Log:Catching Up with a Criminal

His Father's Son 2015/03/07 Hunter Sasha

1

Harrisburg

This once middle-class section of town has fallen into disrepair: the rows of two-storey homes are mere ghosts of the past. Some of the vinyl siding is cracked and faded from decades of neglect. Children play unsupervised in now weed-strewn vacant lots. Graffiti along brick walls mark the territory of various gangs trying to claim the neighborhood as their own. Harrisburg Elementary needs its tall security fence and guarded gate.

If southern Harrisburg is bad, the north is appalling. Many of the homes are boarded up, perhaps occupied by homeless squatters, and the gang graffiti is ubiquitous. Drug dealers and worse have brought their crime to the district. Few trees or shrubs remain, and lawns are weeds and broken bottles. Here dwell the destitute, the desperate and the homeless.

It's a late afternoon and quite chilly. The temperature never got over freezing today. It makes one wish to retire to somewhere warm but Sasha, all the kids, and yourself are instead out in the back grounds of the school building snowmen. At least, that is what you all came out here to do but after a time a snowball fight broke out between the oldest and youngest of the wolves. It's devolved into a battle between Team Mad (which you, Sasha, Jordan, and Mad are on) vs Team Everyone Else. Chaos! Pure chaos!

Hunter dive rolls out of the way of a snowball salvo launched by Eddie, scooping up a handful of snow and packing it as he tumbles. Because it's the wolves and just fun, he may be cheating a little with his skills and training to make it through the chaos. As he leaps back up to his feet, he returns fire at Eddie!

Jordan giggles as he ducks some snow balls thrown by Leonid just before the Russian tween pops out of sight again. Leonid has been cheating outrageously by using his invisibility powers.

Eddie splutters as the snowball hits him square in the chest. "Argh! Ya got me! Urgh!" he moans as he topples back into the snow and starts laughing.

The Twins have been tag teaming by one always firing off a snowball while the other reloads. This has kept Mad pinned down by a half finished snowman but she's been guarding your flank keeping off John and Maggie.

Sasha, in the meantime, has been tossing long high snowballs into the air that then break apart liberally spreading snow over Team Everyone Else.

Hunter chuckles at Eddie's antics. He hasn't been hit. Not yet. Through cheatery and training. If you can dodge a thrown knife, you can dodge a snowball. But maybe he should go easier on the kids, since this is a game. Still, he scoops up more snow as he dashes for cover and tries launching another snowball at the twins. Get the reloader, and there'll be a break in the repeat fire for Mad.

You catch out of the corner of you eye Jordan looking over at the near side wall with a slight frown as you throw your snowball at the Twins. It connects and Karla frowns then grins as Tomas fires off his snowball at you.

Strange. Does he know Hunter's cheating...? Or is it something else--Gah! Hunter gets distracted between that and victory as Tomas pelts him in the stomach. He decides to take a note from Eddie's book and doubles over, clutching his stomach. "Guh!! I'm hit!" he announces before falling face forward into the snow.

A pleasantly husky woman's voice laced with an Irish brogue calls out over the sounds of battle. "Aye, tis a fine brawling crowd ye has, Aleksandr. But ya need to send in to get something hot to drink. We have business you and I." If you look over, what you see looks pretty good: red hair cut short that frames the face of a beautiful 30 year old woman with a trim, muscular, well built figure. But she's also 6'4" tall and thus rather imposing. She wears a sort of blousy white shirt cut to accentuate her figure, a kilt-like skirt of tartan, and black boots. Over all this is a black trench coat and given the cold, leather gloves. And over her right shoulder you can see the hilt of a great sword.

Hunter's head lifts up from the snow drift he 'died' in. He shakes the snow from his hair and looks over to the strange, unfamiliar woman. "Oh. Er. Hi..." he murmurs as he pushes himself up to a kneeling position. He looks to Sasha to gauge his reaction. Friend or foe?

The kids all freeze when they hear or spot the red haired woman. They look to Mad then Sasha (well, save for Leonid, who you suspect may be near Sasha now). They move back away from the woman at a gesture from Mad and towards the school but slowly and never taking their eyes off of her. Even Mad does so.

