1999th Year, 359th Day

Wanting desperately not to start the conversation, not because they themselves would feel bad about recalling it, but because they were expecting a negative reaction from their friend and they could feel somewhat bad about that, after doing their usual almost routine habit they referred to as ‘Griffen weapons and gear observation’, Nian tried to stall for time by asking the first thing they could think of.

“Where is Yuri?”

Right after asking this, they realized with a start, that there might be certain implications to the fact that Griffen had come out to greet them without Yuri.

Not that long ago, and before the whole bad news had even started, Yuri had taken Nian aside and shared a secret with them. Apparently she was in love with Griffen and had been for some time, and had decided since things had seemed somewhat peaceful back then that now was the time to confess her love to him.

So with a bit of hinting and prompting to Nian, who had originally been scheduled to take the guard shift with Griffen they had swapped times with no one the wiser, and Nian remembered the scene of them in a restaurant Yuri with a bright smile on her face asking them to wish her luck.

Had she asked yet? Nian wondered, though the curiosity they were burning with was even enough to distract them from the current situation, for some unknown reason they didn’t ask the obvious and more personal question, and just looked around with their eyes as well as with their other senses for the woman.

“She stayed back in the surveillance room, stop changing the subject, Nii tell me what happened.”

This time his voice had completely changed from the joking then comforting tone of earlier. It was cold and serious.

Just when Nian was going to reply, a beautiful woman’s voice called out to them from above, a small door having had appeared from the ceiling.

“Actually Griff Yuri is right here.”

With a light thud, Yuri hopped gracefully to the ground, and casually placed her slender white hands on her curvy hips. Like Griffen most would not say that the word ‘ninja’ came to mind when looking at her. A waterfall of silky bond hair dusted her shoulders, and framed her delicate heart shaped face, from which peered a pair of dazzling emerald eyes.

Her best and bulging ‘assets’ were flattered greatly by the tight body gripping red silk mini dress she wore, as well as her close second best assets her jade smooth white long legs, ending in tiny feet in shiny little sandal high heels, that Nian knew to have an intriguing purpose beyond fashion, that of being used as deadly blades.

She was a woman that possessed beauty that would make the tongues of most men roll out of their heads, if they didn’t choke on their own drool first. However she was also a proud kunoichi (female ninja) of her [Nightshade] clan as well as being a valued member of Griffen's three man team. She was very far from being just about her looks, actually to her, her beauty was just one of many tools in her arsenal.

After seeing her, Nian tried to give her a look filled with meaning, which she seemed to understand as she smiled and slightly shook her head. Shocked, Nian raised a single eyebrow in question, and seeing this the woman gave a small shrug.

Seeming to be completely oblivious of the silent conversation that had just taken place Griffen said.

“Now you see that Yuri is here, safe and sound can you tell me what brings all the way to the most isolated of the hideouts? I can’t think it’s just because you missed us.”

Knowing that they could not put it off any longer, Nian sliced off what little emotions and personality they possessed and said in an almost robotic voice.

“6 hours ago the Capital City of the Alliance was attacked. We were mistaken, what the enemy wanted to steal, was not treasure nor ninja arts but our energy stores.”

Griffens warm soft harmless aura suddenly became bright and as sharp as a blade.

“Fatalities?” He asked in an equally neutral tone of voice.

“XX dead, XX fatally wounded and XXX with non-threatening but decommissioning injuries, and XX with at least minor wounds. Besides most of the energy stores, a great deal of miscellaneous ninja tools and supplies were also taken, as can be expected the most taken, were on the valuable side. However it has been judged that the energy was their main goal and the other loot was just a bonus. “

Griffen didn’t say anything for a moment then asked deceptively calmly, but Nian could hear the slight hoarseness in their voice.

“Anyone we know?”

Nian paused momentarily before, replying.

“…affirmative.”

Griffen shut his eyes tightly closed and clenched his fists, then after a long moment he slowly walked over to the wall and then with a movement quicker than the average eye could see he punched the wall.

‘Thud!’

Nian could tell as he carefully stepped back to his old position, after inadvertently taking a step towards them in concern, that the skin of their fist was broken and that it was bad enough that it was starting to bleed.

With his eyes still closed Griffen asked in his emotionless voice.

“Nian, give me the rest of your report on the current situation.”