3. Quick Tragedy
NOTE: Although it's small, this is the first chapter that contains some. mature content. Expect to see me give a warning at the beginning of a chapter if there's something like that.
"Excuse me, but is your name by any chance Kei Chitose?"
A young teenage girl, wearing a pink skirt with a pink, short-sleeved shirt and white sneakers was standing in front of a man in a business suit and sunglasses at the Shining Tiger. Her hair was brown and very long, reaching well past her shoulders. She couldn't get two things. One was the fact that Sakura wasn't here yet. and at the same time, she wasn't surprised. Sakura had a habit of coming late. For all she knew, she could be fighting a complete stranger by now. Man, did she love fighting. She eats, drinks, and sweats martial arts. Also, she didn't even know this man that asked for her for her identity.
{Sakura Kasugano,} she thought. {When we meet. I have a bone to pick with you.}
"Yes. yes I am," Kei responded. "Can I help you?"
"I'm here conducting a survey and we would like you to participate. Do you have a minute?"
Actually, she did. If Sakura was street fighting again, then she had nothing but time. Kei nodded to answer the man's question. He turned around and headed toward an alley with Kei close behind. I hope this doesn't take long.
As the two walked down the alley, Kei started to get second thoughts.
{Why would a survey be taking place here? It doesn't make sense. Maybe I should ask.}
Kei stopped walking and asked her question, but it came out differently. "Excuse me, sir, but how much longer will we be walking?"
The man let out a laugh. "Well, now that you think about it. you won't have to wait for very long." He turned to face Kei with a wicked-looking smile. "Not long at all."
{Okay, this is getting creepy.,} Kei thought. She started to back away from the businessman. "Whatever this is, I want no part of it now!"
The man just looked at Kei as she continued to back out of the alley. His smile widened.
{Why is he smiling? Okay, that's it! I'm getting out of here!}
BUMP.
Kei felt the clothes of another person on her backside. She started to whirl around, but an arm swooped around and pulled her in. Kei started to struggle to break free, but the second arm came over her face. Kei managed to see a cloth in the hand of the swept arm press onto her mouth and nose. Instantly, she smelled what seemed like a mix of alcohol and medicine. Muffled screams came from her as she tossed and turned to try to break free from this new, intoxicating smell. After a while, her efforts began to weaken.
{Ugh. what's happening. to me? I can't. see. what's. going.}
Kei's strength was draining. She stopped moving as her conscience started to slip.
{I. I. Sakura.}
Kei lost consciousness.
----- -----
"She isn't in the restaurant," Sakura said. Her eyes looked worried. "Maybe she went back home when she saw that I wasn't here."
"No, I doubt that." Darrell crossed his arms and gave a weird look. "If she is anything like you said she is she'll wait to see if you are OK before leaving."
"Maybe she went to do a little window-shopping," Hinata suggested.
Sakura's eyes lit up a little. "Maybe. but still. It isn't like her to just up and leave before scolding me for being late."
Kyosuke opened his mouth to speak. "We aren't getting anywhere by just standing around like this. Batsu and I will look this way." Kyosuke pointed a finger down the street. "You guys go the other way."
"Right. We'll meet back here in 30 minutes. I doubt that it will take that long."
The group spread out to find Sakura's friend. But it took a lot longer than 30 minutes to get out of the new mess that they were getting into.
----- -----
"Okay, it has been almost 15 minutes and there is no sign of Kei. I'm running out of options, here."
Darrell stood in front of a shoe store, his arms folded. Like he said, it has been 15 minutes since the split up, and so far the trio wasn't having any luck. Darrell asked on how Kei looked like, and ever since Sakura gave the description, he had found no one like her on the busy Tokyo streets.
"Man, this is frustrating!" he whined. His eyes were fixed onto Sakura and Hinata, who were just coming from the other side of the street. "Did you guys have any luck, because I didn't."
Hinata just shook her head. "We couldn't find her either, and we tried most of the stores that we know that Kei would be in."
