AN: Happy Thanksgiving!
...Is what I'd be saying if I managed to finish this shit when I wanted to. But as it stands, my tendency to procrastinate continues to impede me, and so here are. Better late than never I guess.
Here's the second half of the last update, which thank God I split up because it would've probably taken far longer to for me to post this chapter in one piece. This chapter went through A LOT of editing to make it work, and since half of it is basically one long fight scene, most of that was just me second-guessing myself. People seemed to like the Dome chapter though, and that one was ALL fight scenes, so maybe I don't give myself enough credit.
Leave a comment if you're so inclined. This chapter was conceived before I even started writing this story, so I took extra care trying to make it good. I think it came out alright, but I'd love to hear your thoughts about it. Feedback is my motivation to keep going.
Anyway, enough rambling from me. Enjoy!
-Skippy Jones
—CHAPTER 24—
For the first time in her life, Ashi was excited.
Today, she and her sisters turned four-years-old, and little Ashi was finally old enough to understand what was going to happen next. The seven sisters would be gathered with their Mother for a family photograph.
Although Ashi did not remember taking them, she was always seeing the framed pictures from previous birthdays in the hallway of her Mother's home. Despite the visible changes in each of the photos, every picture looked eerily similar: The girls all stood in a perfect row, front and center, hands held behind their backs, wearing matching black dresses and neutral expressions. The daughters stood in order from oldest to youngest going left to right down the line, and their Mother always placed herself next to the eldest daughter.
What bothered Ashi most about the photos was how "same-y" the sisters looked. It made the picture so boring! Everyone was wearing such dark and stuffy clothing, and they stood there like statues, no expression at all. Ashi simply could not understand how a smart person like her Mother never looked at the photos and realize how much better they could look.
One day, their Mother took the girls to the mall, and Ashi saw the perfect opportunity to change up the family's wardrobe for this year's photo. Surely Ashi's Mother would be delighted to hear her suggestions. Whenever Ashi saw something in the store that she liked, she would shout to her Mother from the back of the line her sisters had to walk in, asking if they could buy that item.
Every time Ashi spoke up, however, she was immediately shut down. Her Mother gave no consideration to any of Ashi's ideas, and even the simplest request was met with a stern denial. Ashi finally stopped asking when her Mother demanded she stop in the low, scary voice she always used when she was angry. Well, more angry than usual.
Having finally accepted defeat, Ashi spent the rest of the shopping trip sulking, trudging along at the back of the line. The disappointment caught the eye of an older female store employee, who sympathized with the little girl's plight. While the Mother was checking out, the clerk fished a small plastic hairclip from a fifty-cent bucket by the registers. She snuck to the end of the line of little girls, quietly tapping Ashi on the shoulder. When the little girl looked up, the clerk put her index finger to her lips and hushed Ashi. Then she held up her opposite hand as an outstretched palm, pointing at it so that Ashi would mimic the gesture. Once she did, the clerk dropped the gift into Ashi's receiving palm, gave her a wink, then casually turned and walked away.
Ashi examined and was immediately smitten with her spontaneous present: a small green hairclip with a ladybug on it. Even though she had failed to get anything from her Mother, the accessory was the perfect thing to liven up the family photo, if even just a little. Until then, Ashi hid it away in her pocket, not wanting her Mother to see it just yet.
And so, the day of the photo arrived, and the sisters all put on their frilly black dresses as they were instructed. Even at such a young age, their Mother expected the girls to be able to put on the formal garments by themselves. She also expected them to be ready by ten in the morning, which it was just about, so the girls lined up and headed out of their room and down the main stairwell.
Ashi, however, hung back for a second. Reaching under pillow, she pulled out the ladybug hairclip, and ran to the mirror to put it in her hair. Her face lit up at her reflection, but Ashi had no time to admire herself, as her Mother's voice beckoned her from downstairs.
"ASHI! Get down here this instant!" the woman shouted demandingly. Everything else was already in place. The camera was set, the rest of the girls were present, but nothing could be done until Ashi was present. This was a common occurrence with that one; always falling behind, unable to follow instruction, 'The runt of the litter'.
Speaking of the runt, the sound of her hurrying down the stairs caught the Mother's attention. Shriveling under the piercing gaze, Ashi moved nervously to her spot in the line, and muttered, "I'm very sorry, Mother…" hoping it would be enough to appease her.
Unfortunately, her Mother's eyes zeroed in on the colorful accessory in the little girl's hair, narrowing in disapproval. The woman walked over to Ashi with slow menace, stopping her left and looming over the little girl threateningly. Ashi stared down at the floor guiltily. "Ashi," her Mother spoke up in a low voice, "What is that in your hair?"
Ashi looked up at her Mother, taking a moment to respond. "I-It's a hairclip. I got it from a lady at the mall," she answered in a meek voice.
Her Mother's eyes softened slightly, and her voice was an unusually gentle tone. "Sweet Ashi, I'm afraid this simply won't do. Tell me, do you see a hairclip in any of your sisters' hair?" she asked the girl plainly.
"Uhh…" Ashi looked to her right, down the line of daughters, and saw not a single hairclip among them expectedly. "N-No," she admitted, forcing herself to look up at her Mother.
"Exactly. You see, even a single feature out of place would ruin the entire photograph. You could only wear that hairclip if the rest of you sisters had one as well, but since they don't, I'm afraid I can't allow you to keep it on," she explained, matter-of-factly, then held her hand out commandingly, "Now please give me the hairclip."
Ashi begrudgingly reached for the accessory in her hair but instead removing into, she ended up covering the hairclip with her hands. "Mother, I… I really like it. Can I please wear it this one time?" the little girl asked gingerly.
Her Mother paused, looking at her with a bemused grin. "Oh Ashi, you must understand. As your Mother, it is my duty to raise you so that one day you will be a mature and successful person," she claimed, moving so she was standing directly in front of Ashi, "If I gave you whatever you want just because you asked me, that would be spoiling you. I know what's best for you, Ashi, and what's best for you would be to do as I say." The woman reached out to take the hairclip herself, "Now give it to me."
"B-But it's my birthday!" Ashi recoiled, covering the hairclip again, "Can't I just have this one thing? You never let any of us have anything! I don't know what 'spoil' is, but how does a tiny thing like this do that?" she wondered aloud, pointing at the clip in her hair.
Her sisters—who had been watching this exchange intently—quietly considered the points Ashi was making, looking amongst each other curiously.
As her protestation continued, Ashi became more angry than sad, realizing how little freedom she had. "I hate this dress and I hate taking pictures; this hairclip is the only thing I like! You got to choose everything else about today, I only want to choose this one thing!" the little girl argued, puffing out her cheeks.
"I've heard enough!" the Mother interrupted Ashi's reasoning, putting her hands on her hips authoritatively. "No more excuses, Ashi. This is a very important occasion, and you will wear nothing unless I approve of it. Are we clear?"
"No!" Ashi refused, stomping her foot in petulant defiance.
Her Mother glared down at the rebellious Ashi. Her voice was once again the infamous low register her daughters all feared, "I'll only ask you one more time: Give me the hairclip."
Ashi stood firm, "No!"
"I am your Mother! You will do as I say, and I say that you will dress like a prim and proper little girl!"
"NO! I wanna dress like ME!"
Suddenly, the back of her Mother's right hand made swift contact with Ashi's cheek, sending the girl to the floor. As Ashi processed what just happened, she could hear a collective gasp from her onlooking sisters. The little girl managed to get up on her knees, eyes welling up with tears, still feeling the sting of the slap, and looked up at her Mother shyly.