Sasha looks at the tall woman with an mixture of irritation and respect. He then looks over at Mad. "You all go inside, Mad. Everything will be alright." He then steps over towards you as Mad corrals the other kids. "And Leonid? Go with Mad. Now, little bother. Inside." this last is said in Russian.

Given the woman knows Sasha's real name, Sasha's reaction, and him sending all the kids away, Hunter gets a bad feeling about this. He looks to Sasha as he rises to his feet and brushes the snow from his front. "What's going on?" he whispers to Sasha as he steps to him. Maybe the order to go inside was directed to him too, but if so, he's ignoring it.

You recognize the woman as Cateran. She is a super strong villainess who wields a claymore. She claims to be over 400 years old. She mostly commits robberies; despite the fact that she carries a greatsword she seems to prefer fisticuffs and avoids killing.

Cateran lightly jumps down from the top of the wall to the snowy ground. Her gaze goes to you then back to Sasha. "Do ye really want to involve him, lad?" she addresses to Sasha. "I've been sent to bring ye home, Aleksandr. Not that I want to ya ken, but my word's me word. Come along quietly now, lad." She grins. "I'll let ya say yuir goodbyes if ya want, but we got miles to go before we sleep."

Mad and the other kids are almost back to the school entrance when Jordan breaks away and runs back a bit yelling. "Don't go, Sasha! You can't go!" Leonid pops into sight and grabs Jordan by the arm as the younger boy struggles against him. "Don't go! It's wrong!" he shouts as Mad picks him up kicking and takes him into the house. Leonid looks back over his shoulder as he enters and glares at Cateran before John closes the door.

Hunter picks a fine time to be chivalrous; he's unarmed and out in the cold. But he steps between Cateran and Sasha anyway after Jordan's outburst. "Aleksandr -is- home," he announces firmly.

The woman's eyebrows raise as Hunter steps between Sasha and her. She looks over your head at Sasha and says, "Are ya really gong to let this bairn fight for ya, Aleksandr. Yuir father dinnae mention you were a coward."

Sasha looks at Cateran for a long moment then murmurs, "Cousin, are you armed or armored? If not, don't stand between Cateran and myself. I don't want you getting hurt." He lays a hand on your shoulder and lightly pulls at you. "And Cateran? Do not try to hurt, my cousin. Or I'll rip the soul right of you." His voice is ice cold when he speaks the last.

Hunter's eyes narrow and he prepares to launch a retort when he feels Sasha's hand on his shoulder, pulling at him to hold him back. He looks back over his shoulder at Sasha, his expression a little flushed and his body tense as he readies for a fight. "No, I'm not...but I've taken on Matt without either of those. She can't take you home," he protests quietly. There's an edge to his voice. He doesn't seem to care that he doesn't have any of his gear with him.

Cateran looks from Sasha to yourself then back again to Sasha. It is a beery penetrating look, one that seems to be sizing up both of you in several ways. The red haired woman then says, "I'll make ya a wager, Aleksandr me lad, just like I did yuir father: I'll fight a champion of your choosing, here and now. If I win, you go with me with no trouble and if'n your champion wins, I tell ya father ya defeated me and thus my word to him is fulfilled." She smiles widely. "Besides, I'm curious as to why a wee lad like this one," she gestures to you, "is so willing to fight for someone like you."

"What's that supposed to mean, someone like him?" Hunter growls as anger gets the better of him.

The red haired woman shakes her head. "My, quite the temper on ya, isn't there, lad? Not a good trait in a freebooter now is it?" She cocks her head to one side. "Or in an assassin. Ya got the stance of one but not the heart it seems. Makes me curious why ya fight for a killer like Aleksandr. Ya do ken he's killed in cold blood enow?" Her gaze turns to Sasha. "Have ya told the lad about what ya did before ya left Kroskev, lad?"

Sasha stiffens at Cateran's words then takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "Why is ever immortal I've met decries me as a killer when each and ever one I've met has killed?" He looks at Cateran then turns his attention to you. "Calm down, my beloved. She is baiting you." His gaze turns back to Cateran. "Aren't you?"

