DAMN IT, DAMN IT, DAMN IT! WHY MEEEEEEE???!!!
A boy screamed inwardly into the night sky, noting he was in a troublesome situation. He was rather plain-looking—with his black scruffy hair and glasses. His skin, light brown. One of his eyebrows had a gash through it, making him look tougher than he felt.
The young man had found himself in a tough spot being face to face with a group of three thugs who didn’t seem like they were up to talking things out, which, unfortunately, was the boy’s desired path to take in scenarios like this. Two of them wore black hoodies, except the spikey blond-haired one standing in front of them, who wore blue, making him seem like the leader of the bunch. The other two were bald and had long red hair, respectively.
The trio confronted the boy; and he sized them up. Donning fake stoicism, he could only think:
Fuck this... Seriously, Reito? Ya can’t even grab a drink from Shion’s place without your dumb luck makin’ it a hassle? This blows. “Look, guys, sorry about the spill,” he apologized with a sigh. “It’s not like I meant to splash anythin’ on your face, honest. I mean, do I look like the type of guy who’d waste a good drink?”
“Ya don’t look like the type of kid who would even like alcohol, smug ass,” the blond-haired thug snarked back. “’Sides, I can’t just let you waltz away from this. See, I’m tryna to force myself to the top of this City through street rep alone. So it’d be pretty bad for me if word got out that I let some unknown clown get away with spillin’ liquor on me. If you can, anyone can. Y’know? I’ve gotta be the type of guy people turn their heads to whenever they hear I’m in the room, the kickass gang boss, Lizer! So, ya see? I gotta teach ya a lesson!” the group’s leader proclaimed, enamored by his own words.
His cohort’s eyes shone with admiration.
“Hell, yeah! You let ‘im know, boss!”
Reito donned an unamused sneer. Like I care about your life goals! Man! Of all people, I run into a narcissist street punk with his head shoved up his ass... Lucky me. The minute I get the chance, I’m givin’ 'em the slip!
Seeing as Lizer, as well as his lackeys, were busy reveling in his hubris, Reito made his move.
“Weeeeeellll...I’ll definitely let everyone I meet know about the “almighty Lizer” and how bad his gang rocked my shit.” Every other word, he inched around them, until, “Soooo if ya don’t mind... I’m outta here!”, he found an opening to bolt out of the alleyway.
At that, Lizer shook his head and snapped back to reality. All while smirking, cockily. “The guy may be a lower rank nobody, but he’s got some stones, running away like that. Let’s go, boys,” Lizer commanded his two lackeys as they gave chase.
Cutting a corner so hard he almost tripped, Reito hurried his way through a crowd of bystanders. Clothing stores and eateries filled both the one he was on and the sidewalk to the left. The various people in his path weren’t taking kindly to someone rushing through haphazardly.
“SORRY! ‘SCUSE ME! TRYNA SAVE MY SKIN HERE!”
“Hey! Watch it, jerk!”
“What the heck, kid? Watch where you’re going!”
About two minutes to the complex from here, then I’m home free! Problem is—these guys are persistent!
As Reito pondered on his current predicament, one of Lizer’s cohorts pointed two fingers at the his feet. And—as if it was magic—the ground started to stretch around one of Reito’s red and white high-top shoes.
Seriously?! I just bought these! Reito panicked. Think! Wasted glint over gettin’ maimed... No contest! He decided, quickly kicking off his shoe, sending him into a stumble.
Running full speed ahead, wavering a bit from his now lopsided steps, tables and chairs outside of a closed cafe entered Reito’s view.
Nice timin’! He rejoiced, scanning the area. “Doesn’t look like anyone’s around...the place is closed too. In that case,” just as it looked like he would crash into it, he vaulted over the table into a backflip, then, after landing, approached it with a deep breath, “hope the shopkeep won’t mind me usin’ this to save my ass!” He wished, launching the table toward the three with a shockingly powerful one-inch punch.
...! The hell?! This guy... I thought he was just some dork, but he’s got some moves! Lizer grit his teeth. “Lookin’ all unassumin’...just so ya could get a chance to ram a table into my face?! Yoooou!!” He growled, throwing a knife from his pocket and waving two fingers back and forth, cutting the table into pieces before it even made contact. “Plain-lookin’ bastard... TRYNA HIT ME WITH SCENERY??!! YER FINISHED!!”
