~*Stilwater General Hospital, November of 98'*~
They had been at the hospital for a week, people from Japan came visiting now. Gat could make out very little of what he was eavesdropping from outside the door of the hospital room. Aisha sat quietly, reading as they waited to sit with Li's grandmother. A few minutes more passed as they waited.
"Yo, excuse me, where is Fuyumi Wong's room?"
Gat's head rolled from looking to the door to looking over to the nurses' station. There was Troy; Gat. Saw. Red. He got up, drawing attention to Aisha;
"Johnny, what's wrong?" Aisha looked over and tossed the magazine into the empty chair next to her. "Johnny don't, not here." She whispered.
His hands clenched into fists, his knuckles white, veins raised all along his arm. That she could see. Aisha reached for his hand, looking to Troy for him to get the hell out of there. Gat was now stalking, slowly, then running caught Troy in the jaw knocking him down to the cold tiled floor, sending things on the long counter crashing to the floor as Troy tried to catch himself, a cart with medical supplies went clattering with a louder crash spilling its contents as well.
"Stop!" Aisha shrieked.
Johnny threw another punch, catching Troy on the forearms. Gat wanted his face. He was going to rearrange his life to send the traitor bastard to hell.
Troy blocked as he tried to shield himself from the incoming onslaught. "Gat stop, don't, let me explain!" Troy shouted from under the cover of his arms.
Everyone who was a nurse scrambled out of the way, one calling for security who told them to let them 'duke it out.'
"What, I promised you this ass whoopin years ago!" He grunted, "You got her killed, you piece of shit!" Gat roared, punching at Troy's head. Fed up with missing his lying mouth, Gat grabbed a hold of Troy's shirt, pulling him to his feet, then easily tossing the man into the door, shattering the glass that was once a thick glass window.
"You piece of shit, you were supposed to be there with her!" Gat grabbed him up again and tossed him into the nurses' station, picking him up once more slid him across the long tall desk into the racks that carried the food.
Dazed, Troy knew he had it coming, just not so soon. There wasn't much he could do to defend himself. Gat was crazed and had every right to be absolutely furious.
"GAT I'M SORRY!!!" Troy screamed as he collected himself. His body was hurting, but Gat continued his assault.
"That won't bring her back, you traitor!" Gat landed another hammer fist into Troy's face, sending him sliding on the floor into the wall. Johnny laughed. He watched the blood trickle from Troy's nose.
"That's enough!" Aisha rushed over to pull Gat's attention to her, jumping onto his back as she tried to hold on. Her petite frame was no match for the onslaught. He was rage incarnate.
Johnny shook off his girlfriend, who then held onto his arm. He swung, sending her sprawling behind him. They caught her, the Guards who came running from the other end of the floor. They were Saints.
A few Saints who were called came running in to hold Gat down.
They didn't know Troy was a cop - it was a couple of boys in Troy's crew, incidentally letting him go. Johnny roared and wrestled his way from being held down by the others and ran barreling rampage after Troy through the hospital corridors.
Aisha looked back and the people who were in with Fuyumi were in the hall with quizzical looks on their faces. Turning her attention to the men. "How is she?"
~*S.R.1*~
Gat came back in an hour later, refreshed. Kyouki looked at him coming through the door with a teary smile on her face. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Kyouki still held his phone in her hands.
Gat chuckled, letting himself in with his bags. Li finished her hair, combing the remaining unbraided locks as a long floppy mohawk. She sniffed hard, grabbing another tissue to blot her eyes. "I thought you was gonna be aight."
Li saw his broad back from her mirror. "Big Ass Gat. Don't come back here again." Snorting as she preened a bit more, looked at herself in the medium-sized mirror, pulling her hair up into a ponytail.
"But I missed you all this time. I want to make up for it." He stood at the kitchenette, digging through the bags.
"You have got to be kidding me." She snorted again. Getting up, she tapped him on the shoulder and waited for him to turn around. She threw her arms around him, pulling him down, hugging him tight. "Thank you Oshiri!" Reaching around him snatching a bag, she headed to the door.
The bustling sound of the morning commuters filled the small room, two guards greeted her at her door from last night, "Lock up when you leave and take them with you." Nodding to them as she headed to her car.
