Worth It {Ash x Eiji}

The Mission

{ Major character death warning...

Read with caution.}

" What do you say we have some fun, Samurai Boy?" Arthur chuckled, running the knife along the front of Eiji's shirt. It was a pink one with short sleeves and buttons down the middle.

Eiji didn't want to look scared, but he couldn't help but flinch away as Arthur began to cut the buttons apart one by one, slowly opening up the front of his shirt to reveal his chest. He could feel Ash's anger from above himself, with it practically pulsing in his chest. He couldn't even process all the emotions he felt, not sure if they were Ash's or his own.

Just as Arthur popped off the final button, the door to the dungeon opened and revealed a man in a white lab coat.

" Arthur!" He exclaimed.

" What? This better be important." Arthur turned and growled.

" Shorter Wong has escaped..." The man said, making Arthur's eyes bulge.

" Did you inject him with it first?"

" No..."

" So sad to see your plans got foiled..." Eiji murmured. He was trying to be strong and live by Ash's example. If hope wasn't holding out, he could always fight with words.

" Shut up you Japanese rat." Arthur retorted, taking Eiji by the throat. " The only reason you're still alive is because I was ordered to let you keep sucking breath..."

Eiji kept a serious facial expression, all the while Dino was briefed on the situation.

" Well... just because the plan hit a snag doesn't mean we can't re-adjust..." Dino spoke smoothly. " Arthur, until Shorter is apprehended, you're free to beat up the Asian boy... play as you wish, but keep him awake and coherent..."

Eiji began to shake as he stood there, even as he fought the nerves. He had to be strong for Ash.

" Sounds good to me..." Arthur began to crack his knuckles.

" If I make it out of here... I'm going to kill you. I'll string your entrails around the halls and hang your head on the doorstep... I'll make you wish you were never even born..." Ash growled in Dino's ear, a murderous tone having taken over his voice.

Dino could only scoff.

This would be fun.

...

Shorter had already snagged a gun off of one of Dino's men, stabbed another to death with a scalpel, and was currently sprinting around the mansion. He knew that they were in New York, and that meant he had an advantage.

After locking himself inside of what must've been Dino's room, being as it was the largest and the most extravagant of the ones he'd come across, he barricaded the door with chairs and dressers and began to ransack the drawers, looking for anything useful.

That was when he found a rotary phone and smirked to himself, knowing Sing's number by heart. He took what felt like an eternity to dial, but once Shorter got a connection, he was quick to start speaking.

" Sing! Listen! I'm at Dino's mansion and I'm sure Ash is here, too. I need you to find his guys, round up our guys, and we need backup. Be careful of the security system and get in here as soon as you can. I'm expecting a war..." Shorter let him know.

" Are you okay?!" Sing exclaimed.

" It doesn't matter. Just do what I told you and don't tell the elders. We can't trust them."