Control Sequence Origins/The Shadows of Yabiko/Pt 1: Tanken

== Episode 1: Tanken ==
In the ruined city of Yabiko, people were desperately scrounging for food and money. Desperation leads to thief and violence, and such a sight was taking place when a grown man was stalking a woman down an alley. The woman hummed under her breath as she walked, seemingly unware of her stalker. The man lowered his poster as he got close to the woman.
Man: Hey Miss?
The woman stopped suddenly upon hearing the man's voice, her hand on her blades.
Atara:..What do you want?
Man: Um if you don't mind I want to offer you a deal. See I'm a traveling sales merchant in need of an assistant and I would like to hire you. Yabiko doesn't deserve a lady like you.
Atara shook her head and turned away.
Atara: No thank you, I'm perfectly fine here.
Man: In Yabiko? Hehe, surely you must be joking.
Atara: I have my reasons for being here.
The young woman started to walk away but the man quickly went up to her.
Man: W-Wait! Would you hear me out for just a moment?
Atara: There are plenty more desperate people here who would jump at the opportunity, you're simply wasting your time with me.
As the man got closer he smiled deviously and took out a switchblade.
Man: You know, you might be right miss. Well, everything except me wasting my time. 
The man quickly went in to stab her. Atara rolled her eyes and sidestepped from the man.
Atara: Well that was predictable.
The man growled and violently swigged at her. Atara backed away from the wild swings and pulled a long knife from her sleeve.
Atara: I'd highly suggest you leave now before I lose my temper.
Man: Tsk! Like you can scare me with that butter knife bitch!
Atara shrugged as a dark energy swirls around her blade.
Atara: Very well then, I'm not sure if your someone mother sent after me or just a random fool.
Man: Heh, like your little drive can scare me.
The man said as an aura started to form around the man's body. Atara slid toward the man, then leaped over him to slice at the tendons in his arms. The grown man screamed in pain and throws an enraged glared at her. He then weakly held out his weapon and dark energy shot out from it.
Atara deftly avoided the energy blast, then threw a knife into the man's shoulder. She darting towards his legs with a slashed at them. The man collapsed to the ground and panted.
Atara: This cannot end well for you, submit now and you'll come out of this alive
Man: Heh...Alive? My arms and legs don't feel alive!
Atara: I said alive, not intact. Now, why did you target me?
Man: Hehe, to be honest, it's because you're a spitting image of a rich girl. Me catching a glimpse at you I thought I could get loads off you. Anyone down in this hell would do the same honestly.
Atara rolled her eyes as she took the knife out of his shoulder.
Atara: You were incorrect, I have nothing to my name here.
Man: Heh, such as life eh?
Atara: I suppose so, Now if you'll excuse me I have other things to do. So long as you don't follow me I won't harm you again.
Man: I don't think I can even follow you even if I tried...
Atara: Well I did warn you.
Atara turned around and left the man as he laid on the cold hard ground in pain. But as he slowly looked up, he noticed the blades she was holding. He grinned at the sight.
An hour later, Atara quickly slide in an darken allyway where her brother, Asher, was waiting.
Asher: Dammit sis where are ya, we need to go.
Atara: Sorry, got caught up with some asshole.
As Asher stood up to brush off some dirt off his pants, he noticed his sister's injuries.
Asher: Are you ok?
Atara: Just some bum who though he had an easy payday, nothing important.
As they talked, a little crow landed next to Asher and looked at him curiously. Asher noticed the bird and gave it the side eye.
Asher: I assume that means you still have it
Atara nodded as she pulled out an package out from her coat.
Atara: Just need to deliver it.
Meanwhile the little crow stepped closer to Asher, right up against his hand. As soon as he saw this, he pulled out his revolver and pushed the bird away. Atara rolled her eyes and starting walking.
Atara: Stop playing with the bird, we have to go.
Asher: Give me a break, it landed here. Besides if we hurry we can make it on time.
