Sayuri whirled around to find herself face-to-face with the pigtailed bounty hunter, Maise. The woman's fierce eyes gleamed with anticipation, her fingers idly trailing along the handles of her sickles. "This is going to be fun," Maise smirked, her voice dripping with dark excitement.

  Sayuri's heart raced in her chest, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she readied herself for a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Her instincts were warning her of legitimate danger, but they fell on ears deafened by years of complacency. "It better be," Sayuri said, languidly stretching her arms while shifting from foot to foot. "I've been having to go easy on the guards lately. Haven't been able to get a good workout done in ages."

  "Hmph, you're cocky. I knew it wasn't fear I smelled earlier," Maise began, making no immediate attempt to close the distance between them. Instead, she started to slowly circle Sayuri, her gaze never leaving the Bandit Princess. "But there's something else there, under all that bravado. It's faint, but I'd never miss the distinct smell of elevated cortisol. You're not as confident as you'd have me believe."

  Sayuri couldn't help but bristle at Maise's keen perception, a flicker of doubt sparking within her. She quickly smothered it, forcing a cocky grin to her lips. "You're imagining things," she retorted, hoping her voice didn't betray her. "If you think you can take me down, come and get me. I won't make it easy for you."

  Maise smirked, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Oh, I wouldn't want you to," she replied, as she slowly began to unsheathe her sickles. "Now, let me show you why they call me 'Mad Dog' Maise!"

  Sayuri blinked. "Wait… what's a dog?" she asked, briefly dropping her readied stance.

  Maise paused, caught off guard by the unexpected question. "A dog?" she asked, incredulous. "You don't know what a dog is?" She scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. "Not that it matters. You'll find out soon enough why— Hey!"

  Sayuri hadn't waited around for an answer. She could always ask Ophelia what a dog was later. Seizing the brief moment of distraction, Sayuri launched herself at Maise, her agility and speed catching the bounty hunter off guard. The Bandit Princess darted past her adversary, deftly dodging the swipe of a sickle as she did.

  "Time to go!" Sayuri called over her shoulder, flashing Maise a cheeky grin as she sprinted away.

  However, Maise wasn't about to let her quarry escape so easily. With a snarl, she tucked her sickles away and gave chase, displaying a surprising burst of speed that quickly began to close the distance between them.

  Sayuri weaved through the streets and alleys of Odesvale, her heart pounding with exhilaration as much as fear. She could hear Maise's rapid footsteps behind her, the bounty hunter's heavy breaths betraying her position. This was a genuine surprise– Maise was not only keeping up with her, she was outpacing her.

  "I've got you now, you little brat!" Maise growled, her sickle grazing Sayuri's tattered gray cloak. Sayuri felt a surge of panic as the blade sliced through the air mere inches from her back. Her legs burned with the effort of keeping ahead of Maise, but she refused to let the bounty hunter catch her.

  Sayuri's eyes darted around, searching desperately for an escape route. Her heart leapt as she spotted a narrow alley coming up on her right. Without hesitation, she made a sharp turn, her agility and familiarity allowing her to navigate the narrow space with ease.

  Maise, on the other hand, found herself at a disadvantage. She may be faster than Sayuri, but not quite as agile, it seemed. The narrow alley restricted her movements, slowing her down and allowing Sayuri to widen the gap between them.

  "You can't run forever!" Maise shouted, her voice echoing down the cramped alleyway. The space between them had stopped growing, neither of them could properly sprint with all the twists and tight corners.

  "Neither can you!" Sayuri retorted, her words punctuated by the sound of their rapid footfalls. She chanced a quick glance over her shoulder and noted Maise's determination had become intermingled with frustration.

  As the alley began to widen out again, Sayuri realized the sound of their chase was beginning to draw unwanted attention. Townspeople and guards alike, normally part of the background of her usual escapes, were growing agitated by this unusual scene, peering curiously as the sound drew closer.

  Seizing the opportunity, Sayuri grabbed a wicker basket filled with mining tools and spun around in one swift motion, throwing the basket with all her strength.

  The basket collided heavily with Maise, sending tools and ore samples clanging loudly to the ground. Sayuri wasted no time and didn't bother to admire her handiwork, taking full advantage of this fleeting moment of distraction to sprint full-force toward the central plaza.

