Disclaimer:

I do not own Resident Evil nor its characters.

Summary:

Tonight, everything will change. A small flashback from Ada Wong's teenage years.

Author:

Red Nix

NIGHT STROLLS

This doesn't hurt.

The young, Asian woman who looked like she's in her mid teens blinked back her tears as the night wind blew against her face. She won't cry, because the dark alley she was walking on was empty, which made her feel like she owns it, and the night wind felt so good, so relaxing that it made her feel like she could take over the world. This was her night, and everything would be alright soon, after she had strolled every street and alley in Chinatown. It was a habit she had acquired ever since she was a little girl, but as she grew older, everything started to change. Back then she was afraid to walk on the dark, isolated streets of this town, afraid that there might be someone lurking in the shadows, ready to grab her small, fragile arms and drag her into the darkness with them. But now...

But now, during times like this, the dangers hanging around those streets seemed almost enticing to her, and every night she walked on them, it was almost like she was telling those street thugs to come and get her. Goodness, how she loved the rush of adrenaline when she could feel their gazes following her like a hunter on its prey. She knew it was suicidal, it was like throwing her life away, but she can't seem to help herself. The gush of danger made her forget the irritated glance of those conceited people everytime she make mistakes, those people who think highly of themselves, how they pierce her ever tender heart everytime they make her feel like she was the world's weakest and dumbest person. How she loathed them with their ability to use their authority to step down on other people.

This doesn't hurt.

She almost grinned when the wind made her short bangs stand up on her head. This was one of the many things she liked about strolling at night, when the wind was in her short hair, making it stick up to different places. It always felt so rebellious, so free, like she could fly. She ran her hand on her head, stroking it once to pull down the bangs. Life was good, until she heard some whistles and a few catcalls not so far from her.

"Hey babe, want to have some fun?"

She slightly tilted her head to see the group of boys standing at a corner of the street, their malicious glances almost boring through her soul. She'd sworn off handling men for the last months, apparently because all the men in her life were jerks and disloyal, and this current situation is one of those best examples.

She raised her chin a bit and silenced the boys with her icy glare. Geez, that felt good, and she wished she could do that on her superiors in school.

That's what she hated about subordinate systems, the mandatory protocol wherein you'll have to follow or else you'll be punished. She was so sick and tired of following those rules. Because of those rules, she couldn't defend herself. She couldn't snap back at her superiors, she couldn't silence them with her deadly glare, she couldn't freeze them with her sarcasm, and she couldn't cut their long, useless speeches by barking words at them, which would be her normal reactions to those she can easily handle. She couldn't count the times when she'd really tried hard not to snap the neck of those who had called her stupid, nor couldn't she count the times when she'd held herself back from bashing the skulls of those people who made her feel like she didn't know what to do. She needed to get out of this system immediately, or else...

The full moon's light complements the bright colours of the pagoda, she thought when her emerald irises caught a glimpse of the night sky. The ancient Chinese temples never ceased to amaze her even when she was young. Most of them were painted red, her favourite colour, and she loved them even more, because wearing red was one of her ways to show how daring and arrogant she is, no matter how her calm face tells the otherwise. She was one proud, stubborn young lady, and she wanted to let everyone know that.

Letting a one final stroke on her hair, she tried her best not to grin, because starting tonight, nothing could ever make Ada Wong feel inferior anymore.