The knife flew towards Reito with malicious intent. He tried to run, but soon realized he wouldn’t be able to shake it. Knife control?! Seriously, gimme a fuckin’ break! Why couldn’t I get a power like that?! He thought, bracing himself. “Oh well, now ain’t really the right time to complain!” I could use my Path, but what good would it do? It sucks! Not to mention I’d hafta approach ‘em, which is so not happenin’! ...Damn it, guess I gotta use the hag’s teachin’s! He focused on the blade and brought a palm up while taking a deep breath. “Calm...draw it out... Aura, save my skin, please!” As he pled for his life, clear blue energy, almost like a dancing blue flame, enveloped his hand. “It actually worked! Alright, then! I’m shippin’ this thing right back to the sender!”
He stopped; meeting the knife with the back of his palm—but strangely enough—it didn’t cut him at all. Instead, it glided across his knuckles. Then, in an instant, he flicked his wrist forward, diverting it back from whence it came.
No way! Turnin’ my own blade against me?! A Path, maybe? Lizer questioned, befuddled. Is he some kinda deflection human or somethin’?! The weapon zoomed past him and grazed his ear, nestling into a building side and making cracks along the wall. “GAAAAAAH!!! MY EAR!!!” Lizer howled in pain, grabbing his ear and rolling on the ground.”
His goons stopped and kneeled down, worried about their boss.
“B-Boss! You ok?!”
“DO I LOOK OK, YA FRIGGIN’ MORONS?!! LOOK WHAT HE DID!” He slowly removed his hand, revealing that his ear was dripping blood;half of his auricle cut clean off. “You...“Lizer rose as the vein on his forehead grew bigger. “I was feelin’ kinda generous today...was even thinkin’ about lettin’ ya get off with a broken bone or two... But now...that’s way to light a punishment for ya...! Scarrin’ my face...just fer that, yer dead, wuss!”
A chill rushed up Reito’s spine. His attempt to defend himself only made his aggressor’s anger flare. Scraping the ground as he got up, Reito took off onto a vacant streetway.
“WHY THE HELL DIDN’T I JUST KEEP BOLTIN’?!! STUPID! STUPID!” Reito asked himself as they continued after him.
He desperately looked around, hoping for anything to show up and get him out of trouble.
“Another distraction, please! One that works this time! Come on, come ooooon!!” he chanted, nearing a fire hydrant, a smile creeping onto his face. “Perfect! Somethin’ my shitty ability’s good for!” He proclaimed, coming to a brief halt. “30D 3.5S,” Reito mumbled, roundhouse kicking the hydrant’s side, seemingly to no effect.
When Lizer and his men neared the hydrant, the side of it that Reito had kicked burst off with a “Clang!”, shooting a stream of high pressure water straight into his pursuer’s path.
Shit!
Lizer went into a slide, slipping past the water, by the skin of his teeth. His lackeys, however, weren’t so lucky, as they caught the stream full force and crashed through the window of a clothing shop.
“Another Path? He questioned, setting his sights back on the boy’s escape route. “No... What he did earlier musta been a technique! Hey! We ain’t done here!” He rose back to his feet and gave chase.
***
Finally, making his round to the Kita school complex, Reito breathed a sigh of relief. His security was cut short, though, as a small switch blade cut into his leg, spilling blood on the pavement. Wincing and kneeling to examine it, Reito noticed that Lizer had caught up with him, just moments from his safe haven.
“Hngh!” Damn!
Lizer had cornered the injured Reito; glaring at him with nothing but pure contempt. “Blade Shift. I’ve always been a guy who knows his way around a small, confined blade,” he explained, gesturing back with two fingers as the blade returned to his side, “but bein’ able to control ‘em just by wavin’ my hand in the wind? That’s some good shit. Guess we were meant to be, me and this Path.”
Reito, understanding the bleakness of the situation, slowly stood up with an uneasy smirk on his face, looking to weasel his way out of being sliced through. “I’m extremely sorry, Mr. Lizer, sir. I’ve made a terrible mistake. Saaayyy...if ya let me go home without drivin’ a knife through my skull, there’s this cutie I met a while back who reeeally knows her way around a good drink; I could hook ya up!”
“Save it, you ass. That’d only remind me of the time I let you go every time I drank some.”
Shit! Even if I wanted to do somethin’, I can’t get close without gettin turned into a human pin cushion! I can’t even stop shakin’...so Granny’s techniques are outta the question, too. How wonderful...
Lizer got closer to him, but stopped in his tracks as he heard a voice swell behind him.
“DROP DEEEAAAD!”
“Wha-?!”
Before he could even react, he was met with a yellow baseball bat to the face, striking him with such force, his nose was caved in, instantly. From a glance, Reito could swear he saw teeth go flying.
Before he passed out, he caught a glimpse of a girl with purple and yellow hair wearing a cropped hoodie and street clothes. An Ono...? No way...weren’t they all wiped...out...? He wondered, falling to the ground, his face, bloodied.