Hunter's eyes widen in mild surprise as she calls him out on what he is. "I know a lot about Aleksandr, and I know what he did. You're still not taking him." He looks to Sasha at the baiting calming closes his eyes for a moment. He inhales slowly through the nose, out through the mouth, and then opens his eyes again. He's calm, cold, and collected, just like that.

Cateran nods once. "Good. I've never liked fighting younger lads at the best of times and especially not when they're either pissed or angry. It's not fair." She looks to Sasha, "If I fight the wee lad, I'm entrusting that you will stay out of it. Otherwise, all bets are off, ya ken?" She reaches up and takes her broadsword out of the baldric that holds it and plunges it point first into the ground.

Sasha says, "I haven't said I accept yet. I wish to speak with my beloved first." His tone is polite but chilly.

Hunter pulls his gaze from Cateran and looks to Sasha again, ready to listen. "What is it, Cousin?"

The beautiful red haired woman gives a wave that seems to indicate 'Go ahead.' She backs way a few feet but keeps her eyes on the two of you.

"I do not want you to fight her, my beloved," he murmurs softly. "She is very old, very cunning, and very good. I would rather go with her than see you get hurt."

Hunter's eyes widen. "Wait, you mean if I don't fight her, you're just going to go with her? If you won't let me challenge her, what about someone else?"

Sasha reaches out and cups your chin. "I would rather go with her than risk you. I know she is not a killer, but maybe if I go with her I can convince her not to tell my...father where exactly she found me and with whom."

Hunter can't help but look worried. He searches Sasha's eyes to try and gauge how truthful he's being when he answers his next question. "And then what happens? If you go with her? If you go back home?"

Harlequin starts to look away then makes himself look at you. "Then my father punishes me. How I do not know. But I defied his orders and intentions, so he will do what he must to impress upon me the errors of my ways." His tone is calm but his eyes hold a child's fear. "And there is always the chance I can escape again once free of Cateran. After all, I am a great deal stronger now."

Hunter holds Sasha's gaze with his eyes as he notes the fear. Well. Hunter isn't about to let Sasha get punished and leave escape to chance if there's something he might be able to do about it. He lifts Sasha's chin up a little with a finger. "Chin up, Cousin. You're not going anywhere. What would the little wolves say if I get you go? I -really- wish I had more of my gear on me right now, but I have a few toys on hand."

Cateran calls out, "Have you all had enough time to talk it out yet?" She shakes her head. "I said I'd give ya'll time to day goodbye before I took Aleksandr away, lad. No need to tell each other everything now." She has taken off the trench coat and put it over the claymore.

Sasha sighs and leans in touch his fore head to yours. "Be careful, my beloved." He then steps back and lets you go.

"I'll do my best," Hunter promises and smiles softly. He waits a moment to straighten out his expression and look more serious before turning and walking towards Cateran, keeping distance between them. "We challenge. I'll be Aleksandr's champion. What're the rules of the fight?"

Sasha looks you up and down then says with a wide smile, "Well, I was thinking Greco-Roman wrestling in the traditional style, lad. But I'm not certain yuir up for that sort of challenge." She seems to think as her eyes lock with yours. "What do you suggest?"

"Well, seeing as I'm unarmed, I was thinking unarmed combat," Hunter offers. "First one to yield or get knocked out loses?"

Cateran nods. "As ye wish, lad. And I'll even let you use whatever sort of nasties ya have on ya. If any." She smiles widely. "After all, its not as if I can make meself less hardy than I am. But, ifn you use any weapon meant to right out kill. Well, then I'll get out me claymore, ya ken?"

Hunter nods and lowers his stance a little. "Sounds fair. I haven't got anything like that on me, anyway, he grins slightly.

Cateran looks over at Sasha. "Well then, this seems a good enough distance to start." It's about 6m between the two of you right now. "And if Aleksandr will give us a three count, we can start after the third, aye?" This last is said to Hunter.

Hunter nods and brings his hands up. They're not clenched tight, but they are closed. "Alright. Whenever you're ready, Cousin." His eyes don't leave Cateran. He starts off completely defensive, unsure of how fast she is yet. He tries to gauge her.

Hunter takes a full recovery.

Sasha casts one last look at you then counts off. "One...two......three!" And the fight begins.

