Titans - March of Progress

The sound of the wind in the foliage swept around Kasui, and she just focused on the gentleness of it, intertwined with the sounds of birds, insects and the warbling of a nearby creek. She lay there, her right arm held over her face, her eyes pressed upon by the crook of her elbow. She drew in slow, peaceful breaths, and just took in her surroundings. The mid morning sun was warm on her skin, setting a light tingle across her body. The area was really quite peaceful. Nothing like the harsh jungles of her homeland, where an average insect bite could be near fatal.

Lying there in the grass for some time, she snoozed, at ease. Eventually however, a niggling thought started to eat at the back of her mind. She had a job to do, and right now she was being irresponsible and taking an unnecessary risking by not moving. So, she let out a sigh and moved her arm away from her face, and sat up, squinting as she opened her eyes, the sun's glare harsh to her gaze.

Looking around at the small clearing she had found refuge in, she turned her attention away from the sounds, and looked to the youth splayed out near her. He was looking straight up into the sky, his eyes open. As Kasui shifted, the youths gaze flicked to her, looking from the corner of his eye.

"Right kid, time to move. We have a ways to go, and we have definitely missed the first rendezvous" Kasui stated, her voice harsh. She grimaced, feeling a scratch in her throat. That was normal for falling asleep during the day in the sun. So she reached to her belt and took her canteen from it, and drank a few mouthfuls, before offering it to the youth. She saw him try to move an arm, but it just wobbled feebly, and she felt a stab of pity run through her. So she shuffled forward, and placed a hand under his head, lifting it before placing the canteen to his lips, and pouring gently. He gulped down a couple of mouthfuls and satisfied, Kasui moved away, placing the canteen back into her pouch.

"That should do you for now. So, now we move" Kasui stated, and moved forward, grabbing the youth, and pulling him up over her shoulders once more. She let out a light groan as her muscles protested, and even shook a little. Her body ached all over. Moving her minds eye over her core, she saw her repository of magic basically empty. Letting out a grimace, she just started moving, lifting her gaze to the sky, and looking at where the sun was. Still in the east, but high. So she started heading to the south west, moving through the forest and underbrush as well as she could.

Time passed, the sun moving through the sky at a leisurely pace, almost matched by Kasui's own slow and tired pace. Eventually though, Kasui came across what she sought. A creek that ran north to south, and eventually out to sea. She started to move directly south, following the creek, but keeping some distance between her and it. She did not need the creeks noise to conceal the sounds of anyone who would approach her.

Continuing to walk, Kasui kept up the pace, almost dragging her feet now, but knowing she was close to her a staging point, she pushed on, gritting her teeth. Eventually however, the creek opened up into a larger body of water, like a small lake, where other creeks or springs from the mountains met. And on the eastern shore of the lake was a solitary cabin, three horses tethered to a hitching post on one side. Looking above the cabin, Kasui noticed a thin plume of smoke coming from the chimney, showing it was still occupied. Perhaps. Looking to the window near the front door, she saw the curtains drawn, hiding the view inside. But on the windowsill, she could see a single vase, with a bunch of flowers in it. Breathing a sigh of relief, Kasui just moved forward. That vase was the sign that all was well.

Slinking towards the cabin, Kasui pulled up the last vestiges of her magic and wrapped it around herself and the youth, just as she exited the forest itself, and moved across the dozen or so meters to the cabin door. As she approached the door, she looked around her, looking for anyone that might be watching the cabin. Seeing nothing at a cursory glance, she just went for the door, and shifting, she reached out a hand, and knocked. Twice. Once. Three times.

Hearing a scuffle, Kasui stepped back just as the door was opened inwards, a man standing in the entrance. A plain, slender individual, tall with a close cut and patchy brown beard, set off by a messy short hair cut, and spectacles resting on a hawkish nose. The mans green eyes looked straight through her, and he smiled, simply stepping to the right, allowing Kasui passage. She stepped in, even as the man closed the door after a few moments. Then locked it. At that point, Kasui let the invisibility drop as she walked into the cabin, and deposited the youth on an old, ragged looking couch, flanked by a low table. Then she just collapsed onto a single seater opposite it, and let out a low, long groan.

