No Named District #2

Alyssia walked along the cobblestone streets leading to her destination that seemed like a labyrinth of hidden alleys, cramped buildings and dimly lit streets.

It felt like she was walking through shadows sometimes and everywhere she looked, there was evidence of the Asylum's presence there.

The No Named District had symbols scrawled on the walls showing the gang signs that had been painted by the current and previous residents living there.

It seemed like an intimidating place that not many would be foolish enough to step into unless they had a strong enough backing or individual power to let them avoid being unable to leave alive.

Many eyes were watching from all kinds of locations towards Alyssia who had stepped inside the territory.

Compared to some of the districts Alyssia had entered or passed through, the No Named District was a place that looked very run-down.

The buildings seemed to blend into each other giving off an eerie vibe almost as if they were trying to hide their shadows.

The streets themselves were not lit all that well either by small candles contained in lanterns which were well spaced out evenly along the roads only to accentuate the bleak atmosphere.

Even the wind added to the atmosphere as it whispered through the narrow streets.

The atmosphere felt thick with tension and power struggles yet it seemed inviting to someone like Alyssia who did not mind visiting such a dangerous place.

To her, it was just another adventure where she could experience yet another part of the world she was a part of.

Each footstep she took created a small amount of noise which caused the slightest noise to echo through the streets and alleys.

She continued to ignore the presences that tried to keep themselves hidden as they watched her every movement. 'So this is the rumoured place huh.. how fitting.'

Her initial impression was that it was just a run down dump that had been occupied by anyone that could go nowhere else.

It was technically the truth since that was the kind of place the Asylum was.

It took in those who were outcasts, needed to hide out, needed shelter and had nowhere to go.

Each face of the people Alyssia had looked upon from far away were covered with thick make up or wore some kind of mask.

It seemed like there were others that had dyed their hair and dressed in oversized clothes that further hid their appearance.

If someone was in a desperate situation and had nowhere to turn to then the Asylum was such a place where they could seek out aid so long as they were willing to give up on their name and past identity completely.

It included handing over any identity tokens, cards and papers they had so that they could only be held by their boss.

A small child wearing ragged clothes and a straw bag over their head that had holes poked in it approached Alyssia from a nearby alley.

They were very thin and had several wounds on their body which showed how harsh a live they had lived.

It caused Alyssia's motherly instinct to kick in once again just like back in the time when she picked up Yvie and the others.

There was a faint desire to help the child out but then she thought that she is in the wrong place to have such thoughts.

It was a den of criminals and those who had survived when faced with the harshest difficulties and tests so nobody could be considered normal or pitiful.

Not even a child could escape being tainted in some way by such a place.

Her guard was put back up as she looked down at the child. "Hello little one. Can you help me in reaching a location? I will reward you if you work hard."

The only option was to give the child a chance to earn themselves some berries which could be enough for some food and living expenses.

If she gave too much then it would have a bad effect on the child who would be unable to survive the onslaught of others who coveted the berries the child was given.

The straw bag on the child's head bobbed up and down signalling their willingness so Alyssia began to speak. "I want to be taken the the main building where the boss of this place resides."

The child was about to lead the way but heard what she said so they paused in their movements.

Vigilance was in their eyes as if they knew they would be in big trouble if they caused problems for the boss.

Alyssia saw the look and sighed. "I have business with the boss of this place to discuss. I can wait here if you prefer that. Just go pass on the message that I have what they seek. If you can do that much then I will still give you the same reward as I intended to before."

The child stood still and looked towards Alyssia studying her for a while until finally bobbing their head again.

Their footsteps could be heard as they ran down the cobblestone streets disappearing from her sight.

Alyssia leaned against the cold wall of a nearby building with a black cloak covering a lot of her body but it was not enough to completely hide everything.

It took the use of her Life Return technique just so that her tail could become more flexible and able to move enough to hide it.

Her Observation Haki was spread out to her surroundings overlooking everything within its range.

She was able to keep track of the child who left her behind but she did not chase behind them and waited.

It was like she had more than enough time and patience to wait for an appointment with the boss of the Asylum.

It was not worth breaking trust with others from the beginning and suddenly storming into the territory of others using cheap tactics.

The bait had been thrown out so all she had to do was wait for when the bait was taken.

The small child left Alyssia and navigated through the labyrinth-like streets and alleys until they arrived at a building.

They seemed to be pleading for entry for some time while trying to relay the message of Alyssia until someone finally paid some attention to the child.

Someone who was passing by picked up the child and brought them inside to check over the authenticity of the child's words before they could inform the boss.

Alyssia could sense that the person had no malice towards the child so she was relieved.

It was not too long before there was some more movement coming from that direction as some presences started to make their way towards her.