Darrell put a hand on his chin. "You know, there is the possibility of Kei never getting to the restaurant in the first place. She might be there now."
Sakura cheered up a bit, even though the feeling of guilt rose in her. "I guess that would be right."
The three of them started to move back toward the Shining Tiger. {If she is there,} Darrell thought, {then this won't be good for first impressions.}
They were one store away from the restaurant when something caught Darrell's eye. He stopped walking, which caught the attention of the girls, and looked down the back alley of the restaurant.
"Hey. that's weird. I could have sworn I saw someone in there."
Sakura thought for a moment. {It could be just another guy. no. Something doesn't feel right. It is like I've seen that person before. but it can't be who I think it is. He. or she is lying down on the ground like she was. knocked out. Wait a minute.!}
Sakura leaned into the alley to get a closer look. It took a few moments, but Sakura finally said something. Unfortunately, it wasn't a good remark.
"Oh my God! That's Kei!" she shrieked while running into the alley, followed by Hinata and Darrell. They didn't stop until they got close to the person that inhabited the alley.
"Just as I thought. It is her! But. what happened to her? She looks as if." Her voice dropped down into a low moan. "No."
Kei's clothes were torn in certain places, but for the most part were mostly covered in filth. She was unconscious and, what really got Sakura angry, looked as if she was. R. A. P. E. D.
"No! I refuse to even think that someone did that to my friend!" Sakura didn't notice that she was screaming, let alone saying what she said.
"Sakura, we need to get her into some type of medical care. If it isn't as serious as it looks. then we'll have to find a way to do something about her clothes. If she is overprotective about you. I don't even want to know how her parents will be like."
Sakura looked up to Darrell, and he could clearly see that she was on the verge of tears. "All right. but who could have such a sick mind? I want to know!"
"Heh, you won't have to worry about that, beautiful. That is just the least of your problems."
Everyone spun around to the entrance of the alley to see a figure appear there. Sakura and Darrell didn't even have to see who that was to know who it was. They heard him before.
Darrell rolled his eyes. "Oh, it's you." All of a sudden, something snapped into Darrell's eyes, as they became full of rage. "YOU! I bet you did this, didn't you?! I can't believe you! How can you just come and. defile someone that you don't even know!? I'll beat some sense into you yet, Sho!"
Sho just stood there laughing, pointing to Kei. This only made the three of them angrier. "I had a feeling that she belonged to you in someway, so I had a certain someone lure her into this little alleyway. and before she knew it, she was out. Then I came in. I bet deep down she enjoyed it."
"Why you sick, perverted pig!" This was Hinata speaking, her voice with just as much rage as Darrell. "You had no right to do that! You've crossed the line!"
Sho shook his head. "No, your friends crossed the line! They beat up my gang! I'm simply looking for revenge."
"Oh, like you didn't already?" Darrell started adjusting his right blue handguard. "Have I got a present for you. It's called 'pain' and you are about to get a helping serving of it!"
"I don't think so. As a matter of fact, I doubt you can even get to me. especially considering that guy standing right behind you!"
"What?!" Sakura belted out. All three fighters gave a look of surprise, and then started to look behind them. The instant they did, a thunderous POW could be heard through the alley. Hinata and Darrell looked in shock as Sakura yelled out, falling over in pain.
"Hey! What the. aah!" Hinata got hers as she got slammed into the restaurant wall, then slid down to the ground.
"Sakura! Hinata!" Darrell was furious. He glared at Sho for a bit, and then turned his attention to behind him. He saw an enormous shadow of a man in front of him. "You did this." he acknowledged. A faint blue aura covered his body. "I swear I'll make you pay! Take this!"
He rushed forward while shouting the words of his attack.
"Rekka. NAKKURA!!"
Darrell let himself go in his anger as he unleashed a flurry of punches at great speeds, following it up with an uppercut that was supposed to knock the shadow into the air so Darrell could pummel him some more. Instead, his uppercut hit the guy's chin, not even budging him. Instantly, Darrell knew something was up.