"Anything you say, Boss." Gat said after her retreating form. Quickly looking in the bag left, he walked to the door with it dangling from his finger. "3, 2…."
Ky burst through the door, chuckled, switching the bags and left once again.
~*2401 S. Homan, S. Huntersfield. Aisha's.*~
Kyouki finished at the gym, and she felt great. She then went to pick up her usual lunch order from a local diner near Aisha's, gleefully heading for her second home. Bags of food in hand, she went to put the key in the door, greeted by Lisa, Aisha's younger sister. She saved from prostitution from the Vice King's.
"Hey girl, you look good. How's everyone?" Li greeted, handing her a bag while grabbing a quick hug.
"They good, thanks. You were back, I heard. I had to see it for myself. I'm so glad, shits crazy."
Kyouki nodded. "I'll fix it, I always do, but I won't be taking anymore naps, promise." They both chuckled as Aisha came down, smiling. Ky walked over, handing her a bag too. "Morning, give this to Johnathan. I can't stay today, but I'll be back later tonight. I think, if not, I want you to head to Bavogian Plaza with Johnathan."
"Johnathan?" Aisha raised an eyebrow.
Kyouki leaned in closer to whisper. "You made him stay with me. He is Johnathan."
"Girl, you're crazy. I'll see you later. Thanks!" Aisha cackled from the doorway as Ky practically skipped to her car, driving off tooted the horn.
~* Townhome Apartments, Tidal Spring & Filmore.*~
Once again near Tidal Spring. It was funny. Kyouki was just over here grabbing lunch. Now she was at the Townhomes. After pulling up to the address on her GPS, no one was outside. She parked and sat for a moment. A quick look around spotted a group of young men walk up to a stop in front of one building. Getting out, they met her with wolf whistles and catcalls.
"Save it, boys, I'm not interested. Any of you know, Pierce?"
"Oh, you can't give us the time, but you want to ask questions?" One of the group rebuked.
Li smirked. "Please, which one of you is Pierce? He wanted to speak to me." She looked at the small group, each of them looking at each other.
A man taller than her stood up and smirked. "That's better. Yeah, we can talk over here. How you?" He put his arm around her shoulders, leading her to the apartment door next to the one they stood about.
The sound of panting, heavy foot steps alerted Ky as she tuned her head to see who was approaching.
A guy in a baseball cap and jersey trotted up from behind her and the others. "Li, right? Sorry I'm late. I couldn't decide which shoes to wear." He was out of breath.
"I am." Kyouki looked up at the guy whose arm was still on her. She stepped back frown on her face. "And who are you? And where were you planning on leading me, hmm?" She asked the man before her.
The guy's color drained from his face. He chuckled. "You know, it was a joke." he looked to his boys for help, who looked away as if they had nothing to do with it. "You don't want nothing to do with that dude."
Kyouki's head tilted further to the side. "You… lure women as a joke?" she looked at the guy who called her by name. "You're Pierce, yes?"
Pierce nodded. He was who she was looking for. "Ricky imma-" Before he could finish what he was saying, and it all happened so fast, Pierce and the others were gawping at what they were seeing.
With a nod, she roundhouse kicked the guy in the ribs. She spun in the opposite direction so fast she kneed the man in his face as he was falling to the pavement.
She exhaled and squatted down next to the man's head. "[ Trash. ] The next time, pick a different profession." She stood up, stepping over him and walked to her car. Pierce trotted after her, getting into the passenger's side.
"That was bad ass, if you can do that I want to see what you can do to the Ronin." Pierce commented looking back, seeing the guy still laying on the ground surrounded by the others.
~*Hunterfield Park.*~
As they drove over to the park that Pierce directed Kyouki to go, she nodded. "What the Ronin? He takes your lunch money?"
The look on Pierce's face said it all. "That's not cool. 'They' not 'he' are a gang from Japan. They have been shaking down the shops in Chinatown and all over this area." Pierce gestured out of the windshield.
When she parked, she spotted a car, a yellow sports car, with a black and white dragon along the side. "Oh, nice ride. You said Japan?" 'Need to make those calls' Kyouki pulled out her phone to remind her about those calls. "Tell me, about these… Ronin?"
