No More Standing Still
By
Hideki LaShae
Mothers on the stoop, boys in souped-up coupes on this hot summer night
Between fight and flight is the blind man's sight and the choice that's right
I roll the window down, feel like I'm gonna drown in this strange town
Feel broken down, I feel broken down…
Standing Still
– Jewel
A Banana Fish fan fiction
Characters
Ash Lynx… (also known as Aslan Callenreese)… Ash was once the boy-toy of mafia don Dino. Now this seventeen-year-old is the cunning leader of a gang. His brother became a mental vegetable due to early Banana Fish experiments. When a man was killed in Ash's territory under Dino's orders – a man whose last words were "Banana Fish" – Ash began an investigation that has changed the lives of all around him. He is now intent on bringing Papa Dino down. He killed his best friend, Shorter Wong, when Papa Dino sent him out, under the influence of Banana Fish, to kill Eiji.
"Papa" Dino Golzine… New York's Corsican mafia don… he's into money laundering, child prostitution, manipulating politics, and refining the assassin-drug Banana Fish.
Arthur… A pale imitation of Ash, Arthur has more attitude than ability. With Dino's backing, he took over Ash's territory and subjugated many gangs in the city with the use of violence. He is failing at the one task Dino demands – bring him Ash's corpse.
Eiji Okumura… Brought to the US by photojournalist, Shunichi Ibé, he has earned a special friendship with Ash who will do anything to protect him.
"Ash? Where are we going?" asks Eiji looking over at his friend in the driver's seat of the car.
"To see a couple of old friends," says Ash.
"Out here? In the middle of Manhattan? Who do you know in Manhattan?" asks Eiji.
"It may be hard to believe… But the Ritz has gangs too," says Ash as the raindrops start to fall onto the windshield. He turns on the wipers and focuses on his driving. "I know the leaders and the main hangout of a few of the gangs in this part of town. They don't seem to be that big on the gang war scene, that's why you don't know about them. The gang leaders we're going out to meet are actually best friends. Their gangs don't fight with each other, but they fight with the gangs from outside their territory."
"They just are really quiet about it, huh?"
"That's right, Eiji," says Ash turning the car onto a side street and slowing to a stop. He parks the car in front of a deli. "We're here."
Ash and Eiji climb out of the car into the rain and walk towards the deli. They step beneath the canopy and Ash opens the door. The bell jingles as they step into the deli.
"Hey, Gramps!" exclaims Ash smiling at the old man who stands behind the counter.
"Nice to see you again, Ash," says the old man, "Is this your friend?"
"Gramps, this is Eiji," says Ash. Then he looks at Eiji. "This is Chris Edison. Everyone calls him Gramps cause he's the oldest guy around and really nice like a grandfather should be."
Eiji shakes the old man's hand. "Nice to meet you."
"The lady friend of yours isn't here yet, Ash, but the others are waiting in the back room," says Gramps, "I'll bring her back when she gets here."
"Thanks, Gramps. I hope we're not causing you any trouble by meeting here," says Ash.
"Don't worry about it! Papa Dino wouldn't bother with a small deli like mine," says Gramps smiling.
Ash leads Eiji behind the counter and through a wooden door into the backroom, a cozy little living room.
Three teenaged men already sit around the room. They nod to Ash as he enters.
"Hey, Ash! You haven't been hanging with Dom these past few days, have you?" asks the sixteen-year-old red head.
Ash's eyes widen. "Has she disappeared?"
"He's just being a worried big brother!" exclaims the eighteen-year-old with green eyes and a shaved head, "Who's your bud? I haven't seen him on your gang roster. Is he new?"
"This is Eiji. He's not part of my gang," says Ash, "He's a friend."
"I'm Keith," says the eighteen-year-old offering his hand to Eiji.
Eiji shakes his hand and smiles.
"The name's Spike," says the sixteen-year-old.
"The mute's called Johnny Whisper," says Keith pointing to the seventeen-year-old Indian.
Johnny nods his head to Eiji.
Ash and Eiji move over to a large sofa and sit down.
The door opens again, and Gramps leads a soaking seventeen-year-old girl into the living room. He closes the door. "You are soaked to the bone, Dom. You'll need to dry off. I'll get you a towel."