The woman glanced down at her with a pitying look, and sighed, "See what you made me do? This is what happens when you disobey, Ashi." The little girl looked down at the floor again, trying as hard as she could not to cry. Her Mother used her index finger to lightly lift the girl's face and look her in the eyes. "But know that I only ever want what's best for you, dear," she said softly, then reached again for the hairclip. This time, Ashi didn't make a move against her, only looking down at the floor in shame.
Her Mother continued, "These frivolous distractions are poisonous to your development." With two fingers on each hand, she pinched both ends of the hairclip, making sure all of her daughters were paying attention.
"They are not part of the family order."
Right in front of Ashi's face, the Mother snapped the plastic accessory in two.
/
A light shuffling sound caused Ashi to shift in her sleep. She rolled to drape an arm over Jack, but her arm only flopped against the empty bed, waking her up. Ashi propped herself up and rubbed her weary eyes to see Jack standing over by the dresser. "Nngh… what's goin' on…?" slurred Ashi.
He turned to her abruptly, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. Go on back to sleep, I'll just be another minute…" he apologized, slipping a dark grey tee over his head.
Ashi glanced over at the clock on the nightstand to see that it was only quarter to nine. "It's so early… where the hell are you going?" she asked sleepily.
"First, I'm getting an oil change. I actually thought about it last night during the party, and I asked ExTor if he could do it. He said I could bring it in right when he opens this morning," Jack explained as he put on his favorite Jacket, then sat at the edge of the bed to put on his shoes. "While that's happening, I'll walk down the block and do a little grocery shopping. There are a couple things we need, especially if I'm going to cook you a birthday breakfast," he remarked, glancing over his right shoulder to flash her a smile.
Ashi's face lit up in response, making her more alert. Excited, she threw off the covers and prepared to jump out of bed, "W-Wait up, I'll go with you—"
Jack reached over on the bed to grab her shoulder, stopping her from getting up. "Please, there's no need! I'll only be gone an hour or so. You should get some more sleep; you've probably got another long night ahead of you!" he remarked with a goofy grin.
Ashi smirked, relaxing a bit, "That's a pretty safe bet."
"Anyway, it's your birthday!" Jack reminded her with glee, "Leave the errands to me, then when I come back, I'll cook up some breakfast whenever you decide to get out of bed," he touted.
"Mmm, I like the sound of that," Ashi sighed comfortably, sitting crossed leg in her spot on the bed.
Jack thought for a moment, "Unless… are you are hungry now?" he asked in an inquisitive tone.
Ashi giggled at Jack's pampering. "Nah, I think I'll sleep a little longer first," she said with a dramatic yawn.
"Very well," Jack nodded, kneeling on the bed and moving over to Ashi, "Then I will see you when I return." They leaned in simultaneously for a brief, yet intimate kiss on the lips, eyes locked immediately once they pulled away.
"I love you," Ashi sighed.
"I love you, too," Jack said in a sultry voice.
They held their gazing at each other even as Jack stood up and headed for the door. He stopped just before passing the doorway, staring in adoration for just a little longer, then managed to get himself moving again. Once he was out of sight, Ashi kept staring at that space in the doorway until finally drifting off back to sleep.
/
The black SUV was parked just a few buildings down from Jack and Ashi's apartment. The occupants of the innocuous vehicle watched Jack stepped out of his home and get on his motorcycle, following not too closely when he took off. It tailed him all the way to ExTor's shop, parking the same distance away as before, and waited patiently for Jack to go about his business. After a friendly exchange with the mechanic, Jack emerged from the shop and took a right towards the supermarket down the street.
Suddenly, the vehicle's rear passenger side door opened. A figure hopped out of the car holding a woman's purse and took off in Jack's direction, making sure to bump into him as he zoomed past. Another figure stepped halfway out of the car to shout urgently, "STOP, THIEF!" once the first figure was a sizable distance away.
Jack picked up on the situation almost immediately, jumping into action and after the supposed thief.
The thief glanced behind him to make sure Jack was following, surprised to see him closing in fast, and pushed himself to keep ahead. He weaved in and out of alleyways, knocking over garbage cans along the way as obstacles, which Jack easily cleared. Though it was a close call, the thief managed to reach an alley down a secluded street, which lead both him and Jack to a dead end. The figure turned to look at Jack just as he was boxed in.
Jack could now get a good look at the crook's bizarre attire. A slightly rotund man with gangly limbs, dressed as an English bobby. He had on what looked like a ski mask underneath the hat, showing only his eyes, nose and mouth, all of which could only be described as ogre-like in appearance.
Staring down the homely crook, Jack spoke to him in a stern voice, "This is no way to make a living, my friend. I urge you consider a different path."
The exhausted crook looked slightly offended, "You wot? Do I look… loike the koind'a bloke… who needs to…. pilfer purses t' get by?"
"Uh… then why are you?" Jack asked, confused.
The thief grinned, "Cause I'm only the bait…"
Suddenly, a sharp blow to the back of the head knocked Jack out cold.
/
Jack woke up groggily an hour later, not that he had any idea how long it had been.
Slightly dizzy from being knocked out, he could see nothing but the inside of the burlap sack covering his head, and his arms and legs were bound together. The movement of his surroundings indicated that he was in a car, and he could feel the presence of multiple bodies, but that was all he could gather.
Once the vehicle came to a stop, a wet rag was pressed against Jack's mouth over the sack. The distinctive smell of chloroform overwhelmed him, and a brief struggle failed to keep Jack from passing out once more.
/
Ashi was awakened far more abruptly this time around by her phone going off, and she managed to reach over to the nightstand to pick it up. "Hello…?" she answered groggily.
"Ashi! Were you sleeping just now?" Aki's voice inquired from the other end of the line.
Ashi got déjà vu as she propped herself up on an elbow, rubbing her eye. "Y-Yeah, I got up for a bit at, like, nine when Jack left, then I fell back to sleep…" she trailed off, realizing something was wrong. Save for Wolf, curled up at the foot of the bed, Ashi was alone in the apartment.
"Ah, I just figured you were hungover like these hot messes," Aki spoke up again, referring to some of their other sisters who were having a rough morning. "Anyway, we're almost ready to head back over, then we can all go for brunch at that place we were talking about. Hurry up get dressed, Ashi! You can't always be the last one ready, you know!" she mock scolded.
Hardly listening to her sister's ribbing, Ashi threw off the blankets and hurried out her bedroom door, checking the rest of the apartment for Jack. Nowhere to be seen. She peeked out the front window at the street down below to find that his bike was still gone. Three hours later and he still wasn't back yet, and not a single call or text from him? Ashi knew something was amiss.
"Oh, lighten up! I was only kidding…" Aki actually scolded with an apologetic tone, then segued into a question, "Speaking of, how did it go with Mother last night?"
The mention of her Mother brought Ashi back to reality. "O-Oh, it was… fine? Actually, it was anything but, but I'll tell you more about that later…" Ashi trailed off as she looked out the window again, hoping to see Jack pull up in front of the apartment.
Aki wasn't about to drop the subject just yet, "Wait, I want to hear more about it. What did she say?"
"Well…" Ashi began, and recounted last night's argument.
As Aki listened to the tale, she started to feel a familiar sense of unease. This scenario sounded awfully familiar, but she wanted to believe it was only her imagination. "Damn, that's a lot… Well, good for you standing up to her!" Aki responded when the story finished, trying not to jump to any conclusions.
