Black Waltz: Hello again, people. I've returned to bring you more of this action-packed story. After watching the movie Heat and other crime movies, as well as playing GTA IV nonstop, I wanted my story to standout like those, but using the world of anime, but also while using the characters from the videogame. Many people will agree on that, but I'm also trying my best since I have little experience in the action genre, so if you have any tips, please share.

*

Around nine A.M. on Tuesday, a white four-door sedan drove up at the curb of the Meadows Park, near the Monoglobe. The person shut the car off, got and closed the door, going to the other person who was peering at the water and the globe. As she walked up, the person spoke to her. "Been a while, Lucy," she said.

"Yeah sure, but it hasn't been that long... Shion," Lucy replied.

"Whatever." Shion looked at the water while Lucy followed suit, first pulling out a smoke, lighting it. Lucy took a puff then exhaled. Other residents of the city walked around the park, some of them doing their morning exercise, yoga, or whatever... they just pretended not to see the two girls talk about business. Both the people and police of Liberty City knew well about organized crime—it was something they couldn't stop or figure out. With Lucy, she wondered what her boss had wanted this time. She quit working with her some time ago and the two cut their ties with each other, but there are some people who don't keep their word.

"So... how are things?" Lucy asked.

"Still the same... I try to do my work and make money, but my mom is up my ass about something about my crimes I'm doing," said Shion.

"Are the cops still onto you?"

"Always are, seems like I'm a magnet for feds these days."

"Ain't that the truth?" Lucy finished her smoke and flicked the bud into the water while she and Shion walked around the park, going to the one of the benches to discuss matters about things—something Lucy knew quite a lot about. The two were silent for a bit till Shion broke it. "So I heard from a source of mine that Sam White was taken care of... nice work."

"Don't thank me, thank Keitaro."

"Who's he?"

"Another immigrant here in Liberty City... apparently wanting a better life. I have to give the guy credit, he speaks good English."

"Where's he from?"

"All the way from Japan."

"And he speaks good English?" Shion cocked her eyebrow. "He must've taken lessons."

"He must've. You can thank him when you meet him." Their talk then got serious. "So you heard word about Sam being in the ground... how does that feel?" asked Lucy.

"It makes me feel good, but I'm not satisfied."

"Is that why you called me?"

Shion nodded. "One more, and then we're done... alright?"

"Fine... what is it?"

"For me, Sam White was someone who needed to go, but now I want his boss. His boss, Ryan Smith, owes me some ice that he held back a few years ago. The guy mentored me to get where I am today. He told me that he had one last thing for me, and that was to steal of ice of some rich guy... and then he told me that he was going to deliver my share to me in about a few days and then we would be equal. I never got them."

"How much were they?"

"About five million. All I want is him and the ice... both his share and mine. He's lives over at Sundance Street in South Slopes. Once you got them both, give me a call... but make sure you don't know me, got it?"

"I hear you on the phone, I don't know if it's my ex or the pizza guy," Lucy joked.

"Funny," said Shion. Both soon were out of the park while Lucy got into her car and started it up, and then dialing a number.

*

"Twelve... Thirteen... Fourteen... Fifteen... Sixteen!" Keitaro racked the bar and grabbed his Gatorade on the floor, taking a gulp from it. He heard his phone ringing. Who was it now? Why couldn't he just enjoy some peace and quiet? Going to the locker, he grabbed his phone and answered it. "Yeah?" he panted, still out of breath.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, fine. What do you need?"

"I just finished talking to my boss. She wants me to steal some diamonds and take this guy back to her house."

"Sounds like fun... is she having a slumber party?" he joked.

"That or she wants to mess him up. I'll come and get you, where are you?"

"Over at the gym."

"Wait there, Kei."

He hung up and went to the changing room to change into his clothes. As he was changing, he thought about what Lucy's boss was like. Whatever it was, he would find out soon enough. A white sedan parked near him and he got in while Lucy drove off. "So Lucy, tell me some about your boss?"

"There isn't much to say, except that Shion has a grandmother, a mom, a sister and a father, who has the same background as her. But when he passed away, she told him that if she ever became like him, to take charge of everything. Oh yeah, and on a side note, Shion Sonozaki's real name is Mion Sonozaki, and two, she is a complete nut! She spent eight months in the nut house for torturing and killing ten people."

"Holy fuck! But when was she released?"

"About the time when her family needed her back and they were once again happy. But she told them that from then on that she was doing things her way."

"So then after this, you're through with her?"

"Correction... after this, she's through with me."

The two drove to the house in South Slopes and stopped the car, getting out while drawing their nines. "On three," she whispered to him; he nodded. Mentally, she counted and then at three, they kicked the door down, finding nothing. "He's not here," said Keitaro, looking around.

"He's only hiding... scared prick."

Both looked around the house, finding nothing down stairs; so they checked upstairs. Both then heard a door open, hearing somebody rush out of the house. Reacting quickly, Keitaro managed to put a bullet in his leg to stop him. The guy fell to the ground in a heap. "Nice shot there, Keitaro," Lucy complimented. She looked down at the guy, "Ryan Smith?"