  —

  "I can't believe we have to guard the central plaza today of all days!" Lulu loudly complained, drawing a few judgemental glances from nearby citizens. "You said those bounty hunters your dad called for are arriving today– we should be hunting the Bandit Princess before they get the chance to!"

  "It's true. I did want to seek an exemption from Captain Jonas today, but I would've needed a firm justification," Benji replied. "At least they'll be locked in a meeting with my father for a while, giving us a chance to devise a plan of action." He adjusted his glasses, his expression pensive as he surveyed the bustling plaza.

  Lulu scoffed, crossing her muscular arms over her chest. "A plan? We already know her patterns. She always causes trouble for anyone stepping off the transport wagons near the Imports Depot." She smirked, a glint of anticipation in her eyes. "I say we head over there and lie in wait. Once that little thief shows her face, we'll be ready for her."

  Benji frowned, considering his partner's suggestion. "It's not a bad idea, but we can't abandon our post. Besides, the Imports Depot isn't the only location she targets. We need to think about a more comprehensive approach that covers more ground."

  As the guards continued to strategize, a sudden commotion at the edge of the plaza caught their attention. A small figure burst into the open space, weaving through the crowd with incredible agility.

  "What the—? Speak of the devil!" Lulu exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise as she recognized the distinctive green hair of their quarry. "It's her! It's the Bandit Princess!" she shouted, lowering her standard-issue halberd into a battle stance.

  Benji's brows furrowed, though his halberd remained upright. "What's she doing here? This is out of character…" he muttered, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the plaza, searching for signs of trouble. But Sayuri was just focused on outrunning the ferocious bounty hunter dogging her footsteps.

  Maise charged into the central plaza like a raging bull, roughly shoving her way through the crowd and eliciting shouts of protest. Her dark eyes scanned the area, finally locking on her target. A sinister smirk tugged at her lips as she brandished her sickles, prepared for a showdown.

  "LULU! That bounty hunter!" Benji shouted to his partner, his voice tinged with urgency. "Stop her before she hurts someone! I'll handle Sayuri!"

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  Lulu nodded, her grip tightening on her halberd as she charged towards Maise. The two clashed with a fierce intensity that sent nearby townspeople scrambling for cover, their weapons ringing out like claps of thunder.

  "Hey, meathead!" Maise snarled, "Aren't we supposed to be on the same side, here?!"

  Lulu grunted with effort, trying to force her halberd past Maise's defenses with brute strength. The very ground started to crumble beneath Maise's feet, but Maise held surprisingly firm. An invisible aura radiated from her, and it flared in intensity every time Lulu pushed harder.

  "You're causing… hrngh… a disturbance!" Lulu grunted, her muscles straining against the force of Maise's resistance. "We have laws in this town… and you're… breaking them!"

  "I don't care about that! I've got a job to do, and you're in my way!" Maise shouted. She released one of her sickles from Lulu's halberd, then used the pommel to punch her hard in the stomach. The force of the impact reverberated through her leather armor and sent a shockwave through her torso that knocked the wind out of her. From there, Maise hoisted Lulu's massive form above her with inhuman strength, and threw her overhead with minimal effort. "You can thank me later."

  Meanwhile, Benji closed in on Sayuri, his eyes narrowed and his halberd held at the ready. "Bandit Princess, stop right there!" he commanded, as Sayuri's green hair whipped around, eyes widening with concern as she saw Lulu fall to the ground behind him.

  "Benji, I do adore our little chases, but now's not a good time…" Sayuri said whole-heartedly, her words tinged with both sincerity and urgency. "I don't have time to play with you today – there's a mad dog on my heels!"

  Benji hesitated for a moment, his resolve wavering as he saw the genuine concern in Sayuri's eyes. He glanced back at the ongoing brawl between Lulu and Maise, his brows furrowed with indecision. "Sayuri, you have to turn yourself in," he insisted, turning his attention back to the young thief. "I can protect you from these bounty hunters, but you have to stop running."

  Sayuri's heart raced, her body poised to flee at any moment. She knew she couldn't trust the guards, but there was something about Benji's sincerity that made her pause. "I… I can't do that, Benji," she replied, her voice wavering slightly. "There's people that need me. Odesvale's urchins. I can't just abandon them."