"Yeah, thanks… Hey, you haven't heard from Jack at all today, have you?" Ashi asked her sister sheepishly.
The innocent question set off alarm bells in Aki's head. Still, she elected to play it cool. "Um, no…? I would've figured you'd want me to keep interactions with him to a minimum," Aki answered comically.
Ashi rolled her eyes, "I'm serious, Aki. He left a while ago and I haven't heard anything from him since. I was wondering if… forget it, I just figured I'd ask," she dismissed in frustration, then switched her phone to speaker so she could text Jack in the meantime.
"Wait, hold on…" Aki stared blankly for a moment. Her doubts were beginning to evaporate. "So, let me get this straight: Last night, you had a big fallout with Mother, and now your boyfriend has mysteriously gone missing?" she asked in a serious voice.
Ashi blinked, "Uhh… yes?"
"That bitch…" Aki muttered to herself into the phone.
"Huh, what?" Ashi asked, not sure what she heard.
"Get dressed, Ashi," Aki commanded, "The others and I will be over shortly. Be ready to go as soon as we arrive. Got that?"
"O-Okay…" Ashi replied meekly.
"Good. See you soon." And with that, Aki abruptly ended the call, leaving a confused Ashi roughly a half hour to prepare. With one last worried glance out the window, she took a deep breath to calm down and went to put some clothes on.
/
Once he came to again, Jack found his arms and legs tethered tightly to those of the wooden chair he was seated in. He didn't have much time to assess his situation before the sack on his head was forcefully removed, exposing Jack to a harsh light hanging overhead.
It took his eyes a few seconds to adjust to the new light, but there was little to see, as the rest of the room was shrouded in darkness. The most he could make out was a thin silhouette, which slowly stepped forward into the light. Jack's eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in anger as he saw who was responsible. "You…!" he hissed.
Ashi's Mother looked upon him with obvious contempt, "Hello, Jack…"
"What is the meaning of this!?" Jack snapped at her.
"My apologies. I rarely rely on such boorish methods to arrange my meetings," the woman crossed her arms with a sigh, "but I thought it prudent that you and I to have a little chat, just the two of us," she sneered at him.
Jack's annoyed expression shifted into a stoic frown, "I have nothing to say to you… at least, nothing that hasn't already been said."
"Hmph," the Mother narrowed her eyes. "Well, be that as it may, I'd appreciate if you would hear me out. I'm asking out of courtesy, of course. You obviously don't have a choice."
Jack's eyebrows furrowed again, as he tensed his arms to assess the durability of his binds.
The Mother turned to the right and started pacing slowly behind Jack as she spoke, "Now then, last night was a… regrettable turn of events. It was supposed to be a short visit, but Ashi's impetuous behavior is making my job more difficult. After stepping back and re-evaluating, it dawned on me that I have you to blame for that."
Jack was listening quietly.
"Your influence has poisoned Ashi's mind with worthless ideals, distracting her from her true purpose. If I am to achieve my own goals, Ashi's obedience must be restored, and you must be removed," the woman continued. Suddenly, her expression softened the slightest bit, "However, I am not completely without mercy, and your accomplishments are deserving of such respect. That's why I'm going to make you a special offer, one that you would be foolish to refuse."
Jack scowled at her choice of words.
The Mother stared him down, "If you wish to walk out of here unharmed, all you have to do is disappear. Leave this city forever, cut all ties with Ashi, and make no further attempts to contact her. Ever. Again."
"No," Jack declared without hesitation, "I will never abandon Ashi."
The Mother sighed, "Your defiance is unfortunate, but not unexpected. I know when some extra convincing is required…" She beckoned with her index finger to someone over Jack's shoulder.
He heard heavy footsteps approach from behind, and he was able to turn his head just enough to see a massive female figure step out from the shadows and land at the Mother's side. The Herculean woman stared down at him with a cold gaze, cracking her knuckles threateningly. Jack remained unfazed, even as the Mother pulled a wicked-looking black knife from her person, mentally prepared for what he was about to endure.
"Let's see if we can't change your mind, shall we?"
/
Ami let out a squeaky yawn, falling back against Abbi's left shoulder, who was slumped herself against the cushioned limousine seat. As annoying as her sister could be, Abbi actually didn't mind it that much; especially since another of the sisters had already attracted her scorn.
Aki had provided the girls with transportation for their time in Burlington: a limousine driven by her personal driver. He had been called upon rather abruptly to bring them back to Ashi's apartment, after Aki spontaneously decided that they had to leave immediately. Some of the sisters weren't given enough time to recuperate from the night before, and the gentle rocking of the luxury vehicle was either making them nauseous or putting them back to sleep. The sisters who weren't as hungover were rightfully annoyed with Aki, hurrying them along on what was supposed to be a relaxing getaway.
Abbi naturally was the first to voice these concerns. "Hey, Aki, I missed Ashi as much as the rest of us, but why the hell are we hauling ass right now?" she asked, rubbing her temple in aggravation, "I would've really liked to sleep a bit longer, and it's not like we didn't see her, you know, last night."
Alli spoke up from her slouched position, "Eh, I can take it or leave it, so long as it means we get to eat soon. I've got an athlete's metabolism, and y'all know how hangry I get," she threatened, trying to ignore her stomach's demands.
Anni cast a judgmental side glance at her sister, "Must you behave like such a brute? I, for one, agree with Abbi. This is supposed to be a vacation, why all the fuss about getting there?" she asked in a haughty tone.
"Guys, be a little more respectful! Aki obviously has something on her mind," Ari chided her sisters, then turned to Aki in a sympathetic tone, "Aki, sweetie, is everything okay? If you'll just explain to us why you wanted to leave so bad, I'm sure we'll all understand." She tried to hide it, but Ari was also irritable about being rushed.
Ami suddenly whined, "Ugggh, no more talkiiiing, I'm tireeeed!"
"No shit, sherlock!" another outburst from Abbi, "We're all tired!"
The conversation then devolved into a slew of interjections and insults from the rest of the occupants, save for one.
Her mind elsewhere, Aki had barely heard any of her sisters' badgering questions. The cacophony of all five voices, however, was difficult to ignore, and now Aki was wincing with every shout that assaulted her senses. She kept her composure for a time, holding in her frustration which quickly grew into a simmering fury until it finally boiled over. "SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU, JUST SHUT UP!" she shouted angrily.
The sisters all went silent, turning to Aki with startled expressions. Even the driver was peeking at her in the rearview mirror.
Aki's rage immediately gave way to embarrassment, ashamed to have lost her composure. She could see in her sisters' faces who she had reminded them of, and she hated showing that side of herself. "S-Sorry… Look, I know heading out so early was a pain, but this is really important. I'll explain more once Ashi gets here," she explained apologetically, as the limousine turned the corner onto Ashi's street.
Meanwhile, Ashi was sat patiently on her front porch, finishing off her second energy bar while scrolling mindlessly through social media. She tried her best to get her mind off Jack's absence by reading all of her birthday greetings on social media, but somehow the goodwill of strangers wasn't putting her at ease. She made a couple phone calls hoping to find out where Jack was, but Scotsman had no clue, and ExTor said that he never came to pick up his bike—even more troubling.
Ashi felt a glimmer of hope when she saw her sisters' limousine rounding the corner in her direction, then a flicker of alarm as it sped down the road and skidded to a halt in front of her.
The door sprung open. "Get in," Aki commanded with a serious expression on her face.
