Lir, a far Eastern island continet on Esthro. Isolated from the rest of the world due to it’s minimal size in the vast ocean, the populace has remained untouched from the outside, for the most part. Due to this, a sepearte history was able to play out from the rest of the world, one where man and others grew into a single populace. United by the threats lurking outside their city.

A safe haven was crafted from this city. Though, that did not mean all were equal. The strong were valued more than others, and higherbred classes would not let their children fall in their ranks. This was the burden one such girl, and her family, had to carry for her life.

"Ten points!" A woman’s voice shouted out, followed by a thud.

A man, bronze skinned with long blonde hair was sent staggering back. A red mark on his shoulder appearing visible for a moment as he glanced to it. His skintone returned after a short while as he flexed his pecks and tightend his core to show off his tonned body for an intimidation tactic.

"You’re playing to win today." He said.

"Thirty points in the lead and twentyfive seconds left on the clock, I’d say I already won." The girl retorted.

She cracked a smirk and tilted her head to the side, teasing her opponent. Her midnight-black hair reaching past her hips, even when tied into a ponytail, and her grey-blue eyes matching her smirk’s mischievious behavior as she sized-up her opponent. Her body bearing no bloches, unlike her opponent, as she has done a better job at dodging his hits.

"Let’s make things a little more intresting, shall we?" The man asked.

"Hm? What did you have in mind, my little prey?" The girl teasingly asks as she begins to slowly circle the ring around him.

"If I can beat you without throwing a punch, you let me take you to dinner." The man asked, a hungry smirk coming onto his face as he locks his eyes on the girl.

"Such courage, Mister Cruz." The girl spoke aloud, a slight pink tinting appearing on her cheeks. "You are aware one of my servants is watching us, right?" The girl gestures to a man of similar age to her, and smaller build than Cruz, standing obediently to the side of the room.

"Yato’s cool, he won’t tell." Cruz answered, giving the servant a wave.

Yato, with a deadpan expression, waved back. Cruz then turned his sights back to the girl.

"So what do you say?" Cruz asked again.

"Well..." The girl eyes her shirtless sparring partner, the pink returning to her cheeks with a bashful smile and a slight giggle. "Alright, but I won’t make it easy for you." She says, taking a fighting stance.

"Wouldn’t expect anyless from the Hamasaki Heiress." Cruz said, his eyes changing shape from a humans to a lion.

Cruz dashed towards the Hamasaki girl, ducking under her next attack. Hamasaki smiled and threw up her knee to greert Cruz’s face, only for him to vanish in front of her. The Hamasaki girl widened her eyes.

"An after image!" She thought to herself.

She then felt both of her wrists fall into anothers grip as a pair of muscular arms reached around her. The girl turned her head and snarled at Cruz, as he loomed over her from behind.

"Romeo! You set me up!" She shouted.

"Come on, haven’t I earned this date by now? I mean, you hit pretty hard." Young Cruz teased.

Romeo, having a further reach than the Hamasaki girl, stretched her arms out all the way to her sides, making sure that she couldn’t break free from his grip. He then leaned down to the side of her neck and gently bit down onto it. The sudden sensation causing the girl to sprout her fox ears and six tails. All the while, Yato, the submissive servant, could only sit on the sidelines and sigh at his mistresses defeat.

Romeo then released Hamasaki, who quickly turned and began to pound on his barrel chest, hurting him to no avail.

"Pervert! Jackass! Big Jerk!" The girl shouted as she flailed about.

Romeo simply stood there, a proud smirk across his face as he watches the girl take her frustration out on him. She then stops, catching her breath. She then notices that she left her hands pressed against Romeo’s chest. The girl blushed with a pout and pulled her hands away. Romeo then catches both of them in his own and looks down to her with a smile.

"Something the matter, my little lady?" Romeo teasingly asks her.

"No. I’m fine!" The girl snears, pulling her hands away from his. "You will come to pick me up after school and take me to the most refined resturaunt in the city tomorrow night. Dress appropriatley or this will be our last date, and this time I mean it." She commands Romeo. "Yato, if you’d kindly go get the carriage started." The Heiress continues to play her domineering role as she commands her servant too. "I’m going to freshen up and changeback to my formal attire."

"As you command, Miss Hamasaki." Yato answered as he bowed to her.

"I’ve told you to call me Yuki." The girl hastily added in a fit as Yato walked away.

Yato made his way outside, approaching a silver carriage surrounded by three others.

"Hey!" He shouted, catching their attention. "What’s the big idea?"

