It was time to think about what was needing to be done. According to Gat, that was rebuilding to Saints. To Kyouki was the job she has working at Technically Legal.
Last week, the night of Kyouki's unforgettable drinking binge, had her calling her boss, getting the ok to come in when she felt better. Aisha came to check on her and Kyouki groaned in handover. "Can you make me hangover soup?"
"What in the world is that?" Aisha whispered to Gat, chuckling behind her.
"It's a soup I had given ya'll both that one time after we blew up Kingdom Come Records. You wouldn't remember it, ya'll some lightweights Babe." He kissed Ish on her forehead.
The small woman stood feeling insulted, then went to the kitchen to help make the miracle cure to help with cases such as the young woman lying in the guest room moaning about.
As she stood there, she realized what she was seeing. 'Kyouki domesticated Johnny!' Aisha laughed to herself as she brought in water for her best friend. Never in a million years would she expect to have ever seen one of the infamous 3rd Street Saints, Johnny Gat, in the kitchen chopping vegetables. Around an hour later, Johnny came in with a bowl for Kyouki in hand.
Every day since Gat had made her something simple for breakfast. Kyouki had come in late from the night before but time and street warfare stops for no one. Gat came busting into her room, loud. Kyouki only had a few hours of sleep and she needed to get up for work. Just not with Johnny bellowing like he was.
"Alright Pidge, eat up. We have to head to the Mission house. We are bringing the Saints back."
Ky looked up from her eating, frowning a bit, "Why? Keep it down please, you are booming in my head." Curious as to the revival of her former crew name.
Her question to Johnny had him questioning if she woke up in one piece. "Why? There are fuckers out here terrorizing the streets. Our streets. They locked our boys up and we can set it right. Take back what's ours!"
"I have work, I can't." Ky said calmly, she continued sipping the warm soup.
Johnny rubbed his nose. With a nod, he got up exiting the room, slamming the door behind him. Gat had an inkling, she had a life once she woke up and hid away with Troy. He was–eyes to the news–the whole while he was locked up. There were new crews littering Stilwater and one such in the very neighborhood Aisha and they lived.
"Got to get her to see this. Shit is worse than before." Gat muttered as he grabbed his keys heading out of the door.
Aisha jumped when the door slammed, watched Johnny from the couch as he stomped, grumbling to himself. Sliding off the couch to see Ky in the doorway of the spare room, empty bowl in hand. With an odd look on her face.
Ky sighed with a shake of her head and shrugging. "He wants to bring the Saints back. I think he wants me to lead them, but why?"
Aisha understood the look, nodded and took Ky's hand, pulling her to the couch, sat her down turning the tv on. "You are such a workaholic. Once you start, you never stop. Troy never kept you up with the news, did he?"
"Please, I don't want to talk about him."
"Fine. But there are a lot of things that you should know." The news came on for the afternoon broadcast. "This is why Johnny seems so upset." Aisha said, sitting with Ky.
As the news announcers spoke, there were shots, live, of people walking in dazes like zombies. "Drugs?" Ky frowned at the screen. The cameraperson panned out and around the area showing a wide shot of the school. "At the University…" Kyouki knew she had gotten rid of the drugs, had them under Saints control. That was one of the major orders that Julius Little demanded. 'Get the Carnales out of Stilwater, no matter the cost!' How could there be a new string of shit like this in the city once again? Five Years.
Watching the screen, it was a clip from the night before. Several large red and gold trucks rolling along the streets bashing into other cars. One enormous truck stopped at a hotdog stand swinging at the owner, catching him on his side. Sending him crumpling to the ground.
"What the hell?" Ky's eyes were wide.
Aisha agreed. "Mmhm. Yeah girl, it's bad. I guess with Troy more worried about you, he just couldn't get this under control, too. He has been under a ton of pressure. As shocking as it was to find out he was UC. It did not stop him from helping keep me safe when Johnny was locked up."
Kyouki looked at Aisha, then looked back at the screen, sighing. "Troy lied to all of us." Ky saw his picture on the screen. They were discussing if the man they spoke of was good enough to be the Chief of Police because he was a former gang member. Ky got up, going to wash her bowl. "I will not think about it now. I will have to sit on it. It can wait until I get home from work tonight. I have other things to do now."