The one responsible walked over and kneeled in front of the downed Lizer, her yellow shoulder bag swaying as she put it down to look him over.
“Let’s see here...” She said, pulling out a cellphone from her bag. “Says here, ““Repeat offender, “Lizer”. Wanted for multiple cases of armed assault against Norma and low-ranking students, alike.”” She shook her head at him, disappointedly. “That’s a no go... Can’t have someone like you making trouble for folks around here.
Reito, still on the ground, quietly observed the scene the bat-wielder looking Lizer over, as if she were a surgeon preparing to operate.
...Looks like she’s been workin’ on her wind-up... He thought.
She reached into Lizer’s pockets and brought out three switchblades, stowed them away in her bag. “You won’t be needing these where you’re going. They’ll get me a decent sum of glint, though. Thanks a lot, Heat Miser!” She sincerely smiled, already having forgotten his name.
Getting up, she walked over to the sidewalk beside Reito and kneeled to meet his eyes, tapping the bat she wielded over her shoulders.
“You would’ve been sashimi right now if I wasn't tailing you... For a hikikomori, you sure get into a lotta trouble with people...” She said, clicking her tongue.
Reito gave a jittery smile. “Sh...Shion! Didn’t expect to see ya again so soon! Your swing’s as graceful as ever! About as much as a gorilla
tryna figure skate, that is...” He muttered that last bit while dusting off his plaid unbuttoned shirt.
The corners of her mouth curved up into a twisted smile. “Huh...? You said you want your skull caved in too? Sure! It’d be my pleasure~!” She threatened him in a frightening but upbeat tone, tightening her grip on her bat.
Reito felt a chill shoot up his spine. “Wh-what I meant was...thanks. Ya really saved my ass there. Guess that silent footsteps trick your folks taught ya was pretty helpful after all.”
“All that convenience and I still wake up and say, “Shitty, dad.”, every morning because he drilled it into my head, second nature-style.”
“Well, it sure saved my hide... Come to think of it...didja really tail me all the way from your place?”
“Course, I did; this guy was part of a mission I took up, anyway. And maybe I was a little worried about you,” she meekly half-admitted, twisting the tip of her hair around her finger, “but I was more worried about the possibility of you getting caught with the drinks I gave you. Be. di-scree-tuh! We’re technically still minors, y’know. And unlike you, I have a solid life goal.”
“Hey, I dumped it in a Coke can to lessen suspicion! And I’ve got plans too, remember?! Livin’ life at my leisure with the stipend Kita sends me until I’ve had my fill is a kickass goal in my book!”
She gave a disappointed look with her eyelids hung low. “As always...your “ambition” knows no bounds, dude... Whatever, I guess. I filled the detainment unit in on Geyser or whatever, took care of his buddies, too. So, let’s bolt to your place before they show. Walking’s probably gonna sting for you tonight. Lemme help,” she swiftly hoisted him over her shoulder as if he weighed nothing, her bat dematerializing into a red hilt that she slipped into the pocket of her joggers.
“…Feelin’...kinda emasculated here,” Reito gave a look of indifference.
“Aww, soowiieee, poor you! Maybe don’t piss off random thugs every week. You seriously haven’t changed one bit since we met.” Shion rebutted, making him go silent as they hurried a block over.
***
They arrived, at last. The Kita Complex was a large building about four stories high. There were stairs at the front of the building’s left side, leading up to each specific floor. The word, “Kita”, was front and center on an arc over the entrance. It was dark, but lampposts lit the way—the sound of crickets emanated from bushes in front of the structure.
The two stopped at the first floor in front of a door that had the number 13K in bronze letters, on the side appeared to be a hand scanner glowing blue.
“Gimme Paw,” she patted Reito’s head, gesturing towards the scanner.
“What am I, some mutt waitin’ to be housetrained?” He whined, raising his hand to the scanner.
“Well, considering what happens when I don't have an eye on you, might as well be,” she chuckled.
As the scanner emitted a semi loud beep, the two entered the apartment, kicking their shoes off at the door.
The inside was rather small, but livable. Like a less extravagant studio apartment. The kitchen however, had pots and pans on the stove yet to be put away, and a faint scent of a liquor wafted through the dorm.
Making her way to the bed, she let him down onto it. “I’ll grab some stuff from your med cabinet; try not to move around too much.”
She moved to Reito’s bathroom, being careful not to trip on misplaced dumbbells and game controllers that had littered the floor.
“Come on, it’s me we’re talkin’ about here. If it wasn't for my unyieldin’ urge to get wasted, I’d never leave my dorm,” he smugly answered.
*Continued in part 2 due to word limit.*
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