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“Don’t move.”
The command was weighted with the intensity of a thousand anvils, pressing into Yanfei’s shoulders in a phantom pressure. She froze instinctively. That voice… It was so familiar. She’d heard it a thousand times, but never with such urgency.
Bright, fluorescent blue lights suddenly bloomed by her side, a figure silently descending in the distraction. Yanfei’s heart thundered against her ribcage. Still frozen, she looked toward the figure through her peripherals, every sense on high alert. The figure moved silently, methodically, somehow managing to conceal even the shifting of their clothes as they walked.
“Boo,” the figure whispered, laying a hand on her shoulder. Yanfei couldn’t keep up her unbothered posture and snapped to look the figure in the eye, only to be met with a familiar face.
“Archons, Yelan!” she whisper-shouted, “Did you have to do that?”
Yelan shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “It’s more fun this way. Alright, let me see your wrists. We don’t have much time.”
Yanfei complied immediately. “I still don’t see why this is necessary.”
“It’s more believable this way,” the Hydro user sighed. She began to wrap Yanfei’s wrists in her signature blue wire. “Besides. It won’t be for very long. All you have to do is stand there and look helpless.”
“In front of a bunch of feisty criminals… Why would they even care about a lawyer like me? Aren’t I technically their enemy?”
“I need these people to listen to me for the next part. It’s all about trust. Do you trust me, Yanfei?”
“Of course I do,” Yanfei huffed, watching as Yelan went to in lip her Vision. It would be out of sight to the people they were meeting, but close enough to where Yanfei could use it if she had to.
“Okay, looks good enough. Just follow my lead, and don’t be afraid to improvise. Roll with the punches.”
Yanfei laughed lightly. “Roll with the punches.”
The pair started down the cavernous hallway, right into the figurative belly of the beast. In Yelan’s line of work, things of this nature were common. In Yanfei’s line of work, things of this nature were exactly what she studied, not experienced. Her life was in Yelan’s hands. Not that she was scared, though, she trusted Yelan. She’d be fine. They’d both be fine.
When they entered the yawning chasmic cave, the aforementioned criminals were already inside. Yanfei watched as her friend easily slipped into one of her various identities, tugging Yanfei along with just enough force to be believable.
“Ah, there you are! Was startin’ to think you weren’t gonna show up,” one of the ruffians smirked.
“Why would I break a promise?” purred Yelan.
The glance she threw back at Yanfei was nearly imperceptible, but the Pyro user knew that to look for. On the surface, it was a hardened, aggressive stare, but Yanfei knew that beneath it all, there was a foundation of confidence. Her friend’s fortitude invigorated Yanfei, and she knew Yelan had everything under control.
That was, until the scoundrel grabbed Yanfei by her bound wrists and held her in the air, completely and utterly helpless.