Ky put the bowl in the dish drain. "I may have found a place. Just waiting for the ok to move in, don't tell Gat he might not let me leave." Ky laughed. "He will find out I actually like my job. I'll never hear the end of it."
Aisha laughed along with her. "I don't really want you to leave. Tempted to hold you here myself, but I understand. I honestly do." Aisha had a sad smile on her face.
As great as it was to be hanging with Aisha and Gat again. Ky couldn't help but think of her considering what Johnny said. Gat can be all the mad he wanted. She decided it would be best to leave. If Troy was any sort of Saint, undercover or no, he will figure out how to clean Stilwater without her help.
Kyouki really needed to be alone for a while. The issue with Troy still stung. The further away, the better. "I will have to see if I can transfer job locations. There is one near my new place. A bit more of a walk if I chose, but I can drive when it gets cold. I need to get ready." Kyouki hurried, zipping to her room then to shower.
Gat came in shortly after. Ky had finished, then rushed to her room to tackle her hair. She emerged five minutes later, twisting her hair into a bun. Gat handed her a bowl.
"Drink this before you go." Gat said. He looked down at her.
She took the bowl from his hands. "Miso? Arigato Gat" She slurped the soup as she walked to the front door. "I'll be back later. I have Sunday and Monday off. We can talk about your plan, then." She nodded and muttered her thank-yous between sips before walking out of the door and to the club.
Gat went to the door, seeing her head bobbing up the walk, "You ain't taking the car?"
Kyouki stopped, eyebrows raised. "Nah, it's a nice day for a walk. It's right there anyway, bbl." Ky thumbed to the big building in the distance behind her. Waving as she continued on her trek.
"Did she just say bbl?" Gat scratched his head, going back inside.
Sunday came, and Li was grateful for it. The night before was hectic as hell again, and she still had a handle on the throbbing headache that formed until Gat banged on her door. "Up, shit to do, people to kill."
Kyouki was just laying in bed. Enjoying the quiet until then. "Yo! No. I need sleep. And I already told Ish that I would think about it. I haven't had time to think. What's with the people to kill? Who says that?" Ky reached for her phone, 8:45 am. She pulled the covers over her head and threw a silent fit into her pillow at the disturbance til she heard the bellow from outside her door.
"Less go!" Gat raised his voice again.
"Watashi Oshiri o kite imasu!" She bellowed back.
Standing at her door, he called once more. "Seoduleuji anh-eumyeon naega jigjeob neoleul bakkuleo olge." Chuckling when he heard her gasp in horror.
"You better not!" Kyouki hurried to get dressed, but her head hurt.
"You don't understand how the hell you know what I said? You have til nine."
Ky whined when she came out of the room. "I don't have to understand it. I know you! Can you at least drive? I still don't feel well." She shuffled past, pouting on her way to the bathroom.
Aisha chuckled. "What did you both say? No, what did she say to you?"
"Something, something Ass." He nodded as he sat looking at his watch. Aisha laughed louder, taking a sip of coffee. "What? She's called me Ass a lot. I should know what Oshiri means."
Ky rolled her eyes at Gat for making her get up when she needed sleep. He saw her and smirked. Ky reached out for Aisha's mug and took a swallow of the semi-sweet coffee, shaking her head. "Ugh, nope, how do you drink that stuff?"
"How can you not? See you two when you get home." Aisha waved from her spot on the couch.
"We go out when we get back." Kyouki got out fast before Johnny pushed her out of the door. "Stop, I don't feel well, you bully!"
"Shut up, get in the car!"
Aisha burst out laughing, coffee all over her glass table. She laughed louder, then got up to clean the mess she made.
"Wow. It really has been a long time since I had been here." Kyouki was looking around, pointing out that there were some street names that had been changed. "When did they start renaming streets?"
Johnny looked out of the window when they pulled to a four-way stop. "Hm, not sure. I hadn't noticed and was in the pen for some years."