Asher said as he followed his sister, meanwhile the little bird tilted it's before flying after Asher. While they walked, Atara glaced at the written instructions on the package.
Atara: It should only take us about 5 min to get there, we'll be cutting it close but its enough.
Asher: I don't think we're being followed...well the bird is but nothing human.
The little crow chirped softly as soon as Asher acknowledged it.
Atara: Unless the bird is a beastkin and can transform, I doubt the crow will be a problem.
Asher: Whatever we're almost at the meeting.
The little bird then softly landed on Atara's shoulder. Atara stopped in her tracks and stared at the bird with a mix of fear and disgust.
Atara:... Bird if you are smart you'll get the fuck off of me.
The bird chirped lowly and flew off her over to Asher. Unlike his sister, Asher had let the bird on his shoulder. After minutes of walking, the two had reached their destination point.
Asher: I think we're here, what now?
Atara:...We wait.
Asher: Weren't they supposed to be here by now?
Atara: We must've have made the trip in better time than we thought.
The bird on Asher's shoulder started to nuzzle him, and he scratched the bird's head. As he did the crow slowly fell asleep.
Asher: And how long do we stay if they don't.
Atara: ...I don't know.
Time passed and still the two waited in the cold dark ally.
Asher: Its going to be dark soon, we have to be home before then.
Atara: ... We'll give it 10 min if they don't come by then we go.
Suddenly a woman came from an corner up to them, seemingly out of breath.
Woman: Sorry, sorry I'm late I know.
Atara: Excellent timing, we were about to leave. do you have the payment?
Asher: My sister is all business, no tact.
Asher extends his hand and the woman shook it gently.
Asher: My name is Asher.
Esmeralda: Esmeralda, a pleasure to meet you both.
Asher smirked and kissed her hand. Esmeralda blushed as Atara rolled her eyes heavily.
Asher: Pleasure to meet you.
Atara: We're on the clock here Ash, lets get this done
Esmeralda: Oh um right, do you have the package.
Atara nodded and took the package out of her coat.
Atara: Right here, unopened as promised.
Asher: Nobody followed us here as far as we can tell either.
Esmeralda smiled as she took the package. She then scrounged around in her coat and took out a stack of money.
Esmeralda: Oh thank you and here's your payment.
Asher took the money and hid it in a secret pocket in his coat.
Asher: Thank you Milady.
Atara: Now that our business is done we wish you safety on your way home.
Esmeralda: You as well, until next time.
Esmeralda smiled and walked off into the shadows. Atara breathed in a sigh of relief, while Asher glanced at Esmeralda as goes.
Atara: And now we get to eat for a while.
Asher: Too bad that's all, she was cute.
Atara: She was, but we had a job to do.
Asher: Fair enough. I guess the crow wasn't anything anyway.
Said crow woke up and chirped, then it flew around him happily. It then landed on Atara's shoulder again, but Atarta glared at it causing it to fly back to Asher again.
Atara:..Please tell me your not keeping it.
Asher: Why not? Its not like it eats a lot.
Atara: Ha no, I don't do animals.
Asher: Aww don't be that way sis, I seem to remember a certain beastkin back home.
Atara glared into his soul as he mention that, the just walked away,
Atara: Unbelievable.
Asher: Oh don't be mad sis.
Then crow chirped in a strange tone. Almost like it was copying Asher's quote.
Atara:...Look, just double check and make sure we're not being followed, I'd like to actually eat this week.
Asher: Long as you kneecapped the guy and Esmerelda didn't betray us I don't see how they'd know.
The crow looked around, but then suddenly it cawed loudly at something behind them. Asher reacted quickly, pulling both of his engraved pistols and leveling them behind him. Atara quickly turned around with her daggers in hand. There was silence for a moment then multiple footsteps were heard all around them, and the crow was cawing like crazy. Asher swore under his breath.
Asher: Well goddamn, looks like a setup.
Atara: And you didn't see anything?