Cateran looks you up and down then says with a wide smile, "Well, I was thinking Greco-Roman wrestling in the traditional style, lad. But I'm not certain yuir up for that sort of challenge." She seems to think as her eyes lock with yours. "What do you suggest?"

"Well, seeing as I'm unarmed, I was thinking unarmed combat," Hunter offers. "First one to yield or get knocked out loses?"

Cateran nods. "As ye wish, lad. And I'll even let you use whatever sort of nasties ya have on ya. If any." She smiles widely. "After all, it's not as if I can make meself less hardy than I am. But, if you use any weapon meant to right out kill. Well, then I'll get out me claymore, ya ken?"

Hunter nods and lowers his stance a little. "Sounds fair. I haven't got anything like that on me, anyway, he grins slightly.

Cateran looks over at Sasha. "Well then, this seems a good enough distance to start." It's about 6m between the two of you right now. "And if Aleksandr will give us a three count, we can start after the third, aye?" This last is said to Hunter.

Hunter nods and brings his hands up. They're not clenched tight, but they are closed. "Alright, whenever you're ready, cousin." His eyes don't leave Cateran. He starts off completely defensive, unsure of how fast she is yet. He tries to gauge her.

Sasha casts one last look at you then counts off. "One...two......three!" And the fight begins.

Cateran closes on you rather quickly. Apparently she is an exception to the slow brick, fast martial artist rule of metas. The tall buxom woman looms over you as she closes to hand-to-and range and then just seems to wait for your move. She murmurs as she moves, "We could always switch to the wrestling if you want, me wee lad," she drawls as she keeps her perhaps wicked eyes on you.

Hunter smiles slightly. "Maybe in a little bit," he offers back as he patiently remains in a defensive stance, studying her moves and body language.

Hunter studies the taller and stronger looking opponent. He knows she's got some strength. And she did say she could use some of his tricks. He has one that may fit the bill for fighting a stronger opponent. After all, he was trained to fight against opponents with more power than him. He does a back handspring, then leaps up in a twisting flip as he throws out a small pellet towards Cateran that came from one of his many pockets in his jacket.

It seems that Cateran is either frighteningly quick for such a well built gal or anticipated your attack. In any case, as you throw she dodges /towards/ you ducking to one side with cougar-like grace. "Ah, a good underhanded move, me wee lad," she says with a grin as she closes on you again. The woman is very fast on her feet and closes with you on one side. She wipes out a hand to slap you with it seems as she twists by you.

The attempted (probably hard) slap to your back is missed by Cateran who laughs. "Aye, I thought you'd wriggle well, me lad. So nuull null now." She stops just in hand-to-hand range of you again.

Hunter is wriggly. And short. Something that's serving him well at the moment. But he needs to take her down to win and keep Sasha. He's just buying time at the moment against a more powerful opponent.

Cateran looks you over then says, "Well, best I pull all the stops out then, aye?" She darts to one side of you again and lashes out with her open palm, trying to connect with you.

This time her open palm just brushes against your lower back as if she is trying to shove you. "Hmm, you are a quick one," she murmurs, "havin't had this much fun in a while."

Hunter ducks down into a dive roll as her hand brushes over his back. Close. She's fast. Strong. Skilled. Hunter is at least fast and crafty, but that will only do so much. "We should play more often, then." While still diving, another pellet from another pocket slips out and he tosses it towards Cataran's face. The dive half-conceals his attempt. He rolls to his feet and remains in a defensive crouch.

The flash pellet flies at Cateran's face, smacking her cheek. It doesn't hurt. But what it does is suddenly burst with super bright light as the impact breaks the pellet and mixes the chemicals within. It's enough to cause her to see nothing but stars and afterimages.

"Oh, I will get you for that, me wee lad. I guess you are afraid to face someone head on?" While the words are harsh, the grin on her face belies her mood. She stops where she is and holds out one hand in front of as if seeking you while the other goes the same to her side and back.

Cateran takes one slow step to the side away from you. As she does so, she murmurs, "Come along now, me wee lad, now's the time to finish me." Her lips are quirked in a grin. "Think ya can?"

