It was Saturday, and the week had been busy. Making ready for today. Kyouki, anxious, had gotten some sleep, woke up in the middle of the night, so much on her mind she just couldn't go back to sleep. She was going over the pros and cons of the Saints. Switching gears, to fall into the life that was second nature. As the vigilant heroine emerged last night.
As many times as she tossed and turned, she gave up and got dressed. Had been before the sun.
There's no time like the present than going for a workout on the path that went around the boardwalk and along the beach.
When Kyouki's anxiety had subsided some, she sat on a bench, listening to the ocean lap at the shore. The sight of the sky turning from blue to orange and deep pinks. It was the start of a beautiful morning, the smell of the sea.
Many thoughts churned to the life she once had before, to the life that will cement the day.
~
Thursday she had gone to the bank, just to check on an old account. She wasn't looking or really expecting for it to be still active, much to her surprise, she was well off. It was her cut, from years ago, for taking out the Columbian cartel-backed gang, Los Carnales. Who had a major foothold in Stilwater, pushing drugs that spread from one end of Stilwater to the other and back again. That was Li's first order of business back then. How she did it still talks of the streets years later.
They were nothing but a distant memory after she, single-handedly, took the eldest brother out. His taste for young girls proved very useful to the then teenaged Li. Now the funds from that which had sat left her with a chunk of cash her uncle in Japan would be proud of.
Kyouki needed to make calls to China too. There she has an uncle who undoubtedly had put up a tablet for her like her Japanese uncle. Back then she relied on her Obachan, Kyouki went to pay her a visit. Driving to the cemetery site, she lost in deep thought. She doesn't want to be the ghost who comes back. Ky needed to think of how she was going to announce her not being dead.
Back in the day, it was then she could afford, with her own pocket change, to send her Obachan away from the old house on the Row to live in a beautiful hotel suite on the beach. Her Obachan married into a friend of the family, to keep them safe. After some time, her uncle passed on. Her Uncle's younger brother arranged, so it was a consistent flow of money for them both when he took his brother's remains and had traveled back to China, also for business. Kyouki made sure her Obachan had enough of anything for whatever it was she wanted, even if the money sent was more than enough.
The bumps and bruises she kept hidden. If the bruise found out, there was always an excuse for a misstep or walking into a door at school.
On top of her game, she gained mad respect amongst the people of the city and the crew, both the Saints and the other crews that he came across. Ky had taken the place of Troy as Julius' right hand.
Kyouki thought more about what Gat said. ' Remember that birthday you held for me?' She had long left the lounge life as the mysterious 'Songbird' the same day they canonized her. Going back to her former employer, who announced he would be happy to pay protection to the Saints, then the Vice Kings.
Kyouki snorted, that rivalry between the Saints and Vice Kings. It wouldn't have been if it wasn't for who King left in control. It spiraled out of control when the last of the big three, Tonya, meet her end.
Taking out Warren was a near cakewalk. He and Tonya were in the same place, but Kyouki stared down the barrel of a shotgun after Tonya got the jump on her. If it hadn't been for Gat. Kyouki shook her head clear from that thought as she drove on.
Benjamin King respected her so much that when he dropped his flags, he handed the reins over to her. Once the loose ends were no more, no one dared come after her.
~*Mourning Wood Cemetery.*~
Pulling into the parking lot, Kyouki got out of the car. It was still so early in the morning that the grass glistened in the sunlight with dew as she walked along the path to where her Obachan was resting. The thoughts of what could have put her Obachan in the hospital with worry were; The Westside Rollerz with duo leaders William Sharpe and Joseph Price, who tried to kill her, found out the hard way. Make sure who you shoot one hundred percent dead.
William Sharpe was an evil man. He and Richard Hughes both colluded with each other. Sharpe with Lin as bait and then tried to kill them both by shooting them and drowning them. While Hughes used the James family, and her Obachan.
Then Kyouki 'Li' was gone.