Asher: Must be professionals.
Suddenly two men and two women came out from the shadows and surrounded the siblings.
Atara: Shit, now what?
Women #1: Well well, Chopper wasn't lying about the knives. Look at those beauties.
Man #1: Ehehe! I'll say, I bet we can get a fortune out of those.
Atara: ... On the contrary, no one worth their salt would buy them.
Asher: Anyone who could pay a fortune would see the crests and want nothing to do with them.
Asher trained his guns on the closest thugs.
Women #2: Shame, I honestly thought those knives would be worth selling. Oh well, guess we'll have to settle on taking the oney that women gave you.
Man #2: And selling your bodies.
Asher: Only four of them, I can get two before they jump us.
Asher mumered to his sister, while the thugs thought about their rewards.
Asher: I'd rather not, there's no point for this to be violent.
Atara: But if you want to fight we are more than able to comply.
Woman #2: Oh we will have to fight, Atara Fukui.
Atara:..So you know...very well then, I suppose we will have to fight.
Suddenly sethir began to swirl around the barrels of Asher's guns.
Asher: And you'll take that little tidbit to the grave.
Man #1 quickly took out a shotgun and fired at them, Man #2 took out a shield and also rushed at them, and Woman #2 tackled Atara to the ground. Atara elbowed Woman #2 in the side, sliding her knives into her hands and slicing into the woman's back. Woman #1 came in to kick Atara in the side. Atara flinched as she tore the knife out of the second woman's back and swipes at the first, however, Woman #1 took out her knife and clashed with Atara's attack. Atara then channeled sethir through her blades and sent the first woman flying into a wall. Then she brings both blades down into the second woman's shoulder. Woman #1 quickly recovered and threw her knives into Atara's shoulder. Atara stumbled back and threw one of her daggers at the woman, but Woman #1 stopped in her tracks to catch it. The second woman stumbled a little before pulling out a gun and fired at Atara. Atara flinched away from the bullets that scraped the side of her head, just missing by an inch.
Asher rolled out of the way, but buckshot tore into his arm. He fired with his uninjured arm at the shotgun wielder, but Man #1 jumped back from the shots. Asher then turned his attention to the man with the shield, and shoot the charging man in the leg. The man with the shield fell, then Asher turns his attention back to man with the shotgun. Sethir built up in the barrels of his revolvers, shooting at the first man, sending him flying from the resulting sethir explosion. Man #2 slowly got up to throw his shield at Asher, but Asher deflected the shield away from himself and shot at the defenseless man, instantly killing him. With him dead, Asher swigged around and fired on the first woman and second woman, while they're distracted with his sister.
Woman #2 got hit in the shoulder, but continued to fire at siblings. Man #1 slowly got up and fired at siblings as well. Woman #1 dodged Asher's shots the best she could, but then got quickly frustrated.
Woman #1: Oh to hell with this! I got what I want!
She ran away with Atara's dagger while the second woman was distracting them.
Woman #2: Coward!
Atara slid forward and drove her remaining knife into the second woman's skull. Asher took aim behind the man and then fired two quick shots, ricocheting off the wall behind him and striking him in the head. The man stumbled a little before falling onto the pavement and died. With three of the thugs dead, Asher then rushes over to his wounded sister and began to check her wounds.
Atara: Shit, we can't let her get away with that!
Asher:... We need to get you home and dealt with first.
The wounded Atara tried to stand, but stumbled over her own feet.
Atara: No, she'll get away. We need to find her before she can sell it.
Asher:...We're close to home, and we have enough people who owe us we can find whenever she tries to sell it. Maybe we can get answers about how she knows our last name while we're at it.
The little crow from before then flew back to them and chirped worryingly. Asher scratched the crow's head before lifting up his sister.
Asher: Come on, I'll go back out and look today. She can't have gotten to far.
Atara growled, but reluctantly let her brother carry her to their home.
Category:Control Sequence Origins Transcript