Reality Sucks
Chapter 4
*Disclaimer - Bloody Roar, yada yada yada, I don't own copyrighted characters blah blah blah, you get the picture. Oh, the character Jackson O'Brian is copyrighted by myself, and if you'd like to use him in your fic for whatever reason, a simple email asking for permission is all I need. The character "Konai" has been used with Sabre 220's permission.
*Authors Notes - Well, It's been 4 months since the last Reality Sucks chapter. I was way busy with other writing projects as well as school those last 4 months. And now THOSE projects are on hold and I'm out of school. Why bother continuing a story that's lost almost all it's appeal? It's because I guess I never really realized how much potential this story had, and I just recently got a SHITLOAD of new ideas and places to go with this. I've learned so much about writing in the past few months, this chapter should be my best yet. I'm also having a friend do a sketch of Jackson O'Brian from a scene near the end of this chapter. I'll include the URL to it if she finishes it and scans it before I'm done. Either way, you'll get to see an artist's concept of Jackson, and you'll recognize the scene that was drawn if you read the chapter first. I'm sort of glad I put this off for so long, because when I do rough notes for a new chapter, it's usually about half a page, hand written. For Chapter 4, it was a page and a half, hand written. I'm happy I found this little gem on my hard drive or else I would have dismissed it, with Jackson being forgotten forever. I'd like to thank my readers, my reviewers, and my close friends for supporting me on this. But especially my friend Kelly. Thanks for giving me the drive and inspiration to go on with Reality Sucks - This one's for you! One last thanks goes out to both Kelly and Tiger5193 for helping me come up with the name "Ayumi Satoshi" and get a mental picture of my characters. THANKS!!
*Notes 2 - Oh yeah, Chapter 4 is written is pseudo-time. The total time passed during this chapter is 1 month, so I may write about something that takes place for 2 days, then jump ahead a week, and stuff like that.
Chapter 4
"Jackson? C'mon, wake up. It's six already, and the pizza will be here any minute now." "Mmm.. urg.. 5 more minutes..." *Knock Knock Knock* "Jackson, it's here, get up"
Jackson slowly opened his eyes and gave Yugo the evil eye for waking him up. He looked at his watch, confirming that it was indeed 6 in the evening. Ugh, certainly doesn't feel like it Yugo began to speak, but Jackson held a finger up to silence him. He sniffed the air. Once, twice, three times. "What? What is it?" Yugo asked. "There is a PIZZA in this house!" "Yeah, I know. I just told you it got here." "Hey Yugo! I'm 100 yen short here, can you get my wallet?" Kenji called from the doorway. "Sure, one second." Yugo got up and found the money while Jackson rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. The nap helped, but he still wasn't quite adjusted to the 11 hour time change he'd just gone through. He stretched his arms, stood up and followed the scent of the pizza into the apartment's meager kitchen. Sitting on the table was 6 extra large pizzas. "Wow, that's a lot of pizza." Jackson mumbled. "Not for 3 hungry zoanthrope men!" Yugo said while reaching into the cupboards for some plates. Jackson rubbed his head. "That must have cost a lot. I mean you must have gotten this just for me. How often do people actually eat pizza here in Japan?" Yugo and Kenji gave him a strange look. "Now why would you say that?" Kenji asked him. "Well, I guess it's just 'cuz I expected things here to be so much more...." "Typically Japanese?" Yugo finished. "Uh... yeah." Jackson said sheepishly. Yugo just shrugged his shoulders. "Sit down and eat." He didn't see a problem with that, but then he remembered something. "Oh yeah! Yugo, since you had already gotten me my ticket out of Canada, I didn't need any of that money you wired me. I got something to eat before I left, but that was it. So I can give it all back now." "Kid, you can keep it. It's yours now. You'll need it to get started here, you know, get new clothes and stuff." At this point, Kenji was curious. "How much did he give you?" He asked. "None of your business." Yugo growled, chomping on a slice of pizza. "It was a very large amount. $15, 000 canadian dollars. I used maybe ten dollars." Kenji's eyes nearly bulged out his head. "Fifteen thousand, CANADIAN dollars? Where did you get so much money?" And it dawned on him. "Yugo, that was your entire life savings in yen!" Jackson was shocked. Yugo had just given a near-total stranger his entire life savings! That was beyond generous, and it told him something about Yugo. Like he had been in a similar situation that hadn't turned out so well, and he didn't want that happening to anyone else if he had the power to do something about it. "Yugo, that is truly honorable of you to do, but I can't accept your life savings. Once I know enough Japanese to get a job, I'll pay my own way." "But, " "No buts, Yugo. The though was very nice, but I'm going to pay for myself. Heaven knows I've already inconvenienced you people enough already. You saved my life, you got me out of my country and now you've given me a place to stay. All without even knowing me. That's good enough for me. I'll find a job, pay you back for the ticket, and pay my share of what I use here. "The ticket is on me, deal?" "Deal." Jackson said with a smile. He reached over the table to shake Yugo's hand, but it was interrupted by the growl of his stomach. "Er.. I think my stomach wants to make a deal with the pizza first. Heh." "No problem man. Dig in, we got plenty." "Ok, and all your money is in my bag, still in Canadian currency." All of a sudden, Kenji spit out the food in his mouth and burst out laughing. "What's so funny?" Jackson and Yugo asked at the same time. "I just imagined the look on the teller's face when we go to exchange fifteen thousand dollars into yen!" The mental image of a teller with huge eyes and a slack jaw came into both their minds. After a good laugh, Jackson congratulated Kenji for the joke and the three ate up.
A few days later....
Jackson had just spent the last 4 hours cleaning up the apartment. He didn't think that two people could make such a mess! But however they did it, he had promised help clean up. Alice had called Yugo over to 'talk about something important', and Yugo left three seconds after that. He didn't quite know what that was suppose to mean, but Yugo was very excited about it. So Jackson promised that he and Kenji would have the house clean by the time Yugo got back. Kenji didn't like the idea of being volunteered like that, complaining the whole 4 hours. But complaining aside, the apartment was finally done. Jackson was just sweeping some dust off the floor when Kenji decided to fire a penny he'd just found at Jackson. "Hey buddy, think fast!" Kenji yelled, sticking the coin between his thumb and middle finger and firing it towards Jackson's head at high speed. Jackson turned his head to see the object flying towards him. Out of instinct, he raised the handle of the broom he was holding and deflected the coin right back at Kenji. Seeing it going straight towards his own head, he yelped and ducked. *WHAM* Kenji slowly stood up and looked at the wall behind him. The coin had hit the wall with such force, it had gone clear though the wall and was lodged in the insulation behind it. "Woah." Kenji murmured. "How did you do that? I've been doing that coin thing for a year now. I had Uriko clock it with one of those Police radar gun things, and I can make one go almost 100 miles an hour!" Up until Kenji said that, Jackson was pretty impressed with himself. Now he was mad. "If you can fire it that fast, WHY THE HELL DID YOU FIRE IT AT MY HEAD!?!" But Kenji didn't seem phased by Jackson's verbal assault. The more he thought about, the more he realized that what Jackson had just done was pretty extraordinary. "Hey, can we try that again?" "What the- Didn't I just yell at you for doing that? And now you want to do it again? Are you stupid or something?" "No. Just curious." "What?" Kenji gave an exasperated sigh. "Jackson, do you think you could do that again?" Jackson shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno." "Let's try. Stand were you were before, and hold that broom again." Jackson did so, still rather pissed off. He stood there, broomstick in hand. "Are you ready?" "No, but I don't think that's going to stop you." "You're right." Kenji reached into his pocket and took out a handful of loose coins he had found during the clean up, and started firing them at Jackson as fast as he could. Forty-five seconds and fifty coins later, Jackson stood, panting and gripping the stick. "Did I hit you?" Jackson dropped the stick and patted himself down, then thought for a second. "Nope." Then he looked at the wall behind Kenji. "But I don't think Yugo's going to be too happy about the wall." "The wall? What about the wall?" Kenji asked, turning around and looking at the wall behind him. For a total mess, it was sure an accurate mess! All the coins had lodged themselves in within 30 centimeters of the first one, creating a tight pattern of holes. "Oh SHIT!" Kenji yelled. "What are we gonna do?!" "Ah, I told you this was a bad idea!" Jackson groaned, burying his face in his hands. "You so did NOT say it was a bad idea!" "Well, I THOUGHT it was a bad idea!" Kenji nearly facefaulted. Yugo was going to be pissed... Jackson slumped down against the wall while Kenji paced back and forth. "Oh man, I'm not even in Japan for a week and I already destroy Yugo's apartment...Wait! I have an idea." Jackson ran into his room. He had spent the last 3 days sleeping off the jet lag and getting adjusted to Japan time, and hadn't yet unpacked. He quickly went into his bag and found one of the few personal possessions he'd managed to grab on his way out of the country. A large, 