Marinette was honestly glad She'd found Alix. If She hadn't, She probably wouldn't have made it five feet past the door, but now they were steadily making their way down the corridors. Alix was taking down every guard in their path, knocking them out cold. Marinette managed to take down a few of Her own. Apparently, the hilt of a sword made a good weapon as well.

Hopefully, if the Dragons did manage to make it, the bodies of guards lining the hall would be a good enough trail for them to follow.

"Cash takes dinner around this time every night," Alix said. She seemed to have barely even broken a sweat and was still moving down the hall at a swift pace. "Even if he does have a shipment going out tonight, I doubt he'd break up his routine for that."

"If he isn't there, where should we check?" Marinette asked, jogging slightly to keep up with her.

"The docks," Alix said. "He's got his own personal harbor here. If he's not getting his last meal in, he might be overseeing the preparations."

Marinette nodded, walking a bit faster to stay in stride with Alix. She tried to stay on alert as much as possible, glancing behind Her every so often to make sure no one snuck up on them from behind. Thankfully, Alix knew exactly where they needed to go. They wouldn't have to waste time getting lost in the sprawling corridors. Something inside Marinette burned at that thought. If your home was so large that someone could get lost in it, it was likely you shouldn't have built it.

She wondered how many people's sweat and blood was built into these walls, how many long and laborious days they'd spent constructing such a gaudy and horrid monstrosity.

Marinette stopped in Her tracks.

She was guilty, too, She realized. Had She now grown up in a palace of this size as well? Perhaps one even larger? It was hypocritical of Her to resent Cash for his displays of wealth when the Royal Family did the same.

"What are You doing?" Alix asked. She had walked a little farther forward, not realizing that Marinette had stopped.

Marinette's eyes snapped up to her. "Sorry," Marinette said, gripping her arms tightly, gaze cast the ground. "I was just thinking-"

"You're not like Cash," Alix said, placing a hand on Marinette's shoulder. Her words surprised Marinette, beginning to stutter. Alix just laughed. "Come on, even Cash recognized You weren't just a peasant girl. Anyone with half a brain could recognize it too." Alix sighed, patting Her on the cheek. "We don't control the situations we're born into. When you're a child born into wealth, there's going to be that moment when you see the world for what it really is. What matters is what you decide to do after that point."

Alix's hand took a hold of Marinette's wrist, pulling Her along down the hall. Marinette stumbled a little at first, Her mind trying to catch up with Her feet.

Alix was certainly right. Now was the moment for Marinette to decide what She was going to do. Going after Cash had been a whim, a split-second decision. What about in the future? Did She want to stand against every corrupted lord in the kingdom? By now, Marinette was sure there were plenty. It could take Her a lifetime to make up for a childhood of ignorance.

As they turned the corner once again, Marinette and Alix found themselves face to face with two guards on the opposite end of the corridor. The door they were standing in front of was clearly the one that they needed to get through. By this point, Alix and Marinette had managed to take out enough of the guards that they felt high on confidence. Only one thing made Her falter.

The same guard that had brought Her to Cash the first time, that had dragged Her down the halls by Her bound wrists, was standing before Her again. The smile that crossed his face was the same that sent shivers down Her spine before. Marinette didn't cower in fear this time. She gripped the sword She'd been holding tighter, flexing her wrist. "I'll take the one on the left."

They would have to move first. There was no way the guards were going to abandon their posts in front of the door. Alix had nodded, laughed a little, at Marinette's request. She charged for the guard on the right, weapon held straight out in front of her. Marinette didn't stand back to watch the anticipated takedown. She was sure that Alix could handle it all on her own, given her track record.

The guard Marinette was facing down was apparently feeling a little cocky. He stepped farther into the hall, a smile still on his face. He didn't even take his sword out of his sheath, instead, holding his hands up in fists. Marinette turned her sword so She was gripping the handle backward, the blade pointed behind Her. Even if this man had hurt Her enough to deserve it, knocking him out cold was still Her goal.