{Why didn't he get roofed like anybody else? Don't tell me that. my Rekka Nakkura had no effect. That means.}
Darrell's eyes lost the look of anger and were replaced with a scared look. The man just stood there, staring down at Darrell. Then, he took a step forward. Darrell took a step backwards.
He tried to summon enough energy to try another attack, but the aura seemed to have vanished.
{No!! Not now! I ran dry! I don't believe this! I can't pull enough strength to do the Shakunetsu Shinku Hadouken. I'm toast.}
All Darrell could do was look on in fear at the massive dark shadow as it raised a fist up high into the air.
{I. can't move! Why can't I move?! He's going to wallop me and I can't put up a defense!}
The fist came crashing down and slammed into Darrell's skull. His head was forced down from the force and he reeled backwards, dizzy. His vision started to blur as all he could see was that shadow fazing in and out of clear view.
{That. bastard. what.?} Then, just as he started to fall forwards, he saw what looked like Sakura stand up slowly, glowing with a strong, blue aura and. and. he blacked out.
----- -----
{That creep! How dare he attack my friends from behind like that! I'll make him pay for it..}
She clasped her hands to her side. Quickly, energy came into them to form a solid ball of electric energy.
"Shinku. HADOUKEN!!" She roared and released the blast at full speed and power at the man-mountain. He turned around from Darrell's fallen body just to meet the blast slam into his body. The force sent him backwards into the dark shadows of the alleyway. Then a thunderous crash was heard and dust sprang up from the ground.
Sakura put her arms down before slumping down to her knees, exhausted.
{Crap! That surprise attack did more damage than I thought. I don't have much energy left. Wait, Sho!} Sakura spun around to see that Sho was nowhere to be found. She let out a low growl. {Damn him.}
Sakura turned her attention to the 'sleeping' bodies of her friends.
{Ugh. I better find Batsu and Kyosuke. There is no way I'm carrying these guys.}
Sakura sighed heavily, then stood to her weary feet and took off.
End of Chapter 3
NOTE: Although it's small, this is the first chapter that contains some. mature content. Expect to see me give a warning at the beginning of a chapter if there's something like that.
"Excuse me, but is your name by any chance Kei Chitose?"
A young teenage girl, wearing a pink skirt with a pink, short-sleeved shirt and white sneakers was standing in front of a man in a business suit and sunglasses at the Shining Tiger. Her hair was brown and very long, reaching well past her shoulders. She couldn't get two things. One was the fact that Sakura wasn't here yet. and at the same time, she wasn't surprised. Sakura had a habit of coming late. For all she knew, she could be fighting a complete stranger by now. Man, did she love fighting. She eats, drinks, and sweats martial arts. Also, she didn't even know this man that asked for her for her identity.
{Sakura Kasugano,} she thought. {When we meet. I have a bone to pick with you.}
"Yes. yes I am," Kei responded. "Can I help you?"
"I'm here conducting a survey and we would like you to participate. Do you have a minute?"
Actually, she did. If Sakura was street fighting again, then she had nothing but time. Kei nodded to answer the man's question. He turned around and headed toward an alley with Kei close behind. I hope this doesn't take long.
As the two walked down the alley, Kei started to get second thoughts.
{Why would a survey be taking place here? It doesn't make sense. Maybe I should ask.}
Kei stopped walking and asked her question, but it came out differently. "Excuse me, sir, but how much longer will we be walking?"
The man let out a laugh. "Well, now that you think about it. you won't have to wait for very long." He turned to face Kei with a wicked-looking smile. "Not long at all."
{Okay, this is getting creepy.,} Kei thought. She started to back away from the businessman. "Whatever this is, I want no part of it now!"
The man just looked at Kei as she continued to back out of the alley. His smile widened.
{Why is he smiling? Okay, that's it! I'm getting out of here!}
BUMP.