28cm by 28cm glossy photo of him and a few of his friends. The picture was about 2 years old, and it showed because Jackson had long hair back then. If he left the frame on, it would be just large enough to cover all the holes. He ran out of his room, holding the picture up to show Kenji his intentions, and into the kitchen. There, he rattled through the drawers until he found a short nail and a length of string. He found the tape sitting on the counter, taking strips from it and taping the string to the back of the frame. Rushing back to where Kenji was waiting near the holes, Jackson decided where the best spot to put in the nail was, and shoved it in. They both winced as he hung the picture on the nail, then breathed a sigh of relief when the picture just managed to cover all the holes. "Ok, that was a good idea, but what if Yugo moves or knocks off the picture for some reason?" Kenji asked. "This is just a stop-gap measure. I'll plaster it back up and paint over it when we have more time, but since I don't know when he's getting back, this'll have to suffice for now." As if on cue, Yugo walked through the apartment's door with a grin on his face and a shopping bag in his hand. He looked around, dazzled at the spotless apartment. He turned his head slowly, taking in everything Jackson and Kenji had done, stopping at where the two were standing. They both put on an innocent-looking face and a large grin. Yugo looked at them for a second longer, then walked past them into the kitchen. He dropped the bag onto the table, and came back out to talk to them. They were still standing the exact same place, with the same look on their faces...Yugo was getting curious. He gave them an odd look, then asked, "What's with you two. Are ya hiding something?" Jackson smiled even wider and shook his head 'no'. "C'mon, you guys are acting strange. What's behind your back?" "Oh.... nothing" Kenji started. "I just put up an old picture of me and my friends. I didn't know if you would mind or not!" Jackson finished. "I have no problem. This place was pretty sparse when it comes to pictures and paintings and stuff.... Can I at least see the picture?" Kenji gave a nervous laugh, moving away and revealing the picture. "That's all? Like I said, it's no big problem. I thought you put a hole in the wall or something." Jackson and Kenji cringed as Yugo got up and went back into the kitchen. He motioned for Jackson to join him. Once they were both in the kitchen, Yugo said, "Help me put this stuff away, and I want to talk to you about some stuff that concerns you staying here" Jackson nodded, and put away the various food items, stopping a few times to ask Yugo where things went, as he wasn't totally familiar with the apartment yet. Aside from answering his questions, Yugo was silent, indicating that what he was going to talk about was pretty serious. Once the task was finished, Yugo sat down at the table, and Jackson did the same. They both were silent, until Kenji came into the room and grabbed a **Pop for you Canadians, Soda for you Americans... maybe I'll just say "Carbonated Beverage"** from the fridge, breaking the tension. Jackson was the first to speak. "So, Yugo.. What was so important that Alice needed you to come right over?" Yugo blinked at the question for a moment, then blushed bright red. "Uh.. she needed to... talk.. about... something.... important?" And then it dawned on Jackson. "OH!! She needed to *talk* about something *important!* Why didn't you just say so in the first place?" Yugo breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that Jackson had figured it out without him actually saying anything. "Uh, anyways. What I wanted to talk to you about was a job. Kenji's been teaching you a bit of Japanese, right?" Jackson nodded. "So I don't think you know that much, but that's ok. A have a friend who used to work under me in the ZLF, and now owns the supermarket that I was at. I ran into him while I was getting this stuff there, and asked him about getting you a job. He also speaks great english, so that shouldn't be a problem. The problem is customers and your co-workers asking you questions. So I suggested something, and he would be happy to have, as he put it, 'A friend of mine working for me as a nightly product replacement technician'" "Nightly product replacement technician? You mean a stock boy on the night shift?" "Your words, not mine. Besides, this is the best job possible for you right now. You basically work alone, he gives you your instructions before he leaves, and you don't have to deal with other people. Plus, his night shift workers get paid nearly double what the day shift does, and you'll get days off to train with me. What do you say?" Jackson put on a lopsided grin. "I'll take it. When do I start?" Yugo thought for a second... "Oh yeah. We can go in tomorrow, so you can meet my friend and get familiar with the store, and you'll start work the day after that."
The Next Day...
Jackson and Yugo arrived at the supermarket early in the morning, before the daily crowd came in to talk to the store owner, Yugo's friend. As they stepped out of Yugo's car, a large man came walking up to them. He greeted Yugo with a handshake and a nod of the head, and Jackson with a hearty slap on the back which caught him totally off guard. "Yugo, is this your fugitive friend from Canada?" He asked in a thick Russian accent. Yugo nodded. "He got here just under a week ago, and like I said yesterday, we need to find him a job." "Ah yes. Jackson was it? Allow me to introduce myself. I am Alosha Kivlov and I'm originally from St. Petersburg, Russia. Your friend Yugo here recruited me into the ZLF a few years back, and saved my life who knows how many times. I am indebted to him..." Upon hearing this, Yugo cracked a smile and shook his head. "Once all that ZLF stuff was over, I went back to Russia only to find that Tylon had established a strong presence there, and were looking for all and any zoanthropes." Jackson gasped a little at hearing that this man was also a zoanthrope, seeing how he was intimidating enough how he was. "Yes, I am also a zoanthrope, although I was never fully in control in my beast form, so I rarely used it. Anyways, I sold everything I owned back in Russia, and came back to Japan. Yugo also helped me find this building, which was nothing more than an abandoned warehouse at the time. It cost me almost all I had, but I renovated it, again with Yugo's help, and turned it into a, pretty successful at worst, supermarket. But enough about me, tell me about yourself!" "Uh, well, my full name is Jackson O'Brian, Mr. Kivlov.. there's really not much to tell. I'm 18 right now.. I was in my last year of high school when I came across this gang who tried to kill me. That's when I discovered I was a zoanthrope. After than, the surviving gang members followed me to my house and... murdered my mother. I ended up showing my beast form to my sister, who thought she was doing me a favor by calling Tylon, and when I was searching for more information, Yugo contacted me. Not only did he warn me, he got me the plane ticket out of Canada. Two weeks later, here I am." "That's a pretty interesting, and sad, story. I feel sorry that something that horrible can happen to such good people. But this isn't a soap opera here, so tell me, do you have any kind of experience in this sort of thing?" Jackson's saddened expression seemed to light up a bit. "Well Mr. Kivlov, that I do. Before I left, I had a part-time job working in a small grocery shop. I was doing basically the same thing, except the only difference is that this place is much larger." "Ah! Perfect! Even if you weren't a friend of Yugo, I probably would have hired you. Most of the kids who apply here have no experience in the slightest, and if I do end up hiring them, expect to be paid like their the most valuable employee here! Having said that, I do expect you to follow instructions and not mess around, you got that." "Yes, sir. I've no choice but to work hard - There would no point. This is probably my only chance for a job, not knowing any Japanese yet. I thank you for even considering me.." Alosha smiled and rubbed the back of his neck, not used to being thanked very often. "No problem, kid. And you can drop that 'sir' and 'mr' stuff. Call me Kiv, everyone else does!" "Oh, ok, Mr. Kiv" Kiv chucked a little and stuck out his hand. "Jackson, your hired!" Jackson smiled brightly and shook his hand. "Thank you, Mr. Kiv, I'll be sure to work my hardest!" "You start 'training' tomorrow at 9pm, when it's not so busy. I'll give you a tour of the store and show you your duties, then the day after that, you'll be working the 11pm to 7am shift with two other guys. I'll see you tomorrow, I have a store to attend to!" With that, Kiv ran back into the store, waving to Jackson and Yugo. Before getting back into the car, Jackson turned to Yugo. "Boy, that went well. He's a lot nicer than he looks!" "Heh, he looks like a monster from the outside, but on the inside, he's just a big teddy bear.. and I mean that quite literally." "Oh." "So how about we get some breakfast before we start your training?" "Great! Wow, I really feel better having this job now. I don't feel like such a.. burden.. anymore."
Later that day..
"Block, block! Now see, you could have attacked there, because I wasn't defending myself. Good! Do it like that, but try and get a little closer so you don't throw yourself off balance if you over-extend a punch." Jackson inched his body a little closer to Yugo, and took a few more swings. He tried a light blow to Yugo's left side, then a strong one towards his gut, hoping to make him block the first attack and miss the second. Yugo anticipated it, and as he blocked the stomach punch, saw an opening in Jackson's defense. He demonstrated his weakness by punching him in the chest just hard enough to knock Jackson off balance, then hooked his foot around his ankle and brought him to the ground.
