"What the heck is wrong with you?" she wondered, rising slowly. "Why did you come here?"
"The real question is what's wrong with you?" he coolly shot back. "You've been reduced to nothing more than a tool; you've had your power stripped away, and until you recognize that you're serving the wrong person, you'll continue to be useless, remaining trapped in a cycle of despair. Open your eyes, Tayuya…"
For the first time, she fell silent. Her gaze dropped to the ground, tracing invisible patterns in the dirt as she wrestled with the harsh truths he presented.
"Wh… Why do you care?" she finally murmured.
Arthur crossed his arms, expecting her to feel the gravity of her situation before saying, "Why does that matter? Why don't you instead ask who you think sent me here?"
A confused frown creased her brow as she understood his words.
"You weren't sent by Orochimaru…" she began hesitantly. "You… you came here on your own."
"Yes," he affirmed, steady and resolute. "I came to rescue you from the shackles binding you. I'm here for you, to help you rediscover who you really are and to help break you free."
Her eyes widened in disbelief as he spoke those impactful words. She truly didn't know what it was or where this feeling of radiance in this dark cell came from.
Was this what they called hope?
What had seemed impossible moments ago was now the potential for freedom. She had a chance to make a choice: redefine herself beyond the shadows of evil influencers or remain here forever trapped in darkness to eventually rot in hell.
Arthur extended a hand toward her, inviting her to accept the opportunity he offered.
And as she contemplated his proposition, the walls around them seemed to fade, creating a space that was entirely theirs. Amidst this darkness, she could see the light.
With everything on the line, it felt as if the world around them was holding its breath, waiting for her to make her choice.
…
Moments later, Tayuya stood before Arthur. How exactly was he planning to free her from her cuffs, much less help her escape this dreaded prison?
But as she considered the impossibility of her situation, something unexpected happened. She felt a slight shift on her wrists, a strange tugging sensation that made her glance down.
In disbelief, she watched as her cuffs slipped away, clanging to the floor.
Instinctively, her gaze shot up to him, who held a key. Her eyes widened with astonishment. He had not only plucked the key from the guards before coming here; he had also liberated her without her noticing.
Sure, it was dark, but she was a skilled kunoichi. Arthur's proficiency was impeccable. She had long understood that this man, this "Kaito," was far from ordinary; an observation that struck deeper than she could comprehend.
Only earlier, she had been focused on her own misery and despair, yet now she was slightly captivated by the man who had so effortlessly turned her fate around.
He had displayed his impressive prowess before when he had assisted in delivering Sasuke, but this time—this was different. Tayuya became more curious about his past as a ninja, something she would desire to peel back.
She flexed her wrists, feeling the absence of steel. With her cuffs on the ground, daunting obstacles seemingly fell away. Yet the next challenge lay ahead—how would they get past the doors patrolled by guards without arousing suspicion?
"Follow me," Arthur commanded, moving into the shadows once more.
She followed closely.
As they approached the heavy doors of the courtyard, Tayuya could see more guards milling about. Some were lost in idle conversation, while others remained vigilant.
Arthur sensed her growing anxiety and spoke quietly, "Close your eyes."
"What? Why?" she asked, her voice betraying her confusion.
"You'll understand soon," he commanded. "Just do as I say."
His tone brooked no argument. She hesitated for a split second, then closed her eyes.
"Don't move," he added.
She could both hear and feel the firmness in his voice. The next moment, however, came as a shock.
She felt him rip at the lower fabric of her clothes. Panic threatened to rise, but then his hand rested on her belly. Her cheeks flushed.
What was he doing? As her mind raced, questioning his intentions, it all happened in an instant.
"You can open them now," he instructed, his voice cutting through whatever strange thoughts she might have had in her head.
Tayuya obeyed, and she found herself no longer in the confines of the prison but standing outside beneath a vast, starry sky in an open grassland!
The air felt different; it was fresh and cool, filling her lungs. More importantly, she could no longer feel the celestial prison technique on her person. In its place was cool water where Arthur had touched her.
She truly felt free. The confrontation that had tethered her to her past felt like a distant memory, now replaced by the sensation of liberty.
"Where are we?" she asked, utterly bewildered.
"That's not important to know right now," he replied coolly. "We're no longer in the Grass Village. Now, listen carefully. You're to head north. Keep your head down and find the closest city. Lay low there until you hear from me again."
"But—"
"There'll be a hotel room already registered under your name…"
"Wait a second," she said, narrowing her eyes. Even though she had been freed, this was still the masculine Tayuya at heart. "What if the shinobi there recognizes me? I can't go back to prison!"
"You'll be fine," he calmly assured her, standing firm. "Just follow my instructions, and I'll be sure nothing bad happens to you while you're there."
The earnest confidence in his gaze washed away all her doubt. She nodded, acknowledging his words even as she was uncertain of what lay ahead.