They drove for a while more to the other side of town, the Red Light district. Pulling up, the area was dirty. Litter was all over the streets. It looked much worse than when she used to stomp these grounds. The pimps walked around keeping eyes on their hoes; they seemed to no longer wait until the sun fell. Kyouki remembered she had cleaned these streets, had the girls safe, regular checkups, and confidence. Working under her orders. Of course, with the permission of Julius Little.
Wondering what happened to a few who she called friend. 'No. I will not go there.' Derailing her own thoughts of the past. She has a new life now. And she is content with what she has.
As the two of them rolled up to a nightclub, Koi, parking lot, they then stopped in front of what used to be a missionary house, long since abandoned, shattered lights. It may have once been a nice, quiet refuge. Not anymore. A few stragglers dotted the exterior, homeless and junkies, lay about inside.
She could see the place was tagged over and over, old, with fresh spray bleeding into each other. Kyouki covered her nose from the smell. "Ok, but isn't it like… Didn't we do that already, the whole church thing? I mean, this is do-able, bit small. Shit, was that a rat, fucker big as a cat!" Ky grabbed a hold of Gats' shirt.
Johnny snorted, trying to keep from laughing. She jumped so hard. "This way, this isn't it. You remember the part of the city that fell during a big ass quake, that rocked this part of the city? They ain't bother fixing it, or dig it up. Some-fucking-how the damn place is still intact. A shit ton of fucking space. They just kept building over the top of it. What we want is below." Gat said as he led her through to the back that was once a kitchen, down several flights of stairs, he kicked open the door leading into a musty hallway.
To her right a set of large damaged doors, that was once an elevator, the shaft had debris spilled from what was the upper floors. She could see the whole structure was sound by the way it's held up all these years. Johnny led them further down the hall to the grand staircase of what was once a hotel.
"Whoa." was all Ky could say as she looked around. It was in terrible shape, but it could be much worse.
Partly crumbled statue of a toga wearing angel, that must have been a sight in its day. 'The space was enormous, and it would be the perfect place for…. No, I can't do this again.' Li shook her head. These thoughts needed to leave. Running with the Saints put her out of commission. She wasn't doing that again. She lost too much already. "G? I don't think I can. I mean, you know I always have your back about shit. But this? I don't think…"
Gat stopped and turned to look at Kyouki. As her eyes were scanning the dark area. He knew what she was talking about. "Just come on. I got you." He turned. When he got out, he risked bringing the Saints back. He was thinking of the city. The city they held down and cleaned those years ago. Losing friends was commonplace. Kyouki lost friends and family. They lost her and it all fell apart.
It was five months after Troy had her back on her feet. Kyouki was at her best and had been hounding Troy to make calls for her. He didn't want her searching alone. There was no telling what enemies that could still lay in wait. So said Troy.
"Baby, I need to get in touch with my Obachan." Kyouki called from the bathroom.
Troy froze. "Uh, yeah, she had been worried about you, but uh…" Troy hung his head, closing his eyes.
"But what?" Kyouki leaned on the door frame, finished up the braid she was working on.
Troy walked over and gave her a gentle kiss. "She's over near Mourning Wood now."
Ky smiled, kissing him again, "Can we go next day off?"
Troy nodded, "Yeah Baby Girl, yeah next day off." he really needed to tell her.
Kyouki lost her Obachan. Knowing that it was the life that happened out of respect. Caused the older woman to worry so when she didn't come home, her whole family. Ky just wanted quiet now. Her life was fine now. He knew he shouldn't push this. He just wanted to keep the city clean once more.
"Yeah, we need to 'move' the current tenants. They all over this place. Look like Samedi can smell the drugs on them." Gat said, the smell was strong, rubbed his nose. "Lessgo work to do. Here." He tossed her one gun she collected days ago.
Li pretended to cry. "Let's get this oooverrrr with." whining as she was following Gat to the lower part of the felled city. The Old part of Stilwater she heard about it but never had she thought the stories were true. "Holy.. Shit… It does exist!" She was impressed with the large section of the city was intact as they headed further down, whoever these Samedi were they made sure they could come and go, building rickety cobbled together staircases leading to, what once was, the main streets, "Fucking cobblestones! Gat, ooh. Like in the old movies!" She eyed the whole of this part of Stilwater.
