Chapter Four, Violent Means

I admit it. I'm a naïve fool. I should have thought about who the men were. What they were doing in an alley. But I had to talk to them. I couldn't just leave like any sane person. I knew I was naïve, but I had chosen to not acknowledge it. The one thing I had always prided myself on was intellect. I never thought that I would be an idiot. Yet I had done an action completely opposite of that. I was an idiot, plain and simple. I didn't even know what trouble I was in until it was too late. It didn't help that the rudest of the bunch was the one who saved me a fate worse that what I received.

I felt mortified beyond belief. I couldn't believe that I had fainted. Again. I hated being helpless but there was nothing I could do to prevent it. I had no time to learn self-defense –I didn't even have the money for it. Besides, mother was under the impression that it was improper. Father had wanted me to learn, but it never happened. Mother did her best to make sure that I was a beautiful, demure young lady of power. Ha. We had no power, not really anyways. There wasn't much point in it at all. Yet I had somehow managed to adopt rather well the traits she wanted me to possess. The only one I lacked was grace and ease.

Just my reaction when I was nervous. I hated it as much as I hated socially awkward situations. The two went hand-in-hand. But there was nothing I could do to stop it though I had tried as hard as I could. I had finally resigned myself to the fact that it was pointless. I couldn't do anything to stop myself from being a klutz when I was nervous. It happened with or without my consent. Believe me, I fought against it as best as I could but things never worked out that well. Which was why I had lit one of my boyfriends on fire, in the past.

I shook my head, pulling the ridiculous buttercup yellow dress from me. I removed the white under dress followed by my stockings. I was grateful to be rid of them as I was every day. I wasn't fond of dresses or skirts but with it being a required uniform I wasn't afraid to wear it but I didn't like it. Dresses were too constricting for my liking and skirts were too revealing. I pulled on my jeans, grateful for their comfort. I grabbed a t-shirt and pulled it on. I then fell back against my comfortable, feather down bed. It was so soft and comfy; I smiled luxuriating in my comfort and space.

I heard a loud pounding on my door and I sat up quickly and yanked it open to reveal my youngest brother. Seiya's blond curly hair tumbled around his dark blue eyes, framing them. It was the intensity in his gaze however that made me jump. He was usually quite passive and patient. He wasn't one for rash decisions like Yasuo. I was somewhere in between the two of them, but I wasn't sure where exactly I fit. Or how I had ended up there.

"Where have you been?" he demanded, thrusting a crinkled note out towards me.

I gasped as I read the contents and let the paper flutter to the floor. I looked at my brother. "Did you tell mother?" I asked, bending down to retrieve the fallen paper.

"I haven't been able to get ahold of her," he admitted, looking away.

"Don't let her know," I ordered him, heading towards the door as he trailed behind me.

"Where are you going?"

I grinned at him, "Where else? Someone has to find our idiot brother."

He smiled up at me and handed me my coat as I pulled on my shoes. "You'll come home?"

"Of course," I said, ruffling his hair affectionately. "And if I don't, you can tell Okaasan." I smiled. "I'll see you shortly."

"Wait!" he darted back and I waited anxiously at the door. He reemerged and handed me my cell phone. I hugged him briefly and left. I didn't notice until then that it was raining.

I pulled my hood up and began to jog. My footsteps splashed in puddles as I made my way around. I guessed at the direction that my brother might have taken. His note said that he was going to find our father. That meant he was headed off to the airport. And knowing Yasuo he had waited long enough to be sure that I wasn't coming home, which meant that he had probably only fled about twenty minutes before me to be sure that I wasn't coming. Also about that time to guarantee that Seiya had not been able to communicate with our mother.

I swore that I caught a sign of his crimson jacket and I rushed after him. I sped up, lifting my feet to take longer strides. I had to catch him. "Yasuo!" I called. I raced down the street he had taken, looking for his intense jacket. He had always been one for flashy colors. It made him easier to follow.

As I pursued him, I ignored the burning in my chest. I had to get my brother back home. Our father was in England. He couldn't just run off. If he still wanted to after he was home then we could discuss it and work things out to send him there. But he couldn't just leave us. He owed our family. We were concerned. He had to know that. I wouldn't let him run away so easily. We needed him. We might get frustrated and bicker but that was only normal with everything.

I called out for him, realizing he was gone from my sight. I continued to call as I raced down street after street. He had to be there, just beyond my gaze. He had to be there. He could have gotten lost or hurt. He could get kidnapped even. I couldn't let that happen. He was my little brother. It was my responsibility to look after him and Seiya both. I knew that he was a hot headed arrogant little idiot, but I had never thought that he would do this.