"What’s it to you?" One of the three men, equal to Romeo in build and size, asked back.

"It’s my carriage." Yato answered.

The three men looked to Yato and smiled.

   Yuki emerges from the changing room, wearing a red and green lolita dress with a patch work bow on the top of her head and velvet slippers with green knee-high socks. Her mood still soured by falling for the trap Romeo had laid out for her. The culprit himself joining to escort her out of the building.

"You look lovely." He says, referencing her civilian attire.

Romeo answered with silence takes the moment to take a jab at himself.

"Sure beats The Abyss out of anything I have." He then gestures to his tight-fitting white T and slightly torn black jeans. Still to receive no response, or even a glance, from Yuki. "Yuki, come on. How else was I supposed to get you to say yes?" Romeo asks.

"Certainly not with a lie." She answers.

"It wasn’t a lie. I just didn’t tell you the plan." Romeo tries to justify himself. "But, alright. From now on there will be no more tricks. Alpha’s Word." Romeo promises, with a hand over his heart.

Yuki pauses, her cold expression seemingly to melt slightly.

"You promise?" She asks, unwilling to make eye contact.

"With my life." Romeo assures her, taking the hand of hers closest to him in both palms and pressing it against his chest, over his heart.

Yuki blushes and smiles slightly, glancing to the side.

"I shouldn’t keep Yato waiting." She says, wrapping both arms around one of Romeo’s biceps and waiting for him to lead her out.

"Gotcha. This way my little lady." Romeo smiled at her, leading the way to the exit.

The two step out of the dojo, only to find two of the three men beating on Yato in the parking lot while the third used the key stolen from Yato to rummage through the carriage.

"Hey!" Romeo shouts.

The trio flees, the one ransacking the carriage making off with what he can carry in his pockets. That was not the concern of either Romeo or Yuki, however, as they made their way to Yato.

"Are you alright?" Yuki asked, kneeling to him.

Yato, with a blank expression, simply answered yes and got back to his feet and resumed his duties.

"You don’t look alright, my man." Romeo said.

"Gee, thanks. And here I was just thinking you look as chiseled as ever." Yato retorts.

"You know what I meant." Romeo said.

"Yes. Yes, I appreciate your concern, Master Cruz." Yato reassures his masters friend. "I shall call for assisstance, Miss Hamasaki." Yato adds, leaving the two to go back into the dojo and make a call to the Hamasaki household.

Yuki and Romeo knew Yato was hurt, more than just physically. They knew a lot about each other, having grown up alongside one another. The trio knowing when one of their own wasn’t acting like their selves. It was hard enough to think about how one of their friends had to grow into a life of serving them but now to see their pride so wounded. The two knew someone had to answer for this, someone had to deal out justice.

   Later that day, Yuki and Yato returned home.

"Mother!" She shouted the moment she stormed into her home.

"Volume, Yuki. You are in doors." Her mother answered.

The two a spitting image of each other, for the most part. The only difference being Yuki’s mother lacking the signs of Runethrope heritage. No ears, no tails. All human.

"A grave injustice has been done today." Yuki explained.

"I heard." Her mother answered.

"So soon?"

"I’m the one who answered Yato’s call."

"That’s great. So whats the plan?" Yuki asked, her mood changing to one of relief and eagerness to act.

"As a result of today, I degree Yato is no longer to be you personal servant." Her mother answered.

"What!?" Yuki shouted.

"He has proven to be incapable of defending himself, much less you." Her mother explained. "He shall be confined to the household, where he can continue to answer you beck and call, but now one of the guards shall escort you through the city."

Yuki stood in silence. Yato, knowing better than to speak out and with no counterargument he can defend himself with, could only nod in agreement once asked if he understood these new rules.

"It wasn’t his fault!" Yuki shouted.

"I know that, he was outnumbered. But the fact of the matter is he could not have protected you had you been with him at the time."

"I can protect myself."

"You are the daughter of a head of this city, a target is on your back at all times. Defending yourself is to be a last act, not the first. These are the rules you must abide by while under my roof. Understood?" Yuki’s mother asked.

Yuki bit her lip, knowing an outburst now would have her grounded and incapable of going anywhere by herself ever again.

"Understood, Yuki?" Her mother asked once more.

"... Yes." Yuki answered.

"Good. Now rest up, you have school tomorrow." Yuki’s mother reminded her. "... I’m glad you’re both safe."