As Kyouki looked around, Gat was looking for members of the Samedi. Ky would pat him to show him a wrecked storefront that was decades old, or the fountain that had long since dried up. There were many barrels of fire and strung lights that illuminated the felled city. It was eerie, but a fucking marvel to see.
Making their rounds, a member of the gang they came to clear out had seen them approach. Not sure what the pair was doing down here, that wasn't one of their own, walked up and signaled two others to move in on them. His echo bounced around them. "Fuck you doing here!" as he and the two with him ran, trying to flank Gat and Ky.
Gat punched the attacker on his left. "You need to fucking leave our turf now." Drawing his gun.
"This is Samedi territory. Step off. Call for backup!" He ordered the few other members that were littered underground in Knight Plaza.
"Fuck outta here." Gat shot one of the Samedi in the chest, who was mingling among the junkies.
Li's auto response kicked in. She darted past Gat, kicking the next person's gun out of their hand, grabbing the poor kid she sent him into the makeshift house of the many homeless that lived here. "Sorry." She shouted as she ran to a Samedi member trying to sneak up on Gat, tossing him into the fountain centerpiece.
"You just tossing people now?"
"Shyeah, I've been working out!" Ky grinned, quickly ducking someone swinging a crowbar behind her, catching the Samedi footman in the armpit with her heel. She regained her footing and punched the gang member in his chest.
Gat loved watching her fight. Laying them out one by one. It felt like nothing changed, but Gat was wrong. He could feel that the surrounding air changed. She was just doing this because she won't see him hurt. Kyouki runs on autopilot. Like when she came barreling into the courtroom.
~*S.R.1*~
"Just how the hell are we going to get up there?" Dex asked as Johnny and Troy stood at the locked door of the alley.
Li was standing near them and looked around. She saw an open window on the second floor. "Leave it to me. I see an open window."
The three of them followed her gaze. Li pulled a set of claws from her pocket and slipped them on her hands. Gat watched her, "Fuck you think you doing?" Dex looked around for anyone coming up.
Li tightened the wrist straps, taking several steps back. She ran leaping wall to wall up to the window. They heard noises and a few minutes later, the small girl opened the door, letting them in.
The three of them gawked at her. "No shit." They collectively were stunned.
She just shrugged, "Movies, heh, they teach you something." Li hung her head, trying to hide her smile.
"You Bruce Lee cousin or something?" Troy asked as he went in. Li pointed at him, then closed her mouth.
"Anything else you should tell us?" Dex scowled at her on his way in.
The sounds of groaning trailed the path she took, claw marks on their faces. Gat pointed at her. "Stray cat."
~*S.R.1*~
Shots rang out rapidly. They had to duck for cover. The unarmed and armed needed to be dealt with quickly. They made each shot count, Li took out knees, "Don't kill them, we can use them. The hell am I saying? Gat I CAN'T DO THIS AGAIN!" Kyouki ducked for cover.
Groaning, Gat ran over to her and shielded her. "If you want to make it out of here, we are going to have to fight our way out." He harshly said over the sound of screaming and gunfire. Though he did as instructed, incapacitating them, not killing them outright, they lay moaning in pain and no longer shooting at them.
"Listen up, if you want your life, get the fuck out of here NOW!" Gat demanded of the squatters, his voice echoing off the walls.
When it was over Kyouki turned her angry honey eyes to the two standing Samedi members she didn't bother to injure. The young woman and man she left standing looked at her, almost pissing themselves. "And as for you, go to whoever your boss is and tell them not in my city." Remembering the dozens sitting strung out like zombies at the campus.
They both scurried off past her, tripping over their own feet. Li scratched her temple in thought, folding her arms across her chest, "Gat, how many people does it take to send a message?" Her head cocked to the side.
"One." he practically growled it out as his voice dropped an octave. Gat smirked 'That just turned her on.' He fired one shot, the sound of one body hitting the pavement with a thud followed the other squealed as they hurried up the wooden planks.
She felt a tingle running through her when she heard him stopping right at her center. The sound of the gunfire caused her to jump. 'Fuck.'
"Good to have you back, Boss." Gat purred in her ear.