Hunter realizes his really may be his once chance to really get at her. So he goes full tilt. He tries to be quiet, but it's hard to hide one's footsteps from the crunch of snow. At the last moment, he leaps up and spins past her, trying to catch her with a spinning kick from an unexpected direction.

Hunter is shocked as Cateran deftly dodges his first planned attack. He lands and tries a spinning backfist. Which gets blocked. He comes about, spinning the other direction to try and land a palmstrike on her to push her back, but she knocks his hand out of the way. Hunter is breathing a little heavily from the flurry of failed attacks. And finally, he looks a little concerned.

"You know, I think I may be able to see just bit, me wee lad," croons Cateran as she blcoks your blows. "And thank ye for coming so close to me again. Hug?" She reaches out for you with a large hug like move.

Her lunge for you just misses as you are able to duck out of the way. Her chest just brushes over your hair as she sttempts to grasp you. You manage to get to one side of her by the hair of beard.

Close. Way too close. He's just barely hanging in there. The pair move and counter move in a flurry. After ducking down to her side, Hunter attempts to drive his elbow into her floating rib. It's a vulnerable spot on most people. Hit it with just enough force, and you can easily break it on a normal human. On a metahuman? It might just sting more than hitting one of the meatier spots.

Cateran again blocks your attack toward her floating rib. "Ya have good moves, me wee lad, but I sense yuir not fightng yuir best. Maybe too dependent on yir little toys?" she remarks in a converstaional tone. You note she is not even breathing hard yet. She weaves a hand out to slap at you again as she darts to one side of you. "And, ah, me sight's coming back."

Again she tries to shove or slap you while apparently blinded and just barely misses. She then snaps her eyes to you and you can tell she can see you clearly now. "Ah, me wee man. There ya are." She lunges at you with both arms extended in some sort of wrestling move. Its like watching a very attractive freight train about to hit you.

Cateran misses you and goes sprawling into the snow beside you with an 'Oof' sounds. Then she bursits into laughter as she begins to get up.

Cateran moves quickly but does not kippup to her feet. She gets up the old fashioned way as she takes you in. "Ya ken, last time I couldn nae tag someone like you was against an Arakage sensei ninja. Had to skewer 'im in the end." She then grins wickedly. "I think I'll just take you to bed though. No tha would be fun wrestling." During this she is moving to your side once again and lashes out with a slap/shove.

The blow is a bit farther away this time as she attempts to strike you.

Sasha watches from the sidelines and you can tell he is very temptied to interfere. But for some reason, he is not.

Hunter leans back as only a contortionist can. He can't keep being purely defensive. He's avoiding her by the skin of his teeth. And he can't win if all he can do is dodge or block. So he keeps leaning back and back until his hands touch the ground in a back bend and he kicks up and over with his legs, one foot aimed at Cateran's jaw as he tries to move back. "Dependent on toys...says the meta challenging a kid."

As he goes back into his backbend handspring, his right leg comes up first up. But that's not the one he's striking with. His left leg pushes up and kicks towards Cateran's jaw as his legs go up and over, powered by the momentum of his right leg and his body finishing the handspring. It clocks Cateran underneath the jaw. All that momentum hits her at full speed for a lot of force. So much that it feels like trying to kick a safe door in. Then Hunter lands from his handspring, right leg first, then left as he falls into a defensive low stance. His foot throbs a little from the impact. She's even tougher than he realized. Now he REALLY wishes he had all his gear.

Cateran is knocked back and through one of the snowman one of the little wolves built. She manages, however, to keep her feet beneath her. She shakes her head and grins as she says, "Me wee lad, while yuir a 'kid' in form, you fight like an old Master. That kick you just used would have killed a normal lad, you ken." She darts back at you with cougar-like speed and grace and then a few meters from you, leaps at you.

Cateran takes you down in a classic wrestling/brawler's move. As you both crash into and slide along the ground, she is attrmpting to wrap you in her arms. And you realize tha reason for that is two fold: one, to try to pin you in afew seconds and two, apparently to cushion you from any elbows or joints to your vital organs. It does have the result of you being pulled tight up agsint her decolletage. "Hello, me wee lad. Shall we wrestle?"

