A Royal Ransom

Amatsu smiled as he tied Kenji and Dianne to support pillars in the middle of a massive warehouse. He tightened his mask and then removed his cloak. Amatsu looked between the unconscious Kenji and Dianne. "Rest up my little bags of money," he said his eyes wide with lust "You're going to make me...I mean...my...our...organization tons of money." Amatsu then turned to Omoi and Shoku "Go to Kamui." he said authoritatively "Guard the outside Omoi. Shoku you stay inside and patrol the inner warehouse with Kamui, understand?" The two nodded and walked off to thier appointed places. Amatsu smiled as he turned back to the two hostages. "Now," he said smiling "Where was I? Ah, yes." Amatsu walked over to Kenji, he sliced open Kenji's shirt with his metallic claws and placed his sharp metal finger on Kenji's cheek. "I'm not going to hurt you too much," he said his eyes stone cold "You're worth money to me...now how much...that's what I'm about to find out. Tell me boy...how much are your parents willing to pay for your return? And do remember...your life rests upon this answer. The only reason you're still alive is because you're worth something substantial as far as I see."

The last thing Kenji remembered was having a large man loom over him in a dirty bar. But now, his head hurt. Opening his eyes, he realized his sight was foggy, and he had trouble figuring out what had happened. He had been talking with those people, Sakyra, Dianne, and Valian. That's right. There had been a fight with the man and his sword. Lots of panic. Lots of people. Confusion. He couldn't fight in the confusion. The man had beat him. He didn't know what had happened to the others, but jumped to reality as he felt his shirt being ripped open. Startled, Kenji looked up and found himself face to face with ruthless eyes. The rest of the face was covered with a mask. Whoever was there placed a cold metal finger on his cheek, and Kenji froze, realizing for the first time that he was tied up. With a quick glance around he saw he was in a large place, tied to a pillar, and even more shocking was that Dianne, the curly haired girl from the bar, was tied up and unconscious a few feet away from him.

"I'm not going to hurt you too much," he said, his eyes stone cold. "You're worth money to me...now how much...that's what I'm about to find out. Tell me boy...how much are your parents willing to pay for your return? And do remember...your life rests upon this answer. The only reason you're still alive is because you're worth something substantial as far as I see."

Kenji remained quiet, the mans words were slow to reach his still foggy mind and he honestly didn't know how much his mother would pay for his return. But the eyes of this man told him that he wasn't afraid to hurt him. He should speak. Come on, speak. But he couldn't get his mouth to move. After a few agonizing seconds, he managed to sputter something out. But it wasn't what the man was looking for.

"Who are you? Where am I? What's going on?"

Amatsu frowned, his hard demonic eyes fell on Kaji's cheek, and then locked with Kenji's. "Not the answer I wanted to hear" he said disappointedly. He slashed Kenji's cheek, not too deep, but not too lightly. Amatsu absorbed the cry of agony and let it fuel him. "Now," he said placing his metal finger on Kenji's other cheek "I'll ask again. How much is your mother willing to pay to get you back? I want your monetary value. Fail to answer, and we may just be here all day. And believe me, I have that kind of time..." Amatsu trailed off, as if catching his speech. Amatsu smiled as he thought 'That's because I'm not alive.'

Kenji gave a gasp of shock and pain and the man sliced him across the cheek. His jerked his head to the side to try and aviod more, but the man just put his hand on Kenji's other cheek. Kenji bared his teeth and gave a steely glare at the masked man in front of him, who informed him of the agonizing hours he could spend here if he didn't answer. Narrowing his eyes, Kenji spat at the feet of his warden.

"I don't know how much my mother would be willing to pay, we don't talk much, but if it will satisfy you, a lot. She'd give a lot of money, all right?"

Kenji squirmed with the chains that were holding him to the pillar as he spoke. He couldn't break him, and his gun had either been confiscated or left at the bar. Cursing at his situation, he wondered where they were and how long he had been out.

Amatsu frowned once more. Slashing Kenji quickly across his other cheek. Amatsu sighed deeply and turned around "You are a difficult one..." he said turning around "I don't want quantity...not the way you're giving it. I want figures. Exact numbers." Amatsu placed his metallic hand on Kenji's throat. But quickly retracted and moved them to his chest. "Answer me the way I ask" he said sternly "Or your death WILL be assured. Do I make myself clear?" Amatsu brought his hand down across Kenji's chest, gashing it deep. But still enough that he lived. Amatsu eyed the blood on his hand, it was hard to hold back the urges to rip out the boys soul, but the monetary rewards were too great to risk loosing. "I asked you a question" he said coldly "Do I?"