Jackson got up, rubbing his rear on which he had fallen on. "That was a nice combo, in theory, but as you can see, it left you open for a counter attack. The best fighters, of any style at all, know the right balance of offence and defense. You've got the natural skill, but you seem to fight either offensively, where you don't defend at all, or defenceivly, where you don't attack at all. The reason why I use the 'street fighting' style is because it doesn't use a specific style at all. You do the moves you are able to do already to the best of your ability, and you use that to your advantage. While your opponent might fight you, knowing the strength and weaknesses of many different styles, tries to figure out which style you yourself are using, and exploit that, he cannot. There are never one type of kick that will lead into another type of punch. So as far as they know, you are fighting at random, with no style. Think of where 'street fighting' got it's name. A bunch of people from different gangs get into a brawl. Not one of them have been to a martial arts class in their lives, but have been fighting with what they knew for a large part of their lives. If you could describe the 'street fighting' style in another way, I would say it is fighting with random style and technique. This is how you must think. Not 'what am I suppose to do next', but 'what will work the best next' You got all that?" "Yes, Yugo. I think I understand now." "Wait a sec!" Uriko called out from where she was sitting in the yard. After breakfast, the two had come to Mitsuko's house to train in their backyard, because Master Long's gym was far away, and Yugo wanted Jackson to get to know the rest better. Uriko waltzed right up to Yugo, pressing a finger to his chest. "You mean that even if I was a master of Kenpo, I still couldn't beat you, just because you fight at random?" "That's not what I meant at all. Obviously, it comes down to skill level. Even if Jackson here knew you used Kenpo, and was defending against a blow from you, doesn't always mean he will make the right move to block it. For all he knows, it's a single blow, when in reality, it might be a multiple hit combo that you could carry through to hit him, even if he blocked the first one. If I was better than you, I would know it was a multihit combo and would be able to block ALL your attacks. Do you get it now? Street fighting is kind of an anti-style style. If the right person with the right skill knows it, he could cancel out any sort of technical advantage of the opponent, and it would be an even fight." "I kind of get it, but what do you mean by canceling out a technical advantage?" "Here, think of it like this; two kids get into a fight in the school yard. One has been taking Tae Kwon Do classes for two years, the other one has not. What street fighting is would be like if that other kid, with no training, was able to take away those two years of training, and make it a fair fight, where the winner would be the one with the most natural strength and skill. If a gang member who's been street fighting for two years, had to fight that same kid, but now has SIX years training, the kid with the training would win. Now do you get it?" Uriko's eyes lit up with understanding. "Wow, ok, now I see how that works. That's really cool!" Yugo looked at Jackson, who had been listening intently. "I think that's enough for today. Think about what I said, and we'll try again on your next day off. By the way, Kenji said something about you being good with a sword. Judging by the way you move, I'd have to say he was right. We'll see." Jackson nodded, and a few moments later, Alice appeared from the back door and called them in for lunch.
A few minutes later, Mitsuko, Uriko, Alice, Yugo and Jackson were all seated at the table, looking at yet another elaborate meal Mitsuko had prepared. They chatted about how Jackson was going about his training, how he had gotten a job and things of the sort. Jackson felt good, having these people wanting to be involved in his future, talking about him. He felt welcome for the first time in a long while, in a world that wasn't quite as accepting. After the meal, Jackson helped clear the dishes, and Alice announced she had to go get ready for work. A few moments after they finished loading them into the most technical- looking dishwasher Jackson had ever seen, Alice came down the stairs in a cute nurse's outfit. He had to keep himself for staring, because someone in an outfit like that demanded attention. Yugo, not being as polite, let a loud wolf-whistle out, making Alice embarrassed. "Yugo! You see me in this almost every day! Why do you still insist on doing that?" "Because, my dear, everyday you look better and better in it!" Yugo said with a grin. He got up and walked to the door with her. Just before she left, Yugo pulled her close and gave her a long kiss. She left the house, saying "Boys will be boys, but wolves will be wolves!" All of a sudden, Jackson realized he was missing something. Sure, he now had new friends and a family of sorts who had accepted him without question, but he sill felt lonely in a way. There was a place in his heart, and he didn't know who or what it was for.
The next month flew by. Jackson went for his training at work, and had thus begun his night shift work. He fell into a routine, working till morning, sleeping till the evening, sleeping and training with Yugo. His knowledge of Japanese got better, and he found it easier to communicate with his co- workers when he needed help and such. Likewise, his combat skills grew astronomically. Every time he sparred with Yugo, it seemed like he had a new trick up his sleeve. Every once in a while, Yugo would make Jackson go into Beast form, and showed him things and abilities he normally couldn't do. Being of the same genus, Yugo was able to show him some trademark wolf moves that no other person or beast could do. He learned to use his claws and fangs effectively, and how to retain strength when returning to human. Every once in a while, he would be invited to the movies with Alice and Yugo, or go with Kenji and Uriko. He spent much of the time where he was not training getting to know everyone. Alan and Jenny were usually nowhere to be found, not that they had any interest in him in the first place. Once Master Long had heard about Jackson's incredible skill, he asked him to come with Kenji and Uriko to their Kenpo lesson. Jackson ended up picking up a few finer points of the style. But what really made his entire month was the fact that Jane, of all people, had seen him spar, and complimented him on his talent. Although he felt great, being a part of these people's lives, he still missed his mother, sister, and everything he had left behind in Canada. His friends probably thought he was dead by now, and with no one to tell them different, that's what they would always believe. And there was still that special something place in his heart. No matter how much good seemed to have come from the bad, there was always that place. Nearing the end of the month, Yugo had presented him with a gift. A long, rectangular box, that seemed to weigh a lot. On top was a card, signed by almost everyone. As he lifted the cover and removed the extra padding inside, a little part of his mind yelled in joy. It was something he had always aspired to have. It was a sword. It was 48 inches long total, the handle was simple yet complex at the same time, with ornate carvings in it's heavy metal surface. The blade was straight, double edged stainless steel. It shone with the look of polished chrome, reflecting his amazed image back at him. The black and red scabbard resting beside it was equally as impressive, with many intricately painted dragons surrounding a phrase in Japanese characters. It had also come with a special belt that the scabbard could be attached to. Jackson picked the sword, marveling in it's deadly beauty. He swiped it around a few times, very carefully, before placing it inside it's sheath and putting it back into it's box. Jackson looked at Yugo, who seemed glad to have been there to see his reaction. "I don't even know what to say. It's a sword. An honest to god sword. It must have been so expensive..." "Well, I won't lie to you., it was. All we could find in town were traditional Katanas and Ninja short swords, so we had this one custom made. But don't worry, everyone chipped in so it's not like one person paid for it all." "Are you sure I'm ready for this? I mean, I've only been training for a month, and I've never used a sword before." "Jackson, listen. You are advancing faster than any one of us has ever seen, including Master Long. I think you are ready for this, and from what Kenji told me, you were ready for this long before now. So, please accept this gift, from all of us, to you." "I... accept it. Thank you, I'll cherish it forever."
