Crystal Rain
Chapter 33 - Threat of Eviction
She stayed for a little watching the dust settle before heading back inside, she could still faintly hear the roar of the bikes in the distance.
To concerned over the events that were now unfolding to lay in his actual bed, Lala was helping Smoky sit back onto an old ratty futon. She then made herself comfortable on a makeshift hammock chair crafted from an old sheet while Eri situated herself on top of two stacked milk crates as Rain walked in.
As Rain entered she noticed the break drum in the middle, already filled with kindling. "Here," she pulled out a white lighter decorated with the bejeweled logo of the White Rascals from within her pocket and proceeded to light the newspaper hidden under the sharp wooden pieces. It earned her an inquisitive stare by Smoky but he said nothing.
She settled into the spot on the futon next to Smoky, "Thank you," Smoky just nodded. She knew Smoky didn't have to send the Rude Boys and had no reason too, so was grateful for his decision.
She watched as the smoke rose up and through a large hole and a few smaller ones in the ceiling, wishing it would take her worries with it.
"This is just like old times isn't it? When we would all gather at yours and P's place. Your mom would make us lunch and we'd just talk and have a good time," Lala tried to lighten the mood, thinking of their youth always made her happy and optimistic unlike the rest of the boys.
Both Smoky and Rain's heads were to preoccupied with thinking about SWORD. Multiple times since the Rude Boys left she thought of following them, but decided if both P and Rocky had so assuredly asked her to stay she aught to do as they said.
It's true they had enough to worry about and she'd probably cause un-needed tension between the two if she showed up, even though she knew she could help. Was she maturing? A few months ago she probably wouldn't have thought this much and went anyways.
At least half an hour past, the quiet atmosphere of the Nameless Street was in stark contrast to the now filled train station where each kick, punch and shouted profanity all blended together as the eight gangs clashed.
On one side the gangs of SWORD and the other the combined strength of Doubt, the Mighty Warriors and the recently relieved Prison Gang. No one was giving in, it was the toughest opponent SWORD and it's gangs had faced up to this point. Many riding on the luck that Rocky would beat Ranmaru first.
All those who were left back home could do was cross their fingers and hope SWORD would prevail. Naomi kept distracted by cooking a new recipe at the diner surrounded by some of the girls from Ichigo Milk, the boys at Oya High were still holding fights among themselves, and the girls from Club Haven were sleeping over each others apartments to ease each others anxieties.
On the Nameless Street Lala had dozed off in her chair and Eri had gone to play with the other young kids not long after. Smoky had closed his eyes but had not yet fallen asleep.
"What's the story with Eri?" Rain questioned Smoky. He slowly opened his eye, "She's one of the only little girls on the street and the only one her age. My sisters has taken an liking to her and has taken Eri under her wing per say. Her health was not been good either." "She's a sweet girl," "hmm."
Rain could feel her eyes getting a heavier. She had been staring at the fire for so long going over every possible outcome of the fight, both good and bad.
She shifted closer to Smoky casually resting her head on his shoulder and in a sleepy voice broke the stillness between them, "I can't stop thinking about all the ways this could go wrong...Tell me another story from our past? Something I haven't heard before."
Smoky complied after thinking for some time, "Do you know the story behind our banner?" Rain gently shook her head, "P told me a little when I first came here," eyes started to drift closed, "but I'd love to hear the full story," Her eyes finally shutting all the way as Smoky retold the story of her race with the Rude Boys.
"Did you let me win against you?" She asked once he came to the part of the story where they had faced off on the rooftop. "Can't remember" She couldn't tell if he was lying, but she let it slide as he continued the story.
It was also the first time she heard her full name, "Bessho" "Uh huh. P's full names Pinneshiri. I guess your parents first met there.""Aww, that's sweet...I'd like to think if I had a kid someday I'd be able to find some meaningful name like that." "You will."
She reopened her eyes to look up at him,"I can't even think about that right now. Everything going on in SWORD, I'm in no place to be raising a child. Lala would make a much better mother than me," She looked over at the sleeping girls figure.
"Don't doubt yourself, you're strong. Even with your affiliation with the Rascals now, I trust you to take care of this family the same as your brother and Takeshi when I'm gone."
Rain lifted her head off his shoulder, "Don't say that." Smoky just sighed and looked up at the now darkened sky. "The sky's clear tonight. There's not many, but the stars shine the brightest here." Rain placed her head back on his shoulder and looked up through the gaps in the ceiling, the moon just peaking over the farthest edge "Its beautiful." "Yes it is," he whispered as he let his head fall on hers and tilt down towards her forehead.