Bewildered, Ashi complied, stepping into the limo as Aki closed the door behind them. She was forced into the backseat when the vehicle abruptly accelerated, dropping her phone onto the seat next to her. She immediately cold felt the gazes of her many siblings before she could see them, looking at her with varying degrees of expectation.
"Alright, Aki, time to fess up!" Abbi shouted from her seat further up in the limo.
Ashi looked at her with a worried expression, "Aki, what's going on? Do you know something about Jack?"
All eyes were now on Aki, who sighed anxiously. "Okay, I'm going to make this as short as I can. You all remember Brad, right? The guy I brought to Thanksgiving that time? Well, he was the bass player in my old band before I went solo. The truth is, I never wanted to go solo, but Mother insisted. The agency I would be signing with basically monopolized the music biz, which meant a lot more exposure and a lot more money. I didn't care about that though; the record company my band was already signed with were always great to us, and we had a really loyal fanbase. I didn't want to abandon my band mates either," Aki started to raise her voice, clutching her knees, and felt a familiar mix of anger and sadness. "I wanted to stay with the band. I wanted to be with Brad, but—" she closed her eyes tightly, hanging her head low. Her bottom lip quivered for a moment, then she continued, "I don't know how, I don't know what she did, but Mother made him go away. It was right after Mother and I had a huge fight about the record deal. And the very next day, Brad just… gone! Completely vanished. House abandoned, phone number disconnected; if it weren't for the pictures, you'd think he never existed at all. I didn't know what to do after he was gone, so I just let her convince me to sign with the bigger label, and I've been selling out ever since…" admitted Aki, sitting up and opening her eyes once more.
Ashi and the sisters were shocked and heartbroken by Aki's story, each looking upon her with their own version of a sympathetic expression.
"Listen, Ashi," Aki suddenly turned and looked seriously at her sister, "I want you to understand that if you don't do something, Jack might end up just like Brad. I don't know what she's done, but if there's a chance to stop it then you have to take it!" she urged.
"But…" Ashi paused, overwhelmed by everything she had just heard, "What can I do?"
Aki reached down and picked up Ashi's phone, holding it out for her to take. "For starters, call her. If she has something to do with Jack's disappearance and you confront her about it, she won't back down. In fact, I'll bet she wants you to find out about this…" she remarked, holding her chin with her free hand.
Ashi stared at the phone, taking it in her hand hesitantly as she continued to process the situation. For a brief moment, she struggled to comprehend that her Mother would have somehow kidnapped Jack. Then, suddenly, it all came back to her—the fateful incident that occurred when she was a little girl—and she realized:
Jack was the hairclip.
Ashi's astonished expression into a furious scowl. Her hands clenched tightly into fists, recalling the one time her Mother had actually laid a hand on her. One hit shut her down completely. Only four years old at the time, there was nothing she could do but cry about it.
But now? She could so much more.
Most importantly, Ashi could prevent her Mother from taking Jack away, whatever that entailed. With no further hesitation, she unlocked her phone, found her Mother's number and dialed.
/
A sharp blow to Jack's stomach caused his upper body to lurch forward—still held back by the tight restraints—as drops of blood spewed from his mouth. He was panting heavily, and each breath was more painful than the last. Hunched forward with his head down, Jack had no idea how long this had been going on for. Several blows to the head made things a bit foggy, and his now swollen left eye wasn't helping the matter. Blood dripped from the right side of Jack's mouth, both legs were bruised, and his chest was covered with painful knicks and cuts.
"I must say, Jack," Ashi's Mother remarked, stepping forward once again, "You've certainly earned your reputation. I'm used to getting my way by now, but your conviction and endurance are inspiring. No wonder my ex husband had so much trouble with you." When she didn't get a response, the woman reached down and gingerly brought Jack's chin up so that he was facing her, speaking now in a quiet voice. "It doesn't have to end this way, you know. You can still walk away from this. You just have to let her go…" she whispered alluringly.
"Never…" Jack exhaled, another laborious breath.
Ashi's Mother sighed in exasperation, standing back up and turning away. She spoke up again, "You know, I'm doing this for Ashi's sake as well. I know you love her. You want to protect her; to keep her safe. But as long as she stays with you, Ashi will never be safe." The woman turned abruptly to stare intensely at Jack, who stared back despite his injuries. "Sometime soon, AKu is going to bring about a new order. The world as you know it is about to change, and those loyal to him will be given a seat of power," she proclaimed, her palms outstretched in desire. "With you out of the way, I'll be assured a place in this new order, and then I can assure that Ashi has one as well."
Jack's eyes widened in realization before narrowing again. "So, that's what this is about…" he thought aloud, "You don't care about Ashi; you're just doing AKu's bidding to help yourself."
"I'm afraid you're only half right," the Mother corrected, "You see, I need Ashi back as well. I can't achieve my final goal without her, and it's been far too long since she's been properly disciplined." She held up the black knife, pointing it at Jack, "What better way to do that than to take away something she loves? Getting rid of you is killing two birds with one stone: It will earn me AKu's favor, and it will break Ashi's spirit. I was fully prepared to let you live, since leaving this city would keep you out of AKu's business as well, but obviously you wouldn't have given up on that either. Your demise is all but inevitable, and without you, Ashi will submit to me as she always has," the Mother boasted calmly.
Jack dipped his head for a moment, hiding his eyes. Suddenly, a light chuckle grew rapidly into a spirited, but pained laughter. His head now leaning all the way back, he laughed for several seconds, making the Mother increasingly agitated. Jack finished his laughing fit ended with an amused remark, "And he calls me a fool…" then pointed his defiant glare at the Mother, "AKu is never going to honor his word. Whatever he promised you was a lie, and he will not hesitate to dispose of you the moment you wear out your usefulness. You're nothing but a pawn who thinks herself queen!" Jack accused sharply.
The Mother's anger reached a boiling point. "SILENCE!" she shouted, grabbing the top of Jack's head roughly and lifting the knife threateningly. Just as she pressed the knife against Jack's neck, the woman's cell phone went off, stopping her in her tracks. With one last leer at Jack, the Mother turned away and pulled out her phone. Her eyebrows raised in intrigue seeing that Ashi was the one calling. "Saved by the bell…" the Mother remarked at Jack, then gestured to her bodyguard to keep him quiet. Once her bodyguard's beefy arm covered Jack's mouth, the Mother picked up the phone, "Yes…?"
"Where is he!?" Ashi asked forcefully from the other end of the line, with Aki leaning in close to hear the conversation.
"Ashi, is that you?" the Mother responded, feigning ignorance, "Where is who, dear?"
"JACK!" Ashi yelled back, startling Aki, then pressed further with deliberate pronunciation, "Where. Is. Jack?"
"Now, why would you assume I would know anything about that?" the Mother teased, "After all, he is your boyfriend..."
"Don't toy with me!" Ashi snapped loudly, Aki merely wincing this time. "I know you're behind this! I won't let you take him from me; whatever you did, I'm going to stop you!" she proclaimed passionately. Aki was trying to signal Ashi to tone it down, afraid that her sister may be overplaying her hand.
For a few seconds, the Mother was taken aback; even after last night, she was still surprised by her daughter's boldness. She quickly got over it and spoke up again. "Ashi, dear, you sound like you're under a lot of stress. Tell you what: why don't come meet me at the new Priestess location after you've calmed down, and we can have a civil discussion regarding the near future? Perhaps, after seeing your office, you'll reconsider my offer," she shot a smug look at Jack, "I would recommend you think on it very carefully before you arrive."
