not. Odd, as it was.

"I knocked most of them out." At least that was a relief. They didn't even think about stopping until they were well out of reach from them. With the four of them together, clear that Kazuho and the rest must have left. "Besides, someone called the constables."

"They aren't." Masami told them. "They are something similar, known as the Wariya."

"But aren't they also commanded and created by a man who spends most of his time sitting around ordering people." No one could even dispute that, although she knew the Wariya were a lot more independent.

"And isn't the same creator not even in the city most of the time."

Junri facepalmed herself, while Yuki just sat by the side.

Kisuke opened up a notebook, while showing the face of someone. "Does anyone know what this is?"

"It's a wanted poster." While Masami translated it, without a doubt she was disturbed. Not because of the picture but the name. Kouya was on it. Except that the bounty was high, a fortune that likely made this man a target for all.

"Where did you even take it?" Junri asked. If anyone asked, the woman will wonder just how could he be even more obnoxious than Hajime even when he is generally a lot more pleasant and less vicious.

"They were putting it up." Masami took the chance to look at the picture. She gave a small grimace, for it was a man wearing an eyepatch. Looking like an old man, but also a raving lunatic. If anything, she doubted that this could be a man who will elude and knew that it wasn't.

"I'll go and find Shino." The boy was about to leave. "If we can catch him, we'll be rich."

"If I were to meet my cousin, I will ask her just what has she been living on." She raised her own eyebrow.

"Don't," Junri told the boy. A

"I'll agree. Outside is a mess, and you probably won't like it." Yuki stepped forward.

The boy still seemed a little unconvinced. "It is a bad idea, they aren't something to trifle with."

Although Masami will not by any means know to what extent were they powerful, but hopefully this will work.

"All right." They all sighed in relief. Because that was a bad idea. While Junri quietly convinced him to hand over the paper, which was a highly inaccurate drawing in the first place.

"What should be our next move?" Masami asked Junri. Unsure what should their next choice be.