Chapter 2
Homeless. For a little while until she found a new place to settle in. Out of the tiny circle of friends who remotely had space, none could help her. Unwilling parents, partners who didn't want someone to interfere with their relationships.
Arisa didn't want to disrupt a family's home life by inconveniencing them. Asking had been a long shot. Her friends didn't exactly have ample space to invite someone new into their homes to stay for... however long. Days? Weeks?
Thank god she had bought insurance. Arisa had at least the things in her sack. It wasn't much, enough for a change in clothes and random toiletries. The most important thing was money. She could get by for a while.
She'd have to stock up on more essentials. Her bag had the randomness items: a Swiss army knife for emergencies, a lint roller, a toy squeeze pig, and a pin to name a few.
Where was she going to stay? Arisa pondered alternatives as she walked the streets to none other than Russia Sushi. She had spent all night roaming through various convenience stores and random shops opened late.
A hotel seemed the way to go for a couple days while Arisa figured out a better solution. Maybe one of her friends would change their minds and let her stay with them.
Morning had dawned. Arisa sighed heavily, forcing herself to brighten when she saw Simon's hulking figure in front of the restaurant. No work today. She had automatically taken herself here.
"Hello, Arisa. Enjoying your day off?" Simon waved as she walked up. He pretended to offer her a flyer. "Have sushi?"
Arisa couldn't turn down an advertisement for the very own restaurant she worked for. Enjoyment wasn't the word to explain her day; an expletive was more like it, but Arisa wouldn't voice it aloud. Too offensive.
"I have lots to do. See you later."
She continued on and for a block nothingness filled her mind. Too many confused and hectic and angry things to think about. She stood to the side of the sidewalk in front of a shop. Pulling out her phone, Arisa checked the time. Just past lunch. Breakfast she realized she hadn't eaten.
Arisa studied the places to eat around her and found a restaurant she heard had an edible breakfast line. She was about to sail in when she overheard furtive talking.
"Did you hear about the big fight yesterday?"
"You mean the neighborhood fight?"
Arisa lifted her head at hearing the conversation between two teenage guys moving on the sidewalk.
"...totally demolished..."
"...heard it was that punk Shizuo Heiwajima again..."
She vaguely recognized the name. Rumors floated around about this Shizuo picking fights and causing massive damage to the city because of his aggression. He haunted Ikebukuro, maybe a monster like the Headless Rider Arisa had heard about, too.
As Arisa turned the name over in her thoughts, her insides were torn between regret and revenge.
Outside, she debated where to go next when in the distance behind the district buildings a signpost flew.
It must've been her imagination.
A heavy crashing noise came from its direction. A block of some huge sort flung after the post.
Curiosity and a burning sensation in her stomach spurred her to head in the direction of the odd sights.
Fatigued from not getting any sleep last night, getting moving to a brisk pace took a few minutes.
The bumps and clangs of carnage grew louder as Arisa approached. Other folks watched the flying bins and city parts, but none attempted to near the chaos. Instead, they gossiped.
Arisa then heard it. The name of the man of destruction.
Arisa's feet suddenly found motivation to run.
When she reached the source of the fighting, she stopped. Gaped at the overturned cars and battered cracks in the roads.
Memorable yells that sounded exactly like the ones from yesterday during the accident could be heard. Arisa darted her gaze to find the owners.
Two men fought, one invariably angrier than the other from what comments she made out. Something about the fuse-lit man hating his nemesis's inaction.
The calmer of the two was dressed in black and had dark hair to match. The other had blond hair and wore some kind of suit. The suited man ripped out a wide bench from the sidewalk and Arisa understood he was the cause of her problems.
Rampaging shouts and crushing scenery ceased. The two men took a breather yet were vigilant, both sides glaring each other down.
There he was, Shizuo Heiwajima. The unbeatable smoker was down, slouching and gasping for air. She brandished the Swiss army knife from her bag. A wave of fury overtook her senses. Because of him, she lost everything!
She raced at him. Damn him for destroying her only residence!
He turned to her as her arm swung down hard from above. The sharp handle dug into her tight palm and the action of stabbing someone and drawing blood resonated reality in her mind.
Killing someone. A human. Ending a life.
Her terrified eyes widened. What was she about to do? She never wished to do anything like this. Fury spurred her on. She lost everything except this gnawing wrath. She couldn't stop now.
He was Shizuo Heiwajima, the strongest. Nobody could stand up against him.
She was about to die.