She had to duck as soon as he was close enough. In terms of strength, it was clear who the winner was here, but Marinette was much smaller, and faster. She liked to think that the hours She'd spent watching Chat train when they were kids was enough to give Her an edge. Marinette tried to picture some of his moves in Her head, figure out how to copy them. She tried to through Her full weight into Her hits.

"How are you this much of a little pest?" the guard asked Her, catching Her hand midair. He squeezed Her wrist tight, trying to get Marinette to drop Her sword as a sharp pain spread up Her arm. "Just give up already. It's not like we'll kill you when we can still turn a profit-"

Marinette landed a sharp kick to his shin. It was enough to throw him slightly off balance, enough to give Her an advantage. She was able to push him back against the wall, his skull connecting against the stone with a loud thud. The hilt of Her sword slammed into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He was quick to recover, however, and Marinette narrowly missed getting punched in the jaw.

The second punch landed.

Marinette hadn't even seen it coming, but it connected with the right side of Her face. There was enough force behind it to knock Her to the ground. Her wrist was already hurting from when he'd tried to crush it with his grip, and as She stuck Her hand out to stop Her fall, Marinette swore She heard something crack.

The yelp of pain that passed through Her lips couldn't be stopped. Multiple parts of Her body were throbbing, flaring up with pain.

Alix charged at the guard, having taken her opponent down and leaving him sprawled out on the floor. He seemed surprised by how well she fared against him. Alix didn't seem at all phased by the hits he managed to land, but he was clearly wavering because of her's.

Marinette stood to Her feet, hand coming up to gently touch the side of Her face. She winched, pulling it away like She'd been burned as Her jaw throbbed at Her touch.

Alix managed to catch Her eye, her head nodding toward the low table not too far from them. The guard's back was to it, and he was currently well occupied. Marinette was able to sneak behind him, climbing up onto the table. She decided to give Herself a running start. Her feet danced from side to side, trying not to trip over the silk runner at the center. Once She was at the edge, Marinette launched Herself off, hoping She'd get enough air and distance.

Marinette didn't land on the ground, instead of wrapping Her arms around the guard's neck and Her feet on his waist. With as much strength as She could muster, She placed him in a headlock and squeezed. His hands were on Her arm instantly, trying to pull Her off. He almost managed to succeed, but Alix swiftly kicked him, sending him to his knees, and Marinette readjusted Her grip.

She couldn't say how long it had taken. He'd continued to fight against Her, but was losing strength with every second.

"You're-" he choked out, coughing in between his words. "You're never going to set them all free."

"Perhaps not," Marinette said, grunting as She jerked his head back with Her arms. "But you will never hurt anyone again."

The guard fell face-first into the floor as he finally slipped out of consciousness. Marinette rolled off his back onto the ground and quickly got back up on Her feet. She brushed off Her skirt and pushed Her bangs out of Her face. Alix bent down, poking the side of the guard's head.

"He's just unconscious," Alix said.

"Yes," Marinette huffed, tossing Her hair behind Her neck. "And he'll be arrested, along with the rest of them."

"You're very benevolent," Alix said, tilting her head to the side.

Marinette only smiled, picking up the sword that had been discarded on the ground. Nothing could slow Her stride as She made Her way over to the double doors. She gripped the hands, pulling them both open, and was suddenly bathed in the glow of red light from the lanterns.

Almost directly across from Her, seated at the end of a long table, sat the man they'd been searching for.

Cash barely looked up at them as they entered the room. He set down the fork he'd been eating up, picked up his napkin, and slowly wiped at the corners of his mouth. Once finished, he sat back in his chair, face not betraying whatever emotions he might be feeling.

Marinette hoped that somewhere in that cold, heartless being was some semblance of fear.

"I didn't expect you to make it inside," Cash said, and gestured to many other empty seats. "Tea?"