"Thanks, Gramps," says the girl. Her teeth chatter slightly and her fingers tremble although the rest of her body seems perfectly still. She brushes her shoulder-length ash-brown hair away from her face so that the water drips down her back. She looks at Ash with eyes the color of sapphires. "Hey, Ash! Long time no see!"
Gramps heads up a staircase along the sidewall and disappears upstairs.
Ash raises his eyebrow at the girl's appearance, but he knows enough not to comment on it. "Dom… this is Eiji!"
"Hey, nice to meet you, Eiji. My name's Domino!" exclaims Dom, "But you're welcome to call me Dom. Everybody does!" She makes the two strides over to the couch and offers her hand to Eiji.
Eiji shakes Dom's hand firmly.
"So… is this the new friend I've been hearing about, Ash?" asks Dom.
Ash stands up and glares at Dom.
"Enough said, Ash," says Dom.
"I brought you a towel, Dom," says Gramps walking down the stairs again. He tosses it towards her.
"Thanks, Gramps," says Dom catching the towel. She tosses it into a nearby chair and wrings her wet hair out onto the rug covering the tile floor. "Well… we're all here like you asked, Ash. You gonna tell us what's the deal or not?"
"You gonna tell us where you been hiding these past three days, Dom?" asks Spike.
Dom pulls her wet halter-top over her head to reveal her bare chest. She drops it to the floor. "One of my girls got into a real fix. I had to bust her out!"
"Dom! Do you have to undress in front of everyone?" asks Gramps closing his eyes and blushing.
Eiji blushes and turns his eyes away from Dom's bared flesh.
"Fine," says Dom with a slight sigh, "I forget how sensitive you are, Gramps. Sorry!" She turns her back to the crowd and lowers her baggy jeans down her legs to reveal the rest of her bare skin.
"What happened to you, Dom?" asks Keith staring at the knife cuts and bruises that completely cover her back and legs.
Eiji turns his eyes rapidly to look upon the girl's wounds.
"Like I said," says Dom turning to face them again so that they can clearly see that her thighs and groin are also bruised and bloodied, "One of my girls got into a real fix. I had to kill her to free her!"
Johnny looks at Dom with questioning eyes.
"Who was it?" asks Gramps looking at Dom.
Dom grabs the towel and wraps it around herself, tying it at the top so that it'll stay closed. "I… I'm sorry, Johnny… I lost Blackjack."
Johnny hangs his head sadly. He speaks for the first time. "What happened to her?"
"Johnny… he… he can talk!" exclaims Spike falling to the floor in shock.
Johnny looks at Dom again, with eyes filled with pain. A tear rolls from his eye. "What happened to Blackjack?"
Dom steps up to Johnny and kneels down in front of him. "Arthur kidnapped Blackjack four days ago… That's why she missed your date. I found out where he had taken her. I thought she was just going to be a sex-toy for Papa Dino… He gave her some drug though…"
"Banana Fish!" exclaims Ash.
"When I broke in to try to get her back… she tried to kill me. I tried to reason with her at first," says Dom, "That's why I got all these wounds. She gave me no choice. I had to kill her."
"She wouldn't have been the same even if she could have fought off the drug," says Ash, "Death is the only cure."
"Yeah," says Dom hanging her head so that her forehead rests on Johnny's knee, "I ran over to Roulette's place, and she told me about this meeting you called… So I came running over here, Ash!"
"We need to treat your wounds, Dom," says Gramps, "I'll get the first aid kit." He heads back up the stairs.
"Save your bandages, Gramps. I'm fine. It's only a couple of flesh wounds," says Dom standing and moving over to sit beside Eiji.
"Dino's been testing a lot of Banana Fish recently. He must be trying to mass produce it," says Ash.
"If you want to take him down, my girls will be at your back, Ash!" exclaims Dom with a sly wink, "For a price of course!"
"My gang's behind you… no bribe required!" exclaims Johnny. His anger flares behind his dark eyes.
"What's your price, Dom?" asks Ash.
"My girls are a little lonely. If you could hook them up with your boys, I think we can have a deal," says Dom, "Me excluded of course! You know there's only one of your boys that I'd ever screw."