They sat in the car for a while as Pierce filled her in on the gang, who were just a fraction of a larger body from Japan some time in the past two or three years they had made Stilwater their base of operations.
"They been all over, right. And my grandmama see, she love to play bingo, but these bitches be crawling all over and it ain't safe for old folks to be walking around right. I need to make sure that she is safe."
Kyouki nodded, understanding wholeheartedly what this man next to her was feeling. "[ Honor of the samurai has greater value than that of a ronin. ]" Quoting something her uncle told her a long time ago.
Pierce couldn't believe it. "You speak Japanese?"
"A lil. Come on." She smirked as they exited the car. Walking up, only three of the yellow clad Ronin members were in the park.
They strapped their Katana to their backs. Kyouki shook her head. That was not how they were supposed to carry them. Who was the leader of this clan? Had they no honor?
Ky linked arms with Pierce leaning in to have him play along. "I want to see if we could find out who they work for, but… you want a Katana?"
"No..." Pierce reared back as if she asked if he wanted to date one of them.
Kyouki tugged his arm, urging him on. "Fine. I do." Ky walked ahead, taking in the small park's quaint spot in the mass of concrete and cement. She skipped ahead, approaching one of the trio, a man a head taller than her, whom she stared at for a while, before she apologized for being rude.
"I'm sorry. I was admiring your jacket. This real leather?" Ky reached and felt the fabric on the sleeve.
The medium built blond that was closest to them drawn his sword, picking at the fibers that were twisted around the hilt. Stopping when he felt a hand on him, used the blunt end of his sword to remove the woman's hand from his person.
Ky held her hands up in defense. "Fine, no touch, I get it. But uh… I like that car too. Could I touch that?" Pointing at the Wakazashi, which had an etching of clouds and an eastern dragon on the sides in the lightest yellow and black that complimented the car.
The blond scoffed. "This is a joke, right?"
"No, no joke, I race. I'm in the market for a new car. Any recommendations?" Kyouki batted her eyes.
The man sneered. "Fuck off before I end your life." The third, a dark-haired male, boasted walking up carrying his sword on his shoulder and trying to act intimidating.
Ky rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Wow, rude. Ok, well. Umm... Reece, come here for a sec. I think this one is into dudes." Ky turned her back, thumbing at the blond that threatened her. "Don't look at me like that Reece, I'm just saying, he wearin ol' pissy color. Piss stain looking asses. I know I'm hot. What he doing with a car like that anyway? Bet you can't even race." She taunted. Deliberately picking a fight. She tugged Pierces' arm, turning on her heel to leave.
Pierce looked nervous as hell. "Nah. Heh… I don't… roll.. That way?" He nervously chuckled. Kyouki was no joke, but she was defiantly trying to get them killed, he was certain. When the woman got closer to him. "What the hell was that? You trying to end up dead? They are vicious, they don't give two shits where they are..." he whispered over the traffic that surrounded the busy city park.
The two men were confused and irritated as well. Who the hell was this chick and why was she suddenly talking shit? "Can't race? I will have you know I am the best racer of the Ronin. Bitch?"
" I doubt that. You haven't raced me. Piss bitches." She turned back around, flipping them off as she walked away. They came running up behind her. Ky smiled as she dodged out of the way. The men surrounded her, swords in hand.
Pierce stood and watched what he could only describe as something out of one of those B-Rated Sunday mornings Kung Fu flicks. Kyouki kicked one man square in his sack. He dropped to his knees while letting the sword go, instantly holding himself, gasping for air.
Ky laughed. "You muthafuka, all that talk now lookit you. You couldn't hold the sword and grab ya nuts?"
Neatly kicking the man in his face with the heel of her sneaker, she deftly grabbed the sword rolling out of the way while stirring up dust, from the dark -haired man who was coming after her from behind, she reached for the submachine gun that was strapped across the man on the ground. Having to use the sword to cut the strap once it was free, she tossed the gun to Pierce; who barely caught it, immediately ducked behind the cars. She spun around, swinging at the other to put some distance between them.
The third, a small female ran up to help her friends, Kyouki launching herself at the female who had drawn her sword, preparing to strike. Li side stepped, and saw that the one she was previously engaged with was reaching for his gun, turning his attention to Pierce, who hid behind the car she wanted to touch earlier.