It was the last night of the month, January 31st, and the night before his 4 days off. Jackson got up late afternoon, which seemed like any other afternoon, except Yugo wasn't there. Nor was Kenji. Jackson didn't think anything of it, and as he rummaged through the kitchen, he found a note. It read: Jackson - I'm at the hospital with Alice right now, because she's been treating an unusual amount of women with the same injuries, and wanted me to see if I can find anything out.. so you'll have to walk to work and back home. There's some frozen pizza in the freezer if your hungry, or order something when you get home, whatever you want. Kenji is on a date with Uriko and two if his other friends, and is going to sleep over at one of his friend's house, so he won't be home tonight. Listen, I have a bad feeling about tonight, so I want you to bring your sword to work. I know it sounds weird, but I just have a hunch, and I've learned to trust my instincts. Bring your sword and wear your long trenchcoat. I'm being serious, so just do it to make me feel better. I'll see you tomorrow. - Yugo
The strange message about bringing his sword put him on edge. Today seemed perfectly normal, so what could be the problem? Jackson got ready for work, not feeling too hungry, so he had a quick bite, and was at just at the door when he saw his sword lying out in the open. He didn't remember putting it there, and felt it as an omen. He quickly attached the belt and scabbard to his belt, and was on his way. The walk to work wasn't unusual, there was the normal homeless man begging for money, or a street vendor trying to push some expensive item on him, but that was normal Tokyo going-ons. Work was as mundane as ever, going to the back room, grabbing a box of different items and restocking the shelves. During his break, he bought himself a bag of his favorite cookies, leaving the money in a drawer. He was getting quite used to dealing with yen instead of dollars. His Japanese had advanced to the point where he could hold a very simple conversation with the others on the graveyard shift, as it was called. A while later, he put the last item from a box on the shelf, and checked his watch. It was only 3:00am. He checked with the others, and found that they were done, as well. Kiv had told them before hand, that if they happen to finish stocking early, because the customer traffic was light that day, that as long as were finished everything, they could leave and still get a full night's pay. Leaving with sleep on his mind, he clocked out and said goodbye to his coworkers, Jiro and Muashi. Feeling only somewhat sure of his way home, he stopped at every corner to look at the street names. Despite doing so, the Tokyo of the day was much different from the Tokyo of the night, and he found himself in an unfamiliar alleyway... witnessing a horrible scene. He heard the screams of a young woman, being raped by four or five different men. As he got a little closer, he could see the clear outline of various weapons a few of the men were holding towards the woman. Deciding that making himself known was not a good idea, he chose instead to sneak up behind them. He couldn't believe how close he was, and that they still didn't notice them. Jackson couldn't say anything without becoming swiss cheese in a matter of seconds, so he opted for action. He started getting closer, but the first guy noticed, pulling out an Uzi automatic. He unsheathed his sword, striking down the man in a spray of blood. The other men finally noticed him, and quickly try and put their pants back on. Jackson found that he had a few seconds, so he sheathed the sword, grabbed the woman, telling her to run, then picked up the gun and two clips off the slain man. He quickly turned and bolted, catching up to the hapless woman and running beside her. A few shots flying overhead made Jackson look behind him, finding not only the group of men chasing them but four more, all armed. Just as he thought they were about to be cut down by a slew of bullets from an automatic weapon, he saw a dumpster he had passed earlier and disregarded and shoved the woman behind it. Now a rush of emotions coursed through Jackson's mind as he cocked the weapon. He was tired of just running from them, he desperately wanted to protect this woman, but wanted to get out of it alive. The whole situation reminded him of when his mother was gunned down in front of him, and the feeling of absolute helplessness to do anything about it. But now he could do something about it. He had a weapon, he could fight them to the death! Jackson popped up from behind the dumpster, aimed, pulled the trigger and held it down. The weapon jumped around in his hand, spitting round after round of deadly lead into the group. Four men went down before the recoil made his aim falter and shots go above their heads. But still he kept the trigger down, until the gun started making clicking noises, telling him the clip was empty. Jackson sank back behind cover, letting the empty clip fall to the ground and slapping a new one in. As he cocked the weapon again, he considered going into beast form, so he would not only be able to hold the weapon steady, but would probably scare the men into retreating. He decided against it, as he would only be a bigger target, scare the women even more, and he had claws in beast form, not fingers. Return fire sprayed against the dumpster and over their heads, making the woman cower in fear. It was understandable, but Jackson wasn't about to let anything worse happen to her. Once the men stopped to reload, he came back up again, seeing as most of the surviving men were behind whatever cover they could find, leaving limbs exposed. With a touch more control this time, he bathed each of the men's cover with fire, determned to buy them some more time. Again, the clip ran dry and he was forced to duck again as the gunbattle continued. Loading his third and last clip, Jackson again waited for the oppurtunity to fire once again, and took advantage of it. He came up, trying to actually hit the men instead if just filling the air with fire, he was halfway through the clip, still not having hit anyone, when the gun jammed. A few realized this, and Jackson was barely able to duck in time from keeping his head from being ventilated. He tried his hardest to unjam the weapon, slamming the cocking handle back multiple times to no avail. Suddenly, the men's fire went from constant to sporadic bursts, with fewer weapons each time. A few seconds later, Jackson heard no more fire, and decided to take the chance, grabbing the woman's arm and running. Once they were safely a few blocks away, Jackson offered the woman his blood-spattered coat, which she gladly accepted. They walked the rest of the way to Yugo's apartment in silence, Jackson on guard the entire time.
Once they had finally gotten inside the relative safety of Yugo's apartment, Jackson slammed the locks in place, and sank down against the door, breathing heavily. He closed his eyes, letting the Uzi slip out of his hands onto the floor beside him. The woman sank to the floor close to him, still wrapped up in his coat. They just sat there for a while, Jackson breathing, the woman crying. Wiping her face with her wrist, the woman tried to speak in a scratchy voice. Though her first few attempts failed, she managed to say a few broken words. "Thank... you.. sir..." Jackson opened his eyes at her words. "You.. speak english?" The woman nodded. "That'll make things a bit easier. Let me get you some water. Are you hurt?" After another failed attempt at speech, she spoke again. "Thanks... and they didn't really hurt me..." "I'm going to get you some water first, then I'll find you something other than a bloody coat to wear. And I want to check you out first." She started to protest, but didn't have the energy to do so, so she just nodded. Jackson pulled himself up with the help of a door knob, and went into the kitchen. He pulled a large bottle of cold water be had bought the day before and brought it to her. Then, with the intent of finding something suitable for her to wear, went into his room. The best he could come up with was a pair of boxers, a large T-shirt and a pair of baggy beige pants.. the same ones he hard worn during his first transformation. He brought those out to her as well. She was still sitting on the floor, so he gently took her arm and brought her into the family room, sitting her down on the couch. She was still nursing the water, but was almost all gone now. He let her finish it, laying out the clothes out next to her. "Now, take off that coat and I want to see if your bleeding anywhere. She did so, revealing that the men had removed all of her clothes when they attacked her and she had been totally naked under the coat the whole time. Although Jackson turned his head when she revealed herself, she was not bothered in the slightest. Sensing this, he quickly checked her arms and legs and around her ribs for blood. Though she had many bruises, she was not bleeding - except for one place. Jackson didn't say anything, but pointed out the small amount of blood dripping from between her thighs. When she noticed, she seemed very embarrassed. "You can use the bathroom to.. clean yourself up. Take the clothes and change in there. I'll be right here." Jackson told her, choosing his words carefully. He pointed the way to the bathroom, and watched her go. Not wanting it to get stepped on and get set off, he retrieved the gun from the floor near the door, and brought it back into the family room. He spent some time trying to unjam it once again, but he didn't know much about guns. He eventually gave up and put it on the table. It was then that Jackson remembered he still had the sword with him. He unsheathed it slowly, just looking at the blood stained blade. The blood of a man. A man trying to hurt an innocent, a man who DISERVED to die by his blade. But he couldn't kid himself. He wasn't a superhero, just a zoanthrope, and just a kid who happened to be in the right place at the right time. Without another thought, Jackson took the already blood stained coat and wiped his blade clean. It was now pure again, the blood of an evil man removed. Pure and innocent. Words that did not apply to him anymore.. The woman came out of the bathroom, interrupting his thoughts. He sheathed the sword, removing the scabbard from his belt and setting it down next to the gun. The woman looked at the weapons, then at him. In any other situation, she would have appeared comical in the oversized men's clothes, but not now. He good at look at her face. Young woman was right, she wasn't much older then him, 20 at the oldest. Now that he figured her approximate age, she needed a name, and a story. "So, um.. What's your name? Are you feeling any better?" The woman nodded her head. "My name is.. Ayumi Satoshi" She spoke in very clear english, with a trace of a Japanese accent, but not thick enough to cloud her words. "Well, I'm Jackson O'Brian, um I'm 18. How old are you?" "I must thank you again, Jackson. I don't know what would have happened if you had never come along.. I'm 19" "I don't wanna push you into this, but can I ask how this all started?" Ayumi dropped her head, lowing her voice to a scant whisper. ''I wanted out. I didn't want to be a little whole in his grand master plan. I didn't disserve it." "What?!" "I was a whore! A prostitute! I worked for him for so long. I had to deal with special customers, the ones who wanted to have their way with me. Look at the cute asian slut! Can I fuck her? I couldn't take it anymore. He made me learn english to please his North American clients and the such, the ones who wanted me to scream in a language they understood. Then, then there were the times when it wasn't enough to drug me to the point where I couldn't resist and use me. He had to transform to do it! I was tired of it. I told him I was leaving.. and I almost made it. But their men caught me.. and... then you.. and!" Ayumi broke down into tears again, leaving Jackson will only more questions than answers.. but he had to know. "Who?! Who is the one who can transform and used you?!" "The one..." She sobbed, "Named Shen Long"
Chapter 4
*Disclaimer - Bloody Roar, yada yada yada, I don't own copyrighted characters blah blah blah, you get the picture. Oh, the character Jackson O'Brian is copyrighted by myself, and if you'd like to use him in your fic for whatever reason, a simple email asking for permission is all I need. The character "Konai" has been used with Sabre 220's permission.