In a cloud of flame and debris that to this day no one knew how, what, or why it happened. And she rose from those ashes like a Phoenix reborn. Each time those who she stepped over, and on, plowed through to clean the streets of Stilwater, bowed.
She bowed to the plot that was set up for the woman who had her from the time she couldn't fend for herself.
Dressed in her workout outfit, she padded around in her black sneakers, sweeping and dusting the site. She will have to come back with flowers properly. Right now, she needed to talk.
Another wave of anxious energy bubbled. What she will do for later today. She took a deep breath. "Just like riding a bike." Kyouki smiled brightly. "Hey Obachan, how are you today?" The young woman spoke as if the older woman was right there with her, holding a well-deserved conversation about her plans, her wants, and needs. She felt somewhat better. "Obachan? Can you continue to watch over me as you always have? I promise I will be safe, much safer this time. I love you, I thank you and I'll see you later. Rest well." Bowing respectfully, she turned to leave.
Not without walking a stretch that she had avoided since Troy had told her about the memorial service they held for her.
Stopping in front of the grave, many flowers were there and candles. Looking at the tombstone, 'Kyouki 'Li' James.' her birthdate and death.
A child still had left the world before she began. With a deep sigh, she looked at the place where her body should have been.
"You, kid, keep Obachan company, you hear me? No more trouble for her. I'll clean up the mess you left. And this is the last time I do this!" With her nose in the air, she marched back to the car.
It was odd looking at one's tombstone. A rush of emotions settled and Kyouki smiled.
The Saints would now have their leader. That she is clarifying with everyone today, she will make her mark once again, and stronger than before. The sun was creeping, warming her skin. The song that played next was from a group called Autopilot Off. She sang along, nodding, agreeing with the words as she drove from the cemetery.
Troy was there, hidden, watching her, keeping his distance. He wanted to talk to her, but knew it wasn't the time yet. He heard what she told herself. Troy closed his eyes and sighed. This was only the beginning.
~
"Write it on the walls and read it, Blood red so you can see it, Life leaking out. Write it on the walls and read it, Until there are no secrets, So safe and sound, At least for now…"
Kyouki did in fact have her secrets, ones she told just one in this life. She couldn't yet share with anyone else. Aisha kept her secret, for that she was thankful. She had put the song on repeat. She took the long way back to her small apartment, singing loud and clear.
It fueled her, burning brighter in her heart. She sang hard, nothing but her and the music for Ky, a declaration of things to come.
The sun was burning bright high in the sky as she sped up the highway to her home. Kyouki howled, rocking out in her car at the stoplight. She felt amazing this morning.
She laughed, a smile on her face as her heart was less heavy. Pulling into the driveway, she dialed Gat and the others. "Get everyone to Purgatory."
"Purgatory?" came from her lieutenants.
"Bright purple so they can see it!" Ky laughed. "See you all in a few hours."
~*Old Stilwater.*~
The hours ticked, and there were hundreds of people waiting for Li to arrive. Gat was busy canonizing. No one was safe.
Li lurked in the fallen part of the city. She came up from the depths of old Stilwater. Outside of the doors that were the men and woman who she would lead from this day on, she walked through them. They were cheering, laughing, as they beat each other, looking more like a fight club, but she remembered she had to go through it too.
Placing a gentle hand on the shoulders of the men and women that had gathered. Making her way to the front slowly, they quieted, signaling the people around to watch the woman who silently parted them. Li stepped around Gat, who was on top of one member, punching him in the face, her heels stopping before him.
When he looked up "Woah."
Aisha was there grinning when she saw Kyouki approach. With a nod, Li acknowledged her best girlfriend, Aisha followed closely behind.
Li walked up the freshly carpeted refurbished steps of the sunken hotel, Purgatory. It was aptly fitting. Kyouki was both dead and alive, stuck in the middle of what's right and everything else. The others followed behind, single file murmuring as the woman stood waiting with her eyes closed on the first landing. It was so quiet when the last of them filled around her and below her, she could hear them breathing and the hum of the electricity and churning of the generator. Everyone's eyes were on her. She smiled at the statue they replaced, a tribute to one of their own, Lin, now in heaven with her Obachan. "Watch over us and guide with a steady aim." she whispered.