Ky closed her eyes. "Hm." A heavy sigh escaped her lips. She looked around, clearing her throat, hearing the sounds of those moaning in pain. She shook her head, reaching up, tied her hair back up into a sloppy bun.
They headed back up to the hotel lobby. Gat kicked a crate on its side, went and grabbed a wide tarp, laid it across the filthy couch. He sat propping his feet up.
"So whatchu think?" His hands resting behind his head.
"Is aight." Ky poked her head around the counter, heading back to where Gat was.
"Just aight, this has potential." Gesturing to the spacious lobby.
Ky nodded, yes it has potential. Looking around, taking mental notes, "Right, it does I give it that… Is this what you want to do?"
Gat held his hand up, pausing her thought. "Yeah. This city needs to be cleansed." Taking another look around thought of sweetening up the deal. "Listen, stripper poles, couple flat screens… Nicer furniture…"
Kyouki laughed, "Aight, you had me at flat screens, that's only cause you know I love my movies."
Gat laughed, "Fuckin' A."
Kyouki just shook her head. She had to admit; it felt like old times. That was weighing on her rational mind. While what she saw going on in Stilwater, yeah, the city's Saints needed to make a grand comeback. "Omo yo, naze? Time to clean up." She announced, clapping her hands walking back to the lower level.
Johnny looked up at her, watching her as she walked away. He was speechless. She was actually going to do it. This, they were going to get the city under control. He got to his feet and hustled behind her. "So, what is it you have planned?"
It took them two hours alone to help the wounded up to the lobby of the derelict hotel, wiping her brow as she stood, stretching her back. "Damn, I don't miss this." Ky complained, rubbing her sore lower back.
Gat dropped the guy he was helping on the hard floor. "This is not what I planned for the rest of my day."
"Shut the hell up. We have to get this place cleaned up." Ky went to flush out the injured soldier's leg.
"Yo, I'm no gotdamned maid." Gat bit back.
Kyouki looked up and pouted at him, "Oh bet you'd look cute in that skirt. You are nothing but a gotdamn Diva." with a roll of her eyes continued what she was doing. Going to the next person who was wounded.
"This is for the people who just got Canonized." Johnny pointed to the floor where he just dropped a body.
Kyouki stood, throwing her hands up in mock shock, "Shit, you are so right. Hey, let's ask the crew for some help. Hey, ya'll wanna help?" They met her with moans and groans. "See, we are doing this shit ourselves."
"Point taken, smartass. We can't run a gang if… Oh, I don't know, ya know, DON'T HAVE A FUCKIN' GANG!" Throwing out his hands to the space they stood, his voice reverberating against the walls. Showing they are practically alone, save the bodies that lay in pain at their feet.
Kyouki was busy with the injured, but this man touched on a nerve like one had never felt. She stopped once more from what she was in the middle of. Her eyes narrowed as she turned on him. "Five years Gat… five FUCKING YEARS! I told you I HAVE A LIFE, this wasn't it, you dragged me out of bed for this shit, YOU, not ME, you told me most of the crew was locked up cause of Troy, and the rest buried six feet… so suddenly I gained magical powers to just instantly produce people for a gang?"
She stood toe to toe with him, angry. Jaw clenched as she stared him in the eyes, glaring up at him, ready to shoot him as angry as she felt. Five years of her life had gone in a literal flash.
Now she was about to do it all over again, because he needs her to help him. "This was not part of my plan." Her vision was distorting. Johnny went to hug her, and she slapped his arm away. Ky went back to helping the injured, angrily wiping away a rogue tear.
Gat put his hands up in defense. He sighed hard, "Aight, we gonna start fresh. We'll have to get the crew out somehow and find new people. My bad." Johnny knew he just wanted to keep his girls safe, Aisha hiding away at home all day, and Kyouki, who seems to actually enjoy her day job. He went back to work without further complaint. Another hour went by and Johnny was done. He kicked a crumpled beer can. "Yeah, that's what we'll do. I ain't moppin' up no blood. Quit bleeding on my floors!" He barked at the wounded Samedi members.
Kyouki turned to them. "Oh you asshats, need to listen well. You're Saints now, heal quickly or I'll let Johnny kill you. Johnny, come on, I know this kid. I met him in the infirmary, Mendoza…. Carlos… I'll have to see what his sheet is. We'll have to get more people. You got anyone?"