*Authors Notes - Well, It's been 4 months since the last Reality Sucks chapter. I was way busy with other writing projects as well as school those last 4 months. And now THOSE projects are on hold and I'm out of school. Why bother continuing a story that's lost almost all it's appeal? It's because I guess I never really realized how much potential this story had, and I just recently got a SHITLOAD of new ideas and places to go with this. I've learned so much about writing in the past few months, this chapter should be my best yet. I'm also having a friend do a sketch of Jackson O'Brian from a scene near the end of this chapter. I'll include the URL to it if she finishes it and scans it before I'm done. Either way, you'll get to see an artist's concept of Jackson, and you'll recognize the scene that was drawn if you read the chapter first. I'm sort of glad I put this off for so long, because when I do rough notes for a new chapter, it's usually about half a page, hand written. For Chapter 4, it was a page and a half, hand written. I'm happy I found this little gem on my hard drive or else I would have dismissed it, with Jackson being forgotten forever. I'd like to thank my readers, my reviewers, and my close friends for supporting me on this. But especially my friend Kelly. Thanks for giving me the drive and inspiration to go on with Reality Sucks - This one's for you! One last thanks goes out to both Kelly and Tiger5193 for helping me come up with the name "Ayumi Satoshi" and get a mental picture of my characters. THANKS!!
*Notes 2 - Oh yeah, Chapter 4 is written is pseudo-time. The total time passed during this chapter is 1 month, so I may write about something that takes place for 2 days, then jump ahead a week, and stuff like that.
Chapter 4
"Jackson? C'mon, wake up. It's six already, and the pizza will be here any minute now." "Mmm.. urg.. 5 more minutes..." *Knock Knock Knock* "Jackson, it's here, get up"
Jackson slowly opened his eyes and gave Yugo the evil eye for waking him up. He looked at his watch, confirming that it was indeed 6 in the evening. Ugh, certainly doesn't feel like it Yugo began to speak, but Jackson held a finger up to silence him. He sniffed the air. Once, twice, three times. "What? What is it?" Yugo asked. "There is a PIZZA in this house!" "Yeah, I know. I just told you it got here." "Hey Yugo! I'm 100 yen short here, can you get my wallet?" Kenji called from the doorway. "Sure, one second." Yugo got up and found the money while Jackson rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. The nap helped, but he still wasn't quite adjusted to the 11 hour time change he'd just gone through. He stretched his arms, stood up and followed the scent of the pizza into the apartment's meager kitchen. Sitting on the table was 6 extra large pizzas. "Wow, that's a lot of pizza." Jackson mumbled. "Not for 3 hungry zoanthrope men!" Yugo said while reaching into the cupboards for some plates. Jackson rubbed his head. "That must have cost a lot. I mean you must have gotten this just for me. How often do people actually eat pizza here in Japan?" Yugo and Kenji gave him a strange look. "Now why would you say that?" Kenji asked him. "Well, I guess it's just 'cuz I expected things here to be so much more...." "Typically Japanese?" Yugo finished. "Uh... yeah." Jackson said sheepishly. Yugo just shrugged his shoulders. "Sit down and eat." He didn't see a problem with that, but then he remembered something. "Oh yeah! Yugo, since you had already gotten me my ticket out of Canada, I didn't need any of that money you wired me. I got something to eat before I left, but that was it. So I can give it all back now." "Kid, you can keep it. It's yours now. You'll need it to get started here, you know, get new clothes and stuff." At this point, Kenji was curious. "How much did he give you?" He asked. "None of your business." Yugo growled, chomping on a slice of pizza. "It was a very large amount. $15, 000 canadian dollars. I used maybe ten dollars." Kenji's eyes nearly bulged out his head. "Fifteen thousand, CANADIAN dollars? Where did you get so much money?" And it dawned on him. "Yugo, that was your entire life savings in yen!" Jackson was shocked. Yugo had just given a near-total stranger his entire life savings! That was beyond generous, and it told him something about Yugo. Like he had been in a similar situation that hadn't turned out so well, and he didn't want that happening to anyone else if he had the power to do something about it. "Yugo, that is truly honorable of you to do, but I can't accept your life savings. Once I know enough Japanese to get a job, I'll pay my own way." "But, " "No buts, Yugo. The though was very nice, but I'm going to pay for myself. Heaven knows I've already inconvenienced you people enough already. You saved my life, you got me out of my country and now you've given me a place to stay. All without even knowing me. That's good enough for me. I'll find a job, pay you back for the ticket, and pay my share of what I use here. "The ticket is on me, deal?" "Deal." Jackson said with a smile. He reached over the table to shake Yugo's hand, but it was interrupted by the growl of his stomach. "Er.. I think my stomach wants to make a deal with the pizza first. Heh." "No problem man. Dig in, we got plenty." "Ok, and all your money is in my bag, still in Canadian currency." All of a sudden, Kenji spit out the food in his mouth and burst out laughing. "What's so funny?" Jackson and Yugo asked at the same time. "I just imagined the look on the teller's face when we go to exchange fifteen thousand dollars into yen!" The mental image of a teller with huge eyes and a slack jaw came into both their minds. After a good laugh, Jackson congratulated Kenji for the joke and the three ate up.
A few days later....
Jackson had just spent the last 4 hours cleaning up the apartment. He didn't think that two people could make such a mess! But however they did it, he had promised help clean up. Alice had called Yugo over to 'talk about something important', and Yugo left three seconds after that. He didn't quite know what that was suppose to mean, but Yugo was very excited about it. So Jackson promised that he and Kenji would have the house clean by the time Yugo got back. Kenji didn't like the idea of being volunteered like that, complaining the whole 4 hours. But complaining aside, the apartment was finally done. Jackson was just sweeping some dust off the floor when Kenji decided to fire a penny he'd just found at Jackson. "Hey buddy, think fast!" Kenji yelled, sticking the coin between his thumb and middle finger and firing it towards Jackson's head at high speed. Jackson turned his head to see the object flying towards him. Out of instinct, he raised the handle of the broom he was holding and deflected the coin right back at Kenji. Seeing it going straight towards his own head, he yelped and ducked. *WHAM* Kenji slowly stood up and looked at the wall behind him. The coin had hit the wall with such force, it had gone clear though the wall and was lodged in the insulation behind it. "Woah." Kenji murmured. "How did you do that? I've been doing that coin thing for a year now. I had Uriko clock it with one of those Police radar gun things, and I can make one go almost 100 miles an hour!" Up until Kenji said that, Jackson was pretty impressed with himself. Now he was mad. "If you can fire it that fast, WHY THE HELL DID YOU FIRE IT AT MY HEAD!?!" But Kenji didn't seem phased by Jackson's verbal assault. The more he thought about, the more he realized that what Jackson had just done was pretty extraordinary. "Hey, can we try that again?" "What the- Didn't I just yell at you for doing that? And now you want to do it again? Are you stupid or something?" "No. Just curious." "What?" Kenji gave an exasperated sigh. "Jackson, do you think you could do that again?" Jackson shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno." "Let's try. Stand were you were before, and hold that broom again." Jackson did so, still rather pissed off. He stood there, broomstick in hand. "Are you ready?" "No, but I don't think that's going to stop you." "You're right." Kenji reached into his pocket and took out a handful of loose coins he had found during the clean up, and started firing them at Jackson as fast as he could. Forty-five seconds and fifty coins later, Jackson stood, panting and gripping the stick. "Did I hit you?" Jackson dropped the stick and patted himself down, then thought for a second. "Nope." Then he looked at the wall behind Kenji. "But I don't think Yugo's going to be too happy about the wall." "The wall? What about the wall?" Kenji asked, turning around and looking at the wall behind him. For a total mess, it was sure an accurate mess! All the coins had lodged themselves in within 30 centimeters of the first one, creating a tight pattern of holes. "Oh SHIT!" Kenji yelled. "What are we gonna do?!" "Ah, I told you this was a bad idea!" Jackson groaned, burying his face in his hands. "You so did NOT say it was a bad idea!" "Well, I THOUGHT it was a bad idea!" Kenji nearly facefaulted. Yugo was going to be pissed... Jackson slumped down against the wall while Kenji paced back and forth. "Oh man, I'm not even in Japan for a week and I already destroy Yugo's apartment...Wait! I have an idea." Jackson ran into his room. He had spent the last 3 days sleeping off the jet lag and getting adjusted to Japan time, and hadn't yet unpacked. He quickly went into his bag and found one of the few personal possessions he'd managed to grab on his way out of the country. A large, 28cm by 28cm glossy photo of him and a few of his friends. The picture was about 2 years old, and it showed because Jackson had long hair back then. If he left the frame on, it would be just