Yuki knew her mother meant well, but she really put the "mother" into "smother". She couldn’t help but think crude words to call her within the recesses of her mind. And for this instance, she felt a strong urge to disobey her. Once the sun had set and night had fallen, Yuki had retired to her room and locked the door. Going undisturbed by the houses staff as they all assumed she’d prefer her silence after her day and or was sleeping. Unbeknownst to them, however, Yuki had a change of clothes and attitude.

   The young heiress traded in her nightgown for a long silken black and purple robe. The fabric absorbing the light that hit it, maintaining a constant inky color and blending in with the shadows. This made Yuki look like a floating head in the darkness, but her face still recognizable to anyone that saw her. This is why she topped-off the new look by donning a porcelain-mask of a cat’s face. The mask going with her ears and numerous tails, not only masking her identity but her breed of Runethrope as well.

The little fox sprouted her claws from hands and feet and made her way out of the window. Leaping upon a nearby rooftop and creeping her way through the night through the Hamasaki manor. Knowing every in and out, placement of surveillance technology and the patterns of the staff, Yuki had no problem with going undetected this night. Nor did she the many nights before. And the only person who was aware of her galavanting would be joining her in front of the dojo upon arrival.

Donning a mask of his own, Romeo met Yuki at the crime scene. His hair, frizzed up and knotted at the bottom where it rested on his chest, forming a mane that went with his mask. A faceplate of a demon snarling was used to mask his identity. And his wardrobe was kept to a minimum, consisting of baggy pants for more free movement and a robe similar to Yuki’s tied around his waist. He stood and greeted Yuki.

"This doesn’t count as our date." He teased.

"Not now my lion, I want to get this over with so everything can return to normal." Yuki pleaded with him.

"No frets, my little lady. Your alpha is on the case." Romeo boasted, causing Yuki to role her eyes behind her mask.

"Do you even know how to find these punks?" Yuki asks, a hand on her hip.

"The nose knows." Romeo answers, lifitng his mask just halfway up his face to reveal his nostrils.

His form taking a bulkier and taller shape. His body growing golden fur on his arms and legs as they contort into the shape of a big cats limbs. Romeo let out a roar, announcing his presence to the world and earning a "Shut up dude!" from Yuki. He knelt down and began to sniff the floor.

"I’m getting oil from the carriges. Some slight traces of blood. I believe it’s Yato’s. And..." Romeo pauses. "Myself?"

"The showers are in the dojo for a reason, my lion." Yuki told him, pressing a finger up to her mask. "Found them!" She said.

"How?" Romeo asked.

"I hacked the street cameras." Yuki gestured to the three facing the dojo. "Replaying the footage I found one of the muggers pulled out his wallet to put the tokens he lifted from Yato into it. This act of either stupidity or huburis shall cost him and his friends dearly."

"Why should I even be surprised. I sometimes forget how rich you are." Romeo adds.

"Didn’t think I’d leave the house at a disadvantage, did you?" Yuki gloated. "Now come my lion, we have a lot of streets to cover before finding this one."

The duo, altering their forms as all Runethropes are able to, scale nearby walls and leap from rooftop to rooftop. The both stopping not a minute later as they spot a pillar of smoke rising from a block nearby. The two turn to each other and nod, putting all other tasks on hold for the time being and making their way to the inferno.

They arrive to bear witness to a four story apartment complex going up in flames. Most residents seem to have found their way to the exit door or fire-escape on the side of the building. But the two could still hear screams over the flames, their ears peeking up from behind their masks. Both land atop of the fire-escape and enter the top floors window.

Without staying to think of a plan, Romeo charges into the rooms stomping and swatting fallen debris out of his way. Yuki shook her head and followed behind. Using her more nimbble figure to squeeze through the remnants of wreckage Romeo didn’t clear out. Though, as the smoke built up and flames roared around her, Yuki had lost sight of Romeo. Her mask, while filtering the air to make it breathable, could no longer track Romeo’s heatsignature in the fire.

"Damn it. Where’d you run off to?" Yuki thought to herself. "Better switch to sonar." She added, her ears standing up and twitching and turning to pick up any noises that didn’t match the crackling of the fire and snapping of the wood.

In the distance, she heard something likend to that of a scream. Too deep to be a womans but not low enough to be Romeo’s. Yuki knew someone needed help and that Romeo would fair well enough on his own. She followed the noise a floor below and through a door that appeared to have ben shredded apart, presumably by a man wielding a fireaxe. The young Thrope took caution when entering the room, making sure that whomever wielded that axe would not be striking her with it. And she was right.

