Crystal Rain
Ch. 26 - A Trip Down Memory Lane
Following P down more streets, they eventually came to a small clearing where a little more than a few make shift shack like structures had been erected surrounding a burned down wood building. Some of the main structural points were still standing along with a few wood slabs of the roof, but were completely blackened and burned with parts that were flaking off in the small breeze.
They came up on an old rusted shack at the far end, "Do you remember this place?" She looked at P and then back at the shack. A piece of rusted metal sheetrock had fallen off its make shift hinges and she could just make out a few of the details inside. No memory or image came to her mind but she said the only word that entered her mind, in a voice lower than a whisper, "home?"
"I moved out of here a week after you disappeared and moved in with Takeshi. There was nothing left for me here except constant reminders of what had been and what I could have done. Smoky suggested I move in with them, so I did." His eyes went out of focus and to Crystal it seems like he was lost in his memories. He took a deep breath and signed before turning back to her, "Lets go."
She again found her self walking back through main street and was met by a tall metal structural outline of a building which P began to effortless climb. He was a quarter up the metal beams when he realized Rain wasn't following him, "You comin'?" He looked back down at her vacant stare, did she also forget the climbing skills she possessed? He watched as she slowly grabbed on to one of the metal beams and began to climb. Her pace getting faster as she went and he noticed she seemed to get more confident as she climbed.
Crystal had watched P quickly scale the building and a rush came over her, how fun it looked. He had called down to her, calling her to action, and she immediately began to climb. Starting off slow getting a feel for the metal between her hands she soon found climbing this building was natural, like muscle memory. Her feet and hands worked together as if they knew where to grab where to step and when and where they need to exert more energy to make it to the next stable footing. She quickly caught up to P and the two continued to the top.
"I've don't that climb before haven't I?" "All the time. When ever you were in a sour mood or wanted a quite place to have something to eat or be alone with your thoughts you'd come here." P leaned back over the edge and pointed to one of the lateral beams the jutted out the side of the frame work, "You'd sit right there when you were younger and when you were strong enough you'd come all the way up here and take in the view." She looked as he indicated towards the main street below, it was starting to get busier now than when she first stepped into the Nameless Street half an hour ago. There were still buildings much taller than the one they were standing a top off. She could still see many of the intertwining streets below including the place where P had said their old home was.
After jumping over a few other rooftops they came to a large gap between the edge of one roof and what looked like a small platform. It was more like a large ledge to Crystal it extended only a couple feet out half way up the tower which was twice the size of the buildings they had already been on. "You don't expect me to jump on to that ledge?" P gave her a sly little smile, "I do...and you've done it before." With that he backed up a few feet and with a running start swiftly jumped the gap between the two structures.
Crystal took a small peek over the edge, it was a long way down. She noticed a board another twenty feet or so below wedged between an even smaller ledge and the cement sides of the building she was standing on. One strong gust looked like it might dislodge it to shatter on the hard earth below. Seeing that board she had visions of a young girl with quick light feet using the very same board as a bridge and like before knew this had to be her.
Here instincts hadn't failed her yet. She followed in P's foot steps, backing up a good distance and with a running start propelled herself over the gap and on to the ledge, her hands just grabbing a piece of the metal frame before she fell backwards back towards the ground. Another short sigh of relief to catch her breath and she quickly began to climb soon catching up to P just as he hoisted himself up over the top of the tower.
She pulled herself up behind him thinking she'd have to catch up to him but was surprised when she almost ran into his back. She held a hand to her forehead to block the glare of the sun as she looked up to see what appeared to be like some kind of observation deck or crows nest. A tall wide poll like antenna stood in the center and attached to the very top was an old black flag. It was torn in multiple spots from the beating it had taken from the wind and she could just make out white letters hiding amongst its folds. Without warning a strong breeze blew through causing the flag to spread out to its full length, the ends were even more tattered than the center.
As she removed the hair that flew in front of her face, she could now see what was written on the flag. "Rude Boys," she sounded the words out in her mind, as an image or her drawing those very same letters on what seemed to be that very same flag popped into her mind. How could that be her, she might not be fluent, but working in the club and with a wide clientele, she at least knew how to draw her Rs.
"What do you think?" She was shaken from her thoughts by P's question, "It's a flag, what more is there to say?" "You don't remember?" "I'll admit, it is familiar. But why just this flag, why would I not feel this way with any of the others we passed on the way here?" "This was the first Rude Boys banner. You actually made it to taunt us and soon everyone was calling us Rude Boys, both to tease and respect us." P let out a little chuckle remember what was now a found memory for him and the others, "We actually left it up here after you so rudely shoved it in our faces. It wasn't till a couple weeks after you'd been missin' that Smoky, for some reason, decided to hang it up there," he pointed towards the flag. He looked back at her just to see a small smile creep onto her face.