"I believe I can get my boys to go along with that… willingly," says Ash nodding his head. "Papa Dino will not be allowed to continue making this drug of his!"
"We're all with you, Ash! What are we gonna do?" asks Keith.
Gramps walks back down the stairs with a medical kit in his hands. "Now no arguing, Dom! I know you like having your battle-marks, but I'm treating those wounds of yours! On the coffee table, and drop the towel! I'll do your back first."
"No arguing? Stubborn old man!" exclaims Dom untying the towel. She sits down on the coffee table and lowers the towel so that her chest and back are revealed, but her waist and thighs remain covered.
Gramps opens the first aid kit and pulls out a bottle of rubbing alcohol. He sets it aside and threads a needle. Then he starts to clean the cuts and sew them closed with small stitches.
"And you thought your medical degree would go to waste after you retired, Gramps!" exclaims Spike.
Gramps chuckles. "You four give me plenty of practice… what with your allies and all."
"Yeah… sorry about that, Gramps. The last thing we want to do is cause trouble for you," says Spike.
"Don't worry, Spike. Dino doesn't know that I help you. His men only bother me when it's time for the monthly collection," says Gramps.
"A protection racket?" asks Ash raising his eyebrows. "You should have said something, Gramps. We can take care of that."
"But then he would know that I've befriended you, and he could do a lot worse with that information," says Gramps.
Dom growls quietly. "Bastard!"
"I think it's time we took him down. If we can all work together, we can get it done," says Ash, "but we'll need to work together. I don't think one gang could do it alone."
"We're all with you, Ash. Do you have a plan or not?" asks Spike.
"I have a plan. Dom, Johnny… I'll need your most trusted two people for an important job," says Ash.
"You can have Poker and Slots," says Dom, "They're my best and brightest, and the only two that I would trust with my life. They're yours for the taking."
Ash nods.
"You can have the Wonder Brothers," says Johnny, "They'll be thrilled to get a special mission. What do you need them for?"
"Him." Ash points his thumb at Eiji. "I need for them to guard and protect him. And most importantly keep him out of trouble and away from our battle area!"
"The girls will be slightly disappointed, but he is kind of cute, so I guess that will be enough consolation for them," says Dom eyeing Eiji.
Eiji blushes and tries not to look at Dom but his eyes dart towards her bare skin every once in awhile.
"All right, Dom. Your back is fixed up. I just need to wrap it now," says Gramps, "Considering the extent of your wounds, I'm going to use a sheet instead of bandages. Sheets are cheaper. I'll be right back." He heads off up the stairs again as Dom covers herself with the towel.
"What is this boy to you, Ash?" asks Keith, "I've never seen you so worked up about a guy before!"
"He's my friend," says Ash, "That's all you need to know."
Eiji blushes even brighter as he looks at Ash.
Keith nods.
"Now, Dom, you and the rest of your girls are going to have to get in close to Dino and distract him. I'm sure you know how," says Ash flashing Dom a rare smile.
Dom smiles and nods her head to Ash. "I got it! We're the diversion!"
"Keith, your boys are great with information, so I need them to find out where Dino is producing the Banana Fish," says Ash, "I don't want them going in. Your boys are great with recon but shit with infiltration!"
"Right on top of that, Ash!" exclaims Keith, "My boys will handle it!"
"Spike… your boys are the best with infiltration, so you'll be taking the intelligence Keith finds and leading your boys in to destroy all traces of Banana Fish. I don't want anyone with any knowledge of it. If you can't do it, I'll handle it myself," says Ash.
"Sorry, Ash. My boys have no qualms against killing," says Spike smiling, "We can handle our end of the mission! With pleasure!"
"Johnny, you and your boys will be helping me," says Ash, "We're going to shut Dino down! Completely!"
"Your boys helping us?" asks Johnny.
Ash nods.
Johnny nods his head.
Gramps returns with several old sheets. He tears them apart as he walks. He moves over to Dom and wraps the bandages around her body to cover the stitches.
"Are you going to be up for this, Dom?" asks Eiji still blushing a deep red and keeping his eyes turned from her.