Before he walked away, she felt an urgency to know more about him, to grasp the details of his remarkable feats.
"Wait!" she called out to catch his attention one last time.
When he turned, she took a step closer.
"What is it?" he asked, coolness in his demeanour as he regarded her.
In the silence, her mind was rife with thoughts about Arthur. He had risked a lot to save her from Hōzuki Castle, a feat no one on record had achieved. And he had done so without hesitation.
He had even unlocked her cuffs while she stood utterly unaware, and the grace with which he did all these things told her that he was very experienced.
But beyond all that, she found herself grappling with what it meant to be by his side. Who was he really? What experiences shaped his determination to come for her?
"I just need to know…" she finally said. "How did you manage to take the box without anyone knowing?"
The box? Surely she wasn't referring to the Box of Paradise he purposefully left back at Blood Prison. She must have been wondering about the box the Uchiha was placed in to help him advance his curse mark.
There was curiosity in her voice, partly because she wished to understand his capabilities and partly due to the allure of mystery that was around him.
Because he remained silent, she chose to elaborate.
As she took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp air once more, she recalled how intimidating her late team member Sakon was after Arthur took the box from them without anyone knowing.
And when they finally came face-to-face with Arthur, he had a powerful presence that commanded respect and fear in equal measure.
"I never saw Sakon look frightened before," she murmured, almost lost in her memories.
She revealed how stunned everyone was when Arthur had first taken the box. Sakon's fear and astonishment made her understand something; she'd never witnessed a supposed higher-up claiming to be part of the Sound Village carry himself with such nonchalance, as though the world around him didn't exist.
And now that same higher-up was standing before her—a real ally.
Tayuya wanted to know him personally. So she asked again, "How did you do it?"
Arthur, however, turned and started to walk away. Just before he vanished into the shadows, he glanced over his shoulder and cryptically replied, "Wouldn't you like to know?"
His footsteps faded into the night, leaving her standing alone in the quiet of the world outside—a world that had suddenly become filled with possibility.
The uncertainty of her circumstances was countered by the idea of freedom.
She headed north as instructed, wondering about the town she needed to find.
Where would this new path of hers lead? Would she adapt back into society after her harrowing imprisonment? Could she redefine herself as something more than a tool for Orochimaru?
All these thoughts spiraled, mixing with the impressiveness of Arthur's actions. Even though he was gone, she could still feel his presence.
She ventured deeper into the night, unable to shake off the desire to understand the enigmatic figure who had come to her rescue.
Some time later.
The click of the door closing behind him signaled an end to Arthur's moment of solitude.
Sitting at his desk in the expansive office, he surveyed the papers scattered across it. Each sheet bore the portrait of Tayuya, embellished with legal jargon that described her past.
The documentation was extensive, perhaps excessively so, detailing an unsavoury history filled with charges that made a compelling case against her character.
Right now, the former Sound Village kunoichi was in his hotel room. She had already met Koko, who was delighted to see her.
The first question Koko asked her was, "Are you my mommy?"
Of course, Tayuya wasn't going to stay in Wizened Town for long. He just needed to be there until he could erase all her past criminal records. And it was not going to be as easy as it sounded.
The papers on his desk reached almost to the door, which was more than thirteen feet away!
If her record required this much effort to obliterate, he didn't even want to think of attempting the same for infamous figures like Itachi Uchiha.
As he examined the paperwork, he noted the key articles. Crimes involving conspiracy to commit murder, especially in the case of the Kazekage, fell into insurmountable depths of severity.
Certain felonies bore consequences that could not be expunged from one's record. To illustrate her infractions, there were several serious charges against her.
First, there was the charge of conspiracy to commit various murders. This was a significant accusation given the high-profile nature of the crime and Tayuya's involvement alongside her former Sound Village ninjas.
Next, she was implicated in aiding and abetting a political murder. This charge was specifically tied to her actions that contributed to the circumstances leading to the assassination of a government official, the Kazekage.
Additionally, treason was another charge she faced. Her collaboration with Orochimaru, a rogue ninja considered an enemy of many states, further compounded her liability.
Finally, the use of forbidden jutsu was a serious infraction as well. As a member of Orochimaru's elite guard, her use of illicit techniques directly contravened established laws in multiple jurisdictions.
Each infraction was a brick in the wall of her past, and Arthur sighed at the knowledge that very few individuals could escape such a notorious history.
Nonetheless, the legal avenues to redress wrongs existed for those ambitious enough to navigate them—especially for those who knew how to bend the law like he did.
'I have to expedite this,' he thought to himself, rolling up his sleeves and preparing for the task at hand.
Now, the former ally of Orochimaru might have sided with Arthur, but Arthur was not one to accept a partnership. He was, after all, still in the virtual world.
The longer she stayed at his place, the more exposed he felt.
He set the documentation aside and began plotting the strategy that would lead to her vindication.