"PIERCE MOVE FROM THAT CAR I SAID I WANTED IT!" the sounds of metal clashing against metal as Li defended, watching the movements of the girl before her. Missing her again, Ky grabbed the girl's wrist, jerking her forward, causing the girl to lose her footing, watched as she fell flat on her stomach. The small raven-haired girl quickly got back to her feet in a huff as she gripped her sword tighter, wildly swinging in Li's direction.
"No, you DIDN'T!" Pierce shouted back, running to a knoll that had a tree wide enough for him to hide behind.
Kyouki growled in annoyance as she was fending off the small girl. "That's not how you are supposed to hold a sword, you ass!" Li taunted, smirking. Saw that the girl was becoming tired fast. "What's the matter, you out of breath already. We just started."
Ky grabbed the girl by her wrist once again, taking the sword hurled it like a javelin at the brown hairs man who was shooting at Pierce, catching him behind his knee the man screamed in pain, dropping his gun Pierce took aim and shot the man twice in the chest.
She was busy dancing around the young girl, who grew more and more frustrated. Her determination was firm. Now swordless, she opts for a barehanded approach. Her fist not connecting with her target also launched several sloppy kicks that were easily pushed aside as the taller woman taunted her.
"Shoot her!" the man on the ground, now on his knees trying his best to get up, shouted. Li ran back over to the blond, picking him up from behind. Watching the girl fumble with the submachine gun before pulling the trigger.
Ky pushed him forward as a hail of bullets aimed for her penetrated that man she used as a shield. Diving out of the way Pierce took that as his cue to aim, he shot at the girl, who gasped in horror at shooting her comrade, screamed in pain as she realized it grazed her in the arm. "Had to open your mouth, didn't you?"
The dust settled, Kyouki was panting, "Gotdamnit, this should have gone better. You alright?" kicking the girl's gun out of her reach.
"Should have gone better, that shouldn't have happened at all!" Pierce hollered, coming from behind the tree to where the bodies of the Ronin crew lay.
"Don't yell at me. He was rude. Look for the keys. I really want this car." Searching their pockets, they took money and left their IDs behind. "Shame, we could have used these guys for the Saints. Nah." Ky shook her head. "Rule one, no killing them if we can use them, and you girl, who the hell taught you how to fight? That was shit. FYI, you are coming with us." The small girl was in tears, holding her arm. Kyouki went to her trunk, taking out a medical kit and a water bottle.
"Pierce, help sit her up, take her jacket off." She ordered as she pulled out the gauze, reaching back into the trunk for a clean cloth.
"She's a Ronin. Why do this for her?"
Hissing in pain. "Yeah, why?" asked the girl, confused by the gesture.
Ky rolled her eyes up, looking at the girl as she cleaned out the wound. The girl before her jumped. It was eerie to see someone glare at them like that. "Because I was your age once, besides you are too young to be running with a gang." Quickly patching the girl up, they helped her into the passenger side of the yellow car.
Kyouki reached in her jacket pockets, retrieving her car keys, tossed them to Pierce. "I'm taking this one. See you at XXXX, the old mission house behind Koi. Oh, call Gat. Tell him I'll be there when I get there."
Pierce saluted his goodbye as he trotted over to Kyouki's car.
Turning her attention to the girl who once she took her place behind the wheel. "You, I'm taking home." Starting the car, she went to pull off.
The girl next to her paled. "No, you can't take me back there!" she shook her head no like it would fall off if she shook any faster, going to open the car door.
Ky jerked her back into the seat, locking the doors. "Why not?" She then raised her hand. She had a small clue. Some of the crew were runaways or needed a safe place to go.
She stopped talking, and looked down, her arm hurt. "I ran away from home, because of my Mother's husband."
Kyouki snapped her finger, looking out ahead of her. "Yeah, I know this tune. Fine… what's your name?"
"Ren."
"Right… You can call me Li. Where do you live?" Li looked out the rear-view mirror, they needed to get out of there, her distaste for guns was strong, "Be right back." Li hopped out picking up the gun - checking the magazine, took her place once again, and started the engine once more, pulling off to talk to a man about some copper. In no time, they heard sirens with cop cars whizzing past them, heading to the city park.