Around the corner one paniced man swung an axe around the point where the two rooms of the apartment met. Yuki swiftly ducked and rose back up to disarm the maniac. Snapping his wrist to release his grip on the cutting tool and pinning him to the wall by grabbing his throat, Yuki was shocked to see who it was she had apprehanded. One of the muggers she had been seeking. It was his apartment complex on fire, and a look of fear on his face. She then dropped the man and took a step back, wondering if the others were nearby and if he had anymore friends that may try to come and help him. Instead, Yuki was met with nothing but the one man remaining pressed up against the wall and afraid of her.

"What do you freaks want?" He asked her.

"... Not this." She answered. "How did all of this happen?"

Before the man could answer, a blade emitting a viberating hum ran through the wall behind him and out of his heart. The viberation causing more pain as it rippled through his body. Yuki reeled back, far enough to avoid any blood splatter, out of horror of what just happened. The man ceased his screaming as the sword pulled out. His life gone as his eyes grew dim. Yuki watched as the husk slid to the ground and then turned to the corner where the mugger emerged from, only to see a mostly invisible figure stepping out from behind it.

Light began to bend and give shape to a lean and armored figure. Standing a foot taller than Yuki and with a full suit of armor that looked like ebony stone, a figure whose idnetity was hidden behind an ivory visor and a helm stylized to a similar fashion to that of a samurai. The cybernized samurai pointed it’s blade at Yuki, the young Thrope lifting her hands up to her sides slowly to show she didn’t want trouble. The two began to sidestep to switch places, the samurai making its way to the door as Yuki wound up with her back to a burning window. She had no fear though as she knew the fabric of her kimono would protect her from the flames.

Yuki’s heart then sunk as she could get a view into the next room from this angle. The decapitated body of a woman laying on the bed in the next room was illuminated by nearby flames surrounding the bed. Possibly the muggers lover, or what’s left of her. A witness that had to go or a message being sent, either way, Yuki knew that at any moment this could be her. Her ears twitched and she turned her sights back onto the swordsman. The two locked vision. Yuki lifting up a leg ready to stomp down with it. In response, the samurai readies to swing his sword. Before they could land a strike with the blades edge, the floor beneath Yuki crumbles beneath her stomp, sending her falling a level below.

She bundled up in the excess of her kimono to guard from the fire as she fell through the ceiling of the room below. The ride did not stop there, however, as the floor of that room had already given away causing Yuki to plument into a pile of debris from the equivalent of a two story fall. The samurai looked through the hole from up above and nodded. Then turned and began to make their way towards the doorway. But before they could step out into the hall, the sound of wood smashing in a rapid fashion put them on edge. And crashing through the wall from the hall and into the samurai was Romeo.

Romeo tackled into the armored stranger, using the smoke and debris from his entrance to dodge the sword of the attacker, and hoisted them into the air before slamming them into the ground. The floor, from the thunderous thud, gave away and sent the two spiraling into the same floor Yuki crashed into. Romeo then climbed atop of the downed samurai and began to sock away at the visor of the swordsman. The same visor beginning to light up as Romeo attempted to break it open and shot out a beam of energy, hitting the proud lion in the chest and pushing him off of the samurai.

The Samurai stood back up, their body-movement showing that exhaustion was closing in on whoever it was within the armor. Deep breaths were being made by the stranger as their shoulders bobbed up and down. Romeo, fueled on adrenaline, was panting out of anger and ferocity more than tiredness. He took a step closer to the samurai only to spot Yuki’s unconscious body in the rubble a few feet away from him through the smoke. His ears picking up the sound of the building beginning to collapse and spotting a window that led to the neighboring rooftop behind Yuki. Gritting his teeth for having to abandon the fight, Romeo dashed through the fire and pulled Yuki’s body out with him through the window as he lept to the next rooftop. Some onlookers spotted him as the building collpased, surely starting myths that some masked vandals had started the fire. Though his only concern now was to get Yuki somewhere safe.

   "Ugh, mur... MURDERER!" Yuki shouted, finally coming too.

"Wrong guy, little fox." Romeo answered, the both of them on the rooftop of the dojo.

"The dojo? How’d we get here?" She asked.

"You took a fall, the building wasn’t far behind you. Until you came too, I thought this would be a safe place." Romeo explained.

"And the Raptor?"

"You mean the Cyb-Urai?" Romeo grinned upon coining the nickname. "I didn’t see them run out. But I doubt someone like that would go down so easily."

   Meanwhile, back at the Hamasaki manor, the sounds of a wood creaking fills one of the halls. A door to an empty bedroom opens and closes. Light begins to bend and take shape as the samurai appears once again. The suit deconstructing itself as it forms into a collar around Yato’s neck.