"Oh, I'll be there alright…" Ashi hissed, with Aki looking on in concern.
"Good. The building is just beyond the hill section of the city. You know the block with all the vacant buildings? You can't miss it," the Mother explained, then hung up with a snide send-off, "Looking forward to seeing you, Ashi…"
Finished on the phone, the Mother turned back to her captive and gestured for her bodyguard to release her hold on his mouth, allowing him to speak.
"You've just made a terrible mistake," Jack warned, glaring up at the woman.
The Mother sneered, "Hardly. This is all according to plan. I know that Ashi has no intention of being civil, but I have no intention of simply letting her walk in the door. As we speak, there are dozens of highly trained security personnel are stationed on every floor of this building. If Ashi hopes to get up here, she'll have to force her way through a small army," she explained, hands on her hips proudly.
Jack scoffed, "It won't be enough."
"Hmph, it's truly impressive how much faith in her you have," the Mother admitted, "But even if Ashi does somehow manage to make it up here, she'll only be able to witness the consequence of her failure when I finish you off," she boasted, pointing the tip of the knife point-blank at Jack's face, "Either way, Ashi's spirit will be completely broken when this is over, and she'll be free to carry out my will once more." The woman reached into her back pocket to pull out a gagging cloth, then crossed behind Jack.
Just before she covered his mouth, Jack spat one last protest: "You'll never get away with thi—mmmpph!"
The Mother smirked to herself as she finished knotting the gag, "Funny. That's what the last one said…"
/
The limousine came to another screeching halt in front of the future Priestess headquarters, and the door flung open immediately after with Ashi bursting out of it. Before she could run off, Aki leaned out and called to her.
"Ashi!"
Ashi stopped and turned her head just enough to see Aki in her periphery.
"She'll be ready for you, you know. You're not going to be able to just walk in; Mother is always prepared," Aki warned.
Ashi turned back to the trial ahead of her with a scowl, narrowing her eyes in determination. "It won't be enough," she declared, and took off.
Aki looked on in concern, while the rest of the sisters all rushed up to the window to watch Ashi go. She didn't get far before two fake bobbies stopped her at the revolving door.
"'Old on there!" the left guard grunted, holding up his palm.
"What do you think you're doing?" Ashi asked in a cold tone.
The guard crossed his arms, "Keeping people outta this here building, what's it to you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ashi stood firm, "I'm going up to see my Mother."
"Like hell you are!" the guard scoffed, "We got strict orders to make sure nobody enters these premises, and we take our jobs very seriously, so there's no way you're gettin' through!"
"Yeah, so scram, little missy!" the second guard mocked.
Ashi took a deep breath, "I'm going to ask you one last time: Step aside."
The guards looked at each other bewildered, then guffawed at Ashi's demand. "Is that supposed to be a threat?" the first bobby asked teasingly, then leaned into Ashi's space to taunt her further, "Why don't you make us, love?"
Ashi winced as the man's strong breath washed over her. She opened her eyes again to briefly glare at the guard.
There was a pause. The air was still.
In a flash, Ashi delivered a jarring uppercut to the chin of the first bobby, knocking him backwards to bounce off the glass. The second could only gawk before receiving a double snap kick to his gut and head respectively, knocking him out. The first guard recovered just in time for a tornado kick across the face, sending him falling back over the railing and out cold. With her first obstacles out of the way, Ashi made her way in through the revolving door.
Her sisters witnessed the entire exchange in amazement, all reacting at the same time.
"Holy…!" Anni gasped, slowly covering her mouth with her palm.
"Woah… when did Ashi get so hardcore?" Alli asked, impressed.
"That. Was. Awesome…" Abbi gawked, still staring in amazement.
"Cooool! GO, ASHI!" Ami cheered excitedly.
Aki didn't say a word, staring hopefully at the door Ashi disappeared into, but not for long. She pulled out her phone, looked for and found the Scotsman's phone number, and dialed.
Bursting into the main lobby, Ashi stopped and took in her surroundings. The whole floor was one big lobby, with an elevator straight ahead at the opposite end. Between Ashi and the elevator, however, was two dozen of the hideous bobby henchman, all of whom were staring blankly at the intruder.
Ashi stood there readily, waiting...
"YEEEAAAAUUUURRRGGGHHH!" one of the guards bellowed out a growling war cry. The other guards echoed the shout, all brandishing nightsticks in preparation.
Ashi stood unflinching as the first guard charged forward at her. She waited until the very last second to dodge when the goon swung his weapon at her, then threw out a devastating counter punch that sent him toppling over. His legs shot up as he flew backwards. Ashi seized them midair, and with the other guards approaching, began to spin around, turning herself into a tornado tearing violently across the room. The guards that weren't knocked away by the vortex steered clear instead, but a small cluster took a big hit when Ashi let go of her victim, who went flying into them like a cannonball.
Shaking off the slight dizziness, Ashi was ready to react when the bobbies still standing went on the offensive, and she was practically swatting them away as she headed for the elevator. Knocking one guards head into the button to call it while she kept another in a chokehold, he was promptly thrown aside when the elevator doors opened up, and Ashi managed to keep the rest of the guards from following her in by mashing the door close button. She hit the button for the tenth floor and the car began to ascend.
Ashi took a moment to catch her breath, leaning back against the rail as the floor number went up. This was her only moment of reprieve, and it gave her a chance to reflect on why she was there in the first place. Ashi closed her eyes, and several cherished memories of Jack flashed by. She wanted nothing more than to see him safe, and no one—not even her Mother—was going to stand in her way.
Just then, the elevator stopped unexpectedly at the sixth floor. The doors opened and two of the bobbies burst in, catching Ashi by surprise and pinning her to the back wall by her arms. A third guard stepped into the elevator, smacking his nightstick into his hand threateningly. Before he could follow through with anything, Ashi threw out a high kick that swatted the club-like weapon away. A second kick successfully landed on the bobby's chin, literally booting him out of the elevator. Ashi then planted her feet and pushed against her captors, able to turn the tables on them by palming their foreheads and slamming their skulls into the floor.
Looking up, Ashi fixated on the nearest bobby outside the elevator, who was stopped in his tracks by the first fallen guard of the floor. She dashed forward and jumped into a leaping dropkick into the guard's gut, launching him backwards into another group of them, and landing relatively softly onto the first guard.
Ashi sprung to her feet and pushed onwards, snatching up two of the dropped batons while stepping on any fallen guards in her path. The bobbies still standing beyond them were unprepared as Ashi dove into their midst and started swinging, adrenaline pumping, landing vicious blows against all who dared to get close. The slaughter concluded with Ashi flinging both batons with deadly accuracy at the two guards standing near the door to the staircase. Being struck in the head sent one of them right through the push door, opening the path onward.
The steel staircase spiraled upwards out of sight. The intensifying vibrations told her that more guards were on their way down, but Ashi remained undeterred and began her ascent. Sure enough, two guards appeared from the doorway on the next floor up. Ashi ran up the stairs, vaulting over the railing to skip to the next staircase, while simultaneously delivered a kick across the faces of both guards. She immediately had to deal with another bobby trying to get her in a headlock, and effortlessly flipped him over her shoulder, before driving her elbow sharply into the gut of another. Ashi turned around and shoved the guard aside before moving on.
The next two floors went about the same: several guards stood in the way to their best effort, and Ashi deftly dispatched them. Finally, she reached the last floor, and was faced with a lone bobby standing there shakily. There was a brief face-off before the guard found his courage, letting out the signature bobby war cry and charging forward. Ashi stood her ground at first, then casually took a step to the left, watching the guard's momentum carry him right off the staircase. He landed on the level below near two fallen guards, who slightly broke his fall, and one of them moaned in pain.