Johnny thought for a minute, tapping his finger to his lips nodded pulling out his cell, "Yeah, I met some in jail who might do, when I find out where these bitches are we'll meet up with them, but you will have to impress them."
"Fuck, I look like... Oh right… I was dead for five years." As she made her way back up to when they first arrived. "I need seven showers."
Gat agreed as he followed her up the old hotel staircase, "Nine if two are with me." Ky paused mid-step, lips pursed, Gat brushing past her grinning as he continued up the old Mission house steps. "Do not start that shit again. You need to grow the fuck up, I swear."
For the next few days that week, Li and Gat got a few things organized. She pulled some of her savings and had her new skeleton crew working on cleaning up while she waited for Gat to look into the Lieutenants on his end. It wasn't long until brothers, sisters and cousins of former members heard word and came back, paying their respect to Li. How they found out? Word of mouth.
Saturday morning proved to be the perfect Spring day for picking up an eager young man Li met months ago from while in the clutches of a prison infirmary. Ky casually leaned on her car outside of the courthouse under a shady tree, fanning herself. Her black cherry dotted pencil dress was a gift from Aisha, who was in the back of the car relaxing, glad to get out of the house, and Johnny was standing next to Ky, "Ish had you talked to your sister lately?"
"Yeah, why."
Kyouki looked at her friend. "I might have to move you both."
"Baby Girl no, I like my little house."
Ky smiled, "I know, but… Oh, there he is… Carlos here!" She waved the young man over.
Carlos was in for boosting cars. Li pulled his sheet a few days before, after she used Troy's password to get into the criminal system. She found that to be a delightful coincidence. She needed something as Troy had, what was rightfully hers, locked up tight. "Carlos, hey man, sorry it took so long, you good?"
Carlos was in shock. He got the news of his early release when he stepped from the gate. He looked to see Li with Gat. His mouth dropped open. "No puedo creer esto, I'm gonna be a Saint!"
Kyouki laughed, "Calm down kid, no hablar Español, I'm gonna need you to do something for me first, get in the back."
Carlos tried not to be so star-struck as he felt like he was in front of celebs. He nodded quickly and hurriedly climbed in the back. He squealed when he saw who he was sitting next to. "Oh my god, you're!"
Aisha nodded and held up a finger to quiet him. Ky chuckled, "Ok, yes, and we don't talk about it alright. She's our well-kept secret." As she closed her door and they pulled off.
Carlos again nodded quickly. Aisha held her hand out for him to shake. "Yes, I'm that Aisha." she smiled. It had been a while since she felt this elated.
Gat snorted, "This kid for real?"
He blushed a bit with his head down, "I am, I wanna be a Saint."
He saw that Li and Aisha swatted at Gat, "I got you, Carlos, pay no mind to this ass." They pulled off and Li started telling of the plan to get her car back. "Listen up, I have some property locked away and I hear you got locked up for boosting, well… Get my property you... will officially be a Saint."
Carlos's eyes went wide as saucers. He lit up like a star. "Anything you got it, just tell me where and when."
They had pulled up to the docks a half hour later, at rows of lockers, each one exactly like the next. Ten rows of twenty large storage lockers lined a section of the warehouse waterfront. Li reached back, handing Carlos a set of tools along with the locker number. "You come back here tonight, bring me what's mine, and for all that is holy, don't fuck my baby up."
Li looked at him in the rearview mirror, "Before I forget, you have to drive it to the garage behind club Koi, you know where?" Carlos nodded, "Alright, here is a phone, our numbers are in it, text when you are done."
He took the items, sliding the phone in his pocket. "You got it. Tonight." Carlos looked back again as they pulled off to get the boy settled.
The middle of the next week, Wednesday, Kyouki received a text from Johnny when she was cleaning up the bar for the night.
Head to the burbs, who I have in mind is at XXXX in Quinbecca. Her name is Shaundi'
She placed her phone back in her pocket, hustling around getting the spot clean so she can leave early; she took fewer hours getting clear from her boss. Kyouki also had them contact the other club to see if she could transfer, but with her friends at this club, she decided when the time came to just commute for their sake.