Kenji winced once more as his torturer slashed him across the other cheek. But it wasn't enough to break him. And the man realized this in Kenji's gaze, was ready to crush his throat, then thought better and moved his hand to Kenji's chest. For a moment it seemed inappropriate and perverted, but then the man sliced across the chest. Hard and deep. Kenji gave out a real cry of pain this time, throwing his head up and givinga scream before clenching his jaw. He risked a look down and saw the layers of skin and muscle that had been cut through, and the blood spilling out. It was nauseating. The man wanted exact numbers. He know exact numbers. He didn't even know how much the Light Kingdom had, but he was sure it was a lot. He heaved his chest, but it hurt and he wondered if Dianne was going to wake, and if she did, if this man would torture her as well. He couldn't allow that.

"Trust me," he wheezed. "My mother will want me back. She'd give up the Light Kingdom. I don't know exact numbers! But you'll get your money if you just let me go!"

Slowly, Dianne's brow furrowed. She frowned, a loud clamor erupting in her skull. For a moment, everything was numb. Then, a migraine came pulsing fast. Her head ached. Her throat was hoarse and dry. She struggled to concentrate .. she felt a throbbing heat at the base of her skull. For a moment, she wondered if she could even open her eyes.

And then, suddenly, memories flooded in fast, eliciting a gasp from the prone girl. The Fire Nation colonies. Valian. Strange men with swords. The inn. Everything came so quickly but she comprehended it all. She'd been kidnapped.

Her eyes snapped open, and she was very still. Not that it was difficult; she was tied rather tightly and uncomfortably to some kind of She heard hard, ragged breathing. Then a sharp cry. The light, splatter of blood. Her breath hitched, and she covertly glanced to her left.

It was that boy, Kenji. His face bled where several thin slices have been gouged into his cheek. He seemed to be confused and in pain .. and then a monstrous, demonic person stood in front of him. He was holding a -- no. That blade was a PART of him?

Dianne fought to stay silent, but the sight scared her so much she trembled. This person looked absolutely deadly, and at any moment she expected him to slice the boy open and kill him ... or her ... right on the spot.

'Oh my God ...' she thought. 'Am I about to die?'

Amatsu gave a chuckle "I trust she'll pay heavily. You are royal after all...however I would prefer knowing exact figures before I lighten up on you. Thought either way I know it should be somewhat substantial. You are my insurance. You both are." said Amatsu turning to Dianne. He had saw the fear in her eyes, fear of death. "Do not worry. I wont kill either of you. Not until the money's in my hands. After that it's fair play...hehe...but I am a man of my word. I'll return you. Or at least...parts of you...what's left..." Amatsu gave an evil laugh and turned towards Kenji "Now. Until I get the money. Lets have some fun shall we?" he asked evilly "I want to know how much pain you're capable of taking. Just for the hell of it." Amatsu smiled with a blood-thirst as he slashed Kenji deep across his chest a second time. He pulled back his hand and examined the crimson blood that clung to the blade. He inhaled the iron smell of the liquid and then lowered his hand and laughed. "Torture is so....fun" he said darkly.

Kenji's eyes widened as Dianne woke. She looked confused, and scared. She stared at him briefly with shock, and then looked at their capture with horror. He understood, after all, he was the one getting the beating. And he hoped the, for lack of a better term, monster, didn't hurt Dianne, he would feel guilty. All of these thoughts flew from his mind as the man's hand blade swung up high and was brought down across his chest once more, leaving a gruesome X in his chest. He would admit, he had never been tortured before and though he was no stranger to pain, this was more than he had bargained for. Kenji let out a scream of agony, trying to bite it back, but only accomplished doubling over and coughing up blood. Black haze was starting to appear in the corners of his vision.

"I...thirty million gold?" He coughed some more, his eyes closed. "More?" he finished weakly.

"Now. Until I get the money. Lets have some fun shall we?" he inquired. A twisted malice fell into his tone. "I want to know how much pain you're capable of taking. Just for the hell of it."

Diane shrieked as the man -- no, monster brought the blade across Kenji's exposed chest. Blood spewed from the wound, most of it trickling thickly down his skin. He cried out in agony. Then, his body went limp.

Some of his blood had landed on her blouse. In her hair. She caught her kidnapper's twisted smile. He had laughter in his eyes, and right at that moment she knew it was a slim chance she'd come out of this unscathed.

"Stop it!" she cried. Her voice was weakened with fear and concern. She struggled heavily against her binds. Her skin was starting to become chaffed and raw, but the pain was numb compared to her fear.

"Why ... why are you doing this?"