Even without her old speed or any form of body-shifting, Ryoko was easily able to catch up to the man. Her slim legs carried her much further down the narrow back-alley than his jean-clad ones could, and once she was in reach, she pulled on the back of his coat. He skidded, lost his footing for a moment, then went down on his knees. The man glanced up at her, wondering just what she planned on doing to him.
"Ah, ah, ah," Ryoko chided, even as she heard Edeaâs footsteps thud behind her. "Donât run away on me again, sir. if you do, youâll only make it harder for both of us. Iâll never get my answers and youâll never go home. Now where were weâŠ"
She pulled down the hood of the manâs coat, exposing his head of short black hair, and gently laid the point of her knife on the skin of his neck. He shuddered once at the feeling of the cool metal on his warm flesh. Ryoko could see the adrenaline pumping through his veins now.
"Hold still. If something were to interrupt my concentration, I just might accidentally cut through more than your clothes here." That was more or less directed at Edea. Ryoko knew that she was still a few feet behind here. If she really was a hero, then she wouldnât try to risk anything until the man was free from her knifeâs range.Â
Ryoko immediately got started on her questioning. She asked where he had gotten the pills from and how he knew they would even cure memory-loss. She followed that up with asking if he had any connections to the scientists or any of their interns. Still keeping up that charming tone of hers, Ryoko mentioned just how convenient it was for several merchants to be selling a cure for something the scientists had caused in such a short time.Â
"Itâs just all so interesting to look at from where Iâm standing, you know?" Her grip on the knife increased, freeing a tiny droplet of blood from the exposed neck. The manâs breath caught in his throat. "I thought so."
The man spewed out words like a faucet. he didnât seem to know if the pills really worked or how they did. He told her that he got them from a supplier and no one else. Apparently, he had never even met with any of the scientists before. Everything else was either a fearful âI donât knowâ or something along those lines. He and the other pill-holders were just in it for the money. Ryoko sighed and just shook her head; if this man didnât know anything, then maybe his supplier did. But that person was probably who knows where and wouldnât reveal themselves if they knew how violent she was. In fact, theyâd probably stay out of sight even if she killed this man. He seemed pretty expendable.
Ryoko backed off and pulled the knife away. âOkay. Youâve told me all that Iâve needed to know. You can go now. But Iâd like some of your medicine first.â The man froze in the middle of rising from the ground, and before he could refuse or even comply, Ryoko struck. Her knife tore through the side of his coat, spilling several clear bottles with light blue pills inside them. While he wasnât wounded, the man gripped the side of his torn clothing and hurried away from Ryoko. He didnât even try to grab any of his fallen wares.
The blunette tucked her knife away and instead of stooping down to inspect the fallen pills, she slowly turned around and faced the Edea.Â