large enough to cover all the holes. He ran out of his room, holding the picture up to show Kenji his intentions, and into the kitchen. There, he rattled through the drawers until he found a short nail and a length of string. He found the tape sitting on the counter, taking strips from it and taping the string to the back of the frame. Rushing back to where Kenji was waiting near the holes, Jackson decided where the best spot to put in the nail was, and shoved it in. They both winced as he hung the picture on the nail, then breathed a sigh of relief when the picture just managed to cover all the holes. "Ok, that was a good idea, but what if Yugo moves or knocks off the picture for some reason?" Kenji asked. "This is just a stop-gap measure. I'll plaster it back up and paint over it when we have more time, but since I don't know when he's getting back, this'll have to suffice for now." As if on cue, Yugo walked through the apartment's door with a grin on his face and a shopping bag in his hand. He looked around, dazzled at the spotless apartment. He turned his head slowly, taking in everything Jackson and Kenji had done, stopping at where the two were standing. They both put on an innocent-looking face and a large grin. Yugo looked at them for a second longer, then walked past them into the kitchen. He dropped the bag onto the table, and came back out to talk to them. They were still standing the exact same place, with the same look on their faces...Yugo was getting curious. He gave them an odd look, then asked, "What's with you two. Are ya hiding something?" Jackson smiled even wider and shook his head 'no'. "C'mon, you guys are acting strange. What's behind your back?" "Oh.... nothing" Kenji started. "I just put up an old picture of me and my friends. I didn't know if you would mind or not!" Jackson finished. "I have no problem. This place was pretty sparse when it comes to pictures and paintings and stuff.... Can I at least see the picture?" Kenji gave a nervous laugh, moving away and revealing the picture. "That's all? Like I said, it's no big problem. I thought you put a hole in the wall or something." Jackson and Kenji cringed as Yugo got up and went back into the kitchen. He motioned for Jackson to join him. Once they were both in the kitchen, Yugo said, "Help me put this stuff away, and I want to talk to you about some stuff that concerns you staying here" Jackson nodded, and put away the various food items, stopping a few times to ask Yugo where things went, as he wasn't totally familiar with the apartment yet. Aside from answering his questions, Yugo was silent, indicating that what he was going to talk about was pretty serious. Once the task was finished, Yugo sat down at the table, and Jackson did the same. They both were silent, until Kenji came into the room and grabbed a **Pop for you Canadians, Soda for you Americans... maybe I'll just say "Carbonated Beverage"** from the fridge, breaking the tension. Jackson was the first to speak. "So, Yugo.. What was so important that Alice needed you to come right over?" Yugo blinked at the question for a moment, then blushed bright red. "Uh.. she needed to... talk.. about... something.... important?" And then it dawned on Jackson. "OH!! She needed to *talk* about something *important!* Why didn't you just say so in the first place?" Yugo breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that Jackson had figured it out without him actually saying anything. "Uh, anyways. What I wanted to talk to you about was a job. Kenji's been teaching you a bit of Japanese, right?" Jackson nodded. "So I don't think you know that much, but that's ok. A have a friend who used to work under me in the ZLF, and now owns the supermarket that I was at. I ran into him while I was getting this stuff there, and asked him about getting you a job. He also speaks great english, so that shouldn't be a problem. The problem is customers and your co-workers asking you questions. So I suggested something, and he would be happy to have, as he put it, 'A friend of mine working for me as a nightly product replacement technician'" "Nightly product replacement technician? You mean a stock boy on the night shift?" "Your words, not mine. Besides, this is the best job possible for you right now. You basically work alone, he gives you your instructions before he leaves, and you don't have to deal with other people. Plus, his night shift workers get paid nearly double what the day shift does, and you'll get days off to train with me. What do you say?" Jackson put on a lopsided grin. "I'll take it. When do I start?" Yugo thought for a second... "Oh yeah. We can go in tomorrow, so you can meet my friend and get familiar with the store, and you'll start work the day after that."
The Next Day...
Jackson and Yugo arrived at the supermarket early in the morning, before the daily crowd came in to talk to the store owner, Yugo's friend. As they stepped out of Yugo's car, a large man came walking up to them. He greeted Yugo with a handshake and a nod of the head, and Jackson with a hearty slap on the back which caught him totally off guard. "Yugo, is this your fugitive friend from Canada?" He asked in a thick Russian accent. Yugo nodded. "He got here just under a week ago, and like I said yesterday, we need to find him a job." "Ah yes. Jackson was it? Allow me to introduce myself. I am Alosha Kivlov and I'm originally from St. Petersburg, Russia. Your friend Yugo here recruited me into the ZLF a few years back, and saved my life who knows how many times. I am indebted to him..." Upon hearing this, Yugo cracked a smile and shook his head. "Once all that ZLF stuff was over, I went back to Russia only to find that Tylon had established a strong presence there, and were looking for all and any zoanthropes." Jackson gasped a little at hearing that this man was also a zoanthrope, seeing how he was intimidating enough how he was. "Yes, I am also a zoanthrope, although I was never fully in control in my beast form, so I rarely used it. Anyways, I sold everything I owned back in Russia, and came back to Japan. Yugo also helped me find this building, which was nothing more than an abandoned warehouse at the time. It cost me almost all I had, but I renovated it, again with Yugo's help, and turned it into a, pretty successful at worst, supermarket. But enough about me, tell me about yourself!" "Uh, well, my full name is Jackson O'Brian, Mr. Kivlov.. there's really not much to tell. I'm 18 right now.. I was in my last year of high school when I came across this gang who tried to kill me. That's when I discovered I was a zoanthrope. After than, the surviving gang members followed me to my house and... murdered my mother. I ended up showing my beast form to my sister, who thought she was doing me a favor by calling Tylon, and when I was searching for more information, Yugo contacted me. Not only did he warn me, he got me the plane ticket out of Canada. Two weeks later, here I am." "That's a pretty interesting, and sad, story. I feel sorry that something that horrible can happen to such good people. But this isn't a soap opera here, so tell me, do you have any kind of experience in this sort of thing?" Jackson's saddened expression seemed to light up a bit. "Well Mr. Kivlov, that I do. Before I left, I had a part-time job working in a small grocery shop. I was doing basically the same thing, except the only difference is that this place is much larger." "Ah! Perfect! Even if you weren't a friend of Yugo, I probably would have hired you. Most of the kids who apply here have no experience in the slightest, and if I do end up hiring them, expect to be paid like their the most valuable employee here! Having said that, I do expect you to follow instructions and not mess around, you got that." "Yes, sir. I've no choice but to work hard - There would no point. This is probably my only chance for a job, not knowing any Japanese yet. I thank you for even considering me.." Alosha smiled and rubbed the back of his neck, not used to being thanked very often. "No problem, kid. And you can drop that 'sir' and 'mr' stuff. Call me Kiv, everyone else does!" "Oh, ok, Mr. Kiv" Kiv chucked a little and stuck out his hand. "Jackson, your hired!" Jackson smiled brightly and shook his hand. "Thank you, Mr. Kiv, I'll be sure to work my hardest!" "You start 'training' tomorrow at 9pm, when it's not so busy. I'll give you a tour of the store and show you your duties, then the day after that, you'll be working the 11pm to 7am shift with two other guys. I'll see you tomorrow, I have a store to attend to!" With that, Kiv ran back into the store, waving to Jackson and Yugo. Before getting back into the car, Jackson turned to Yugo. "Boy, that went well. He's a lot nicer than he looks!" "Heh, he looks like a monster from the outside, but on the inside, he's just a big teddy bear.. and I mean that quite literally." "Oh." "So how about we get some breakfast before we start your training?" "Great! Wow, I really feel better having this job now. I don't feel like such a.. burden.. anymore."
Later that day..
"Block, block! Now see, you could have attacked there, because I wasn't defending myself. Good! Do it like that, but try and get a little closer so you don't throw yourself off balance if you over-extend a punch." Jackson inched his body a little closer to Yugo, and took a few more swings. He tried a light blow to Yugo's left side, then a strong one towards his gut, hoping to make him block the first attack and miss the second. Yugo anticipated it, and as he blocked the stomach punch, saw an opening in Jackson's defense. He demonstrated his weakness by punching him in the chest just hard enough to knock Jackson off balance, then hooked his foot around his ankle and brought him to the ground.
