I lifted myself off the ground. Pain flooded my thoughts. I tasted soiled pavement. Spitting it out of my mouth I tried to get up. I winced as I was shoved back down. The agony poured out of my cry as my father struck me. He stood above me, his dark shadow shielding me from any light. I spat out blood and fought back my tears. Enjoying my pain, he laughed bitterly at me. I received a blow on my cheek, before he finally left me there lying on the ground. I struggled to stand, using what strength I had left I lifted myself. A sharp pain pierced my leg as I stood up. My father had left me but this time I wasn't going back. Through a weak voice I called out, "Somebody help me!"

No one was around, I was all alone in an empty alley. Slowly I took steps to get my AT's which had been thrown at me several times by my father. They seemed okay, so I slipped them on. Though weak as I was, it took me a while. When I finally had them on, I glided slowly out of the alley and down the street. The air rushed into my fresh wounds causing me to flinch in pain. The huge gash in my leg was making it harder for me to stand. The faster I went, the more pain engulfed me. Fear gnawed at my thoughts. Would I be found out by my dad? Would my mom give me slashes again?

So engrossed in my thoughts was I, that I didn't see the bump in the sidewalk. I shut my eyes as I fell unto the rough pavement. It hurt so much. I coughed up more blood as I tried to stand. I failed and landed again. I gasped, I couldn't breath. All oxygen seemed to be sucked out of me. Gasping for air, I heard someone cry out, "Call 911!"

My vision was growing dimmer and I couldn't see anymore. It was like everything had stopped in that moment.

CH. 2XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

I awoke surrounded by people in uniforms. I closed my eyes again trying to forget all that had happened to me. I woke up again with one man in a suit looking down at me. "Where am I?" I mumbled as I took in all the bright lights shining down on me.

"So, do you know who I am? I'm from child protective services. How old are you?" He scratched his chin.

"Fourteen." I said quietly.

"What are your parents names?" He inquired.

I mumbled there names. "What was that again?" He leaned in closer to listen. I repeated them.

"Well, son your in better hands now."

"When can I leave?" I asked glancing out the window to my left.

"Not for a good while. Your injuries were severe. You've been in intensive care for a week. How long has this been happening?"

"What are you talking about?" I was so nervous all of a sudden. Just the mention of my parents sent chills down my spine.

"Don't lie boy. Tell me the truth." He firmly said.

"As long as I can remember." I replied quietly. It felt so wrong to tell them. I shouldn't have said anything. But if I want to escape, this is the only way.

"Alright, where do you live?"

I mumbled it. "Come again?" He asked again. I spoke up and repeated myself.

"Do you have any other relatives?"

"My sister, but she lives in Japan."

"How old is she?"

"26."

"What is her name?"

"Kiza Mikura."

"We are going to contact her for you. Son, you are very luck to be alive."

"Sheesh you act like I died or something."

"If that neighbor didn't call us, you wouldn't be here right now."

I muttered and cursed under my breath. This guy was all up in my business.

"Son, its for your own good that you stay away from your parents. The next time you might not be so fortunate."

"Duh, don't you think I know that."

"Watch your mouth boy."

Next thing I know, I'm traveling to Japan on a plane. I haven't seen my sister in six years. I can't even remember what she looks like. All the pictures of her at home were torn down. I sighed, at least I had my AT's with me. My butt hurt so much when I got off the plane that I had trouble walking straight. Several people gave me weird looks, but I returned it back to them. "Freaks." I mumbled to myself. Suddenly my name was called out. I looked up. "Kiza?" Wow, she looks so much different from when I remember. My last memory was of her so thin and scrawny. She had dark circles under her eyes. I remember a promise now. She said, "When given the chance, leave. Then come find me. I'll always be there for you." She escaped that night and I never saw her again. Until now. She's healthier, and looks sad. Maybe because of how pitiful I look. Can't help that. I just "escaped."( Exaggeration)

She gave me a strong squeeze the hell out of me hug. "Oww! That hurts!"

"Oh, I am so sorry. I forgot about your wounds! Here let me see."

"No Way!" She tried pulling up my shirt in front of everybody. "How embarrassing!"

She drove me to my "new house."

"Oh you are just going to love Japan!"

"Great."

"Hey why aren't you speaking Japanese! They didn't teach you that language for nothing."

"I've stopped speaking it for unknown reasons."

"Well start using it now. Just because you don't look it doesn't mean your not allowed to speak it."

"I'm better off understanding and responding in English."

"You'll change your mind!" She sang.

"Whatever."

"You know, I forgot to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"Well, I live with a friend and she has a little brother."

"Eww, a gross brat! I have to live with a little boy?!"

"No he's not that small, I think he's about your age."

"Well, he's still a brat to me." I defiantly said. But who was I to judge someone I hadn't even met before? I secretly took back what I said but I didn't let my sister know that.

"Were here."

I looked at my 'new home', it was nice and big. Just how I like it! All the bad things that had happened to me, I totally forgot about them in that small moment. "It looks like trash." I muttered solemnly to her.