He tapped her on the shoulder and motioned her to follow him, "Come there's someone you should meet." It was a lot to take in, more small memories and images flashed before Crystal's eyes as they made their way back through the now crowded streets. An old women was stirring some type of stew outside her doorway, it smelt better than it looked. The woman smiled at Crystal when she noticed her staring and offered her an old soda can she filled with the chunky stew. Not wanting to be rude, Crystal took the can and nodded a small thank you before continuing on.
"That was Mrs. Shima." P leaned over to whisper in her ear, "She took care of us for a while when dad first left us." "She seems nice," Crystal took a small sip of the soup, which was more like a bite with all the chunky old veggies and questionable meats in it. It wasn't as bad as she thought it would taste but the seasoning, whatever it was, certainly saved most of it.
Further on she stopped to admire a small girls table where she had small handmade bags on display. A white and gold plastic weaved hand bag caught her attention and as she picked it up to inspect it, the little girl held out her hand. "You know, you taught Lala and the girls on the street to make bags just like this when you were younger. You were always out collecting plastic bags to weave them into these things." He took the bag from her hands to look at it. "Lets go, the sun is setting," He handed the bag back to her and in turn she reached into her pocket and placed a 500 yen coin in the girls still outreached palm, before following P down the path.
After a few more turns they came to a set of old office buildings. The first floor was remnant of a lobby with some large sitting areas, now sectioned off by make shift walls. Making their way down an already existing hallway, Crystal followed P into a dimly lit room. Old ripped newspapers and posters lined the walls, a few chairs were scattered here and there, some missing part of their backs and others the spokes that connecting the legs. In the center was a cot and someone laying in it, Crystal couldn't quite see as most of her view was blocked by P and the person laying in the bed was covered with a blanket. A girl was seating next to the bed, silently sketching away at something.
"Lala? look who's back." The girl Lala looked up as P moved aside to reveal Crystal's curious expression. Lala's face light up brighter than the lights of a Christmas tree. "Ahhh!, Rain your back!" before Crystal knew it she was embraced into a big bear hug by the girl and though she was frail the girl had a tight grip. Lala finally released her but before Crystal could say anything, in her excitement from seeing her old friend again Lala continued, "Come," she tugged at Crystal's arm who had no choice but to follow her, "Smoky will be so happy to see you, he just finally was able to get some sleep, but I'm sure he won't mind me walking him if it means he gets to see you back with us safe and sound."
She barely even took a breath the whole time she'd been talking. "Wait Lala, if he just fell asleep, let him rest. He wasn't been sleeping well these last few days," P interjected before Lala could shake her brother awake. "Rain will still be here when he wakes." P looked at Crystal in hopes that she would be willing to stay.
Curious to find out more and knowing Rocky wouldn't be back for another whole day, she gently nodded her head. "But I have to go back to my place for a little bit, Shun will be checking on me and I should probably be there when he does. I promise I'll be back before the morning, trust me." P nodded in understanding, as much as he wanted her to stay, with Smoky in his current condition and the rest of the Rude Boys after the fight at the containers they weren't looking for any more conflict with the gangs of SWORD yet. "Be careful." "I always am," she smiled and made to leave but noticed Lala disappointed look.
Crystal walked over to her, "Do you have to go, you just got here," the younger girl asked, the disappointment evident in her voice, "Yes, but I'll be back very soon, I promise. I still have many questions that need to be answered. Tell Mrs. Shima 'Thank you' for the soup."
Turning to go, Crystal took one more look at the Rude Boys leader's sleeping figure. Before she knew what she was doing she had brushed his rugged bangs away from his eyes and after a quick contemplative pause whispered, "Smoky." A flood of scattered images came back to her. There first encounter, and subsequent ones after that. Her challenging him and her brother, racing the Rude Boys and their encounter on the rooftops to finally the last image of them running after her as her vision turned went black.
The sudden onslaught of images caused a small tear to well up in her eye, as she still had yet to determine what they all meant. With that she pulled her hand away and continued out the door. P recognizing her dazed state, escorted her to the front gates. She made to go, but P grabbed her forearm. It took a little convincing her mind not to throw him to the ground out of instinct, "You may be with the Rascals now, but you will always have a home here, no matter what anyone says or thinks, including you, you are my sister and that won't ever change." "Thank you... Ill see you soon," and with one last look at the skyline behind them, Crystal ran back to her apartment making sure to stick close to the shadows.
A/N: I actually find it a little hard to write for P more than some of the other boys since his story and personality aren't really touched upon as much as theirs. Next she finally gets to meet Smoky and Takashi again :) and Rocky returns and we move into the events of the Red Rain and the second movie.