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I blinked, raising my head from the concrete. I must not have been out that long. There was a lot of yelling going on over me. Sitting up took more effort than it should have and made me feel sick. Someone reached down to help me to my feet and I found myself looking up at Ryu. Why the hell had they followed me? Once on my feet I pulled my arm out of his grip. Anger was surging through me along with frustration and the unwanted desire to just break down and cry.

"What are you doing here?" It came out slurred through my busted and rapidly swelling lip.

Ryu looked hurt for a moment, "We were worried about you, and apparently rightfully so."

Hayato was still yelling at my dad. Shifting my attention from Ryu I yelled. "Yabuki will you shut the hell up, this has nothing to do with you."

He actually stopped his eyes wide as he looked over at me. Even my father looked shocked. Looking away from them, I shoved my hands into my pockets.

"I know you guys are just trying to help, but this is between me and him." I jerked my head in my father's direction. I could practically feel the astonishment radiating off them. It wasn't often that I reached a point where I just wasn't going to take anymore. I preferred to let things go, but this, this was something I couldn't.

Turning to face my father I didn't bother to soften my glare. "If I'm worthless it's your fault for being a lazy drunk and not caring what I do or where I go."

Turning away from them so that hopefully no one could see the tears that were stinging my eyes I started to walk away.

"Take wait."

I shook off Ryu's hand, "Leave me alone for now, okay. I'll call you later."

Dusk was slowly fading into night as I lay on the grassy hill above the river. Why did things have to be like this? Running a finger over my lip, I winced. It wasn't bleeding anymore but it still hurt. Laying my head back I watched the first few stars blink to life. I was mortified that Ryu and Hayato had seen me getting beat. It wasn't like I hadn't been knocked around in fights before, but this was my own father. Sighing I closed my eyes. I was going to have to find somewhere to sleep before it got much later, that and I was starving.

"Looks like someone was on the wrong end of a fist."

I jerked upright looking around. It was the same group of five from Ara High, but I'd never seen them over here before. The leader sauntered over a nasty grin on his face.

"You got away last time, but this time . . ." He laughed sending chills up my spine. "this time you are not going anywhere."

At the sound of footsteps behind me I looked around. There were a lot more than five of them and I was totally surrounded. Slipping my hand into my pocket I opened my phone, thankful that Ryu's number was on speed dial. I just prayed that he still had it on. Getting to my feet, I made sure to hold the phone so that they couldn't see it was on, they were all too busy laughing and joking with each other to notice. I could faintly hear Ryu's voice as he answered the phone.

"Take-Take are you there? Is everything alright?"

Glancing around, I brought the phone to my ear. "Ryu, its Ara High, I'm by the-"

The phone was snatched from my grip and I choked as a hand grabbed me by the throat.

"Calling for help?" He smirked at me as he put the phone to his ear. "Hello there, just wanted to let you know that my boys and I are going to play with your cute little friend for a while. He'll be waiting for you at the Shirokin warehouse."

Ryu's yells were cut short as he snapped the phone shut and put it in his pocket. "Lets go."

Trapped between the taller boys, I had no chance to escape. I could barely even see where we were going. As we walked every so often one of them would shove or smack me. I bit my lip to keep it from trembling. I felt sick, the desire to just lay down and curl up in a ball washing over me like a tsunami. Why did they have to pick on me? Was it because they knew I was the weakest fighter of 3D? What little light there was faded as we entered the warehouse. Noises echoed in the large space. I shrank back, my whole body trembling.

A fist buried itself in my hair jerking me forward. "Let see how long you last before I have you crying like a middle schooler."

He threw me to the ground, kicking me as I tried to get back up. Leaning down over me he grabbed my jacket hauling me up.

"When I get done with you, just the mention of Ara is going to make you shit your pants."

The punch snapped my head back against the concrete, stars bursting all around me. Ryu! Hayato! Where are you? I fought back as best as I could, but it only seemed to make them angrier. I was breathing in short gasps, my ribs aching as he hauled me to my feet again.

"Come on, I was hoping for at least some crying, maybe a little begging or even screaming." He shook me. "Are you pretending to be tough so that you don't lose face when your friends finally show up, if they even do."

I glared up at him, "They will come and then it will be you who is doing the begging."

Throwing his head back he laughed, his thugs joining in with him. "You hear that guys, he's still got enough balls to threaten me." His eyes narrowed, "I didn't think someone like you even had any balls."

His knee slammed into my groin with enough force to lift me off the ground. I fell to my knees curled around the pain. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't think through the agony. Their laughter rained down on me like shards of glass cutting away what little resolve I had left. My head was jerked back by my hair making me gasp.

"Guess you do have 'em." He sneered at me as he stood, kicking me over onto my side. "Get up."

I made it to my feet, my whole body shaking from the pain. Where were Ryu and Hayato? They should have been here by now. This day had gone from bad to absolute hell. I knew I was reaching my limit. I wasn't strong like Hayato or smart like Ryu, I just did the best I could.

The next blow laid me out, the cold concrete just as punishing as their fists. Curled into a ball, trying to protect my head with my arms I endured their kicks until someone managed to kick me in the kidneys. A yelp tore itself from my lips and I heard them laugh.

"Finally reaching your breaking point?"

The blows seemed to come faster now. I couldn't even try to block them anymore. It took me a few moments to realize it when they had stopped. My whole body was throbbing and numb, the pain would come soon enough.

I felt myself lifted, my head hanging. I had no strength left.

"He's out."

"Good, his friends will be here soon enough. Lets go."

I slumped back to the floor as he let me go.

"Although I'd love to stick around and see their reaction, nothing like finding your friend broken and bleeding." He nudged me with a foot. "If I was them I would have ditched him years ago. He's such an easy target, it would be like having a little girl around to protect and look after."

Their footsteps faded away and I slowly raised my head. The warehouse was empty. That was when I let myself go to pieces, my sobs echoing hollowly around me.