She didn't know exactly when she fell asleep but she was nudged awake by Lala to be met with the stares from the Rude Boys who had just returned from KokuhakudÅ Station.
They were covered in bruises and some cuts and scrapes but no one appeared to be injured beyond that. "Smoky?" She gently shook the Rude Boy leader who you could only tell woke up by his eyes opening.
Rain looked to her bother, "Rocky?" a suspenseful moment of silence lingered in the air, "He won." She let out a small sigh of relief, "Why don't you seem happy? SWORD won right?" A nervous look was shared between the boys, "Takeshi?" Smoky addressed his second in command.
Takeshi proceeded to explain what happened after Ranmaru had been beaten by Rocky. The arrival of Yoshitatsu Zenshin, one of the heads of Kuryu Group, and how he announced a new war on SWORD.
"The nine families of the Kuryu Group are uniting to take down SWORD." "Apparently, they didn't take kindly to having their president arrested, " Yu sarcastically commented, "He was already released." "Smoky what do we do now?" P looked towards their leader still seating next to Rain.
Smoky stood up and the boys parted to let him pass through. Only when he was in the door way did he say anything without turning around, "Get some rest and be ready. For our family, we won't give up."
With that he made his way out of the room the boys following closely behind, leaving Lala and Rain alone sharing an apprehensive look.
It was the next day, Rain was back to being Crystal at Club Heaven. She was siting in Rocky's office re-bandaging his hand and applying ointment to the cuts on his face when Koo came in, "I just got word, Oya Koukou and Daruma Ikka's home have been destroyed and the stores in the Sannoh region have all been ransacked."
Rocky jerked his hand away from Crystal's grasp to stand up, "and the Nameless Street?" Crystal didn't care about the look Rocky gave her she needed to know,"No word yet."
An unsettling feeling came over her, torn between staying and caring for her adopted brother who she owed so much too or making sure her family on the Nameless Street was okay. It didn't help that she had felt nauseous since the morning which she attributed to her eating so little in the last few days.
"And there's this," Koo hesitantly handed Rocky a piece of paper. His eyes scanned the paper before crushing it into a ball and throwing it across the room without taking his eye off of Koo.
Curious, Crystal walked over, unfolded it and read it for herself, "Eviction!?" "Appears so," Koo stated from across the room. Crystal walked over to stand beside Rocky, "They can't do this. Our contract with the owner of the building isn't up for another half a year. Besides he likes us, he's always been a fan of the club and renewed the lease without issue."
"Apparently he's received a better offer, which includes paying for the legalities of letting us go from our lease." "He's driving us out? This is obviously the work of the Kuryu Group."
"Bastards," Rocky let out in an almost growl while adjusting his glasses. "Indeed. They work fast. It seems while Zenshin was with us at the station, one of the other nine dragons, Ryuhei Ueno, was here talking with our landlord." "Is there anything we can do?" Crystal saw her second home in jeopardy, "I don't think so."
"Koo, meeting with the rest of the Rascals, now." Koo gave a short bow of his head and followed Rocky out the door. Crystal returned to her own little office to try and process what was going on, could the Kuryu Group really have gained the upper hand on SWORD within a nightfall.
Maybe if she had stayed at the club instead of going to the Nameless Street then she could have stopped Ueno from entering and making his deal. On the other hand if she hadn't gone Smoky may have never sent the Rude Boys to help. She turned on the radio in hopes of distracting herself as she kept her hands busy tiding up an already neat desk.
"It has officially been announced that the casino will be built," She heard the voice of the radio say, " in the district known as SWORD." She froze, dropping her binders, she sat down in her chair and turned the radio up.
The reporter continued, "The government plans to evict the illegal occupants of the area so called the Nameless Street to insure that public order is restored and it is safe for the construction of the casino to begin. Workers are already starting the demolition process and it won't be long befo.." Crystal abruptly turned off the radio not wanting to hear any more.
First the Rascals were being evicted from their club and now the Rude Boys and everyone on the Nameless Street was going to be forcefully evicted from their home and by the government no less. Koo was right the Kuryu Group did move fast, she had to get back there. This time no more secrets, "Rocky!" She yelled as she grabbed her green jacket and headed out to find the White Rascal leader.
Preview: It was hectic, she was running in and out of both Nameless Street residence and men from the Kuryu Group. She was able to slip past and into a large clearing that looked to be an old parking garage of some kind.
And there she found him standing alone in the center. The snow just starting to drift down or was it debris from all the bull dozing that had sent burnt paper and material floating up in the cool breeze. "Smoky?"