Crack that whip...

"So... I'm getting a little TIRED," Ketsueki brought the lash down again on the heavily inked woman's leg. "Of asking the same question and getting no answer."

The restrained Monster Girl said nothing, merely tossing her head and grimacing with a horrible snarl. Ketsueki had to admit she was a pretty one. When her men had brought the girl in, she might have mistaken her for a Clan Oni. Except that she didn't know this girl. Her eyes ran over the redhead's form, and the gag that had been tightened about her mouth. Ok, it was a bit of a tease, but when the gag wasn't in, Banshees were downright lethal. This one though... hadn't screamed, just charged at the nearest man and attempted to... Well, if her men hadn't gotten to her fast, no telling how it would go. Nothing like a sighting to rile up the bigots in town. Hell, she had no idea why the girl had come into town in the first place.

"So... Let's take a little break," Ketsueki replaced the braided whip onto the rack on the wall, after coiling it carefully. Her fingers brushed over the collar of her sleeveless white jacket. It set off the extensive collection of binding inks on her arms beautifully, after all. Forms of mythological figures, interspersed with the binding sigils that normally would bind a demon to a mortal's service. Combined with the long blonde hair, the effect was extremely enticing to nearly all of her associates. Only the hint of the horn that she deliberately kept visible gave any hint to her true nature. Far better to remind her subordinates exactly who they were dealing with if they chose to cross her.

"I've said it before, but maybe... with all that thrashing around, maybe you just haven't been listening," Ketsueki explained herself patiently, allowing her heels to click nicely on the floor. Wardell had been right. Carpet totally would have ruined the effect. "I want to know... who put the binding on you. That's it. Whole thing ends. Otherwise, I have to remove it myself, and that's not going to be fun. My way involves... More than just the whip."

Ketsueki pulled a small set of needles from a nearby cupboard.

"Sitting still for that ink on you... couldn't have been a fun process." She stepped closer, holding a particularly long needle in front of the tied Banshee... whose eyes went wide at the sight, and she shook her head rapidly, back and forth.

"So... If I take that gag off you... You talk... You let me know how it happened. Will make it easier for me to find who's messing with my people. But you scream... and it won't go well for you, Understand?"

The Girl's eyes shone with a hunger, but she nodded, very slowly. Ketsueki reached behind the head of the no longer struggling Monster Girl, and undid the strap. The gasp of breath after the release was exactly the tone that she liked to hear. Exhilarated, scared... but not hurt. Any mystical bindings would be ineffective... at least for a little while. Her own marks, which she had carefully left while marring the green and orange ink, ensured that the girl could talk. At least until the scratches healed.

"Now..." Ketsueki lowered herself so she was looking directly into the Banshee's eyes. "Who's been messing with my people?"