Later that evening, the sun was setting for its long night over Stilwater. Deep purples and blues coated the starlit sky. She pulled up to the address, seeing a few people standing about playing a game. She slowed up to pull over. Getting out, she walked up cautiously. "Hey, I'm looking for Shaundi? Gat sent me."
"I'm Shaundi." A petite young woman stepped forward, her bangs were blond and her hair in dreads of brown tied back. "No.. shit." The girl grinned. "You're like a legend."
Kyouki shook her head, smiling, "Don't do that. I'm not really. Get in. I need to grab something to eat."
Shaundi headed over to the passenger side, saying her goodbyes to the people who were still in the middle of their game. They talked about how she became cool with Johnny. "I needed protection, and like everyone knows Gat, so me and him worked it out. I can make Pruno that won't kill anyone." Shaundi stated proudly.
Li raised her eyebrows, intrigued, as they pulled up to a Company of Gyros, "Pruno, alright." She pulled her cell out, dialing Gat putting him on speaker.
"Sup?"
"Hey G… What's Pruno?"
She could hear him laughing on the other end. "You must be with Shaundi. Hey kid, it's Prison Wine."
"Tsk, you didn't have to laugh at me, stupid face." she sucked her teeth looking at the phone in her hand in annoyance.
Shaundi contained her chuckles, "Hey Gat."
Ky was next up to order her food. "Ya'll want anything over there? I shouldn't get you anything." She said to the man on the other end.
"Get anything you know what we eat." Johnny answered back.
Kyouki placed a few more orders. Looking at Shaundi, she inclined her head to the menu board.
"Just a number one, large."
"Alright, I'll see you all shortly." Hanging up on Gat. Then turned her attention to the girl next to her. "We can talk about plans when we get there."
Pulling up to Aisha's Shaundi, Carlos was in tow, stood waiting with bags of food. When the door opened, Johnny greeted them, leading them in.
"NOEL, I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND I BROUGHT COMPANY!" Ky smiled while shouting through the house, heading to the dining room table placing the food down. "Shaundi, I'll kill you myself if you leak this out. This is Ish, Shaundi, Ish, Ish, Shaundi."
Aisha gave Kyouki and Gat a long, hard look. "I know I said no. Hi Shaundi, but this will not be the clubhouse. Kyouki Irissa." Aisha whispered harshly her friend's name, putting emphasis on not to use her home.
Kyouki pouted and snuggled up to Aisha, putting her head on her shoulder. "Please, just for a bit. I promise it won't be all the time, just for dinners?"
Aisha sighed then smiled, "Alright, just dinners."
Ky gushed and hugged the smaller woman tighter. "Ok, so Shaundi said on the way here there's a street race on Saturday." Kyouki looked at the others at the table.
Gat smiled. "Time to make that money!" He rubbed his hands together.
"Ish, you are coming with I hope you have an outfit." Kyouki bit into her gyro.
Shaundi grabbed a few fries. "Yeah, it's like every other weekend, and before the race, there's like a car show off. It always gets busted up shortly after, though."
Some hours passed, it was getting late. Kyouki gathered up the others, and she headed to taking them home. Aisha pulled Ky aside, giving her a long hug. "Thank you. I see what you are doing."
Ky smiled. "I know you don't want this to be the clubhouse, and it won't. Most of the time, I will keep it to dinners. I'll be back later. Get some sleep."
Aisha wished Carlos and Shaundi a goodnight and locked the door behind them.
Saturday came like the other days of the week didn't exist. Ky sent out a text to meet at the club at 4:30 pm, Shaundi and Aisha got the same message.
Meet T.L Misty Lane, I brought your club gear.
The girls arrived at the appointed time just as Li tossed off her apron. She saw their approach and signaled them to follow her in back. They got permission to use her manager Rich's office. It was easier to use than the girls' dressing room. It would keep Aisha sightings down considerably.
"Alright, I got something I think would look nice on you both." Ky handed Aisha a three-piece dress, iridescent lavender two piece, spaghetti strap top that dipped low in the front and tight knee-length pencil skirt, the third piece was a sheer, clear rhinestone fitted cover that sparkled when light hit it.
