"Wait—you're HIM?!" Katsu yelled.
"Yeah. Wouldn't say it if I wasn't," Hari replied casually. "Anyway, I'm here to help."
"Wait, why are you helping me?"
"You owe me something you took from me," Hari said flatly.
Katsu frowned. "I've never met you a day in my life."
"Yeah, you did. I'll explain later."
Hari picked up a guard's sword and stepped closer.
"Hold still."
"What—why!?" Katsu panicked.
"I'm gonna break those shackles."
"NO, NO, NO! YOU COULD CUT OFF MY HANDS!"
"I won't… unless you keep squirming." Hari raised the sword high.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!"
SMASH!
The shackles shattered clean off.
"There we go. That wasn't so bad, right?" Hari grinned.
"IT WAS VERY BAD!" Katsu barked.
"What? You're free."
"Well, yeah—but why didn't you just use the keys?!"
"HEY, THERE WERE LIKE A HUNDRED KEYS ON THAT RING! I'M NOT WASTING TIME SORTING THROUGH THEM!" Hari snapped.
"Anyway, we gotta move. We don't have much time."
"Wait—where are we going!?"
"Uh, out of this prison?" Hari said dryly.
Katsu rolled his eyes but followed.
STOMP. STOMP. STOMP.
A squad of guards marched down the corridor.
"Ah. This could be a problem," Hari muttered.
"Can't you just make us invisible or something?"
"I would… but I already burned through too much energy. I turned myself invisible, made a fake window break, and disguised myself as—"
Hari stopped.
Katsu slowly turned to him. "...Wait."
Hari blinked. "What?"
"YOU WERE THE OLD MAN?!" Katsu shouted.
"Shhhhh! Keep it down!" Hari hissed.
"I can't believe I HELPED YOU!"
"Yeah, not the first time I've heard that." Hari sighed. "Now focus. We need a plan."
Katsu's eyes lit up. "Has anyone seen your real face?"
"A few. Including you. Why?"
"I've got an idea."
"I'm already regretting this," Hari muttered.
A few minutes later…
They walked calmly down the hall. Hari now wore a guard's uniform, while Katsu, still "chained," looked beaten and bruised — thanks to Hari's last bit of illusion magic.
A guard stepped in front of them. "HALT! Where are you taking the prisoner?"
Katsu froze, drenched in sweat.
Hari saluted sharply. "SIR! Transferring Hari Ashikaga to a secure cell, SIR! The General ordered me personally to take responsibility — new recruit or not, SIR!"
The guard squinted suspiciously. Katsu was practically shaking.
Finally, the guard nodded. "Understood. It's good to see new recruits taking initiative. Carry on."
He saluted and walked off.
Katsu exhaled like he'd been holding his breath for ten minutes. "THAT WAS AMAZING! YOU'VE DONE THIS BEFORE, HAVEN'T YOU?!"
"Ten years on the run," Hari said, unlocking the shackles. "You pick up a few tricks."
They hurried down the hall until they reached a corner. Hari peeked around. "Coast is clear."
They sprinted toward the exit—until Katsu suddenly stopped.
"What are you doing?! The exit's right here!" Hari hissed.
"My sword's in that room! I have to get it!"
"You're gonna risk your life for a damn sword?!" Hari whispered angrily. "I'll BUY you another one!"
"No. I'm not leaving without it."
Hari rubbed his face. "Fine. Go get yourself killed. I'm not coming back."
Katsu smirked. "Then I guess I'll die trying." He ran toward the room.
Hari sighed. "I hate self-sacrificing idiots." He tipped his hat and turned away.
Inside the room, Katsu whispered, "Okay, now where is it…" He rifled through shelves and cabinets.
"Come on, come on…"
CREAK.
The door opened.
Footsteps.
"Oh no. Did they hear me?" Katsu thought, ducking behind a shelf.
"Now… where did I put Hari's sword…"
"That voice—oh no," Katsu muttered.
He peeked and saw a blond man in armor.
"OF COURSE IT'S MATSUMURA! WHY WOULDN'T IT BE HIM?!"
"Ah-ha! Found you!" Matsumura shouted.
Katsu's heart pounded. He braced himself—
SMASH! THUD!
Glass shattered. Matsumura dropped to the floor.
"What the hell?!" Katsu thought, peering out.
Someone was standing over him.
The figure turned toward Katsu.
Katsu panicked, grabbed the nearest object, and swung—
WHACK!
"OW! SON OF A—!"
"Hari?! Oh my god, I'm sorry!" Katsu shouted.
"If this is how you thank people, I'm never helping you again!" Hari growled, clutching his head.
"I SAID I'M SORRY!"
"I thought you weren't coming back for me?"
Hari crossed his arms. "On my way out, I remembered this place had valuable stuff to steal. Just happened the room you were in was one of them."
Katsu smirked. "Sure, sure. Tell me the real reason."
Hari groaned. "Fine. I saw blondie walk in. Thought you might do something stupid."
"Aww, you were worried about me."
"I could kill you right now and not lose sleep over it," Hari said coldly.
"Right. Noted," Katsu said nervously.
They glanced at Matsumura's unconscious body.
"...Is he dead?" Katsu asked.
Hari shrugged. "Meh."
"Good enough. Let's get out of here."
Katsu grabbed his sword, and they bolted out the door, sprinting out to the city.
A FEW DAYS LATER
"Forgive me, Father. I'll do better next time," Matsumura said, head wrapped in bandages.
"You must," said General Takahashi. "As my son — and as future General — failure is unacceptable. You will capture and contain every threat to this kingdom. Even if they are my own blood."
His eyes hardened.
"We cannot let those men escape."
"Yes, sir." Matsumura saluted and left.
General Takahashi stood by the window, gaze steely.
"Hari Ashikaga… when I find you…" he muttered. "You'll pay for what you've done."
FUN FACT:
Hari means "Lion; One who forgives all sins.", and Ashikaga means "Place of reeds", meaning "Foot" or "Advantage".