"Yeah but who are you two?"

"Friends of a friend who wants to have a talk."

"Right... so either come with us, nice and easy, or we can do this the other way," Keitaro said.

"Fuck off! I'm not heading anywhere!"

"I knew you would say that." Both dragged the guy out by his legs and stopped when they came to the back off the car. Lucy went to the driver side and pushed a button, opening the trunk; then she helped Keitaro loaded him up inside and shut it. "The inside was padded?" said Keitaro.

"When you learn from the best, it rubs off on you," Lucy said. "Now that he's inside, let's look for those diamonds."

"How about we just ask the fucker where they are?"

"Oh, right..."

He opened the trunk back up and looked at the guy. "Our contact tells us that you have some ice, where is it?"

"I have it in the freezer," he said, hoping to not spill the beans about the diamonds.

Both of them had had enough of this guy's playing around. Keitaro drew his Micro SMG to the man's forehead—asking him again to where the diamonds were hidden; Keitaros' finger hovering on the trigger... he told them in was in the dresser in his room, top door. He told Lucy to fetch the stuff while he kept an eye on Ryan. Minutes later, she came back with two tiny bags of diamonds. "I got them, let's go."

Keitaro closed the trunk back up while she got in the driver's side and he got in next to her. Lucy kept her eyes on the road while she dialed a number. The dial tone rung then someone picked up. "You got them?"

"Yeah. Where's your place?"

"In Meadow Hills... you'll see me outside. Look for a blue Banshee."

"Sure thing."

They drove to the place while they knew that Ryan was pounding on the back but the padding kept it muffled from outside attention—especially cops. Lucy drove into Meadow Hills, looking for the car, remembering that Shion said she was going to be outside next to it... she found it. She pulled up into the driveway and stopped the car, getting out. Keitaro looked at the green-haired girl, seeing as she was dressed like girls should dress... feminine. 'If only Motoko was able to dress like that and not be a bitch about it,' he thought to himself.

"Is it all in there?" Shion asked Lucy.

"All of it... here's the diamonds too," she said, handing Shion the little bags.

"Good. Serves that rat right," she said bitterly. She took her eyes off the ice for a second, noticing Keitaro, his arms folded while stood quiet. "Who's he?" she asked.

"That's Keitaro, the one I told you about."

"You don't say? Hey, Keitaro!" she called to him; he walked over to her. "Lucy told me about you, you work for her?"

"I work if there's pay."

Shion nodded. "I might be able to get some work for you. Right now, you and Lucy get that piece of shit down to the basement where he and I can talk." Both followed; opening the trunk and pulling him out while Ryan was able to see who the person was. "Shion... Shion Sonozaki!"

"Hey, Ryan... long time, no see. Thought you could keep that share of the ice for yourself, didn't you? Well guess what? You and I are going to sit down and talk this out like normal people. Guys, get him to the basement!" Both of them picked Ryan up and got him to the basement; thank god that the whole house was empty. When the two got him to the basement, throwing him to the ground, Lucy looked at Shion. "That's done. You and I are finished. Don't call or come looking for me for anything else, got it?"

"I know. You did this last thing, so now you're free from the cage."

"Good... later on, nutcase." Lucy said, going out of the house and back to her car, peeling out of the driveway, heading back to Beachgate. Shion meanwhile gave him her number, and then put the body up in the storage closet before she wanted to talk to him about things. The two headed back up. "So... Lucy says you're a good person."

"I try to manage. What about you, Shion, or can I call you Mion?"

"Shion will do, even though my family and other people mistake me for being the younger sibling, it will do. The only one who is the younger one is my sister, Mion."

"Yeah, Lucy told me about that... do you two keep it a secret?"

"I plan on telling my grandmother sometime, that I'm really the older one."

"Sounds fun," he said. "But yeah, I'm reliable. Is that the kind of people you need?"

"I'm looking for new people from time to time... and by the looks of things, you're a good catch."

Keitaro crossed his arms. "But fair warning, Shion, I'm not cheap."

"Do you think I live like some hobo? The Sonozaki family is a very wealthy family here in Liberty City." At that point, Shion heard the door open and footsteps walk inside. "Fuck... we'll have to continue this another time. Meet me at Superstar Café in Algonquin tomorrow and eleven A.M."

"Sure, Shion. See you there."

Keitaro left the house, avoiding the questions that her grandmother was giving to him. Outside, he looked around for cops—none. He went up to the vacant car, "She loves me..." he put his hand on the handle, opening the door, "she loves me." Inside the car, he hotwired it and sped off into the city, looking for someplace to relax. Inside the Sonozaki residence, Oryo watched Keitaro take off in the car then turned to her daughter. "Why must you keep doing this?" the elder woman said. "I won't allow this!"

"What I say goes, hag," Shion said to her.

