From what the two got from cop that was about to arrest them under the pretence of tresspass and noise complains but was released short after were told not to break and enter the property ever again, or for real they'll face a much punishing penalty. Alice had explained to the Officer that they were invited by a stranger, or so the owner, but was the one to chase them out. Was that enough to prove their innocence. No. It was not. The officer pretended he didn't hear that. Again with the same, he adviced that they not do anything shady, IF, they don't want to be sitting behind bars.

  "This is unbelievable!" Alice shouted.

  Since they are prohibited by the cop not to enter into the property without censent (which they did because it was legal for a time) they walked down the mountain road and the cop car had just behind them following along after satisfy did he drive pass them.

  The rage stacked within Alice. She was filled with rage. "This is bullshit!" She would let out her mind speak out as her voice was clearer, loud, and excessive.

  Ben ran up to her. "Look on the bright side," he said, "We won't be in jail, that's something to be sure of."

  "Yeah, but we're gonna from scratch again. And if that doesn't work, it's back to the drawing board..."

  What was he supposed to say? Go back and break and enter? That wasn't he's style. Ben could only comfort and relief her of her worries. He wasn't the best but he did practice defence first than attack.

  His eyes landed on the road. "Don't worry much about it Alice, I think, we can get through this." He switched from down to up. "The day is still young.....so we're not going to be stuck. We have all the time in the world.

  "Nothings gonna stop us..." he was about to look to his left but found no Alice.

  She was gone. Gone away from he's side.

  "NO WAY IN HELL I'M GOING TO LOSE THIS OPPORTUNITY!!!!" She yelled at the tip of her lungs.

  Surprised, Ben turned to his behind in a flash and there, he saw her, running up the mountain.

  "You're not serious, are you?" Said Ben as he too would have expected something like this to happen. He ran after her.

  As one might have it, running up a mountain road takes time and time in which the body builds a resilient, stamina efficient, and endurance body to keep up the pace of long hours and challenges. Alice's skill aren't perfect. Muscles. They're untrained, weak, and short-term lasting. Meaning: the way she going now, she might collapse at any moment.

  Muscles cramps and aches. Short breathe. A downpour of sweat. That was all the signs of an exhausted runner, tired and stress, unable, unwilling, the body at it's limit, it might be time.

  But not this time.

  At end of it all, she stopped. As breathed, she looked up and saw it. The metal gate. She had made it.

  "I made it," she said. Depleted.

  Ben came right through just as she came afterwards. He didn't have an issue. For him, it was an average Tuesday.

  "What now?" Asked Ben.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  "Just gimme a moment," a voice of slow breathes released. She was taking her time first, after that, then she could move.

  The solution to their entry over the metal gate was no easy feat. Alice had to climb over it with the help of Ben. He shouldered her legs on him (like a levelled platform) and gave her a thrust. Once over the metal fence, it was up to her to get Ben to the other side as well. But how exactly was she going to do that? There wasn't a gate house nearby nor a lever. What was she to do?

  Nothing.

  The sound of metal fence was heard before long Ben had already made over the fence. Him as he sticks a perfect landing on the ground.

  "You could have done that all along," Alice said awestruck.

  "Yes," he replied. "But you had to go first: if I had done like this than you would have it the hardest."

  "Yeah, that does sound true."

  The two made it back to the stranger's/homeowner's/good-for-nothing shit stain that almost got them arrested.

  Alice placed her hands close to the window and tried to see the inside. "I can't see anyone." She let go and shouted to her right, "You got anything?"

  It was Ben. He shook his head.

  'Guess it's a no.'

  She looked the house with hard gazes.

  'Why do you gotta make things harder?!'

  The two then went to the backyard in hopes of finding any loose ends. The balcony platform however was also shut as tight as water sprinkled onto paper and trying to tear them apart, but you can't. The tension between them is incomprehensible.

  So what where they to do?

  Sit around, I guess.

  The two found a wooden bench---dusty and old, it still has use to it, though you'll hear the occasional squeaks. They gave time to rest. All that running up the mountain road was still there, and Alice was beginning to feel the pain creep in.

  "Dang. My body feels stiff as a nail," she stretched.

  And as for Ben, he sat just opposite to her. He didn't have that problem. Yep. Not a problem to care.

  She glared at him. "You really don't find it tiring, running."

  "Not at all."

  "I'd wager you'd be better off thrown into the desert and come out unscathed. No offence."

  He smiled.

  "You can't be serious."

  Alice was astonished. She was kidding by the way. She didn't think he would take it for real. Or was he......And so, for the next ten minutes, Alice began to talk to Ben. Asking him, questioning him, she wanted to know little more.

  Now it was what was happening inside the house that wasn't seen or heard from the outside.

  The inside of the house to the hallway, to the livingroom, to the kitchen, to the toilet and washroom, and to the storage room was awfully quiet. And dark. And empty.

  Though it wasn't empty in a single room. The bedroom.

  He had just woken from sleep. Woken because of a radio alarm. He walked next to the table the radio was at and pushed a button, and right after, a woman's voice was heard. This voice was distressed.

  ".....It is adviced that all citizens are to stay indoors. I-I'm not sure how to say this but, we are being attacked....please, anyone, anyone out there...help us....."

  Footsteps echoed. Thumps of footsteps on the polished floor.

  He went to the living room. Hungry and still lingering to fall asleep, he slapped himself to wake. He opened a wardrobe there.

  He grabbed what was inside and wore it. On him was a set of armor pieces. Everything looked okay except the armor that was for his feet. It was damaged. Sometime ago he had full trained while wearing the armor, and along that way, his feet was the most affected. He was suppose to use dust

  "...Gonna go barefoot."

  When walked over to the balcony glass slide, his ear picked up voices from outside. "This has to be a joke, right?"

  It wasn't.

  They are really there.

  He recognised right from the get-go who these people were. Not to get them wild up, the door handle for the balcony slide was gently slid to the right so carefully and marvelously that you didn't get wind of it.

  He needed to make distance when he was done.

  The man backed from his current position. On the mark of three---he runs.

  3

  2

  1

  .......

  "....And so that's how I got that name: Punch Princess." Alice said

  "I didn't know." Ben was dumbfounded or at least he wanted to be.

  "Keep that in mind. I'm not your regular girl."

  The two discussed.

  They aren't aware of this but as they are talking amongst themselves, the sweep steps of footsteps grazed the wooden floor, then it's like he popped into nothing to something. When Alice was able to tilt her head just at the right angle, she saw him in slow motion.

  The armored man jumped over them and with a clear landing, he ran into the forest bushes.

  Alice sprang to her feet. "Hey!" She shouted.

  'That's him!'

  "Come on!" Alice said again. "Let's go after him!"

  The chase was on.