Crystal Rain
Chapter 20 - Attack on Club Heaven & SWORD
Crystal never revealed why she left her friends that day or told them about the mystery man she'd met, but occasionally found herself looking back on their interaction finding it amusing and wondering what girl he was currently trying to get to go out with him. The little taste of unlimited freedom she felt that day was one she wanted to relive. For some reason she had always had this tickling feeling she was never meant to be this cared for. She wanted to explore the rooftops where the air was less stuffy, she wanted to free run and feel the wind in her hair, but instead settled on her early morning jogs with Shun, a Rascal who was known for being a fitness freak. While she loved the fashion and was comfortable, after almost five plus years of following Rocky's "dress code" she yearned to wear a different color, any color, white was stylish but just didn't feel like her.
She kept up with what she considered to be staying in fighting shape, but found herself preoccupied with caring for the girls of the club more. This most often meant getting very involved with their personal affairs whether financials and or relationships, more often than not, abusive and traumatic. She'd assist Koo if he needed it and would often help get preparations ready for the opening of the club each night along with the other members.
Crystal was currently browsing the street markets, looking for some dragon fruit that Rocky had said they were out off and needed for garnishing their new specialty drinks that would be served later that night. Wanting to get out for some fresh air, she'd immediately volunteered. She was now accompanied by Kizzy, who after returning home wanted to explore his old home and see if anything changed.
Kaito also joined them, since the two were rarely seen a part. She didn't know much about the two only that they were the first ones that Rocky met and started Club Heaven with. They'd left for the States shortly after the Club got up and running successfully. Kaito was silent most of the time, just nodding here and there, but Kizzy was a good translator and seemed to always know what was going on in the others head. While she didn't find Kaito's aloof silent nature off putting, she got along much better with Kizzy as they bonded quickly over nail care and fashion. But she knew not to let Kizzy's outward appearance deter from the fact that they were one tough badass when it came to a fight. Plus Kaito, despite his lean stature, he was quite strong.
All of a sudden they heard an explosion, looking up from the fruit she was inspecting, Kizzy and her starred at a large fiery eruption rising above the skyline followed by equally large black plumes of smoke. It seemed far away but the explosion was so massive that it could have been closer for all anyone could figure. The initial blast's sound and image quickly brought back another picture to Crystal, the explosion she saw in her head was smaller but no less loud. She was falling though the air, her hands and feet grasping for something solid to hold on to but as soon as they landed she was thrown in the air again, the heat so intense she could feel herself melting.
She stood frozen on the verge of hyper ventilating from constantly relieving this sequence trying to make sense of it. The masses horridly walked past trying either to get a better look at what was going on or trying to get as far away as possible. Kizzy was talking to her, but she barely heard any words, she was in such a daze. She was snapped back to her senses when she felt Kaito gently tug on her elbow. Caught a little off guard, she stubbled into Kaito's right side. He tried to catch her but pretty much failed since his other hand couldn't help steady her as it was engulfed by both Kizzy's arms wrapped tightly around it. She recovered herself, now out of her trance, as they made their way back towards the club, "We should go inform the others," she heard Kizzy repeat, she only nodded as she looked back at the smoke still slowly rising above the buildings. A very unsettling feeling in her stomach, wishing that whoever had been involved was okay.
When the trio returned to the club, the scene that greeted them was something she never thought she'd see. The lights in the club were an eerie red and slightly flickering, strange projections occupied all the screens, including the security camera systems. White Rascals were still laying on the ground with bruises slowly recovering from what ever surprise attack they had just encountered. Kizzy and Kaito went to find Rocky and Koo while Crystal helped the nearest guy up and then proceeded to check on the others.
By the time the White Rascals had cleaned up the front of their club and gathered in their private lounge it was night time and the club remained closed to the public. All of them still looked tired and their clothes dirtier than usual, to which they complained was going to be a pain to dry clean again for the fourth time this month. They were immediately reprimanded by Rocky and Koo. Koo telling them they shouldn't be such wusses and Rocky going on how they should do it out of the respect for the women of the club who were the most important members of their staff and they should always look nice for them to give the illusion nothing was wrong.
From the arm of the coach where she sat, Crystal was amused that yet again Rocky was able to tie everything back to his mission to protect women. Even when his prized club and members of his gang had just been attacked, his first thought was the safety of the women under his protection. By this time, Kizzy and Kaito had taken another head count and realized that some of the girls who had arrived early to the club had been taken by Doubt in the chaos. Other Scouts reported similar attacks on the other gangs of SWORD, Daruma Ikka and Oya High members had almost been completely crushed and the Nameless Street, while many Rude Boys had been left unharmed, the explosion had taken a great number of lives and destroyed much of the little infrastructure they created. The Hoodlum Squad was fairing as well as the Rascals, heavy property damage but everyone was alright besides some minor cuts and bruises.
After that night, things had moved rather quickly. The next day the club still remained closed, but the girls were still staying at the club where many felt safer than their small apartments in an already shady neighborhood. Crystal was comforting Nabi who was concerned for Asami and Sakura, both were taken along with at least a half a dozen other girls. Crystal heard Rocky taking with Koo over the news that their would be a retaliation by the Hoodlum Squad and that Oya High had already agreed to join them.
Apparently who ever lead these attacks were connected to the leaders of the Hoodlum Squad and they had come to the resolve to try and bring him back to his senses or at least stop him. "What will we do?" Koo's voice a whisper so as to try and not alert anyone else. Rocky took few moments of contemplation before answering as Kaito walked up with Kizzy warped around his arm.
Rocky as well as the other Rascals new the delicate and important balance SWORD had, "If SWORD is crushed, who will protect this town's nightlife? It is our mission to protect it and women who shouldn't live in fear of it." Looking directly to Koo and with a more commanding voice rather than the previous hushed tone gave him the order, "Get the Rascals ready, we ride out as soon as we're all gathered." and with that Rocky, followed by the others, left the room.
In her corner where she sat with Nabi, a new determination came over Crystal. If you are going to protect women shouldn't a women also be allowed to protect her own. If there was going to be a fight on the enemies turf, she wasn't going to be left behind, not this time, not when her friends who she loved like sisters were in danger of being sold. Knowing Rocky wouldn't even let her get a word out if she tried to ask if she could to join them, she had to think of another approach. "Nabi stay here, look after the others ok?" she started to get up, Nabi reached out to stop her, "Where are you going?" Not wanting to worry Nabi any more than she already was Crystal decided the less she knew the better, "I'll be fine, just stay here and look after the others and don't say anything about this. It's no use worrying them anymore than they already are." Still confused Nabi just silently agreed as she watched Crystal sneak out of the room and up a set of stairs.
Preview: She grabbed one of her larger, somewhat oversized, white leather jackets, zipped it up and put on her plain black combat boots. She placed the helmet over her head and with the blacked out visor down she looked like one of the Rascals, if you didn't look hard wasn't sure this disguise would work but then though some of the guys, like Kaito for instance, had an even more feminine figure than her.
A/N: I realize that the events of this chapter and the previous chapter should have been switched as per their sequences they are related to in the movie but for this fan fiction I wanted her meeting with Masaki to be the sole focus, so just focused on that last chapter and retuned to the overall story this one. The flow of this particular fan fiction also made more sense to me for their scene to be before this one as well.