Kei felt the clothes of another person on her backside. She started to whirl around, but an arm swooped around and pulled her in. Kei started to struggle to break free, but the second arm came over her face. Kei managed to see a cloth in the hand of the swept arm press onto her mouth and nose. Instantly, she smelled what seemed like a mix of alcohol and medicine. Muffled screams came from her as she tossed and turned to try to break free from this new, intoxicating smell. After a while, her efforts began to weaken.
{Ugh. what's happening. to me? I can't. see. what's. going.}
Kei's strength was draining. She stopped moving as her conscience started to slip.
{I. I. Sakura.}
Kei lost consciousness.
----- -----
"She isn't in the restaurant," Sakura said. Her eyes looked worried. "Maybe she went back home when she saw that I wasn't here."
"No, I doubt that." Darrell crossed his arms and gave a weird look. "If she is anything like you said she is she'll wait to see if you are OK before leaving."
"Maybe she went to do a little window-shopping," Hinata suggested.
Sakura's eyes lit up a little. "Maybe. but still. It isn't like her to just up and leave before scolding me for being late."
Kyosuke opened his mouth to speak. "We aren't getting anywhere by just standing around like this. Batsu and I will look this way." Kyosuke pointed a finger down the street. "You guys go the other way."
"Right. We'll meet back here in 30 minutes. I doubt that it will take that long."
The group spread out to find Sakura's friend. But it took a lot longer than 30 minutes to get out of the new mess that they were getting into.
----- -----
"Okay, it has been almost 15 minutes and there is no sign of Kei. I'm running out of options, here."
Darrell stood in front of a shoe store, his arms folded. Like he said, it has been 15 minutes since the split up, and so far the trio wasn't having any luck. Darrell asked on how Kei looked like, and ever since Sakura gave the description, he had found no one like her on the busy Tokyo streets.
"Man, this is frustrating!" he whined. His eyes were fixed onto Sakura and Hinata, who were just coming from the other side of the street. "Did you guys have any luck, because I didn't."
Hinata just shook her head. "We couldn't find her either, and we tried most of the stores that we know that Kei would be in."
Darrell put a hand on his chin. "You know, there is the possibility of Kei never getting to the restaurant in the first place. She might be there now."
Sakura cheered up a bit, even though the feeling of guilt rose in her. "I guess that would be right."
The three of them started to move back toward the Shining Tiger. {If she is there,} Darrell thought, {then this won't be good for first impressions.}
They were one store away from the restaurant when something caught Darrell's eye. He stopped walking, which caught the attention of the girls, and looked down the back alley of the restaurant.
"Hey. that's weird. I could have sworn I saw someone in there."
Sakura thought for a moment. {It could be just another guy. no. Something doesn't feel right. It is like I've seen that person before. but it can't be who I think it is. He. or she is lying down on the ground like she was. knocked out. Wait a minute.!}
Sakura leaned into the alley to get a closer look. It took a few moments, but Sakura finally said something. Unfortunately, it wasn't a good remark.
"Oh my God! That's Kei!" she shrieked while running into the alley, followed by Hinata and Darrell. They didn't stop until they got close to the person that inhabited the alley.
"Just as I thought. It is her! But. what happened to her? She looks as if." Her voice dropped down into a low moan. "No."
Kei's clothes were torn in certain places, but for the most part were mostly covered in filth. She was unconscious and, what really got Sakura angry, looked as if she was. R. A. P. E. D.
"No! I refuse to even think that someone did that to my friend!" Sakura didn't notice that she was screaming, let alone saying what she said.
"Sakura, we need to get her into some type of medical care. If it isn't as serious as it looks. then we'll have to find a way to do something about her clothes. If she is overprotective about you. I don't even want to know how her parents will be like."
Sakura looked up to Darrell, and he could clearly see that she was on the verge of tears. "All right. but who could have such a sick mind? I want to know!"
"Heh, you won't have to worry about that, beautiful. That is just the least of your problems."
Everyone spun around to the entrance of the alley to see a figure appear there. Sakura and Darrell didn't even have to see who that was to know who it was. They heard him before.