  Benji lowered his halberd slightly. This was the first time he'd heard of this. "Urchins?" Benji asked, curiosity flickering within him despite the situation's urgency. A part of him desperately needed to understand why Sayuri could never give herself in, always able to stay just outside his reach. The urchins must weigh heavily on her. With concern in his voice he implored further, "They depend on you?"

  Before Sayuri could answer, a fierce snarl ripped through the air as Maise emerged from the chaos of the brawl with her focus honed onto her target once again. Lulu lay groaning amidst a small crater in the ground, defeated and struggling for breath.

  "She's mine, guard boy!" Maise exclaimed, her sickles slicing through the air as she charged towards Sayuri.

  In that moment, with the glint of steel hurtling her way, Sayuri made her choice. “I can’t let him get hurt because of me,” she thought to herself. She shoved Benji out of Maise's path, then spun on her heel, catching her sickles in her thick hair.

  Benji was caught off guard on multiple levels. First off, Sayuri had never once fought back before, always preferring to run. Second, the force of Sayuri's shove had surprising magnitude, especially considering she was barely more than half his weight. But third, that she would prioritize his safety over her own freedom– something she prized more than anything else– struck his heart in a way that left him momentarily stunned.

  "Get to safety!" Sayuri shouted back at Benji as she darted away, pulling a reluctant Maise along by her own sickles, entangled in her absurdly thick green mane.

  Maise's eyes widened, and with a surge of brute force, she wretched her weapons free, strands of matted hair still tangled betwixt the jagged blades. She was astonished by the amount of strength she needed to pull her sickles free from Sayuri's hair, impressed despite herself at the Bandit Princess's resourcefulness and fortitude.

  The bounty hunter gave chase once again, snarling as she pushed herself to keep up with Sayuri's agility-fueled escape. It seemed the thrill of the chase had gotten under Maise's skin, leaving her singularly focused on her target.

  Sayuri's heart raced in her chest, adrenaline pumping through her veins as she led Maise away from the central plaza and into the labyrinthine alleys of Odesvale. The image of Lulu on the ground and the shock in Benji's eyes weighed heavily on her mind, fuelling her determination to keep them both safe.

  "Stop running and fight me, you coward!" Maise snarled, closing in on Sayuri.

  Sayuri stopped. "You want me to fight back? Fine, I'll do it!" she said, burning with determination... until, "Uh, I've never actually fought before, can you show me how it's done?"

  Maise skidded to a halt, caught off guard by Sayuri's sudden boldness and unexpected request. She stared at the Bandit Princess, her brow furrowed in confusion, trying to gauge if this was some sort of trick. Seeing Sayuri's sincerity, Maise couldn't help but let out a sharp, abrasive laugh.

  "You've got guts, kid," Maise acknowledged, a glint of respect in her eyes. "I'll give you that. But you're in no position to be making demands." She shifted her stance, assuming a combat-ready position. "If you want to learn how to fight, you'll have to keep up."

  Sayuri gulped, realizing her mistake. She should have kept her mouth shut and continued running. Now she was cornered, without the guards nearby, with the expectation of a fight that Maise eagerly anticipated. She tensed, preparing herself for the impending lesson.

  Maise lunged, bringing both sickles together in a sweeping horizontal slash. Sayuri dropped beneath the attack, falling to the ground like a ragdoll. Somehow, Maise's attack created deep cuts in the alley walls and caused crates several feet away to split in two.

  Sayuri didn't have time to think about how that was possible. From her prone position, she rolled back onto her hands and launched herself upwards feet first into Maise's stomach. The attack was a solid hit, and it knocked Maise up into the air, but she neither winced nor grunted from the impact. Instead, Maise used her own momentum to flip into a crouching position on the alley wall, looking down on Sayuri with an amused grin. The bounty hunter was toying with her.

  As Maise leapt down from the wall, Sayuri realized she had to use her environment to her advantage. With the alleys of Odesvale as her ally, she might stand a chance. Her mind raced, formulating a plan as Maise landed on the ground.

  Sayuri took off once more, leading Maise deeper into the winding alleys, her small and powerful heart beating like a hummingraptor's. Maise pursued relentlessly, her frustration mounting as she grew wise to Sayuri's tricks. She had Sayuri beat in almost every respect, but her quarry had the home field advantage.

