Crystal Rain

Chapter 23 - Rain?

With everyone back together, the White Rascals got ready to leave. Not looking forward to the punishment that waited for her back at Club Heaven, Crystal fiddled with the straps on her helmet. Shun had already gotten the bike going waiting for Crystal to climb on, but before she could place her helmet over her head she heard a voice, "Rain?"

Only turning her head out of curiosity she saw one of the Rude Boys, the one with red hair, curiously approaching. "Rain?" the boy asked again this time more directly. Crystal looked both left and right, there was really no one else he could have been talking to. "I'm sorry but I think you have the wrong person," she kindly replied while getting on to the back of the bike. She was about to place the helmet on her head when the boy again spoke up this time louder.

"Takashi," the boy with red hair called another boy over. "What is it?" Takashi stopped in his tracks as he laid eyes on her, "Rain?" This Takashi also moved closer to try and get a better look at her. By now everyone who was still there had their eyes on them. Both P and Takashi stepped closer in disbelief but were met by Rocky's cane. Rocky who'd seen them walking closer to Crystal, had slowly meandered his way over while this short exchange had been taken place. As the two stepped closer he lifted his cane to block them from moving any closer. Crystal looked over at Rocky, a stern expression on his face as a warning, "Is there some business that you have with my sister?" The emphasis on "my sister" did not go unnoticed by the boys who both took a step back.

"Rain, it's me P... Your brother?" The boy made plea from the other side of Rocky, who looked back at Crystal but did not lower his cane. P continued his plea full heartedly believing this girl to be his sister, even thought he hadn't seen her in over five years. "I can prove it. You have a scar on your left index finger from when we were kids, the boys and I were playing pin-finger and you wanted to join us after I warned you not. Mom was so.. oof" he tried to speak as quickly as he could before the White Rascals could stop him, but Rocky used his can and pushed the boy back with enough force that his friend had to steady him.

Takashi whispered to his friend as he steady him, "Are you really sure that it's her? We haven't seen her in over five years." P shot back but still in a low tone, "Yes. We found that wreckage there was no evidence that she was in it, besides I think I know my own sister."

His attention turned towards Rocky and the White Rascals, "You think you can keep my sister from her actual family? how much did you pay for her eh?" P accused the Rascals. This earned him another cane hit from Rocky which he quickly dodged and got ready to strike back. "You think the Rascals would endorse such treatment of women" Rocky's disgust evident that someone would think that of him or the White Rascals. Before more blows could be exchanged, Koo the voice of reason spoke up, "Perhaps we should table this discussion for another day, this is hardly the place to have such conversation. It is late, we must get the women back to the club it's already been a rough night on them."

Not able to process what had happened, Crystal could only take one more curious look at the Rude Boys before silently placing the helmet over head. Before she completely secured it on her head, Shun drove forward, but not before P was able to speak out one more time, "Come to the Nameless Street and I'll prove it to you." He purposefully was almost run over by Shimura, who drove by him so close that he hit the corner of the Rude Boys jacket zipper. Quickly recover and with one final sigh P reluctantly got on his bike and followed Takashi and the rest as they headed in the opposite direction.

The whole ride back Crystal's mind was left to drift and try and create a reasonable explanation for the revelation that just transpired. From the information that she had already gathered she knew Smoky was the leader of the Rude Boys and she knew Lala was his sister. Perhaps why they always seemed so familiar to her even though she couldn't remember them was because she really did have some history on the Nameless Street.

Was she really this boy, P's, sister? was he really telling the truth? he had no reason not to, right? She remembered that the White Rascals and Rude Boys had recent altercations, was this some sort of abnormal revenge plan from them? Her thoughts were still racing as they arrived back at the club. Before she could help escort the girls inside Rocky stepped in front of her, "Not you." The rest of the girls were taken by Too and escorted inside by him and the other Rascals. As the last girl disappeared inside, Rocky continued, "You will wait for me in my lounge, we have some things to discuss." "Understood," With no energy to argue Crystal made her way into the club and directly to the mezzanine only able to give the girls a reassuring smile as she passed.

Sitting down on one of the ottoman's, she looked down at her hands, thinking back to what the boy had said. She turned her hands over, inspecting each one, until her eyes fell on her left index finger. There just above her middle knuckle, almost hidden by the large silver ring she was wearing, was a small scar almost resembling an X. It was smooth and faded but definitely one that had been there for a long time, it almost reminded her of a birth mark, maybe that's why she never really noticed it.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. She quickly placed her hands back in her lap and snapped her head up to confront who ever was coming around the corner.

The Rude Boys had returned to the Nameless City with Lala now safe and Shion accompanying them. He was eager to check on Smoky's condition after hearing updates on his condition after the leader had suffered a brutal sword wound to his back from the Mighty Warriors just the day before.

Takashi helped Smoky sit up as Lala ran anxiously to her brothers side, a large smile on her face. Once they had thanked the Amamiya brothers and the two men had left after getting the information that they wanted, plus as warning, many of the Rude Boys stayed in Smoky's quarters recounting what had happened in the past couple of days. Shion also stayed to catch up with everyone, the tense and depressing air that had followed him out of the Nameless Street the night he left now gone. He still didn't reveal much about the activities he was doing while living away from the street, but no one seemed to press him too much and Smoky was just happy to be visiting with his good friend again.

It was almost morning when the Rude Boys decided to head back to their respected sleeping locations. After helping Smoky lay back down, Takashi and P left him in the care of Lala who had quickly stepped out to check on the other Nameless Street girls who had been taken. Before P left the room, he paused in the doorway contemplating whether to tell Smoky about Rain. With caution he turn back around to face Smoky's bed, the leader was already drifting off to sleep but in a soft voice P still decided to voice his discovery. "We saw someone tonight at the containers that looked like Rain," he took a brief pause before continuing, "She was with the White Rascals and seems very important to Rocky." He stepped a little closer to Smoky, "She said doesn't know any of us but I know my sister Smoky and I just have a feeling its her. I don't know what Rocky did, but I'm going to find out." With that P left the room and caught up to Takashi as the two made their way back to their make shift hammock beds.

In his bed, Smoky who still had his eyes closed but was listening to every word P was saying, now slowly opened his eyes to stare up at the dark dank ceiling. Even alone his face was hard to read as his mind was circling with new thoughts. Flashes of memories all the way from when he first met Rain and P, to when they were finally on their own after the passing of her mother, the day she was taken and the long days of searching after that. His mind drifted to the White Rascals and Rude Boys altercation in the underground Red Rum factory and how Rocky had accused them.

He contemplated whether to truly believe what P had said, but if anything he believed in the certainty of the boys voice and that was enough for him. Clenching his fits under the covers he made a silent promise to help his adopted brother to get to the bottom of this new mystery, before letting his eyes close again.

He had fully drifted back to sleep by the time Lala returned to the room. She adjusted his blanket before she herself curled up in the large raggedy arm chair in the corner watching her brother peaceful sleep and wondering what he might be dreaming about. It wasn't long before she too fell asleep.