Darrell rolled his eyes. "Oh, it's you." All of a sudden, something snapped into Darrell's eyes, as they became full of rage. "YOU! I bet you did this, didn't you?! I can't believe you! How can you just come and. defile someone that you don't even know!? I'll beat some sense into you yet, Sho!"
Sho just stood there laughing, pointing to Kei. This only made the three of them angrier. "I had a feeling that she belonged to you in someway, so I had a certain someone lure her into this little alleyway. and before she knew it, she was out. Then I came in. I bet deep down she enjoyed it."
"Why you sick, perverted pig!" This was Hinata speaking, her voice with just as much rage as Darrell. "You had no right to do that! You've crossed the line!"
Sho shook his head. "No, your friends crossed the line! They beat up my gang! I'm simply looking for revenge."
"Oh, like you didn't already?" Darrell started adjusting his right blue handguard. "Have I got a present for you. It's called 'pain' and you are about to get a helping serving of it!"
"I don't think so. As a matter of fact, I doubt you can even get to me. especially considering that guy standing right behind you!"
"What?!" Sakura belted out. All three fighters gave a look of surprise, and then started to look behind them. The instant they did, a thunderous POW could be heard through the alley. Hinata and Darrell looked in shock as Sakura yelled out, falling over in pain.
"Hey! What the. aah!" Hinata got hers as she got slammed into the restaurant wall, then slid down to the ground.
"Sakura! Hinata!" Darrell was furious. He glared at Sho for a bit, and then turned his attention to behind him. He saw an enormous shadow of a man in front of him. "You did this." he acknowledged. A faint blue aura covered his body. "I swear I'll make you pay! Take this!"
He rushed forward while shouting the words of his attack.
"Rekka. NAKKURA!!"
Darrell let himself go in his anger as he unleashed a flurry of punches at great speeds, following it up with an uppercut that was supposed to knock the shadow into the air so Darrell could pummel him some more. Instead, his uppercut hit the guy's chin, not even budging him. Instantly, Darrell knew something was up.
{Why didn't he get roofed like anybody else? Don't tell me that. my Rekka Nakkura had no effect. That means.}
Darrell's eyes lost the look of anger and were replaced with a scared look. The man just stood there, staring down at Darrell. Then, he took a step forward. Darrell took a step backwards.
He tried to summon enough energy to try another attack, but the aura seemed to have vanished.
{No!! Not now! I ran dry! I don't believe this! I can't pull enough strength to do the Shakunetsu Shinku Hadouken. I'm toast.}
All Darrell could do was look on in fear at the massive dark shadow as it raised a fist up high into the air.
{I. can't move! Why can't I move?! He's going to wallop me and I can't put up a defense!}
The fist came crashing down and slammed into Darrell's skull. His head was forced down from the force and he reeled backwards, dizzy. His vision started to blur as all he could see was that shadow fazing in and out of clear view.
{That. bastard. what.?} Then, just as he started to fall forwards, he saw what looked like Sakura stand up slowly, glowing with a strong, blue aura and. and. he blacked out.
----- -----
{That creep! How dare he attack my friends from behind like that! I'll make him pay for it..}
She clasped her hands to her side. Quickly, energy came into them to form a solid ball of electric energy.
"Shinku. HADOUKEN!!" She roared and released the blast at full speed and power at the man-mountain. He turned around from Darrell's fallen body just to meet the blast slam into his body. The force sent him backwards into the dark shadows of the alleyway. Then a thunderous crash was heard and dust sprang up from the ground.
Sakura put her arms down before slumping down to her knees, exhausted.
{Crap! That surprise attack did more damage than I thought. I don't have much energy left. Wait, Sho!} Sakura spun around to see that Sho was nowhere to be found. She let out a low growl. {Damn him.}
Sakura turned her attention to the 'sleeping' bodies of her friends.
{Ugh. I better find Batsu and Kyosuke. There is no way I'm carrying these guys.}
Sakura sighed heavily, then stood to her weary feet and took off.
End of Chapter 3