"You have no right! I am the head of this family, and I—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Shion pointed her Glock to her forehead, stopping the elderly woman in her tracks. Oryo's heart began to race, going a hundred miles an hour, fearing that if Shion pulled that trigger... it was over for the head of the family. Shion looked at her dead in the eye, eyes dilated with a maniacal grin plastered on her face. "How would you like to give Ryan some company down in the cellar? Would you like that?" she asked her grandmother; finger hovering on the trigger, threatening to end her life. Never in her life did the head of Sonozaki family ever been scared; she was always a strong woman, but to have her own granddaughter point the barrel of a gun to her head was something of another story. Shion pointed the gun away with her grandmother still shaken up about the near-death experience.

"From now on, you will pay no attention to my things that I do, and that man who had came by earlier, you will treat him with respect... understand?"

Oryo nodded, "Yes, Shion."

"Right, little sister?" she said, knowing her younger sibling was eavesdropping on the conversation and had seen how she was about to put a bullet into her grandmother's forehead.

Mion came out from behind the partially-closed door, looking a little worse for wear. She was shaking and almost had the feeling that she was going to wet her self if she didn't say something to her sister. "Sure sis... I won't get in your way."

Shion smiled. "Good girl. Now I have company waiting for me down in the basement. If you hear noises, that's just us talking." While she left, Oryo and Mion both brought themselves out of their shock, but she could help but wonder about what she said... little sister, Mion? How is that? Mion is older than her. "Mion, what does she mean by your younger than her?"

Mion knew the answer to that question and was prepared for it; she knew her grandmother was going to be shocked and angered by it but she was willing to take those risks. "What she means grandma is..." and just like that, she told her everything from the time that they were born, how they switched when they were treated unfair at birth, how Shion should have gotten the tattoo to symbolize herself as the heir to the family... the works.

The reaction was what Mion had expected—one of shock, but another of... concern? Why though? What was she puzzled by the fact that Mion wasn't really the Sonozaki heir. "Why wasn't I told you this earlier?"

"I guess we kept it a secret because if you had found out that Shion was the heir to the family, I would've been the one to be out casted."

While they talked upstairs, downstairs in the basement, Shion was talking with her old boss... but not what you would accept. Despite the screams from below, the two at the top ignored them best they could and came to terms with each other—Oryo was willing to switch the title to of the Sonozaki heir to Shion while Mion fully accepted her status being taken out.

*

At the other side of the ocean, with the time zones being different with both America and Japan, Su opened up the secret passage that led to Keitaro's room. Tsuruko was out, saying she needed to have a walk to clear her head. Inside his room, Su found the letters that were sent by Keitaro, wanting to know what her big brother was doing in America... probably doing perverted things, she thought, reading through the letters—her mouth fell open in shock, eyes growing like saucers at what she read.

The Mol-Mol princess grabbed the other letters, raced out of the room and into the kitchen when she went to tell the girls all about what Keitaro was doing in the states. When she had told them, there were only two people who didn't buy into his "doing organized-crime" bit, they just laughed it off. "But listen to this..." Su read some of one of the letters, "I was wondering if you would be able to join me here in Liberty City."

Naru pondered about this, "But... but he's just bluffing! That fool doesn't have the guts to be doing criminal work."

"I agree. Urashima does not have the physical strength to do that kind of thing. Not to mention his low I.Q."

"He's probably going to get lucky up in America... all those women and all," said Kitsune.

Naru looked at Motoko, knowing what his letters had meant when he asked Tsuruko to join him in Liberty. "You don't think she's planning on going?"

"Well she has had her bag packed for the past two days, so I can only guess..."

*

In Hinata City, Tsuruko was sitting at one of the tables, sipping her hot tea while she exchanged words with somebody. "And that's what his letters said. I know it's wrong to do criminal activity, but if my family was in starvation... I'd do what I can."

"I agree... there are certain measures you have to take in life to survive," said the person.

"I know for a fact though that the girls will go to Liberty City and bring their manager back, wether he wants them to or not."

"Why's it so important to you that I join in?"

Tsuruko smiled. "Like the old saying goes, 'the more, the merrier'."

The person looked at her tea for about two minutes then looked back up. "What about back home? I can't just leave... I've been there my whole life, and besides, if I leave him behind, I'll never see him again."

Tsuruko thought about it... she knew that if she left her home, he would miss her, not to mention the other people as well. Homesickness... that's what it was and nothing more, but her home was going to have somebody new. "Okay. I'll give you time to think about it... Amara."

The dark-skinned woman looked at her. "I just need some time to think about this. This is a big choice for me."

"We all have choices in life we must make, regardless of the outcome of them. Consider this something to be happy about."

"Thanks, Tsuruko. I'll be in touch about the answer." The Mol-Mol woman got up while Tsuruko paid for the tea using her Japanese currency, making Amara save hers. Amara, however, still couldn't shake the fear of leaving her country and making everybody feel guilty about it that she left to pursue the dream of becoming a criminal. She had the brains to tackle electrics... but weapons were a different story; she was even told about the money—not low, pitiful ones, fives and tens, but luscious twenties, fifties, and hundreds... that was something extraordinary.

*

Black Waltz: Wow... another one for you, but this time a long, juicy one. It will take me some time to update; my life is going nuts every now and then and looking for work. But this will also give me time to focus on my other stories. Till next time.