"Li-Li, where you get this?" Aisha put it on and spun once, putting on a pair of clear heels, looking at herself in the small mirror.
"Couple of things I had I meant to give you ages ago." Ky stepped from behind the makeshift divider in a deep metallic purple long-sleeved cropped cheerleader top and fitted black leather low waist pants, a pair of combat boots with bubble gum pink laces and hearts of the same pink and purple on the sides.
"Girl, they gonna lock you up. Abs game is tight." Aisha gawked. Kyouki was in amazing shape now. Much more so than when they first met each other. Her hourglass figure was something to be jealous of, her waist was small, her body shape was tighter. "That's not all that corset training you did?"
The woman shook her head. "No. I had been working out mostly since I woke up. Physical training. Troy did one thing right, making sure I stayed active even after therapy, but the scars…" She rubbed the small and large gashes that had healed over, that went through to her back. "I thought about having them removed." Ky turned away from the mirror. She couldn't think on it right now.
Aisha nodded, "No, I get it." She knew what her best friend couldn't say. The text flooded in that night. She took Johnny's phone from him. There were very descriptive texts. There was even camcorder footage. It made that nightmare real. How Kyouki lived through it is a miracle.
"I don't know... this outfit, Ladies. Whatchu think?" Shaundi stepped out in a rhinestone bra cage choker combo in light purple stones, and a black scoop neck that just kept her breasts barely covered where it needed and a pair of latex micro low waist pants with a zipper in the back, donned a pair of heels to match the bra cage.
"Ooh, wish I wore that, but I'm driving." Li picked up a jar of gel and went quickly to style Aisha's jet black pixie cut, giving her a few spikes almost in a mohawk.
Then rubbing the rest of the gel on her hair, Li brushed her hair through parting it, grabbed a comb and gave one side a comb through pulling it up, with her thick hair pulled up into a ponytail, changed her mind before she started the other side. The updo forgotten, she quickly gathered her hair and braided it in one braid. Leaving a few strands loose that framed her face with a bit of gel and water letting it curl and wave naturally.
Shaundi pulled her locks into a nice style, spritzing with some glitter gel.
"Makeup and we can go." Kyouki announced as they finished up. Once their war paint successfully applied, the three of them cleaned up the office. They headed out for the main walk. All eyes stopped from the girls on the stage to the three leaving the strip club.
"Baby, don't go. Can I get your number?" One patron called after them.
"Not in this life," Kyouki called back.
Another pleaded with the popular bartender. "Kia, don't be like that!"
She waved a dismissive hand. "Or the next."
Ky laughed, heading past the bouncer and out the doors. It was warm out, and they still had a bit of time before they met up with Johnny, who was already set up at the spot by the dock in New Hannequet.
"Kia? How's that your name? I thought your name was L.." Shaundi started, but stopped the second bumped into the woman in question who glared down at her.
"Not here. My name is Kia. Got it?" The look she gave her chilled her blood. If she thought they feared Gat, she may have been wrong. Li was the side she needed to be on.
"Yeah. I got it." Shaundi swallowed.
When they all went to climb into Li's everyday car, they saw Carlos approach. He donned in black baggy jeans, a purple tank top with black over shirt left open.
Li stepped back out. "I thought you were at the spot. Something happened?"
"No, I thought I just roll with you three, is cool?" He looked like he had been waiting a while.
Ky thumbed to the back seat behind her, taking her place in the driver's seat. She was going to have to talk to Johnny about Carlos. Looking in the rearview mirror at Shaundi, she turned off the music and made sure the girl was looking at her. "I will say this once. In public, you will address me as Kia and her Noel. I will not be letting it known 'Li' is back until I am ready." Seeing the slip of a girl nodded her agreement.
Her phone rang loud interrupting her thoughts. Shaundi breathed a sigh of relief. The glare she held even from the mirror shook her.
"Its Gat." Putting him on speaker, Gat said that there were enough people there to make a small fortune. He heard word that there was a driver who is supposed to be unbeatable. Kyouki scoffed. "We'll be there in a few. See you then."
They pulled off, heading to the destination that Shaundi had given.