"What?!" She looked very shocked.

"I get dragged to Japan to live in a beat up home? Seriously, what kind of luxury is this?" I eyed the home with squinty eyes. I was only kidding, but she took it seriously.

"Don't complain." She dimly replied.

"Oh Kami! I'm so sorry please forgive me!" I knelt down at bowed to the earth.

"That's only one word in Japanese. If your gonna say God in Japanese at least say it all in the same language."

"I'll stick with English." I sighed, pulling out my AT's.

"When did you start riding AT's?"

I smirked, "Since forever."

"Liar." She smiled.

I walked in and it was full of pictures of the family and of her. A far picture in the corner was one of myself. I didn't think she kept the picture after all these years. As if she read my mind. She said, "Yeah, I kept it."

I played the dumb card, "Kept what?"

"Your picture."

"That ugly thing."

"Its not ugly."

"Anyway, where's my room?"

"Next to Ikki, I'll call him to show you where its at." She paused, "Ikki?"

"Yeah."Ikki appeared at the top stairs. "Is that your brother? Dude, what happened? You want something to eat? Look at you, your all bones."

"Nice to meet you too."

"Dude, whats with the accent?"

"Language preference."

"What did he say?"

"Language Preference." Kiza translated. "He knows Japanese, he just refuses to speak it."

"What the hell! You didn't have to tell him!"

"What did he say?"

"Nothing." Kiza then turned to me and we started arguing.

Finally after, a good while I was shown my room. I didn't want to tell Kiza I also learned another language. Ikki kept walking in my room bringing me food.

"Dude! Eat it!"

"I don't want to eat it!" I yelled.

He frowned, "What?"

"Forget it."

"What?"

I sighed then spoke Japanese, "Forget it."

"Ohhh. Heyyy, you spoke Japanese. So you really understand every word I'm saying?"

"Duh." I replied.

"What the hell, man! Making me sound retarded. I gotta call my friends, there gonna FLIP! Is that the only language you know?"

"I also learned American sign language."

"Weird, that's not even Japanese."

"Exactly."

"I get it. So you ride AT's?" He pointed to the ones I wore.

"Yeah."

"You any good?"

"I don't know, I've never raced anybody."

"Awesome! I'll be your first opponent tomorrow. I'm too tired today, or maybe I should wait till you get healthy."

"Whats that supposed to mean?!"

"Well, look at you. You look like your about to fall apart. Your leg is still healing and your ribs are still sore. I can tell by the way you walk."

"So."

"So, anyway, my friends usually come over to stay the night."

"Eww! Like a guy sleep over?" I shuddered.

"HEY! Its not like that! We ride our AT's around town, check out the AT chicks. The works."

"So?"

"Well, there coming over. But we don't have to ride tonight. We can just hang out."

"That still sounds like a boy sleep over."

"Hey! Its not like that! There's even one girl member."

"Oh? And she's got a crush on you?"

"NO! But you never know, I mean…look at me. Flawless. Every girls dream come true."

I rolled my eyes, "Your full of it. At least I know your not gay."

"Her names Ringo by the way."

"And? What? You like her too?"

"NO! I'm a player!" He pounded his chest.

"Oh? Well, then if she's just a friend I can go out with her right?"

"NO!"

"But she's just a friend."

"Yeah, like my best friend dude! You can take a best friend from a guy!"

"You like her. Just admit it."

"No way." He paled.

"Then you shouldn't get mad just because I said that one sentence." I eyed him. Seriously, he got mad over nothing. But, maybe the girl wasn't bad looking.

"Onijiri, Bucha, and Akito are here." Someone from downstairs yelled the continued, "IKKI!".

"Yeah, yeah I'm coming." He sat up and walked out.

Not two seconds later he was back with three more guys. "Okay, Kazu meet Onijiri, Bucha, Akito, and Agito."

"Which ones Agito?" There were only three guys, yet he named four.

He scratched the back of his neck, "Well, you see…um…Agito and Akito are the same person."

"WHAT?!" I almost fell back.

"Yeah, um..Akito how about you explain."

The short girly looking boy smiled, "Its like a reflection in a mirror. We share the same body but were total opposites. We are Agito and Akito."

"Ohhh." I acted like I understood. It was a little creepy, I took a step back.

"Here let me show you." He unveiled his left eye and covered his right with his eye patch. Suddenly he looked angry. He shouted way too many cuss words for me to understand.

I blinked, "So, your Akito?"

"What the…." He shouted more profanity. "Of course you dimwit!" He closed his eye and switched the eye patch. The smiling little boys face returned. "See. Were total opposites."

I nodded my head. They really were totally different. It was really strange to me. I looked at the other two, the big strong one was named 'Bucha' and the short fat one was 'Onijiri'. I half waved, slash half smiled at them weakly. They nodded there heads in return. As soon as I looked back at Ikki, he was already piling up the food. I was shocked, "You eat this much food everyday?"

He smirked, "I don't eat it, Bucha does."He motioned for Bucha.

