Speed hurried through Rokkaku-Dai Heights, feeling a bit sick to his stomach at the graffiti around him.  The walls of the abandoned houses were covered in daisies and bright pink lettering, proclaiming Rokkaku-Dai to be the turf of the PGs.  Speed had never heard of the PGs, but he was somehow sure Spark wasn't one of them.

Spark's too tough for this stuff, he reminded himself, remembering the disdain she'd always had for flowers and dolls and the color pink and all those kinds of girly things…  He shook his head, as if doing so would clear it.  That is, if she's still alive…

Hearing a noise behind him, Speed froze.  There was definitely someone there.  Moving as stealthily as he could, he skated into a small nearby alleyway and waited.

Nothing happened.

"Yo!"

Startled, Speed whirled around to see a grinning boy in front of him.

"I probably could've tagged your back and gotten outta here before you knew I was here, yo," the boy noted, then became serious.  "Who are you and what're you doing here?"

Speed considered the question as he looked the boy over.  His short hair was bright green and he wore red-rimmed sunglasses.  Speed supposed he was about sixteen.  He's gotta be either really stupid to be out alone, or part of a local gang, Speed reasoned silently.  Either way, it's possible he might know where Spark is.

"My name's Speed," he said.  "I was heading to the sewers.  Who're you?"

The boy looked suspicious for a moment, but answered, "Yoyo.  Are you a part of a gang, or are ya out here alone?"

Speed wasn't sure of how to answer that.  "I'm not part of a gang," he replied finally.  He decided to tell Yoyo the truth; what harm could it do him?  "I'm looking for my younger sister.  Her name is Spark.  Have you seen her, by any chance?"

"Spark… huh.  Don't think so.  Do ya know if she'd be around here?"

Speed shook his head.  "No, but I'm hoping so.  I already checked Shibuya Terminal, Hikage Street, Chuo Street, Dogenzaka Hill…"  His voice trailed off.

"What about Ayame Street?" Yoyo asked.  "You didn't mention—"

"She wouldn't be there," Speed interrupted.  "I know it.  She's just… not that kind of girl."

Yoyo shrugged.  "Whatever.  As it happens, I'm lookin' for someone too.  Ya know a kid named Tab?"

Speed wondered if the surprise showed on his face; he hoped it didn't.  "Tab?  Uh, I'm not sure.  I mean, I might, but…"

"'Bout as tall as me, wears a lot of blue and green, blonde hair, has a thing about standing on couches…"  Yoyo looked at Speed.  "Sound familiar?"

Speed nearly laughed.  "…Yeah, I think I used to know a kid like that.  Why are you looking for him?"

"We're part of the same gang.  The GGs, though I doubt you'd have heard of us.  I'm going to the sewers myself, so unless you object, I think it might be a good idea for us to go together… it's dangerous in there."

Speed looked puzzled.  "Dangerous?  Why?"

Yoyo stared at him.  "You don't get out much, do ya?  Ever hear of a gang called Poison Jam?"

"No, why?"

"They live in the Bottom Point of the sewers… and they kill anyone who tries to go through their turf.  That wouldn't be a problem except that it's easy to get lost in there and end up in Bottom Point.  Best not to travel alone, but Tab refused to go with anyone else… I think Poison Jam probably got him.  There's a chance he's still alive, though, and I'm gambling on that chance."  He shook his head.  "I hate to tell ya this, but if your sister tried to go through there, she's probably gone."

Speed was positive his heart skipped.  "If you're taking that chance, so am I.  I ain't letting her go that easy."

Yoyo shrugged, something he seemed to do often.  "Either way, we should go together.  Poison Jam's ten times bigger than I am, but I've spent some time in the sewers and I know my way around."

Speed grinned.  "Sure, but where're you going from the sewers?"

Again Yoyo shrugged.  "If I can't find Tab, I'll either come back here or keep looking past the sewers.  Where're you gonna go?"

"I don't know.  Where do the sewers lead to?"

Yoyo thought a moment.  "Bottom Point, Kibogaoka Hill, and the fortified residential zone."  He made a face at the last one.  "I doubt your sister would've gone to the residential zone.  There's not much to see or do.  If I were you, I'd try Kibogaoka.  Never been there myself, but I hear it's pretty nice."

"I'll look there, then, I guess," Speed said.  "You lead the way."

Wordlessly Yoyo dashed past Speed, so fast that the older boy had to turn and race after him.  "Hey, slow down!"

Yoyo stopped and turned, that same grin on his face.  "So where exactly do ya get your name, huh?  You can't be all that fast if you can't catch up with me…  You sell it or something?"

