Disclaimer: Not trying to make money. Not mine.

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Chapter 10 – Awakening the Beast

Eight-fifteen a.m. Ikki was home, sitting at the small kitchen table on his underwear (light blue boxers), his hair uncombed, reading the newspaper and drinking his cup of coffee. Very strong and bitter, without condiments or any nonsense, cafeinated, bold, and full of flavour. Like himself, of course.

"This piece of shit is full of crap," he complained out loud, slapping the page. "Girl is run over by a car and dies, retired woman had her pention cancelled who knows why, the stockmarket goes up half percent, corrupt polititian gets reelected, company So-and-So filed for bankruptcy, a new ice cream brand goes to market… a ton of advertisements… Fuck, isn't there anything interesting here?"

He only bothered to read that pile of junk daily because, every now and then, he discovered some interesting information that helped him doing business. Some executive he dealt with going on "vacation" to a suspicious country. News from one of his many enemies. An expensive jewel that would be part of an exhibition (and stolen by him). A blackout scheduled for the following day, that might be a great opportunity and give him ideas. Useful information.

He continued sipping the coffee and flicking through the pages, bored. Soon he would have to take a shower, get dressed and leave. He had a meeting with two spoiled daddy's boy millionaires that had contated Hatori Group, proposing an association for the construction of the Alpha Zex 534-L. Ikki would probably tell them to go fuck themselves and give them a good beating, not necessarily in this order, but before they would talk and Ikki would find out if they had a hidden agenda. Just another typical day in the life of Ikki Amamiya.

"A bomb exploded at the shopping mall and killed 17… The price of rice went up five percent… Teenage boy is attacked in his own home and kidnapped… New Spelberg movie at the theaters… Pfffffffffff!" he spit the coffee that he had just sipped, spraying the whole page. "WHAT?" he yelled, bringing the stained newspaper closer to his face. He recognized the living room on the picture in the kidnapping article. "It cannot be!"

Hurriedly he read the article, hoping that he had misunderstood, a horrible feeling possessing him. "Another kidnapping occurs in Tokyo, reflecting the ever raising wave of violence in the city. This time, the victim was attacked inside his own apartment, and supposedly taken from the location last night. The victim, a teenager only fourteen years of age, Shun Amamiya… NOOOOO, SHUUUN!" Ikki howled, a scream of pure anguish that was probably heard three blocks away.

Not his brother! That could not be true! It had to be a mistake!

Ikki continued reading the article as fast as he could, already on his feet as if he were to run into action at any instant, each muscle on his body tense, not believing what he read. A minor living by himself, blah blah blah, the authorities had not been able to locate his family, the neighbors said Shun was a sweet child and was always alone, blah blah blah, the crime was attributed to known gangs but there wasn't proof yet, blah blah blah, the location showed destruction and blood, supposedly the victim's, they didn't know if he was still alive…

"SHUUUN!" he howled again, desperate, with a pain so consuming that he never imagined feeling one day. This had to be a nightmare. The only person, the only thing he loved in this shitty world could not be dead! Could not!

He turned the page and there it was, a small picture of his brother, just a face shot, with his well-known angelical smile and those large green eyes that seemed to be looking right at him. Ikki ran a finger through the image, caressing it. He himself had taken that photo a few months ago, at the kid's request, to subscribe in some sort of club at school (Ikki hadn't bothered to pay attention on what it was, distracted with his own problems at the time.)

Shun had wanted to photograph his brother too, in fact he had insisted, he remembered well. "Ikki, why don't you ever want to take a picture with me? He had asked, in a childish whiny voice. "And why don't you let me keep any photos of you? I bought this portrait frame for the living room, but I have no photo of yours to put there!" Ikki got grumpy and refused, of course; he could not leave behind a trail, any object that might link Shun to him. To protect him. He lied to his younger brother, saying that he hated photos and he just wasn't photogenic. Shun had tried to argue, saying that even if Ikki came out horrendously ugly in a photo, he wouldn't mind – in fact he would love the photo, because that would be his big brother and Shun loved him. Ikki ended up being a bit rude to end that conversation that, and as usual, led to tears from the younger, who always were so sensitive.

Now, seeing that photo on the newspaper, not knowing if Shun was alive or dead, Ikki regretted his rude behavior so much, from this occasion and so many others. He should have offered nothing but love and tenderness to his younger brother, that only had him to count on in this world. But Ikki certainly was not a loving man, let alone tender. He was a rough man, made tough by a life of battles, where survival was always at stake, and he would get crushed if he lowered his guard even if briefly. There was no space in his world for hugs, blue birds and cotton candy.

Shun had always deserved so much more than Ikki had to offer. But even being who he were, Ikki should have made a stronger effort, being present more often, being more open to show just how much he loved the sensitive, affectionate little runt. He should never have said one single rude word to him.

Be as it may, even if Ikki didn't deserve it, the kid obviously idolized him. And now Ikki had failed him. Failed in his duty to protect him, to keep him safe. He would never forgive himself for this!

He read the whole article, breathing heavily with his heart racing, but he found nothing else useful there. No one knew shit. "Fuck!" he yelled, thrown the damn paper across the kitchen and pushed the table angrily, turning it over and causing the breakfast china to fall over, breaking against the tile floor loudly.

He would find out himself what had happened, he didn't need these useless, shitty reporters to inform him. He ran to his bedroom; he would wear the first thing he'd come across and would go after his brother. The unlucky person who was disgraceful enough to pass in front of him and make him waste a moment, would die.

Who was the bastard son of a bitch who had attacked Shun?

Ah, he would get the demon who dared mess with his little brother, he thought, putting on the faded pair of jeans that he wore the day before and had left on the floor. Or demons. He would find them and tear them apart with his bare hands, would tear off every limb from their bodies and would beat them dead. .. then he would make barbecue out of their remains, would turn them into dust, and somehow would bring them back to life and tear them apart all over again. And after that, he thought, putting on a tight black t-shirt and already grabbing his heavy leather boots, at full speed, he would do the same to their families.

Some idiot made the mistake of picking on the pup of a wild beast, and soon would find out that this would be a fatal mistake – he thought, running out the door.

TBC

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