(Insert disclaimer.)

"Ow. Ow. Owowowowow."

"Stop it, beansprout."

"It's Allen! Besides, I'm trying to get free."

"And just how are you going to do that with your hands and feet tied together like a trussed chicken and both of us crammed into a tiny room?"

"I've been working on untying the knots."

"I doubt you've had any progress."

"…Shut up. At least I'm trying. Scraped skin is worth the effort. I don't see you doing anything."

"Since we can't even move in here, it's hopeless.

If I wasn't paired with you on this mission, I wouldn't even be here. After all, I'm not the one who pressed the button that said, 'Emergency Alarm'."

"I thought it was a trick!"

"Idiot. You actually took a chance on that? That 'trick' brought an entire troop into our hiding place, and two against twenty something are very bad odds."

"It was also a mistake! I was being threatened by a very sharp sword; I didn't think about it too much!"

"If you weren't such a soft-hearted idiot, I wouldn't have needed to use Mugen on you!"

"But--!"

"Never mind. We're stuck here, and arguing won't get us anywhere."

"…Hey, can you turn around?"

"What?"

"Turn around so you face me. Then we can work on each other's ropes."

"I already said we can't even wiggle in here, and now you expect me to turn around?"

"Just ball up yourself and try to turn."

"You hit me!"

"See, we're facing each other now. It worked, like I said it would."

"Amazing. A beansprout like you is actually able to come up with a workable idea."

"It's Allen, again. Start working on the knots."

"I already am. I don't need to be told to do something."

"Well, it's dark in here.

…I got your feet free."

"So did I, and half of the knots on your hands."

"Already?!"

"I'm much more efficient than you. And now your hands are free."

"Wow. I can feel circulation in my hands again."

"Stop admiring your freedom and help me on my hands, like you're supposed to!"

"Sor-ry.

There. Okay, so now how do we get free? Banging?"

"And let them know we took our ropes off?"

"Oh. Then what do you propose?"

"There's a crack along the bottom of this wall. Help me push. On three. One, two, three."

"It budged!"

"It should have. If it didn't, then we should be surprised.

…There's no sound, so no one knows we can get out. Beansprout, go down that corridor and check if that door's unlocked. There might be a window that will let us outside.

…Why are you staring at me? Go!"

"…"

"… Did he just kiss me?

Beansprout! Hey! Come back here and explain that right now!"

"It's thanks!"

"Thanks?"

"Thanks for helping!"

"…That's it?

…

Oh well.

It was nice. "

-End-