Kate mustered up the strength to work the next day. She was still feeling down from last night, having not slept until an hour before she had to wake up.
Kaku never came back to the Inn.
She figured he would come back after work,and she would apologize to him then. She felt so embarrassed and foolish for the way she had acted. Everything she said and did went against everything she felt for Kaku.
Please...forgive me.
Kate watched as Tyson clumsily plucked at the guitar strings. He had gotten much better, but he still had a long way to go.
"Ow!" He blew on his fingers which were extremely red.
Kate took his hand, analyzing the calluses that were starting to form. "Oh my! You've been working really hard, haven't you?" Her smile caused him to blush as he pulled his hand away. "Uh...yeah I guess so..".
Kate looked at Heart and Timmy who were playing with some sticks and rocks.
"Heart! Would you please grab me some ice?" She signaled happily at Tyson's fingers.
Heart stood up excitedly, running towards the building. "Okay!" Timmy followed behind her as he waved.
"Miss Kate..." Tyson looked at the ground shyly. "Can you please teach me a bit more before they get back?"
Kate couldn't help but let out a small giggle of excitement. "Of course! Let's do the song again, from the top!"
Timmy and Heart walked quietly through the small building. Mr. Tosechi usually took his nap around this time, and they didn't want to disturb him.
All of a sudden, there was the sound of glass breaking coming from the kitchen. They peeked from the doorway, trying their hardest not to make a sound upon seeing what had caused all the ruckus.
Mr. Tosechi was pushed against a wall, with 6 men surrounding him. They all had guns, and one pointed his directly at Mr. Tosechi's head. They were all big and burly, dressed in black suits with a red bird shaped pin on the breast pocket.
Heart analyzed the pins carefully, her blood going cold upon realization. "Red Ravens.." the notorious mob that ran the underground operations of the island. Authorities were constantly on the hunt for them, but they were extremely hard to track. The fact that they were out in the open was strange.
A bald man who appeared to be the leader stared at the teacher. "So what'll it be old man?! You gonna sell this dump to the boss, or are we gonna have to write it into your will?" The man cocked his gun.
The orphanage had been around since the island was first found. It was an ideal spot for developers, but Mr. Tosechi's family had run it since it first opened, and he had no intention of selling it.
Mr. Tosechi struggled; trying to look for anything he could use to defend himself but to no avail.
Heart grabbed Timmy's hand as they ran out of the building.
"We need to go get help! We need to find Mr. Kaku!"
Kate put her hand out to Tyson as a signal to stop playing. "Did you hear that?" She listened carefully and she felt her heart drop- she didn't recognize those voices.
Kate grabbed Tyson's shoulders, trying to stay calm as she looked at him sternly. "Tyson, I need you to hide. Hide, and don't come out until I come to get you, okay?"
Tyson hadn't heard the commotion in the kitchen. Before he could protest, Kate shook him lightly.
"PLEASE, Tyson. I know you don't like being told what to do, but please. I'm begging you, just hide." Her heart beat could be heard from the outside
Tyson had never seen this side of Kate before, and it helped him understand the graveness of the situation. He nodded and hid in a wooden crate in the back of the courtyard. There were two small holes that enabled him to see what was happening.
Kate stood up slowly and dug around her purse. She pulled out the switchblade and gun...5 bullets was all she had.
She thought back to the Nash incident... How helpless she was...
I'll do whatever it takes to protect them.
Heart and Timmy ran through the town. Everyone was getting off work, and the streets were extremely busy. They squinted to see through the tears flowing out of their eyes as they pushed through the crowd.
Timmy crashed into a pair of strong legs. The children looked up; a feeling of relief and desperation washing over them.
"We need your help! Mr. Tosechi, Tyson and Kate are in trouble!"
Kate..
The leader of the gang punched Mr. Tosechi with an uppercut, making his eyes roll back as he slouched in a kitchen chair.
Kate fought back tears as she peered through the doorway. He was badly beaten and barely breathing.
The leader wiped his hand on a cloth. "Now, will you sign it over or am I painting this kitchen red?"