Li turned to face them, arms crossed, matte black heels, her fitted black slacks, her tight bright white lace sleeved sweetheart neckline shirt, a blazer in black draped over her shoulders, her hair, dark waved curls in a neat bun tied with a laced black and white scarf, that trailed down her back and shoulders and black fedora with a deep purple feather stuck in the white ribbon, neatly positioned over one eye.
Shaundi with the others stood to the front. They were her lieutenants, the ones who were going to uphold what she will say without question.
Tilting her chin up in greeting, she gestured at the same time. "Where did you find them?" Li then nodded to everyone.
Johnny smirked. "I made some calls."
There were chuckles amongst the sea of purple. Aisha stood close to Johnny, looking up at the woman, who was doubting she could do this after that horrifically unfortunate accident.
Shaundi on Gat's left tapped his elbow. "What do we do now?"
"We listen." Johnny gestured to the woman standing.
~
"Listen up." Echoing the words of Julius Little, Li's voice was clear and strong, her presence demanding them all to pay her words spoken guaranteed attention. "We have very serious shit to discuss." Li's eyes roamed over the crowd. "The Saints used to own Stilwater. Our name meant something, and it seems like the ones who remember this are me and Gat." Li shifted position to her hands on her hips. "I believe it is high time we give those other muthafuckers a wake up call. They tried to kill me once. A lot of things have changed since I had a rebirth, as I rose from those ashes, and I won't be sleeping this time. I won't lie to you and feed you false hopes. This shit will be hard. We may lose each other, we may survive by the skin of our teeth."
Li felt a lump in her throat as she swallowed it down. She could hear the others agreeing with her.
"There is one thing for certain: I want this city cleaned from what is tearing it apart again. Drugs, I know damn good and well. I had that well under control."
There was cheering amongst the crowd, louder, whistles, and howls.
"Damn real Li!"
"We run this!"
"That's right Boss!" Echoing in the distance.
Li waved her hand and silenced them again. "I want detailed accounts of who these crews are, Pierce, Shaundi, and Carlos. They are your lieutenants. If you remotely fuck up, I won't hesitate to kill you. Unlike other leaders, you are not slacking or infiltrating, none of that shit. If you feel like bitching out now, be my guest. You know where the door is, but I doubt you get that far." There were nods and murmurs amongst them, but then they cheered again.
"Pierce. Ronin. I need to know what business they are running and who has been calling the shots."
Pierce nodded. "Aight."
"Shaundi, you have the Samedi..."
Before Li could finish her order to the small brunette, she interjected. "I can't do Samedi."
Li's eyebrow rose. "Fuck you say?" Li's hand left her hip for a second, and at Shaundi's feet, a small dagger implanted right near her foot.
"It's cool, yeah… I got it, Samedi." Shaundi inwardly kicks herself. She better tell Li soon about her dealings with the gang she doesn't want to get involved with again.
Li nodded, turning her attention to the last man. "Carlos."
Carlos smiled and tried hard to hide it. "Brotherhood, I'm on it."
Li smiled at him. "Ooooh yeah... ok-ay, that's what I like, initiative." then looking out amongst everyone else. "When we finished here, talk to one of your lieutenants. They will have something for you to do. Who are we?"
"Saints!"
"Who?" she asked louder.
"SAINTS!"
"Our time is now! Paint these streets purple, let them know a phoenix has risen, and her name is Li. Don't forget you are a Saint, the heart and soul of this city, and it will be ours once again!"
There was a roar of cheers in waves from the Saints. Aisha clapped and hollered with them. Gat shook his head, and smiled, chanting going on behind them.
"LET'S GET THIS SHIT STARTED!" Li finished.
Purgatory erupted.