"Oh, yeah! If I can handle what I just went through, I can sure take care of this!" exclaims Dom. "This will be a cakewalk! I guarantee you that, sugar! Do you think you can behave yourself while you're with Poker and Slots? I don't need them coming down pregnant you know!"
"Nothing… uh… to w-w-worry… about," stammers Eiji.
"All right now, Dom. I need to see to the rest of your wounds," says Gramps.
Dom stands up and lets the towel drop to the floor. She moves over to a small hall table along the wall and lies down on it so that Gramps can come and start to treat the wounds on the front of her legs and thighs.
"What's the time frame?" asks Keith.
"We have one week," says Ash, "Dom, Johnny, I'll need you two to take Eiji when you leave today. Gather up the Wonder Brothers and the girls, and take him someplace where he'll be safe."
"Ash, are you sure about this?" asks Eiji, "I can help if you'd let me."
Ash smiles at Eiji. "I know you could help, but I wouldn't be able to protect you and get myself out alive. I need you to go with Johnny and Dom. They'll take care of you until this is over. No arguments."
Eiji simply nods.
"Anything else, Ash? Or are we breaking up for the night?" asks Spike.
"We're done," says Ash standing.
"I'm going to go tell my boys then," says Keith standing as well, "We'll get right on that intelligence. We'll be in touch as soon as we learn something."
Ash nods.
Keith slips out a small back door that's hidden beneath an old blanket.
"You almost done fixing up Dom, Gramps?" asks Johnny.
"Almost," says Gramps, "I still have the backs of her legs to do.
"Leave them," says Dom pushing the old man lightly. She stands up and moves over to her pile of wet clothes. She pulls them on as quickly as she can. "I'm ready, Johnny. Let's get Eiji out of here!"
Eiji looks at Ash, giving his friend one last pleading gaze before Dom and Johnny pull him from the room out into the back alley. "Dom… Johnny… Where are we going?"
"First to get the others. We're close to Roulette's pad, so we'll head there and rally the gang," says Dom.
"Then I know the perfect safe place to keep him," says Johnny, "The Wonder Brothers will be able to lead the girls there."
Dom nods. She takes Eiji's hand and pulls him down the alley at a swift jog.
Johnny runs after Dom.
Mothers on the stoop, boys in souped-up coupes on this hot summer night…
Keith and a few of his best gang members head out into the night.
"Come on, buddy, what are we doing this for?" asks the youngest member of Keith's special team.
"Ash asked us to," says Keith, "and when Ash asks you to do something, you do it. It's the law of the land around here. Now… Rex, Lenny, you two take the North side. Ronin, Mac, take the South side. Kushi, Saoru, take the East side. George and I will take the West side. We need all the information you can get. Remember, this is just Intel!"
"Right!" exclaims the largest of the men, Rex, "We'll handle it, Keith!"
"Move out!" exclaims Keith.
The teenaged boys climb into the four cars and drive away to search the city for the information they need. With their resources, it'll only take them a few hours to find out where Papa Dino is manufacturing the drug.
"What are we doing here? Why can't I go with Ash?" asks Eiji.
A pretty redhead turns her brown eyes to Eiji. "We have orders, Eiji. We watch you. You stay out of trouble. End of discussion."
The other girl, with short multi-colored hair, leans back in her chair as she flips channels on the television. "Hey, Eiji, want to come watch the tube with me? I swear I won't bite unless you ask me to!"
Eiji shakes his head. "N-n-no!"
"Hey, Poker! Do you know where the Wonder Brothers were headed?" asks the girl tossing the remote onto the coffee table in front of her. She turns around and gazes at the other girl with cat-slit eyes in the color of gold.
"I think they were going for Chinese take-out," says the redheaded Poker, "And you know the best place for Chinese is Chinatown!" She grabs her gun as she hears footsteps approaching.
KNOCK.
No one makes a sound.
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK… KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
Poker slips up to the door and holds her gun ready.
KNOCK. KNOCK.
Poker unlocks the door and opens it just enough to see the people standing outside. She nods and closes the door. She slides the chain from the door and opens it wide enough for the two men to enter.
The bronze-skinned twins enter the small apartment carrying large bags of Chinese take-out. One of the brothers is just a fraction of an inch taller than the other, and his eyes are hidden behind a set of sunglasses.
