Complications

The Fox was quick, as he leapt out from the thin alley toward Tracey and aimed straight for her, and while Tracey's dominate hand went for her own blade, she knew he'd make the distance before she could draw it and counter at all.

But then she didn't need to.

A smaller, but very similar shaped and coloured figure dropped down from above, landing on the would be attacker and fattening him out onto the street-side.

"Got you!"

Shizuka proclaimed with a smile, keeping her weight down on the surprised and now brought down other Fox.

He struggled briefly, but with Shizuka's hand pinning his head and her body squashing his as well, he couldn't manage to wriggle free at all.

"I caught sight of this one stalking you earlier, sorry I had to wait till he made a move on ya."

Shizuka kept grinning at Tracey, who still had only a hand on her sword, the slightly less stunned of the now many onlookers.

"I was wondering where you'd gotten too..."

She didn't let on that she'd mistaken the other would be assassin for the foxy-girl one.

"Yeah... first I was laying low, so I didn't end up in the slammer like you did... then I did a little digging and heard someone here had put a mark on you... again."

Some assistance came her way, as one of Tracey's people and a military man came close after handing off other injured Human.

"So I needed to lay in wait for them to make their move... as it was."

"Traitor!"

The would be assailant snarled at her, tried to struggle again, but Shizuka had him pinned well.

"You had a duty - so do it already, or let me!"

"Oh shut up! I am doing my task - to the very letter."

He tried to look back with questioning eyes, but her grip was too strong.

Allen and a Imperial army man carefully came either side, only when they'd taken an arm each, Shizuka bounced off her fellow Fox, and let them pull him off the ground, before giving him a quick once over for good measure.

"Don't glare like that at me - Takumi!"

The held Fox continued to snarl at the shorter one, who apparently knew him.

"You had your chance, but you blew it!"

He looked away from them all with fury and contempt.

"What should we do... with him?"

Allen quietly asked Tracey, as Shizuka picked up his lost weapon.

"The jail... perhaps?"

Tracey watched as he was tugged away, further escorted by two local guards as well, and didn't resist at all.

"So uh...?"

Tracey returned her attention to the little, smug Fox who relaxed on over and stood beside her again.

"All that? He won't make another attempt toward you, our code prevents that... and the one who hired him has already left for Bonestone... the capital, so you don't need to worry for a while."

The well informed Beast-girl conveyed to the slightly concerned and confused Human.

"Who hired... your friend?"

Shizuka watched the other Fox be led out of view, before answering.

"Takumi is just an acquaintance... and it was some old, fat cat counsellor who put up the 'task'..."

Hum... I think I know the one...

"So Miss Silver Hero - I see you've successfully conquered another town... congratulations!"

"...yeah."

Kibble's 'turn-over' had been much more of a logistical and personal problem, far more so than Yarn had been, as the local guard refused to give an inch to the 'occupying' Human forces, and the Imperial Army people had several slight head-butts on a few matters with them from the get go.

With some management and stern words, eventually the Human force started to get along with the local protectors, while Tracey's followers kept a close eye, on both sides, to make sure things stayed peaceful.

The elder Rabbit counsellor - who was finally introduced as Clive Oiling, got the rest of the counsel in line, seeing that the biggest 'catty' pain was gone, and the 'head' had been 'rather overwhelmed by it all', and so had a gracious 'retirement', which meant the lead role had seamlessly passed on to the level-headed Rabbit-man.

The 'occupiers' had been assigned to an entire large 'hotel', right in the middle of Kibble, a big building to sleep, eat and sometimes rest in, and was already seen as a far nicer option than 'roughing it' as the Human groups had been forced to in the past.

Meanwhile the Beastfolk army, who they'd learned had been gathered hastily, mostly disbanded, slit up and mostly went back to their respective villages and towns, including a small group that left for Yarn, along with Lilly and the farm-girl Nina too.

But some stayed, including the four dark, cat featured group, who were locals anyway, but had also expressed a wish to become better warriors, and who also wanted to train under the one who'd defeated them so easily - Tracey.

At first she thought they were after some sort of revenge, but they persisted and pleaded, telling her they wanted to improve, and learn from the best person they knew, as they took turns waiting for her, lingered by the hotel, started to wear similar clothes, and even asked about the possibility with some of her other followers, so eventually Tracey told them she'd give a few pointers, getting some honest smiles and promises to 'do their best'.

In fact; a few of the Imperial Army personal and locals had started to adopt her followers colours, as light-blue and white suddenly became popular in and about the town, almost overnight.

Tracey attempted to keep herself busy, attending several meetings with Amanda and others, while she said she'd conceder a few requests, she had put off something fairly important for long enough.

I should have just pretended I'd lost it...

The letter had indeed been a summons, from the weasel senator, and one of Tracey's least favourite people in the world, and with an official Imperial Senate seal - was regarded as urgent.

She could delay her return, for legitimate reasons of course, but certainly the messenger had returned word she'd received the letter, so just ignoring it wasn't an option, even though Tracey really didn't want to go back near the self absorbed and cruel 'leaders' at all.

After a week of sorting things and letting everyone settle in Kibble, Tracey didn't have any important tasks left to delay her summoning any longer.

But she'd take any excuse to put it off a second longer.

"You didn't need to come along personally..."

"Bu it's important, right?"

Another small matter had popped up - as Tracey went with Todd and Shizuka to the jail.

Apparently there'd been a problem, and the keepers had been tight-lipped about what though, until it was obvious at least.

"I'm afraid..."

The 'cell' before Tracey, Todd and Shizuka, was still locked shut, with the barred door, the small unbroken window, and with no sign of disturbance or possible escape - the room was still undeniably empty of the Fox that should have been there.

"...There was someone in this corridor all night, and he was still in there at midnight... but this morning..."

The light furred Dog-man warden reported to them, since it had been their prisoner.

He was a fully trained assassin - like Shizuka after all...

"Will this be a problem?"

Tracey turned to Shizuka, who appeared only minimally concerned.

"Perhaps..."

The Fox didn't linger on it though, as she immediately moved on.

"I should really be your escort for the trip you'll be taking."

Tracey sighed lightly, hoping her secret, low-key discussions with Amanda had stayed secret; about taking a quick and inconspicuous trip back to Aspley.

How'd she even hear about...? Those ears no doubt... oh well... I guess one more shouldn't be too much of a problem...

Tracey and Amanda had tried to keep the planned disappearance to meet with the Senator - for whatever reason he'd called for her again, as discreet as possible, and possibly exclude the Beast-girl from coming along, back into the unkind and unforgiving Imperial land.

"Very well then..."

At least the listening Todd had been informed of her hopefully short trip, so he knew not to blab.

Shizuka smiled and led them away, without a care for her missing companion, while Tracey knew she'd have an annoyed Amanda in her very short future.