  Sayuri scrambled up a sheer wall, straight to the rooftops several stories up. Maise followed, using brute strength to pull herself up the same way. Her ascent was slowed, but it seemed like it would take more than that to shake the bounty hunter off her tail.

  Reaching the rooftops, Sayuri raced across the uneven terrain, leaping from building to building with practiced ease. Maise pursued her, undeterred.

  Sayuri approached the edge of a particularly tall building and didn't slow down, jumping down and balancing one foot on a gold power line cable. Maise followed moments after, only to place both feet on the wire and get herself electrocuted. Maise gritted her teeth, the electricity coursing through her body as she maintained her balance on the gold power line. Sayuri glanced back, a glimmer of hope in her eyes as she witnessed Maise's momentary struggle. However, her hope was short-lived as Maise pushed through the pain and continued the chase, her determination unwavering.

  "What's it gonna take to shake you?!" Sayuri shouted, exasperation tinging her voice.

  "You think a little zap is enough to stop me? I've faced worse!" Maise retorted, her voice rough with pain and annoyance. She leaped in the air and sliced through the power line with her sickle.

  At that same time, Sayuri sprinted for the next rooftop, managing to reach it just before the wire could lose its tautness. Maise clearly had been expecting to bring them both down to ground level, as she was no longer anywhere in sight. She took a quick moment to catch her breath before running once again...

  ... Only for Maise to leap right onto the rooftop in front of her and tackle her, pinning her against a chimney. Shards of brick scattered from the impact, and Sayuri coughed up a small mouthful of blood. Maise's eyes blazed with triumph as she held Sayuri against the chimney, her sickles crossed against the Bandit Princess's throat. "Got you now, you little pest," she snarled, her breathing heavy from the exhaustive chase.

  Sayuri's mind raced, trying to find a way out of the predicament. She could feel the sharp edges of Maise's sickles pressing against her skin. Sayuri glanced around frantically, hoping to find something - anything - that could help her escape.

  Yet for once in her life, she was drawing a blank. This was it. For the first time in years– or perhaps ever– she had lost.

  "You thought you'd escaped, huh?" Maise snarled. "Too bad! Once I've caught your scent, I can track you down anywhere! Running was your first mistake, girl"

  Sayuri winced. She struggled with every bit of strength she didn't know she had, but Maise withstood all of it. The bounty hunter seemed to eminate an invisible aura of malice throughout her entire body. It concentrated around the sickle in her free hand moments before she lifted it to deliver a finishing blow.

  "MAISE!!" came a voice. A furious one.

  Leon, Maise's fellow bounty hunter, stood atop an adjacent rooftop, his revolver trained on Maise. His eagle-eyed vision was locked onto his target with unwavering intensity.

  "Ludmilla lets you off leash for an hour and you're already moments away from killing our target!" Leon shouted, barely keeping his voice level. "Need I remind you, the job calls for her to be brought in alive! You have no self control!"

  "Shut up, Leon! I know what I'm doing!" Maise snarled. "It's called 'intimidation' you fop! I wasn't even planning on maiming her!"

  "Whether or not I believe you, you've also caused significant disorder on your hunt!" Leon retorted. "You've roughed up townspeople, assaulted a guard, damaged property, and knocked out power for the entire street!"

  "Geh!" Maise stammered. "Sh-shut up! This thief's caused enough problems for this town. All that seems like a small price to pay, don't you think?" Maise said, though she didn't sound entirely convinced. Her inhuman strength wavered, along with the malice she seemed to emit. "I did catch her after—"

  Sayuri took advantage of Maise's lapse in concentration to headbutt her hard in the face with a loud crunch. Maise immediately let go of Sayuri, and she squirmed up and into the chimney like a lizard into its burrow.

  "Ack! Tehra damnit!" Maise said, clutching her face. "Unruly bitch broke my nose!"

  Leon kept his revolver trained on Maise, shaking his head in disapproval. "Serves you right for letting your guard down," he chided. "Honestly, after all these years, you'd think you'd learn to control that temper of yours. And your language - do you kiss Ludmilla with that mouth?"

  "S-shut up!" Maise snapped, her face reddening beneath her hand. She shot a glare at Leon before looking down the chimney. It was far too narrow for either of them to follow her down.