Hunter grunts as he's tacked in a takedown move. He's a little winded, maybe, but not too injured. "A normal lad, yes. But we both know you're something special," he pants and grins. "I think...you'd have the advantage if we wrestled. Which would give you two up on me." Powers and size. Yeah, he's outclassed. But still overconfident in his skills. Plus, he's fighting for Sasha. He'd die before he'd let Sasha get taken away by anyone. He squirms and twists, sinking into the snow enough to roll aside and out from under her, stopping beside her on all fours. As he rises up to his feet, snow falling away from him, he sends out a kick to her side.

Hunter slams his foot into Cateran's side, sending her rolling over and away. It's a dirty move by some accounts, but he's also fighting desperately against a much stronger opponent.

Cateran slides along the snow and comes to a halt. She murmurs as she takes her time getting to her feet, "Ya ken, if you were not fighting for the lad you think you love, I would not be holding back." She smiles slightly. "But as ya are, I'll give ya benefit of the doubt. Hope he's worth it." She then charges back at you and swings her arm at you as she passes by.

As she passes by you, Cateran lays a walloping blow to your, well, backside. You know she pulled the shot as you hits your squarely on the fleshy bits rather than on the bone. But this just makes the pain even worse as you are thrown off your feet and into the snow near Sasha.

It's the 'you -think- you love' part that gets Hunter. He's about to retort, then she comes charging at him. He tries to twist out of the way, which just exposes his back to her instead. And when she hits him, the super strength hit explodes with sharp pain against an already beleaguered Hunter. The blow sends him flying forwards, and he lands in the snow, plowing it in a trail before coming to a halt near Sasha. He lets out a groaning sigh before going still and quiet as he loses consciousness. His last waking thoughts were of failing Sasha.

Sasha lets out a cry as Hunter comes flying towards him. He rushes to his side, drops to his knees and starts checking him over. "Hunter? Beloved? Are you alright?"

Cateran saunters over to look down at the two youths with a grin on her face. "Well, I think I won, Aleksandr. But I am a woman of my word. I'll give you time to say your goodbyes." She does not, however, stand too close to the two youths."

Sasha ministrations to Hunter bring him back into the realm of semi-consciousness rather quickly. Hunter can hear Sasha asking through a thick painfully throbbing haze. "Can I heal him, Cateran?" to which he hears the reply "He's only bruised, lad. Not broken. I pulled me punches the entire time." Hunter hears a sigh then she says, "So, no. Let him wake up without yuir magicks."

Sasha resorts to rubbing snow on his face and neck in an attempt to bring him back to full consciousness. So, now he is cold and well as well as in pain.

You hear Cateran says, "Are ya trying to give him frostbite, Aleksandr? I ken you are worried but I imagine ya know better."

Hunter blinks hazily as he regains full consciousness with Sasha's help. He's sore. Still stinging, even. But nothing permanently damaged in the physical sense. Good thing he's in the snow. The ice will help with the swelling. But now he's cold, wet, and yes, in pain. With a grunt, he starts attempting to sit up. "I...can still fight..." he insists.

"I can spank ya again if ya try to get up, me wee lad. Ya fought a good fight but ya lost. Accept it," Cateran's voice is level but not unkind.

Sasha prevents you from getting up by the expedient of pushing down on your shoulders. Which pushes a bruised portion of your anatomy into the hard ground. "She keeps her word, beloved," he murmurs. He sounds worried but his gaze is calm.

Hunter winces as he's pushed down. The throbbing pain increases, but the ice helps some. It also helps making the rest of him feel numb. But what's making his heart and mind feel numb is letting Sasha down. "I'm sorry I failed, Sash...there's got to be something I can do," he murmurs sullenly. He sounds like he's in shock from his injuries, but he's just wrestling with his failure to protect Sasha.

The Russian youth wraps you in his arms as he murmurs, "You did very well, my beloved. And you stood against a woman whose been brawling for centuries for me." He glances up at Cateran then back to you. "And you can come find me, my good boy. I'm certain you can rescue me if I cannot rescue myself once free of Cateran's custody."

Cateran laughs softly. "I've got special shackles for ya, Aleksander me lad. Ya won't be escaping from my custody even if ya break yuir word to me."