The shorter brother has pale green eyes. He smiles at Poker as she closes the door and locks it. "Dinner's up, guys!"
"Hey, Slots, you want to get some dishes?" asks the taller brother pulling off his sunglasses to reveal his own pale green eyes. He tucks the sunglasses into his shirt pocket, and he heads over to set the bag on the table.
The girl with the multi-colored hair stands up and heads over to the table. She ruffles up the taller twin's shoulder-length dirty-brown hair. "Only for you, Number One!"
"Hey, Number Two! You coming or you gonna stare at Poker all night?" asks the taller brother, Number One Wonder.
"I'm coming!" exclaims the shorter brother, letting his waist-long dirty brown hair fly behind him as he heads into the kitchen. His name is Number Two Wonder.
Eiji looks towards the boarded up windows and sighs.
"Eiji, get yourself something to eat," says Poker.
Slots pulls the plates from the cabinet and sets them on the table. "Eiji! You have to eat, so come on in here!"
Number Two digs into the bag he took into the kitchen and pulls out a box of food. He grabs some chopsticks and takes them all into the living room to where Eiji sits. "Here… Lo mien vegetables."
Eiji looks at Number Two. He takes the food with a weak smile.
"Listen… you're much safer here with us. Ash just doesn't want you to get hurt. Be grateful he isn't trying to send you back to Japan!" exclaims Number Two, "At least this way, when everything's all said and done, you'll still be able to see him."
"Right. In jail," says Eiji.
"No… Ash is too good for that," says Number Two smiling.
Between fight and flight is the blind man's sight and the choice that's right…
Spike smears some black face paint onto his face. "What's the word, guys?"
"Dom's girls are headed into Papa Dino's palace," says a man just a little older than Spike. He bears a scar on the right side of his face, and that scar gives him his street name, Scarr.
"Johnny and Ash are ready to move in once they get the cue from us," says Spike's younger brother, Slash, whose red hair hangs limply around his cheeks. "You're sure we can trust this info of Keith's, right, bro?"
"I know we can. Keith wouldn't mess with Ash, and I doubt he'd mess with Johnny since Johnny's girl was just killed," says Spike, "Are we all ready? This will be cake. Go in, kill everyone we see, destroy everything, and we'll be doing good!"
"We're ready," says Scarr looking around at the rest of the gang.
Spike nods. "Let's go!"
The gang members climb into their cars and start the engines. They race each other towards the district where the Banana Fish factory is located. They happen to pass by Harlem on their way.
Spike rolls his window down and waves as his car passes by a group of African-American gang members. "Hey! Come up to Manhattan if you get a chance next week! We'll catch up on the current news!"
"Right back at ya!" exclaims the leader of the Harlem gang with a smile, "If you're not too busy that is!"
I roll the window down, feel like I'm gonna drown in this strange town…Spike leans out his window and yells back at the gang as he smiles, "You got it! This here will only take a day at the max, so I'll be down shortly!"
The Harlem gang members wave as Spike's car turns around a corner and disappears.
Spike settles back down and looks outside as the buildings pass by.
Dom and several of her girls get dressed up in their formal attire. "Rummy, Gin, Five Card, Bridge… are you ready to go?"
"Are you sure you're able to do this, Dom?" asks Five Card pulling her black hair into an elegant bun to match her black satin dress.
"I have to do this," says Dom nodding her head. She piles her hair onto her head and uses a few hairpins to keep it in place.
Rummy secures her navy blue sequin dress and looks at Dom with her green eyes. "Dom, I don't think Papa Dino would want you in that condition… Your wounds haven't healed."
"He doesn't know I was injured," says Dom, "Besides, I'm not going for him. I'm after Arthur tonight!"
"Can I get Papa Dino then?" asks Bridge, "I would like to repay him for what his goon did to my sister!" She runs her hand through her black hair. Her brown eyes gaze into the mirror.
"Well, I don't see why you shouldn't be able to get Papa Dino," says Gin applying her mascara. She looks at her Cherokee friend. "You go get him, Bridge, for Blackjack's sake!"
Bridge smiles. She nods her head.