"What the hell Kasui, who is that man, what the hell is going on?" the man demanded, not wasting his time in questioning Kasui as he came to stand next to her, his gaze locked on the youth, awkwardly sprawled out on the couch.

"This is item thirty two, and whoever he is, he warrants guards swarming his lab" Kasui snapped back in an irritated manner, her voice a practical growl. She closed her eyes and rested her head back, letting herself go completely limp, wanting the tenseness and soreness to disappear. Everything ached.

The bespectacled man shot a dubious look at the youth before letting out a sigh and then moving over to a stove, and moving a few things around, creating some noise. Kasui just felt her irritation building.

"Right. I see. That aside, if you would be so kind Kasui, explain to me what's going on. You missed the first rendezvous time, so we have to wait for the second one tomorrow morning" the man said to Kasui, a lilt to his voice displaying his own irritation.

Kasui opened her eyes by half, fighting the urge to drift off to sleep in her exhaustion. She sighed and lifted a hand to rub her eyes.

"Look Ryan. I'm not entirely sure myself. When I got to the main lab, it was filled with what I can only describe as human experiments. It was pretty fucking horrible, so I don’t want to talk much about it except when I have to report it. Anyway, I got the research data" Kasui said, a hand snaking around to her bag, which she pulled over her head, and deposited next to her on the floor. Ryan looked down at the bag, and frowned slightly at the books seemingly bulging out of.

"Two out of three then. Did you confirm Bradley was there?" Ryan queried, his gaze locked on the dark-skinned Samite woman as he surveyed her, noting the sheen of sweat on her dark skin.

"I got this close to the man" Kasui stated as she showed Ryan by spreading her hands a foot apart.

"Not that I think it matters. What's brass gonna do when we tell them in a few days? Send a hit squad or something?" she continued as she dropped her arms down beside her. She just sat there now, feeling like she was melting into the couch. It was reasonably comfy.

"Not for me to say. I don't get fed that info" Ryan stated as he approached Kasui with a plate of food and a mug of something. Kasui perked up at that and sat up, taking the plate and mug from him, and placing the plate on her lap, she just dug in, using her fingers to scoop up roasted vegetables and sausages, washing it down with the drink. Some sort of fruit juice.

"Now what the hell are we going to do with him? Is he even alive?" Ryan asked whilst looking down at the young man splayed out before him, a small frown etched into his face. The youth responded with a grunt, his eyes fluttering open, and staring at Ryan with some indignation. Kasui just snorted.

"Ryan, do I look like the fucking Admiral? I don’t know, take him back to the Union for fucks sake. Let the scrubs there deal with him. And yeah, he is alive. Was just covered in obsidian bracelet's, locked in a fucking tank" she snapped, her irritation and frustration shining through brilliantly, the food and drink not really curbing it just yet.

"So how about you do me a fucking favor and shut the fuck up so I can get some rest. Look after the kid too. He can't do shit by himself right now" Kasui added in a growling manner. Ryan just took a step back as his hands were raised in a form of surrender.

"Yeah yeah, alright. I'll figure it out. That’s my job after all. So, you get your rest then. Gonna have to tie him to the pack horse or some shit" Ryan stated, a slight frown on his face. He left the youth on the couch, not bothering to even tie him down or anything. Instead, he just moved towards the stove again, and returned with a mug, and squatted next to the youth.

"Drink this kid. You look emaciated, so eating solid food will probably make you sick. I will cook some soup to eat later" Ryan stated and held to drink to the youths lips, cupping the back of his head as well. The youth took a few gulps and let out a choking sound, causing Ryan to take the drink away.

"Let out a noise or something if you want anything" Ryan stated and just went back to the stove, starting to move things around once more, albeit with an attempt at being quiet. Kasui just sighed once more, and finishing her food, she placed the plate and mug on the floor and sunk into the chair, letting her exhaustion wash over her, her eyelids drooping shut.