Hunter rests his head against Sasha's, sliding his arms around him. He whispers to Sasha with heartbreak in his voice, "Don't...don't go. Run now. Run away. Teleport."

Sasha murmurs softly, "I gave my word, my beloved. I cannot break it and remain who I am." He looks up at Cateran and says in a louder voice, "H..how long do I have to say goodbye, Cateran?" His tone is calm but you can feel a near invisible tremor in his body.

The red haired woman goes over to pick up her trenchcoat from where it hangs on her claymore's pommel. "Hmm, well, I have some business I need to take care of, so, hmm..." She seems to be thinking as she plucks the claymore from the ground and begins cleaning it with a cloth she takes from a pocket. A piece of paper flutters to the ground from the same pocket the cloth came from and falls unnoticed behind her.

Hunter hugs Sasha a little tighter as he feels the tremor, then looks to Cateran as she thinks of a time table. His eyes drift to the fluttering piece of paper, then he quickly looks back to Cateran to hopefully not draw attention to it.

Cateran murmurs, "I believe I can resolve my business in a few days, a week at the most. I will come back then to get you, Aleksandr me lad." Her gaze turns to Hunter. "And as for you, me wee lad, I am not going to fight a series of bouts to keep Sasha. I won his word fair and square. So no getting others to try to fight me for him, ya ken." There is a subtle emphasis on the word 'me.' She then sheathes the claymore with a smooth flourish.

A few days...more than he expected, but way too short for his liking. Hunter almost curses that Sasha is insisting on the honorable route here. Well, not almost. He is. Definitely. "I...will abide," he says with heavy reluctance, the words killing him inside.

The Russian youth relaxes slightly as Cateran states her time table. "He won't, Cateran. I gave you my word and I will redeem it." He nods to the woman

Cateran smiles brightly. "Well, then, I suppose I will see you soon, Aleksandr me lad." Her gaze turns to Hunter. "And if you wish to learn, me wee lad, I will certainly teach ya. After all, a good close friend of me friend's grandson is, well, hmm, no, ya are just needing to learn and cute. Tha's enough." She strides over to the wall. "See you all soon." And then she jumps up and over the 10 foot tall wall.

As soon as she is out of sight, the little wolves come spilling out the back entrance to the school. Questions pepper the air as well as exclamations of awe and shock at what happened.

Of course the little wolves were watching. Hunter failed them, too. The snow is starting to chill through his clothes and making him so numb it almost burns, so he starts to sit up, his eyes drifting to the piece of paper that fell.

Jordan runs over to you all then apparently notices where Hunter is looking. He darts over and picks up the paper and then walks it over to Hunter. "Did ya drop this, Hunter?" he asks softly as he slips his smaller hand into yours.

Hunter accepts the piece of paper and nods softly in thanks. "I didn't. But the lady did..." he murmurs as he looks over the paper.

The paper has a hand written address on it. It appears to be a street address in New York City given the zip code.

Sasha is busy answering the little wolves questions and you notice lying to them about what the result of the fight means. The youth has not, however, let go of your hand. One thing you also catch is him specifically telling Leonid that 'No, you cannot follow her."

Hunter memorizes the address, folds up the note, and slips it into his pocket. Only then does his attention return to what's going on. He's still holding Sasha's hand. He looks to Sasha as he lies to the little wolves.

"Yes, I know who she was. No, you don't need to know her name. Yes, she will be back. No, she is not going to hurt me. She was demanding my help and Hunter challenged her when I said no and she said she fight for my coming with her. Yes, she is a meta. No, Hunter's just had a lot of classes in fighting. He's not a mutant.. No, you cannot have any of the things Hunter threw, Eddie. Yes, since she won I have to help her. Because. Yes, I know that is not a good answer. Fine, because I gave her my word. No, I gave her my word. I have no idea what she needs help with. No, if it's illegal I'll say no. A few days, maybe a week." These are the answers to questions the little wolves shout out to Sasha.

That's a lot of lies to the little Wolves. Especially concerning his return time. Hunter tries not to betray too much emotion on the matter. He knows he's lying for their benefit. So he just remains silent. And stinging. And keeping an eye on his pockets if Eddie gets near.