CHAPTER 11

SCARRED

Tamiko had already grabbed everything and drove off in his truck. The Hogo-sha-gumi had picked up Kohana and she was sitting in the backseat between a male rhinoceros and male hippopotamus.

"Ummm..." asked Kohana, scared. "May I ask what I did?"

"Nothing to make you think your life is in danger, rest assured." said the driver. "Although one of our high ranked members isn't too pleased with you. You already know who that is though."

Kohana's nervousness didn't fade, however.

"You're very very fortunate that you didn't choose to do that to Hikari." said the driver.

"What... What are you going to do to me?" asked Kohana.

"You are being returned to your home." said the driver.

Kohana breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you." she said.

"Miss, our intentions are to keep the city safe." said the driver. "We do our best to keep you safe until you become a danger. We have the means of finding out your history. You haven't harmed anyone, have you?"

"What?" Kohana asked in disbelief. "No, I'm a popular girl in school."

"That was the truth." said the rhinoceros.

"Well of course it was." said Kohana.

"Let me tell you something, popular girl." said the driver. "It doesn't matter if you're popular, unpopular, gay, straight, male, female, lion or gazelle. In life and death, we're all the same. The only differences are the bridges we create, repair or burn. You should think about that a little more."

Kohana sat quietly as the car approached her home.

"Here you are." said the driver.

"Th-thank you..." said Kohana.

"Stay out of trouble." said the driver.

The rhinoceros, which was to her right and on the side of the house got out to let her out. She then got out and went inside.

Sometime later, Hikari was walking along the streets of Tokyo. He was reading the news hologram while enjoying a nice, hot late night cup of joe. In the hologram, it read:

"In a terrifying and confusing turn of events, a ship was found at a marina just outside of Tokyo, with all members aboard massacred. A few days ago, infamous serial killer Melon Colley had left Japan on a ship of similar type, destination unknown. Could this be a warning sign that Melon has reversed course and returned to Tokyo, or is there something more at play?"

Hikari put the hologram device away and grabbed a pistol out of his pocket, carefully keeping an eye as he walked down the street. Passing an alley, he had his eyes peeled on the street. The was a loud gunshot, and Hikari feel on his back lifeless, blood pouring out the right side of his head.

Late at night, perhaps at 3 or 4, Louis screamed as he woke up, naked.

"Hey, hey, hey..." a naked Legoshi said in a comforting manner. "It was a nightmare. It's alright."

Louis just put his hands on his forehead and starting crying.

"Hey..." Legoshi said rubbed his back. "Is it... another nightmare about Hikari?"

Louis confirmed with a nod.

"Louis, look at me." said Legoshi.

Louis looked at Legoshi, tears running down his face.

"We are not going to let anything happen to our son." said Legoshi. "I promise."

Louis nods and puts his head on Legoshi's shoulder.

"It'll be alright." said Legoshi and rubbed the shoulder furthest from him.

In the morning, Tamiko was still in bed, sleeping on his belly with only shorts on. An empty bottle of champagne was knocked over beside the bed, though the floor was very dry.

"Tamiko!" Leano called to him. "Hikari's here to pick you up!"

Tamiko stirred as he slowly woke up, hungover from last night's events.

"Ugh." he said, feeling the effects and looked at the clock sitting on the bed in front of him. "Shit."

He then started fumbling around in the closet for a school suit before he picked up the scent of his father.

"Tamiko! It's time for school! Get your ass out of bed!" Miyagi shouted from the other side of the door.

"I'm getting dressed!" he called to Miyagi from the closet. "I'll be right out!"

Soon enough, he came out, dressed for school, Miyagi still standing outside his door.

"I smell alcohol on you." said Miyagi. "What did I say about drinking on school nights?"

"I'm sorry, father, I just..." began Tamiko. "I had a rocky night. I'll try not to do it again."

"Please don't." said Miyagi. "I don't enjoy being gruff."

"I know." said Tamiko and hugged him. "Love you, father."

"Love you too, son." said Miyagi and disconnected from the hug. "Now get. And if you see your brother anytime soon, tell him he doesn't have to be afraid to visit every once in a while."

"Alright." said Tamiko.

On the ride to Cherryton, Tamiko was very quiet. Hikari kept looking over at him as he drove.

"It didn't go very well last night, did it?" asked Hikari.

Tamiko sighed.

"We went to the movie theater." said Tamiko. "I treated her like a queen and she acted like a decent person. Well. We went to a hotel and had sex, then she got online and told all her friends that she had sex with me, even going so far as to put me in the video and petting me. I wanted to bite her hand off for that. But... I questioned her, and... yeah. Turns out she only slept with Tamiko Graywolf to rub it in the other girls' faces."

"Ouch." said Hikari. "I'm sorry, Tam."

"It is what it is." said Tamiko. "I'm just going to stay away from girls for a little while."

"Well, I figure that's going to be a little difficult with Sarena hanging around the manor." Hikari teased.

Tamiko sighed.

"Sorry." said Hikari. "Too soon."

A little while later. Wednesday.

Out in the lawn of Graywolf Manor, targets were up. Louis and Legoshi were sitting at a table outside, white Sarena had a revolver in her hand, aiming for the targets. There were an empty wine glass, a soda can sized drinking glass and a large canvas on an easel. She aims at the the wine bottle and fires, shattering it. She pulled the hammer back and aimed at the glass, this time missing it.
Louis got up and walked over to her.

"You've gotten better." he said.

"I still can't hit small objects though." said Sarena. "My focus is..."

"Somethint that might help is rage alone is not a recipe for focus." said Louis. "For example. Think about Melon and the way he makes you feel. Think about how you can't allow him to hurt people anymore."

She closes her eyes.

"Now you know how people have that one thing that makes them blow like a grenade?" asked Louis.

"Yes." said Sarena.

"As you know, the reaction is going to want to come out." said Louis. "Treat the gun as if it is part of your arm and focus your rage into it. Focus."
Sarena opened her eyes and aimed at the glass, keeping her hand steady. She fires and the glass shatters.

"My parents were killed when I was 3 years old." said Louis.

Sarena looks down.

"Does it get easier?" asked Sarena.

Louis takes a moment before responding.

"It doesn't get worse." said Louis. "Let me ask you something. Was your mother a good person?"

"Yes." said Sarena. "She did everything for me. She was so kind... joyful..."

"Don't ever forget that." said Louis. "I spent years not knowing who my parents were, thinking they didn't care if I was alive and well, only to find out that they were most likely murdered and that they most likely wouldn't have wanted anything to happen to me. Hatred for a lost love one... it scars you, even if the hate is evaporated."

"Thank you for the advice." said Sarena. "And for taking me in. I had nowhere left to go."

"You wanted to help make a difference." said Louis. "And it's very unsafe for you right now."