"Everyone ready?" asks Dom as she sees the teenaged girls finish their preparations.
Everyone nods.
"It's distraction time!" exclaims Dom heading out.
The girls follow Dom, and they head off to pay Papa Dino a little visit. The cars travel a little too quickly. They don't even have time to realize the danger they happen to be stepping into.
Dom leads the girls into the restaurant where Papa Dino is meeting with some of his more impressive business associates and lowliest of scum. She immediately starts making eyes with Arthur. She heads over to him with a whispered request.
"Papa Dino, do you mind if I step out for a moment?" asks Arthur.
Papa Dino waves his hand and continues to ignore Arthur.
Bridge and Gin head to the table where Papa Dino and his business partner sit while Five Card and Rummy start to flirt with Papa Dino's bodyguards.
Dom leads Arthur out of the restaurant's main lobby and into a food storage room. "Hello, there."
"This is not the time to play games," says Arthur.
"But I like games, Arthur, just like you played with Blackjack," says Dom pulling a knife from beneath a fold of her dress. She tries to plunge the blade into Arthur's heart.
Arthur and Dom struggle with the knife until he gets the upper hand and stabs the blade into her abdomen.
"Stupid bitch," says Arthur pushing Dom to the floor. He hurries out of the storage room just in time to witness the main invasion of Ash and Johnny's gangs.
Gunfire flares throughout the restaurant, and sometime during the confusion while Ash is dealing with Papa Dino's persistent bodyguards, Arthur manages to get Papa Dino out of the restaurant.
"Shit! Arthur and Dino are gone!" exclaims Ash looking around the restaurant once the gunfire has settled.
"Dom? Hey! Where's Dom?" asks Gin looking around frantically, "We've gotta find Dom!"
"I'll find her!" exclaims Johnny, "Ash! Get out of here!"
"No! I got Dom into this! If she's in trouble, she's my responsibility!" exclaims Ash, "Johnny, with me! Everyone else out!" He runs off with Johnny as the rest of the gang members run out the side door and down the alleyway to safety.
Dom falls through the doorway of the storage room. She collapses onto the floor.
"Dom?" asks Ash rushing to her side once he sees her. He sees the blood flowing from her stomach. "Oh, no! Dom!"
"Leave me, Ash. Get Arthur for me and Blackjack. And I'll leave it up to you who replaces me as head of the girls. Either Poker or Slots," says Dom slowly.
"You're not dying, Dom," says Ash, "Johnny, call the cops! They'll get her medical help!"
Johnny nods and runs to the phone.
Feel broken down, I feel broken down…"Protect him… Protect the one you love, Ash," says Dom leaning against his chest.
"I always do," says Ash. He lowers his lips to brush lightly against Dom's for a second.
Dom smiles. "Thank you, Ash. Now, please, leave me here. The ambulance is on its way. I'll take the blame for this whole disaster. But you and Johnny got to get out of here."
"We're leaving," says Ash, "And don't worry… we'll finish what we started here tonight."
Dom nods.
Ash leans Dom against the wall and hurries out of the restaurant with Johnny as the sirens start to approach.
Ash and Johnny meet the rest of the gang members in Gramps' back room.
Poker and Slots walk into the living room with Eiji between them.
Number One and Number Two follow behind the girls.
"Hey, where's Dom?" asks Poker.
"In the hospital," says Johnny, "Arthur got the better of her."
"Slots… until Dom returns, you are the temporary leader of the gang," says Ash.
"You've got it, Ash!" exclaims Slots nodding her head.
"Is this the end, Ash?" asks Eiji.
"Not quite," says Ash, "We've gotten rid of Banana Fish, but we still need to get Arthur and Papa Dino."
"There was only one Banana Fish manufacturing plant, wasn't there, Keith?" asks Spike.
"As far as we could find out," says Keith, "There should only be one."
"Should, but there could still be more," says Eiji sadly as he looks at Ash.
"We'll worry about that later, Eiji. Let's go home," says Ash. He leads Eiji out of the deli and out to the car. He looks at his close friend as they climb into the car together, and he smiles.
Do you love me, like I love you?
Or am I standing still, beneath the darkened sky…?
The end.