Jackson got up, rubbing his rear on which he had fallen on. "That was a nice combo, in theory, but as you can see, it left you open for a counter attack. The best fighters, of any style at all, know the right balance of offence and defense. You've got the natural skill, but you seem to fight either offensively, where you don't defend at all, or defenceivly, where you don't attack at all. The reason why I use the 'street fighting' style is because it doesn't use a specific style at all. You do the moves you are able to do already to the best of your ability, and you use that to your advantage. While your opponent might fight you, knowing the strength and weaknesses of many different styles, tries to figure out which style you yourself are using, and exploit that, he cannot. There are never one type of kick that will lead into another type of punch. So as far as they know, you are fighting at random, with no style. Think of where 'street fighting' got it's name. A bunch of people from different gangs get into a brawl. Not one of them have been to a martial arts class in their lives, but have been fighting with what they knew for a large part of their lives. If you could describe the 'street fighting' style in another way, I would say it is fighting with random style and technique. This is how you must think. Not 'what am I suppose to do next', but 'what will work the best next' You got all that?" "Yes, Yugo. I think I understand now." "Wait a sec!" Uriko called out from where she was sitting in the yard. After breakfast, the two had come to Mitsuko's house to train in their backyard, because Master Long's gym was far away, and Yugo wanted Jackson to get to know the rest better. Uriko waltzed right up to Yugo, pressing a finger to his chest. "You mean that even if I was a master of Kenpo, I still couldn't beat you, just because you fight at random?" "That's not what I meant at all. Obviously, it comes down to skill level. Even if Jackson here knew you used Kenpo, and was defending against a blow from you, doesn't always mean he will make the right move to block it. For all he knows, it's a single blow, when in reality, it might be a multiple hit combo that you could carry through to hit him, even if he blocked the first one. If I was better than you, I would know it was a multihit combo and would be able to block ALL your attacks. Do you get it now? Street fighting is kind of an anti-style style. If the right person with the right skill knows it, he could cancel out any sort of technical advantage of the opponent, and it would be an even fight." "I kind of get it, but what do you mean by canceling out a technical advantage?" "Here, think of it like this; two kids get into a fight in the school yard. One has been taking Tae Kwon Do classes for two years, the other one has not. What street fighting is would be like if that other kid, with no training, was able to take away those two years of training, and make it a fair fight, where the winner would be the one with the most natural strength and skill. If a gang member who's been street fighting for two years, had to fight that same kid, but now has SIX years training, the kid with the training would win. Now do you get it?" Uriko's eyes lit up with understanding. "Wow, ok, now I see how that works. That's really cool!" Yugo looked at Jackson, who had been listening intently. "I think that's enough for today. Think about what I said, and we'll try again on your next day off. By the way, Kenji said something about you being good with a sword. Judging by the way you move, I'd have to say he was right. We'll see." Jackson nodded, and a few moments later, Alice appeared from the back door and called them in for lunch.
A few minutes later, Mitsuko, Uriko, Alice, Yugo and Jackson were all seated at the table, looking at yet another elaborate meal Mitsuko had prepared. They chatted about how Jackson was going about his training, how he had gotten a job and things of the sort. Jackson felt good, having these people wanting to be involved in his future, talking about him. He felt welcome for the first time in a long while, in a world that wasn't quite as accepting. After the meal, Jackson helped clear the dishes, and Alice announced she had to go get ready for work. A few moments after they finished loading them into the most technical- looking dishwasher Jackson had ever seen, Alice came down the stairs in a cute nurse's outfit. He had to keep himself for staring, because someone in an outfit like that demanded attention. Yugo, not being as polite, let a loud wolf-whistle out, making Alice embarrassed. "Yugo! You see me in this almost every day! Why do you still insist on doing that?" "Because, my dear, everyday you look better and better in it!" Yugo said with a grin. He got up and walked to the door with her. Just before she left, Yugo pulled her close and gave her a long kiss. She left the house, saying "Boys will be boys, but wolves will be wolves!" All of a sudden, Jackson realized he was missing something. Sure, he now had new friends and a family of sorts who had accepted him without question, but he sill felt lonely in a way. There was a place in his heart, and he didn't know who or what it was for.
The next month flew by. Jackson went for his training at work, and had thus begun his night shift work. He fell into a routine, working till morning, sleeping till the evening, sleeping and training with Yugo. His knowledge of Japanese got better, and he found it easier to communicate with his co- workers when he needed help and such. Likewise, his combat skills grew astronomically. Every time he sparred with Yugo, it seemed like he had a new trick up his sleeve. Every once in a while, Yugo would make Jackson go into Beast form, and showed him things and abilities he normally couldn't do. Being of the same genus, Yugo was able to show him some trademark wolf moves that no other person or beast could do. He learned to use his claws and fangs effectively, and how to retain strength when returning to human. Every once in a while, he would be invited to the movies with Alice and Yugo, or go with Kenji and Uriko. He spent much of the time where he was not training getting to know everyone. Alan and Jenny were usually nowhere to be found, not that they had any interest in him in the first place. Once Master Long had heard about Jackson's incredible skill, he asked him to come with Kenji and Uriko to their Kenpo lesson. Jackson ended up picking up a few finer points of the style. But what really made his entire month was the fact that Jane, of all people, had seen him spar, and complimented him on his talent. Although he felt great, being a part of these people's lives, he still missed his mother, sister, and everything he had left behind in Canada. His friends probably thought he was dead by now, and with no one to tell them different, that's what they would always believe. And there was still that special something place in his heart. No matter how much good seemed to have come from the bad, there was always that place. Nearing the end of the month, Yugo had presented him with a gift. A long, rectangular box, that seemed to weigh a lot. On top was a card, signed by almost everyone. As he lifted the cover and removed the extra padding inside, a little part of his mind yelled in joy. It was something he had always aspired to have. It was a sword. It was 48 inches long total, the handle was simple yet complex at the same time, with ornate carvings in it's heavy metal surface. The blade was straight, double edged stainless steel. It shone with the look of polished chrome, reflecting his amazed image back at him. The black and red scabbard resting beside it was equally as impressive, with many intricately painted dragons surrounding a phrase in Japanese characters. It had also come with a special belt that the scabbard could be attached to. Jackson picked the sword, marveling in it's deadly beauty. He swiped it around a few times, very carefully, before placing it inside it's sheath and putting it back into it's box. Jackson looked at Yugo, who seemed glad to have been there to see his reaction. "I don't even know what to say. It's a sword. An honest to god sword. It must have been so expensive..." "Well, I won't lie to you., it was. All we could find in town were traditional Katanas and Ninja short swords, so we had this one custom made. But don't worry, everyone chipped in so it's not like one person paid for it all." "Are you sure I'm ready for this? I mean, I've only been training for a month, and I've never used a sword before." "Jackson, listen. You are advancing faster than any one of us has ever seen, including Master Long. I think you are ready for this, and from what Kenji told me, you were ready for this long before now. So, please accept this gift, from all of us, to you." "I... accept it. Thank you, I'll cherish it forever."