Ashi stared ahead at the door in front of her. Once she stepped through, there was no turning back. Not without Jack, and not without some well-deserved comeuppance for her Mother. Whatever awaited her, Ashi was ready. Calmly, she stepped forward and opened the door.
What Ashi discovered, however, was that she had one more opponent standing in the way: her Mother's herculean bodyguard.
Ashi hadn't seen the woman in years, yet she was as imposing as ever. The bodyguard stood right in front of the door at the end of the wide hallway, which lead to the executive office, and it was obvious that she was not simply going to let Ashi pass. A few tense moments crawled by as they stared each other down, then Ashi made her move, dashing headlong and jumping into a flying sex kick.
To her shock, the woman puffed out her chest, tanking the hit. Ashi felt like she kicked a brick wall, falling onto her back from the sudden loss of momentum. The bodyguard brought her foot up to stomp Ashi, who rolled out of the way just in time and retaliated with a leg kick, which struck the back of the bodyguard's left knee, causing it to buckle. Her head was now the perfect height for a follow-up roundhouse kick, and Ashi took the opportunity.
Once again, however, the large woman surprised Ashi by catching her leg, then swung Ashi all the way around and hurled her back to where she started. Tumbling over twice, Ashi managed to land back on her feet, skidding to a stop against the carpeted floor. Gritting her teeth, Ashi charged again as the bodyguard was standing up, and dodged a swipe of her tree trunk arms to land a clean uppercut against the bodyguard's strong chin. It had little effect, so Ashi followed up with another punch across her face, then another in the opposite direction, then repeated until the bodyguard finally caught her fist in an iron grip. The bodyguard then hit Ashi with a brutal gut punch, releasing her fist as the girl crumpled to her knees, then punted her into the wall with a hard thud.
Pulling herself up against the wall, Ashi was starting to feel the fatigue of her journey up to this point. Before she could react, the bodyguard grabbed and lifted Ashi by the front of her shirt and slammed her back against the wall. Ashi only had a moment to process the pain before being lifted off the wall and slammed back into it again. And again, and again, and again, before the bodyguard finally let go of her shirt. The stunned Ashi slid down slowly against the wall, landing hard on her butt, leaving behind a dent in the drywall from the repeated impacts.
Not yet satisfied, the bodyguard wanted to hear Ashi beg for mercy. She bent down and grasped Ashi's shoulders with her meaty hands, lifting her up literally off her feet, then pulled her into a vice grip bearhug.
Ashi cried out in pain, tilting her head back. It felt like she might snap in half at any moment. Despite the agony, all she could think about was Jack. She came all this way, wanting to face her Mother and save him. Could this really the end?
The bodyguard maintained her hold, waiting for the girl to surrender. Ashi's response, however, was the opposite.
Suddenly, Ashi headbutted the bodyguard at just the right spot to break the woman's flat nose. She abruptly dropped Ashi and staggered backwards in pain.
Landing on her hands and knees, Ashi could feel her heart racing faster than ever, giving her the strength to keep going. With a labored grunt, Ashi pulled herself to her feet just as her opponent recovered.
The bodyguard turned to Ashi, blood pouring from her nostrils, and roared, "RAAAAUUUUGGGGHHHH!"
Ashi stared back her opponent with a fierce gaze, took a deep breath, and crouched down into a feral stance.
The bodyguard was the one to charge in this time. With another loud roar, she attempted to punch a hole right through Ashi's head. Ashi swerved to avoid the attack, while jabbing pressure points along her opponent's arm with the tips of her fingers. The bodyguard stumbled forward a bit, but quickly used that same fist to swing wildly at Ashi behind her. This only opened her up further, and Ashi took the opportunity to punish with four more jabs, striking critical points on the woman's rock-hard torso. The bodyguard staggered backwards, becoming angrier by the second, and unleashed a barrage of unwieldy punches that Ashi continued to evade, finishing with a mighty overhead swing of her fists that came down hard against the carpeted floor. Ashi finally countered with a fierce kick across the woman's face, causing more blood to spew from her orifices.
Though she was still on her feet, it took the bodyguard a few moments to recover. Her vision was blurry, barely able to make out Ashi cocking her fist back for a right hook to the face, which she promptly delivered, followed by a left, then a right, then another left, until the bodyguard suddenly charged at Ashi, grabbing her hands, and tried to force her back against the wall again. Ashi was able to push back this time, fighting hard against the woman's raw strength. The two opponents were now locked in a final test of power, using whatever they had left to left.
The gargantuan bodyguard appeared to be getting the upper hand. Ashi's feet were sliding ever so slightly backwards, but the girl refused to be beaten. Her adrenaline kicked back in, and Ashi pushed back with a forceful grunt, regaining the advantage. With a powerful yell, she suddenly managed to lift the gargantuan woman overhead, and hurled her into the same spot she herself had been slammed against several times. The bodyguard busted right through the cracked drywall, leaving her lying crumpled on the board room floor in utter defeat.
Ashi stayed frozen in a post-throw position for a moment, the collapsed onto all fours, panting heavily. She was already exhausted before the fight, but this duel had her completely spent. Then Ashi remembered why she came here, and how close she was to her goal. Even with her Mother still standing in the way, Ashi knew she had no choice but to pull it together if she wanted to save Jack.
Once her heavy breathing started to slow, Ashi pulled herself shakily to her feet. Running on fumes, she walked slowly over to the boss' door, thinking about how it was to be her door if she had taken her Mother's offer. Ashi then wondered if it was even unlocked; hesitantly, she gripped the doorknob, took a deep breath, and was relieved to find that the knob turned with her wrist.
The door opened without a sound—clearly a brand-new installment—to reveal a large office with only one light: a single high hat which formed a small circle, illuminating a bearded figure slumped in the arms of a chair.
Ashi recognized the silhouette immediately. "Jack!" she cried out, rushing over to him as fast as her body would allow. She was so startled by his apparent injuries that she failed to notice the door slowly being shut behind her.
Her Mother had been waiting for her, and while Ashi was worriedly tending to Jack, the woman sealed the only exit and silently snuck up behind her.
"Jack, I'm so sorry this happened to you! This is all my fault, I never meant to put you in danger!" Ashi lamented, looking over Jack's wounds in horror.
He lifted his head weakly, managing to meet her eyes, only for them to widen when he noticed the Mother approaching from behind. He tried to warn her through his gag, but Ashi was too overwhelmed to pick up on it.
"I had no idea she would do something like this, but I promise it's going to be—" Ashi's apologetic words were cut off when a hand gripped her head tightly, and pulled her backwards by her hair and threw her to the floor. Ashi landed on her side with a wince, straining to lift herself to her hands and knees, and looked up at the perpetrator with a furious gaze, "Mother…!"
The woman stood dominantly over Ashi, blocking the girl's view of Jack, and brandishing a sinister-looking knife in her right hand. "Well done, Ashi…" she spoke in a low register, "I'll admit, I was uncertain if you would make it all the way up here, but you've proven to be worth all the extra effort. It's a shame you refuse to utilize your potential in a more practical way. Fortunately, we're going to correct that little defect of yours…" she stepped to her left to show who she was referring to, "by removing the source of the problem." Ashi's Mother held up the knife in front of Jack's face, then pivoted her wrist so that the edge was held to his neck.
