The Restoration Protocol

24 || you're coming with us

To kill time until the start of a prisoner's scheduled execution.

Admittedly, it isn't the most comforting situation to be in. But Mariko has already made up her mind. If they want to rescue Mono before it's too late, they would need to wait for the right window of opportunity to open up — and it's sure to be a small window. Before the crowds are drawn, before there are too many people present that would make it nigh impossible to slip away unnoticed. A very, very small window indeed. But, if they play their cards right, they could widen it.

The best possible chance they would have to put their plan into action is at the time of Mono's transfer — that is, when the guards escort him to the village square, where he is to face his due punishment. Two armed kitsune soldiers would walk on either side of him, a third at the rear, and the chief guard would lead the group. Others would be present at the square itself to witness the punishment and keep order, but just these four are to be in close vicinity of Mono during the transferring process. Mariko and Soleil overheard it themselves on their way out of the prison. And thus, the groundwork is laid for their plan.

It's likely not a soul here would even suspect someone attempting to sabotage the execution. Mono is well hated here, Soleil expresses, in much the same way as Jugo by his people. Except in Mono's case, he isn't a Keyholder, so there is no shared fear among the people in raising arms against the Warden's chosen. He's just a man who everyone wants dead. Just the thought of rescuing someone like that is an outrageous one, and perhaps just the thing that would contribute to the success of the entire operation.

Well, that, and a couple aces Mariko and her friends have up their sleeves.

The time of the transfer is upon them. They have one chance at this. No opportunity to go back and load some other save data. But that's fine, because they've had time to rehearse at this point. Mariko has faith in them.

It starts with Boey. The killer — no, the distraction. But Mariko tells him his performance must be killer. Quite a lot of pressure to be the opening act, but she insisted upfront that he would be the best person for the job. And just as she expected, the boy proves himself quite the talented actor.

Mariko watches from her assigned post. On the sidelines at the rear of the group of guards escorting Mono, she waits in anticipation, lurking in the shadows where she won't be seen, but also where she won't lose sight of the guards and Mono. Sebastian and Soleil are waiting nearby as well, as the two acts following hers. Just to confirm it for herself, she offers but the quickest of glances their way. Soleil has arguably the biggest role in all this, so it isn't surprising to find her with intense concentration ablaze in her eye, hot enough to melt these snowy mountains.

The stage is set. Boey stumbles out from his own "post" and directly in front of the path of the guards. With his hand clutching his chest, he starts to breathe heavily, as if suddenly taken by some vicious attack in his heart. But he doesn't stop there. As the guards pause for a brief moment to fire questions of concern at the boy, Boey's arms shoot up to wrap around his own head, and he begins to groan in pain. Feigned pain, accompanied by the scripted, lunatic ramblings Mariko and the others had come up for him earlier.

"The...Warden...they're...they're unhappy, they're...they're here, they're going to...be here..."

The chief guard shows some sort of reaction. Blink, and you would miss it, but Mariko sees his bravado betray him enough that he tenses at Boey's compelling performance. The man quickly steels himself. His pointed ears turn inward. "Get off the path, young man," he orders in a sharp tone. "If you're sick, get to an infirmary. Where is your mother??"

Mariko's eyes shift to some other place. This is Julian's cue, and he's right on time.

"I'm so sorry about this, sir," comes the voice of the man in question, before he even steps into view. He appears with a great look of urgency and embarrassment plastered on his face — something he's all too experienced with, dealing with Sebastian on a regular basis. This is second nature to him. With his ponytail now down, he brushes his hair out of his face and hurries to Boey's side.