It was the last night of the month, January 31st, and the night before his 4 days off. Jackson got up late afternoon, which seemed like any other afternoon, except Yugo wasn't there. Nor was Kenji. Jackson didn't think anything of it, and as he rummaged through the kitchen, he found a note. It read: Jackson - I'm at the hospital with Alice right now, because she's been treating an unusual amount of women with the same injuries, and wanted me to see if I can find anything out.. so you'll have to walk to work and back home. There's some frozen pizza in the freezer if your hungry, or order something when you get home, whatever you want. Kenji is on a date with Uriko and two if his other friends, and is going to sleep over at one of his friend's house, so he won't be home tonight. Listen, I have a bad feeling about tonight, so I want you to bring your sword to work. I know it sounds weird, but I just have a hunch, and I've learned to trust my instincts. Bring your sword and wear your long trenchcoat. I'm being serious, so just do it to make me feel better. I'll see you tomorrow. - Yugo
The strange message about bringing his sword put him on edge. Today seemed perfectly normal, so what could be the problem? Jackson got ready for work, not feeling too hungry, so he had a quick bite, and was at just at the door when he saw his sword lying out in the open. He didn't remember putting it there, and felt it as an omen. He quickly attached the belt and scabbard to his belt, and was on his way. The walk to work wasn't unusual, there was the normal homeless man begging for money, or a street vendor trying to push some expensive item on him, but that was normal Tokyo going-ons. Work was as mundane as ever, going to the back room, grabbing a box of different items and restocking the shelves. During his break, he bought himself a bag of his favorite cookies, leaving the money in a drawer. He was getting quite used to dealing with yen instead of dollars. His Japanese had advanced to the point where he could hold a very simple conversation with the others on the graveyard shift, as it was called. A while later, he put the last item from a box on the shelf, and checked his watch. It was only 3:00am. He checked with the others, and found that they were done, as well. Kiv had told them before hand, that if they happen to finish stocking early, because the customer traffic was light that day, that as long as were finished everything, they could leave and still get a full night's pay. Leaving with sleep on his mind, he clocked out and said goodbye to his coworkers, Jiro and Muashi. Feeling only somewhat sure of his way home, he stopped at every corner to look at the street names. Despite doing so, the Tokyo of the day was much different from the Tokyo of the night, and he found himself in an unfamiliar alleyway... witnessing a horrible scene. He heard the screams of a young woman, being raped by four or five different men. As he got a little closer, he could see the clear outline of various weapons a few of the men were holding towards the woman. Deciding that making himself known was not a good idea, he chose instead to sneak up behind them. He couldn't believe how close he was, and that they still didn't notice them. Jackson couldn't say anything without becoming swiss cheese in a matter of seconds, so he opted for action. He started getting closer, but the first guy noticed, pulling out an Uzi automatic. He unsheathed his sword, striking down the man in a spray of blood. The other men finally noticed him, and quickly try and put their pants back on. Jackson found that he had a few seconds, so he sheathed the sword, grabbed the woman, telling her to run, then picked up the gun and two clips off the slain man. He quickly turned and bolted, catching up to the hapless woman and running beside her. A few shots flying overhead made Jackson look behind him, finding not only the group of men chasing them but four more, all armed. Just as he thought they were about to be cut down by a slew of bullets from an automatic weapon, he saw a dumpster he had passed earlier and disregarded and shoved the woman behind it. Now a rush of emotions coursed through Jackson's mind as he cocked the weapon. He was tired of just running from them, he desperately wanted to protect this woman, but wanted to get out of it alive. The whole situation reminded him of when his mother was gunned down in front of him, and the feeling of absolute helplessness to do anything about it. But now he could do something about it. He had a weapon, he could fight them to the death! Jackson popped up from behind the dumpster, aimed, pulled the trigger and held it down. The weapon jumped around in his hand, spitting round after round of deadly lead into the group. Four men went down before the recoil made his aim falter and shots go above their heads. But still he kept the trigger down, until the gun started making clicking noises, telling him the clip was empty. Jackson sank back behind cover, letting the empty clip fall to the ground and slapping a new one in. As he cocked the weapon again, he considered going into beast form, so he would not only be able to hold the weapon steady, but would probably scare the men into retreating. He decided against it, as he would only be a bigger target, scare the women even more, and he had claws in beast form, not fingers. Return fire sprayed against the dumpster and over their heads, making the woman cower in fear. It was understandable, but Jackson wasn't about to let anything worse happen to her. Once the men stopped to reload, he came back up again, seeing as most of the surviving men were behind whatever cover they could find, leaving limbs exposed. With a touch more control this time, he bathed each of the men's cover with fire, determned to buy them some more time. Again, the clip ran dry and he was forced to duck again as the gunbattle continued. Loading his third and last clip, Jackson again waited for the oppurtunity to fire once again, and took advantage of it. He came up, trying to actually hit the men instead if just filling the air with fire, he was halfway through the clip, still not having hit anyone, when the gun jammed. A few realized this, and Jackson was barely able to duck in time from keeping his head from being ventilated. He tried his hardest to unjam the weapon, slamming the cocking handle back multiple times to no avail. Suddenly, the men's fire went from constant to sporadic bursts, with fewer weapons each time. A few seconds later, Jackson heard no more fire, and decided to take the chance, grabbing the woman's arm and running. Once they were safely a few blocks away, Jackson offered the woman his blood-spattered coat, which she gladly accepted. They walked the rest of the way to Yugo's apartment in silence, Jackson on guard the entire time.
Once they had finally gotten inside the relative safety of Yugo's apartment, Jackson slammed the locks in place, and sank down against the door, breathing heavily. He closed his eyes, letting the Uzi slip out of his hands onto the floor beside him. The woman sank to the floor close to him, still wrapped up in his coat. They just sat there for a while, Jackson breathing, the woman crying. Wiping her face with her wrist, the woman tried to speak in a scratchy voice. Though her first few attempts failed, she managed to say a few broken words. "Thank... you.. sir..." Jackson opened his eyes at her words. "You.. speak english?" The woman nodded. "That'll make things a bit easier. Let me get you some water. Are you hurt?" After another failed attempt at speech, she spoke again. "Thanks... and they didn't really hurt me..." "I'm going to get you some water first, then I'll find you something other than a bloody coat to wear. And I want to check you out first." She started to protest, but didn't have the energy to do so, so she just nodded. Jackson pulled himself up with the help of a door knob, and went into the kitchen. He pulled a large bottle of cold water be had bought the day before and brought it to her. Then, with the intent of finding something suitable for her to wear, went into his room. The best he could come up with was a pair of boxers, a large T-shirt and a pair of baggy beige pants.. the same ones he hard worn during his first transformation. He brought those out to her as well. She was still sitting on the floor, so he gently took her arm and brought her into the family room, sitting her down on the couch. She was still nursing the water, but was almost all gone now. He let her finish it, laying out the clothes out next to her. "Now, take off that coat and I want to see if your bleeding anywhere. She did so, revealing that the men had removed all of her clothes when they attacked her and she had been totally naked under the coat the whole time. Although Jackson turned his head when she revealed herself, she was not bothered in the slightest. Sensing this, he quickly checked her arms and legs and around her ribs for blood. Though she had many bruises, she was not bleeding - except for one place. Jackson didn't say anything, but pointed out the small amount of blood dripping from between her thighs. When she noticed, she seemed very embarrassed. "You can use the bathroom to.. clean yourself up. Take the clothes and change in there. I'll be right here." Jackson told her, choosing his words carefully. He pointed the way to the bathroom, and watched her go. Not wanting it to get stepped on and get set off, he retrieved the gun from the floor near the door, and brought it back into the family room. He spent some time trying to unjam it once again, but he didn't know much about guns. He eventually gave up and put it on the table. It was then that Jackson remembered he still had the sword with him. He unsheathed it slowly, just looking at the blood stained blade. The blood of a man. A man trying to hurt an innocent, a man who DISERVED to die by his blade. But he couldn't kid himself. He wasn't a superhero, just a zoanthrope, and just a kid who happened to be in the right place at the right time. Without another thought, Jackson took the already blood stained coat and wiped his blade clean. It was now pure again, the blood of an evil man removed. Pure and innocent. Words that did not apply to him anymore.. The woman came out of the bathroom, interrupting his thoughts. He sheathed the sword, removing the scabbard from his belt and setting it down next to the gun. The woman looked at the weapons, then at him. In any other situation, she would have appeared comical in the oversized men's clothes, but not now. He good at look at her face. Young woman was right, she wasn't much older then him, 20 at the oldest. Now that he figured her approximate age, she needed a name, and a story. "So, um.. What's your name? Are you feeling any better?" The woman nodded her head. "My name is.. Ayumi Satoshi" She spoke in very clear english, with a trace of a Japanese accent, but not thick enough to cloud her words. "Well, I'm Jackson O'Brian, um I'm 18. How old are you?" "I must thank you again, Jackson. I don't know what would have happened if you had never come along.. I'm 19" "I don't wanna push you into this, but can I ask how this all started?" Ayumi dropped her head, lowing her voice to a scant whisper. ''I wanted out. I didn't want to be a little whole in his grand master plan. I didn't disserve it." "What?!" "I was a whore! A prostitute! I worked for him for so long. I had to deal with special customers, the ones who wanted to have their way with me. Look at the cute asian slut! Can I fuck her? I couldn't take it anymore. He made me learn english to please his North American clients and the such, the ones who wanted me to scream in a language they understood. Then, then there were the times when it wasn't enough to drug me to the point where I couldn't resist and use me. He had to transform to do it! I was tired of it. I told him I was leaving.. and I almost made it. But their men caught me.. and... then you.. and!" Ayumi broke down into tears again, leaving Jackson will only more questions than answers.. but he had to know. "Who?! Who is the one who can transform and used you?!" "The one..." She sobbed, "Named Shen Long"