Ashi held out her hand urgently and screamed, "Wait, please!"
The Mother stopped. She and Jack both looked at Ashi.
"Don't do this… I'll do whatever you want," Ashi relented sadly, shifting her body so that she was facing her Mother and sitting back on her heels. "No more disobeying. I'm all yours. Your loyal daughter and that's it," she declared, literally bowing to her Mother with her hands against the floor. "Just please…" Ashi lifted her head and looked up with desperate eyes, "Please don't hurt him…"
The Mother crossed around to Jack's right, staring back at her daughter with a surprisingly soft expression. "Oh, Ashi…" the woman sighed sympathetically, "Don't you see? This is precisely why the Samurai must be destroyed," she hissed, clutching Jack's hair with her left hand and bringing the knife against his neck readily.
"NOOO!" Ashi cried out, trying as hard as she could to move her body, which refused to listen. Her adrenaline kicked into overdrive, and Ashi pushed against an enormous strain get back to her feet.
Jack, on the other hand, was not about to give up either. Putting as much strength as he could into the balls of his feet, he pushed off the ground and used what little range of motion he had to swing himself, causing the whole chair to tip backwards. The chair landed with a hard thump and a nearly imperceptible snapping sound.
Ashi's Mother was taken off guard initially, but then scoffed at the wasted effort, "Really, Jack, you're only delaying the inevitable at this point." The woman got down on one knee and lifted the knife in her right hand high, ready to plunge it into the Samurai's chest. "Just accept that this is the way things have to be—" she tried to bring the knife down on the last word but was stopped short when her wrist got snatched again. The Mother turned sharply to stare extra daggers at the culprit.
"Wrong. You don't get to make that choice," Ashi, who had managed to finally spring into action, was glaring back at her Mother, gripping the knife hand tightly.
The Mother got up off her knee and snarled, "How are you still standing!? After everything you've been through, all the obstacles I put in your way…!" Unable to wrench her weapon from her daughter's grip, she instead let go of and then caught it blade up in her left hand in one quick motion. Ashi's hand was close behind, and both women now had their hands wrapped around and the knife handle, trying to wrestle the weapon away from the other. Ashi finally broke the tie by kicking high with her left leg, knocking the knife away from both of them, the used the same leg to push her Mother back several feet.
The knife landed startlingly close to Jack's head, piercing straight into the floor.
"If you thought all that would be enough," Ashi spoke venomously, as her Mother rose to her feet, "Then you really don't know me at all, Mother."
The Mother's response was to clap her hands twice, causing the entire room to light up and reveal the surrounding office, which was already furnished and ready for use. She then calmly removed her suit jacket by pulling it off of both shoulders simultaneously, and letting the jacket drop to the ground.
There was a pause as the Mother and Daughter faced off with each other. Finally, the older woman lunged forward, throwing a punch with her left fist, which was dodged, then a right punch that Ashi pushed aside with her left arm. Ashi then retaliated with a back fist using the same arm she deflected with, but her Mother ducked down in time to avoid it, and then tackled Ashi by her waist.
Amidst the fighting, Jack was desperately eyeing the knife thrust into the floor next to him. Getting his hands on it was the key to his escape, but he was still bound tightly to the chair. Thrashing about in frustration, Jack noticed that his right arm was able to wiggle back and forth; the chair's arm was loosened, dislodged from colliding with the floor. If he could pry it off completely, his arm could reach the knife and he'd be able to cut himself free.
The Mother landed roughly against the desk that was pushed into the back wall. She started grabbing the various office supplies off the desk and hurling them at Ashi, who either dodged or deflected the projectiles while closing the gap between them. Once she was close enough, Ashi went for an overhead knife hand, but the Mother caught her wrist. She spun Ashi around, and her upper body folded over onto the desk. Ashi's Mother then tried to axe kick her head, and while Ashi was able to get up and avoid it, she instead got nailed when her Mother slid the same leg across the desk and into her mid-section. Ashi went tumbling backwards, landing on her feet but stumbling onto her right knee. Ashi's Mother watched carefully as her daughter struggled to get up, still managing to take her stance. The girl's eyes still had that fire. With a smirk, the Mother ran at Ashi again.
Meanwhile, Jack was still struggling to break free. The arm of the chair still wouldn't budge any further, but all he could do was keep trying. Jack could feel his entire body vibrate, putting all his strength into his right arm to finally break it off, and the small sounds coming from the wood told him he was getting close. Just a little more…
The Mother now had her daughter in an incomplete headlock; Ashi had managed to worm her arm inside and was now trying to push her way out. Ashi's Mother interrogated amidst the struggle, "How could you turn your back on your family!? After everything I've done, everything I am trying to do for you!?"
Suddenly, Ashi burst from the headlock with a frustrated yell. In one quick motion, she snatched her Mother's right arm and spun around to get behind the woman, pulling the arm sharply behind her back painfully. "Don't you talk to me about family! All it ever meant to you was obligation, that I'm obligated to do whatever you say, or else. You're no Mother, you're just a bully and a tyrant!"
The Mother broke out of the hold and immediately tried to jab at Ashi's head, but instead got nailed by a cross counter that left her even more open. Ashi seized the opportunity by striking with another cross in the opposite direction, followed by another, then a body blow, and finished by putting all her remaining strength into an uppercut that knocked the woman right off her feet, turning around in the air before, landing hard on her stomach.
"It's over, Mother. I'm not going to fall in line ever again," Ashi declared. Breathing heavily, she was completely drained, but at least she could finally relax now.
Out of nowhere, the Mother came at her brandishing a stapler from the floor that had been lying in arms' reach near where she had fallen. "RRRRAAAUGHHH!" the furious woman screeched as she attacked, but Ashi reacted just a second too late. The stainless-steel bludgeon grazed her head, sending Ashi stumbling backwards against the wall and onto her knees in a daze. Concussed and exhausted, Ashi was unable to do anything as her Mother pushed her against the wall and started strangling her.
Ashi didn't have the strength to pry her Mother's hands from her neck, and a series of useless kicks was all she could muster with her legs. She was helpless.
"You ungrateful brat! You owe your very existence to me! I am the one who brought you into this world, it was I who gave you life! If you won't honor that debt, then it's time for me to collect…" the Mother threatened. Her hateful eyes burned holes in Ashi as she gasped for air.
Ashi could feel herself beginning to slip, her eyes rolling back involuntarily. Everything was going dark…
…
…
CRASH!
The sound of splintering wood echoed in the darkness.
Before she could lose consciousness, Ashi could feel the hands around her neck loosen. Her vision slowly came back to her, blurry at first, gradually revealing what had happened. Her Mother stared blankly at her, pupils hollow, before falling over, unconscious. Behind her stood Jack, still gagged, holding the severed chair legs in his hands. He was staring down sternly at her Mother, but his expression changed immediately when his eyes met Ashi's. Ripping the gag off of his mouth, Jack bent down and gently grabbed her shoulders to keep her steady. "Ashi…" he said softly.
Staring weakly at Jack, Ashi's eyes flickered in a half-conscious state. "Jack…are you…alright?" she slurred, barely managing to get the words out.
Jack caressed her left cheek with his hand, "Are you…?"
Ashi stared at him blankly, having barely considered her own condition. Still leaning against the wall, she rolled her head to see her Mother's unconscious figure lying there next to them. All at once, Ashi reflected on the emotional roller coaster that was the last twenty-four hours. She looked back up at Jack, eyes welling from the overwhelming mix of emotions she was feeling, then used what little effort she could muster to fall forward into Jack, digging her face into the crook of his neck.
