"Dammit, where is she?" Elez groaned, landing down atop a rooftop while Zenith was rushing through the streets below.
"She couldn't have gone too far," Zenith replied, looking around at the many happy faces that filled the street, none of them being the face he wanted to see.
"The Navy isn't setting off any alarms, and their patrols are normal. She must be in trouble elsewhere." Kaylo called out to them, huffing tiredly as he ran up behind Zenith.
"I thought I told you to stay on the ship." Elez replied, flying down to join them on the street and earning himself more amazed mutters and giggles from people nearby. Angels were not hated creatures, but they were often unseen and some considered them non-existent. So when one suddenly appeared and just went about their normal day, they often received stares of surprise and amazement.
"I want to help," Kaylo pleaded, looking up to them with a determined stare. "She saved me, I want to return the favour."
"Fine," Elez sighed, earning an annoyed and angry glare from Zenith.
"But he's injured." The swordsman argued, pointing towards Kaylo's mildly frail and beaten body.
"I could beat you any day, tough guy." Kaylo smirked, his overwhelming fake confidence returning when the moment called for it.
"Then so be it, let's search for the Captain together." Elez smiled, stretching his wings out once more and taking off into the sky above, before scouting from the air while the others stayed on foot.
Meanwhile, Madison was straying pretty far from danger, in fact, during her race home with Elez, she had spotted a nice rice shop to stop and get some food at. It was a quaint and old little building, but the smell of the food being cooked from inside was delicious and enchanting. It was not only the smell that dragged her inside though, the friendly atmosphere and adorable setup was everything Madison could have wanted, especially since she was supposed to be laying low.
"Oh, hello there dear," a lady smiled, standing up near the counter while the kitchen was buzzing with life behind her. "What can I get for you today?" She asked.
"May I have… hmm. Please may I have six bowls of rice and simmered steak. To go boxes if possible." Madison replied, wanting to take a meal home to the others back at the ship.
"Yes, of course," the lady smiled, overjoyed by the large order as she ran off to get it prepared, leaving Madison to sit alone at the bar and happily wait for her meal. Naturally though, things didn't go as smoothly as she would have wanted, since only a few minutes later, a large brutish man stepped up into the tiny rice shop.
"Kio! Your time's up; I want this month's rent, right now!" He yelled, scaring the living daylight out of the woman who once stood happily in the kitchen before him.
"I-I don't have it yet, I thought I still had one more day." She stuttered, stepping out of the kitchen in order to face the man before herself.
"You've wasted enough of our time woman, Haven wants to rip this place down and make a warehouse already." The man growled, reaching for one of the chairs nearby, preparing to break it and ruin the poor woman's life more than he clearly already had. Just as his hand gripped onto the wooden frame though, his wrist was grabbed from behind and one could hear the popping bones that began snapping in his arm.
"I suggest you leave," Madison said, looking up at the man with an angry glare, one which struck fear deep into his soul as he turned back to see who was hurting him.
"Y-you're that new pirate." He panicked, pulling his hand away and dropping the chair at his side, salvaging his fractured arm before Madison's monstrous grip could snap anything important.
"Maybe I am," she said, lifting her hand and pointing to the door. "But either way, I'm protecting this shop now. So unless you want to fight me, I suggest you leave."
"H-Haven will come for you," he stuttered, rushing off out the doorway as quickly as he possibly could, leaving Madison to yawn and sit back down at the bar, correcting the fallen chair with minimal effort.
"What's his deal?" She asked, stretching out her arms while the woman behind the counter stared in utter shock and confusion.
"He's part of Haven's gang," she began, cleaning up the old wooden counter while she tried to comprehend why Madison had risked her life to save the shop. "They own many businesses around here, and force others to pay a fee to avoid being torn down or burned during the night."
"They sound like really bad guys," Madison muttered, messing around with her satchel while she spoke.
"Yes, they are." She replied, reminiscing on the past. "I remember one family who became so in debt that they were forced to work it all off. The parents sent away their lovely daughter to her aunt, while their son was held captive within the gang, working from an age as young as seven to pay off what his parents owed them." She paused and took a shallow breath. "With my shop so old and unseen, I fear I may join that fate." She muttered.
"I doubt it." Madison said, standing up from the counter as she placed a small bag of coins directly onto the wood. "I'm gonna go bust them, and take them all out for you." She grinned, pushing the bag of coins towards the woman. "I hope that is enough for the food, I'll be back to pick it up as soon as I'm done, keep it warm for me." She smiled, rushing off through the door behind herself and running after the distinct scent of the male who had once entered the shop.
Of course, this left the shop and the woman unguarded, but she did not feel even an ounce of worry from the smile Madison had given her. In fact, tears began rolling down her cheeks at the joyous thought of freedom. If Madison did take down the gang, the woman had planned to offer her the food for free, but as she opened the girl's offering of money, and looked down upon a dozen gold coins, she couldn't contain her tears of hope and happiness.