One of the henchmen opened Mr. Tosechi's eyes. "Sir, I believe he is unconscious."
The leader scoffed and spat at Mr. Tosechi's feet. "I guess there's only one thing left to do then.". He cocked his gun and aimed it at Mr. Tosechi's head.
"NO!"
Kate screamed as she fired all 5 of her bullets into the room, unaware of where they went.
As the smoke cleared, the group of men tried to see where Kate had gone. A few stray bullets had shot 2 of the men and their leader, but none of the shots had been lethal.
The leader wiped blood from his cheek. "Go find that bitch!" He cocked his hand gun.
Kate ran through the halls, her legs feeling like rubber yet going a million miles a minute.
No, I can't stay in here. If they cut me off, I'm screwed.
Not only that- she had sent Heart and Timmy to get ice. What if they used them as hostages?! She had no choice but to return to the courtyard.
It would be perfect- there was a small path in the court yard that lead outside. If she went that way she-
Shit.
Tyson was hiding in the crate which was right in the middle of the path...if they shot at her as she ran, there was a chance a stray bullet might hit Tyson.
I have no choice.
The other side of the courtyard was a dead end with a pile of junk. She quickly hid in there, placing her gun on the floor.
Kate flicked open her knife. They would find her any minute now. She knew the chances of her escaping were next to none, but she wouldn't go out without a fight.
The men appeared and came closer and closer to where she had hidden.
Kate closed her eyes for a split second, and prayed- thanking the higher powers for the life she had lived.
The men were now only inches away. If she could at least surprise them, she thought she might be able to take even one out.
She took in a deep breath. Before she could jump out; a tall dark figure dropped from the sky.
"SHAVE!"
The men jumped back as one was met with a kick to the face.
Kate watched from behind a piece of metal.
"Kaku?"
Her saviour turned to face her, a smile on his face.
"Cutter?!"
He was dressed in brown pants, brown shoes and a white dress shirt. She had never seen him in civilian clothes.
The men shot at Cutter and were left in shock as the bullets seemed to deflect off of his body.
"What is he made of?!" One of the men panicked as he reloaded his gun.
Cutter approached him cockily. "All you need to know is- you can't beat me." He grabbed the man by the arm, turning it into stone before breaking it into dust. The man screamed and began to reel on the floor.
He fought off the 4 other men as their leader hid on the other side.
"A devil fruit user huh?". He pulled a strange looking gun from his belt, and loaded it with a bullet that was dark green in color.
Kate managed to spot the leader from afar, and noticed his gun was different.
The four men were no match for Cutter, but due to the number of them- they were putting up enough of a fight to distract him from what their leader was up to.
Cutter kicked one of the men in the head; turning it into stone before shattering it. He loved the adrenaline that came with a fight...as well as the sensation of crushing a criminals head under him. He couldn't help but smile.
Kate ran around the back of the court yard, jumping on the leader's back.
He struggled, grabbing at Kate. "Get off of me, you little bitch!" He swung arms wildly, attempting to hit her. He then looked back at Cutter, and pointed his gun.
I'll deal with her later. I need to take him out first!
Kate noticed this and panicked.
He's going to kill Cutter.
Desperation came over Kate as she screamed, and began stabbing the man repeatedly in the neck with her knife before he could fire his bullet at Cutter.
*BANG!*
Cutter turned towards the gunshot. He growled and finished off the other 3 men by snapping their necks.
He watched as Kate slid off of the leader's back, blood soaking through her white dress.
Cutter quickly ran to Kate, hoping she was still alive. The leader stood up holding his neck, and took two steps before falling to the ground. Cutter spat on the man before turning his head to stone and stomping it into pieces with his foot. As he passed the leader's body; he noticed the gun and bullets on the floor.
"Sea prism stone bullets?!" He felt his blood run cold. If Kate hadn't interfered- he would have been dead for sure.
He picked her up gingerly, careful not to touch her wound. He would send back up to help whoever else was in the building. He had to save Kate, especially since she had saved him.
"Don't die, kid."