Jack wrapped his arms around Ashi, and they sat there in heavy silence until Scotsman burst in soon after.
/
"One phone call. Make it quick."
The Mother dialed the dirty and dingy metal keypad, holding the phone to her ear. "You'd better pick up…" she muttered in frustration as it rang.
Meanwhile, AKu was in his office, engaged in a round of his favorite card game with Scaramouche, at the assistant's behest. A game of brutal strategy, the megalomaniacal mogul examined the card's in his hand and wondered which one to play on his turn.
Suddenly, his cell phone went off on the desk next to him. Without taking his eyes off his cards, he picked up the phone and put it to his ear, "Yeees…?"
"I'm calling in that favor you owe me," the Mother spoke firmly into the phone, echoing into AKu's ear.
"Hmmm, can you be a little more specific?" he responded, in a dramatically inquisitive tone.
"Don't toy with me!" the woman snapped, "I did what you asked of me, and nearly eliminated your nemesis once and for all in the process! The least you can do is clean up the mess that was made on your behalf," she grumbled.
AKu nodded lightly, "Ahhh of course, of course. What sort of man would I be for not supporting the Mother of my children in her time of need? After all, I have no reason not to—" he paused, pretending to have remembered something, "Oh wait, I DO have a reason!"
The Mother narrowed her eyes, still speaking in a growl, "What are you talking about? We had a deal!"
"And I still acknowledge that deal!" AKu answered defensively, "Once my campaign is successful, I will ensure a place for you when the hands of power have shifted. However, until that day comes, I must be careful not to involve myself in anything which would prompt suspicion. Getting involved in your arrest would be one of those, I'm afraid," he stated, with but the slightest hint of pity.
The Mother gawked for a moment, then asked slowly, "How many people know about this?" It had only been about four hours since her fight with Ashi. The office was in a very underdeveloped district, nearly secluded. Everything happened within the walls of the building. There wasn't much of a spectacle. By the time anyone caught wind, the right people would have been paid, and the whole incident would be swept neatly under the rug.
AKu thought for a moment, "That depends; how many followers do our daughters have?"
"What…?"
"You see, they all—well, the ones you didn't hospitalize—made posts expressing their well wishes for Ashi, while she recovers from her life-threatening confrontation with her abusive Mother. It was so brave of them use their celebrity status to speak up about domestic violence. Adopting a political platform… you don't know how proud that makes me!" AKu gushed, holding his hand of cards against his chest affectionately. "They each recounted their own harrowing experiences while growing up in their Mother's house. The girls' stories are trending, and hundreds of thousands of people have wished Ashi a speedy recovery. It is truly uplifting to witness!"
The Mother stared blankly, her eyelid twitching slightly.
"Anyway, I'm sure you can guess where that puts you in the public opinion. As such, I simply cannot afford to offer you any aid at this time, legal or otherwise. You have my deepest apologies…" AKu droned insincerely, smirking at Scaramouche who was snickering across from him.
The Mother was now breathing heavily, too engulfed in rage to say anything.
AKu looked at the cards in his hand again, "…Well then, I'd better get going. Lots of important work to do; you know how it is! Best of luck, dear!" he hastily hung up the phone, then turned to his assistant and opponent. "Well, my friend, you've forced my hand in this… Draw four, and make it red!" he declared, placing the card down on the pile. Scaramouche begrudgingly picked up the cars from the deck while AKu laughed raucously.
On the other end, however, the Mother finally found her voice. "YOU TRAITOROUS SCUM! DON'T YOU HANG UP ON ME, YOU VILE, WRETCHED, INCORRIGIBLEEEAAARRRRRGGGGHHH!" she screamed into the dial tone, eventually slamming the handset against the hook switch repeatedly. The guards standing by had to step in and restrain her before she could yank the entire phone box off the wall completely.
/
The weeks following Ashi's birthday were surreal.
Immediately after their latest ordeal, Jack and Ashi spent the next couple days in the hospital, recovering from their injuries. Fortunately, nothing either of them sustained was too severe. The second they left the hospital, however, a swarm of faces and cameras barraged them from all sides. Apparently, her sister's spread the word about what happened, and now everyone who had been following Ashi's celebrity was keeping a close eye on her.
Ashi didn't mind the extra attention as much as what came next: her Mother's trial. Naturally, Ashi was a key witness and would have to testify in court. Incriminating her Mother was easy. Having to recount that day—along with several other traumatic events from her childhood—was anything but. Ironically, Ashi's testimony was only the beginning. By the time of the court date, dozens of other prosecutors came forward with their own cases against the Mother as the owner and CEO of Priestess, for a multitude of shady business practices and potential fraud conducted by her company.
The trial was a media circus that went on for days, and Jack and Ashi were forced to sit through every excruciating minute of it. Deriving no joy from seeing the cruel woman torn down repeatedly, even the guilty verdict and the sentencing of fifty years to life without parole offered a hollow victory at best.
Things began to settle down again by the end of August. Despite the occasional run-in with reporters, Jack and Ashi started up classes again, and even though they had to take it easy for a while, everything was back to normal.
Mostly.
Though Jack and Ashi had survived their latest brush with danger, they knew that it was only the beginning. AKu's plot was now looming over them, and time was running out. Whatever it was he had planned, it was going to be big, it was going to be soon. According to Scotsman, he and ExTor had been hard at work for months preparing to counter AKu's scheme. He said that they were very close to a breakthrough, and that he would keep them up to date. Until then, all they could do was go about their lives, and try to keep the thought of it out of their minds
It was now the first of September, and Ashi sat on the couch, hugging her knees, staring out the window at the rainy night. Amidst the soothing pitter patter against the glass, she wrestled with flashes of her recent trauma. Ashi touched her neck, still bruised. The sensation of her Mother's hands around it was still so vivid, and she could still see her Mother's crazed expression sometimes when she closed her eyes.
Ashi's tormented silence interrupted when she felt a presence to her left. She glanced up and saw Jack standing there with a sad look on his face, holding a long blue blanket. They locked eyes for a moment, then Ashi stood up to let Jack sit where she was. He took the invitation and folded his legs, allowing Ashi to sit back down in his lap. Jack then draped the blanket over his shoulders grabbing both ends and using it to swaddle Ashi, who melted into his comforting embrace.
They sat like this in silence for a few minutes, until Ashi finally spoke up. "It's weird…" she mused, "As horrible as my Mother was, her getting locked up makes me… sad. I'm not sure why. Maybe I'm sad for her, how she'll never really understand love…or maybe I'm just lamenting the relationship we'll never have…" Ashi pondered quietly for a moment, then let out a defeated chuckle. Her eyes started to well up a bit, and she remarked, "You know what? I'm probably just sad about having such a shitty birthday..."
Jack knew there was nothing he could say that could make things better. Instead, he leaned over and kissed the top of Ashi's head, snuggling further into their cozy huddle.
Ashi closed her eyes in contentment, finding that she could finally do so without seeing her Mother's face. Still on her mind, however, was the fact that her Father would soon be intruding upon their lives very soon, a fact that Jack was likely thinking on as well. Ashi nestled her head right under Jack's chin. She murmured, "Everything is going to change, isn't it?"
Jack knew immediately what she was talking about, as it was on his mind as well. "Maybe… but we won't," he answered in quiet confidence.
With that, the two lovers closed their eyes, falling asleep to the sound of the rain.
—END CHAPTER—
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