I gasped as all the food dissapeared. I looked at Onijiri but all he was doing was looking at a magazine. I decided not to look at it, it was probably gross. Akito was hugging Ikki's arm, making Ikki all the more upset. I almost laughed out loud. That boy actually liked Ikki as more then a friend and obviously this was totally like a guy sleepover. Gross! I was not gonna sleep in the same room as these freaks! I headed for the door and everyone stopped and asked, "Where are you going?"

I blinked, how could I tell them? I scratched my neck sheepishly then said, "Well…um…I gotta go to the bathroom."

"Why didn't you say so?" Ikki stood up looking at me.

"I didn't want ya'll…to know." I thought for a moment.

"Whatever." Ikki sat back down and started playing video games.

I left the room so relieved. These people were total strangers to me. Kiza caught me down the hall, "Where are you going?"

"To the bathroom." I hotly replied.

She placed her hands on her hips, "If that is so, then your going the wrong way." I turned automatically and she pointed the opposite direction I was going. I sheepishly went that direction, dragging my feet continually. I finally found it and walked in, it wasn't half bad. My sister was behind me, "Do you like it?"

I shuddered, "Its nasty. Don't you even clean it? Seriously, I just got out of the clean hospital for this dump. Gross!" I held my nose and shut the door in her face.

"KAZU!" She shouted at the door for a while before she finally left me to do my business. When I was finished, Ikki was at the door, "HURRY UP! I GOTTA TAKE A DUMP!"

I blinked allowed Ikki in, then I returned to the room. I looked at the others, Onijiri spoke up, "Ikki takes a dump a lot. Every time we have a field trip he takes a dump. Every time we eat he takes a dump. Every time we stay over he takes a dump. He just likes to take dumps." He finally finished and returned to his magazine.

I looked at the others they agreed with Onijiri. I shuddered, he sure took a lot of dumps. I had to LIVE with this guy! "So…I heard from Ikki that you ride AT's?"

All there eyes brightened up, "Of course! AT's are awesome!"

Akito was the only one not excited, "Well, I'm not good at AT's but Agito is. You should see him do it, its totally awesome."

"Yeah, sometime." I agreed half heartedly. The whole weird guy sleep over thing was really strange. We stayed up all night, looking at Onijiri's magazine and prank calling Ikki's so called friend Ringo. I secretly think he likes her and I haven't seen her yet. I woke up sprawled next to Agito. I blinked several times but he reassured me, "I was cold. Ikki went to take a dump so I got in here."

I was about to shriek but Akito covered my mouth, "Don't scream in the morning, only Ikki does that."

Ikki walked back in the room then Akito went back there. I covered my ears as Ikki shrieked in horror. Believe me I know how he feels. I got up slowly, and looked at all the others. Bucha took up the whole room space and Onijiri was laying at the door. How did Ikki make this work? From what I have observed each one of his friends it totally different from the other. I grabbed clothes from my room only after I navigated through the bodies on the floor. I tip toed to the bathroom and quickly got dressed. I hurried so I could practice on my AT's. It had been a while since I was allowed to wear them. As soon as I finished my sister asked, "Where are you going?" I had been caught on the stairs red handed. I slowly turned to her, "I'm just gonna ride them for a little bit."

"Fine but don't go far." She allowed me to go and that was totally awesome!

I got outside and stretched. I leaned back on my AT's trying to get my rhythm back. Slowly I glided on the street. It was a little painful but I could handle that. I glided to a stop as I saw a girl on AT's as well. She was smiling. I almost drooled at the sight. She looked at me briefly then continued, only after a second did I realize she was going to Ikki's house. I gulped, that must have been Ringo! No wonder Ikki didn't want me to date her, she was totally fit for him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I decided I would meet her later. I really wanted breakfast from one of the street vendors. I paid for it and left. As I glided back I saw her again. She was arguing with Ikki. Though she looked angry I could tell that she liked him too. He was yelling about riding his AT's, and she said he should be careful. I turned back around and went back to another street. I sped up around a curve and then hopped onto the railing. I fell off but I didn't hurt myself. I tried again and again and finally I did it! I was now warmed up for another trick. I sped off to a street light, feeling gravity keep me down I tried harder to go up the street light. I did it! All my muscles relaxed as I landed smoothly on the ground. I smiled, this was the Kazu Mikura I remembered! I had forgotten what it felt like to be free. Hours later, I felt my legs and ribs shoot up in pain. "I guess practice is over for today." I sighed heavily and forced myself to go home. I walked into the house and every body stared at me. "What?"

Rika shrieked in horror, "What happened to you?! Why are you so dirty?! Were you being picked on?!"

"Man what happened?" Ikki, Onijiri, Bucha and the eye patch kid asked.

"Nothing.", I paused, " I just tripped that's all." I looked away and went up to my room. I wasn't surprised when my new passé followed me.

"What the hell, man? We just asked what happened. Its fine if you don't tell you sister, but were your new friends now. So spill it, were you practicing on your AT's?" Ikki asked.