Speed looked away as he caught up with his apparent new friend.  "No.  Well, not anymore.  Not much… really…"

*          *          *

Tab's first conscious thought was the realization that he was in pain.

Without daring to open his eyes, he decided that he must be lying down on a couch or similar piece of furniture.  A blanket had been spread over him, and he was in a warm, dim room of some kind.

He opened his eyes.  A girl was standing over him.

Panicking, Tab began to sit up.  The girl placed both hands on his shoulders and pushed him back down, but it was too late.  The pain he had felt when he awoke multiplied, and he did not try to sit again.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice cracking.  "Where am I?"

"Guys, he's up," the girl said, and for the first time Tab was aware that there were more people in the room.  Two girls rose sleepily from their spots in the room, and Tab recognized the girls as the trio from the sewer.

The one in front of him, the leader, indicated the girl with the braid, then the short-haired girl.  "This is Cat, this's Spark, and I'm Tip.  We go by the name of Dark Storm.  You're in Kibogaoka Hill, our turf.  Now who're you?"

"Tab.  I'm part of the GGs…" Tab closed his eyes for a moment, then reopened them, refocusing on Tip.  "What happened, in the sewers…?"

Tip glanced at Cat before answering, "Well… we made a deal with Cube, Cat raced her and beat her, and we took you back here."

"But… why?  What do you want with me?"

Spark shrugged.  "Nothing, really.  We just thought we'd get you out of Poison Jam's hands until you recover."

Tab was confused, but he was too tired to care.  "Th-thank you," he stuttered.

Tip smiled.  "Poison Jam and Cube are old rivals of ours.  We'll do most anything to annoy 'em.  But what were you doing in the sewers?"

Tab seemed uneasy as he replied, "I was just looking around.  My gang's past Rokkaku-Dai from here, so we don't know much about the places and gangs beyond the sewers."

Cat spoke for the first time, her expression dead serious.  "Best to keep it that way… all the turf around here is taken.  We fight with Poison Jam here, they've got the sewers 'cause no one else wants 'em, and some weird kids've been hanging around the fortified residential zone and causing some serious trouble.  Trust us, there's nothing open for you here."

Tab closed his eyes again, wanting only to sleep…  "I'll remember that."

He felt Tip's hand on his shoulder.  "Get some rest," she told him.  "And try not to move too much.  If ya need anything, feel free to wake us up."

Tab didn't hear her finish.  He was already asleep.

*          *          *

It was Cat who broke the silence.  "Well, that was interesting."

 "Indeed," Spark agreed, winking at Cat.

"What do you mean?" Tip asked, her voice overly innocent. 

Spark grinned.  "You like him, don't ya?"

Tip was surprised.  "What?!"

Cat snickered.  "She don't even know, herself."

Tip opened her mouth, hoping that something would come out.  Nothing did.  She pressed her lips together and turned away from her friends, sure she was blushing.

Spark nodded smugly.  "She does now."

"Shut up," Tip said, finding the words she wanted.  "Hey, Cat," she added, "what was that you said about some kids in the residential zone?"

"Stop trying to change the subject," Spark said.

Cat ignored her friend and turned to Tip.  "Yeah, I forgot to tell you.  I was skating up there awhile ago, and I saw some freak kids wearing black and dark grey.  They were spraying some crazy graffiti and terrorizin' people.  If they're a gang, they mean business.  It's probably only a matter of time before they try to spread out here."

"You're right.  Kibogaoka's the nearest place other than Bottom Point and Rokkaku-Dai," Tip mused.  "Poison Jam's hold on Bottom Point is considered pretty unshakable, and since Rokkaku-Dai spreads out further, it's very likely they'll come here first."

"How many were there, Cat?" Spark asked.

"I don't know, three or four.  A girl and a couple guys, maybe three.  They look pretty much alike from a distance, and I sure didn't want to get too close."

"We have to be ready," Tip decided.  "We gotta keep 'em out.  When do you think they'll come, Cat?"

"It probably won't be much more than, oh, three weeks.  They seem to be getting strong pretty fast.  I don't know if they have a specific leader or anything, though."

Spark, who seemed unusually quiet, asked, "Do you know what they call themselves?  Their name?"

Cat shook her head.  "No idea… why?"

"I just think it might help us understand who they are and what they intend to do," Spark replied, blinking.  "Let's get some sleep."

Cat slid back down into her corner as her friends dropped off to sleep.  She kept thinking now of the kids in the residential zone.  They were different from most gangs, sharper somehow.  Dark Storm did not have too much to fear from Poison Jam despite their size, for Cube's gang was far from intelligent, but the new one…  It was possible that they were harmless, but Cat had a strong feeling that this time, it was going to be absolute war.

And, as with most wars, only one side could be victorious.