Please Yas, please answer me, I silently begged. Please. We still need you. I needed the family together, so did mother and Seiya. We had to hold together or else we would all fall apart. I didn't want to believe this was happening. There had to be something else going on. But I didn't see the little bobbing of red cloth ahead of me. There was no sight of it. Actually, I couldn't see much of anything. I had to find him. I had to.

It was until my throat was hoarse and my legs trembling that I realized it was still raining. I was completely soaked and exhausted. I felt my jacket weighing down on me. It was drenched through. The coldness I felt had soaked through my fabric jacket and the t-shirt I was wearing under it. I was really wet. A small depressed chuckle escaped my lips. If I didn't look like a wet dog, I probably smelt like one. I was drenched and cold, and apparently lost.

In my haste to locate my younger brother, I had lost track of the time and the buildings that I raced past. I looked around nervously and wrapped my arms around my form to try and keep warm. I knew it was hopeless. I continued apprehensively, following the path I had previously been running down. I spotted several men at the end of the alley and I felt relief course through me. I could ask them for directions.

The rain that fell echoed around the walls. I felt the droplets pelt my jacket, and they felt cold enough that they were like icicles stabbing me. The wind that blew at me was similar to being coated in snow. Unlike the water that just drained from my saturated coat, the wind went through the layers easily to set my frigid skin on fire. I kept my steady pace up as I walked towards the three young men. They were all my age. And although it was dark, there was enough light from the streetlamp at the opening to see perfectly fine.

I walked towards the young men, shivering. They all turned towards as the splash of my footsteps echoed painfully loud in the silent streets. How late was it? I offered them all a shy, nervous smile. Uncertain of where I was and feeling silly for getting lost in the pursuit of my brother. I wished I knew where he was. I wished that I knew he was alright.

"Well who's this little lamb?" asked one of them, looking at me with glittering eyes.

"Come to check out the slaughter house, have you?" inquired another, the burning end of his cigarette clear in my vision as it glowed.

"I-I've lost my way," I stammered, shivering and shifting my weight from foot to foot. "Could you give tell me where I am?"

The man on the far right of his friends made his way towards me, smiling kindly. At his approach something about him made me step back consciously. He paused, a few steps from me, with that pacifistic smile on his face. "No need to be afraid, lamb. We're just a bunch of wolves –we won't eat you up."

"Yet," I heard the one in the middle say.

The man before turned to his friend with a disapproving glare before returning his polite expression. "He's really a contrite old hound, to be honest, lamb. He doesn't like that someone else is the alpha now."

"We are short an omega, if you'd care to join us." If I had known anything about predatory men, I could have called the man's grin lascivious as he leered appreciatively. All I did was huddle closer and rub my hands against my arms as I turned to the nicer man. He seemed to be the nicer one.

"Could you please just tell me where I am?" I asked, looking up at his glittering eyes.

"Sure, sure. Just come over here for a sec –you look awfully cold in that jacket. Let me lend you mine." He was right. I was cold and I could see his dry jacket hanging just over there.

I followed him like a lamb to the slaughter. I was a sheltered and witless child as I followed this man, thinking him honest and kind. I made it three steps before he shoved me against the alley wall, slamming my head against the hard, gritty rock. The world spun violently and I offered a dry heave in retaliation. I hadn't eaten anything yet. He slapped his hand over my mouth and I struggled in vain, kicking out at his heels to get him to release me. When he did, it was by his choice and I fell onto a puddle. A puddle of what was something I was unwilling to consider. The condition down here was quite terrifying and I didn't want to think of it. But it wasn't like they offered me a choice or anything.

"This lamb's too stupid to be an omega," snorted the one who had made the offer to me. I still hadn't quite put together the meaning of his words. He delivered a kick at me and I cried out, curling in on myself.

"I'd hate to let such a ripe delicacy like this one escape us," admitted the man who had been called a contrite old hound. He tapped his foot against my side and I withdrew into myself with a whimper.

"She's an empty-headed coward!" snarled the other, aiming a kick towards my head. I clasped my hands around it and my neck in an attempt to protect myself. He saw my movement and bent down to haul me up to my feet. "None of that now, you little bitch."

He brutally bent three of my fingers back from the direction they were supposed to go and I let out an agonized cry and released my head. He lifted his fist and slammed it against my skull before taking his cigarette from his lips. One of the other guys present rolled my sleeve up and he shoved the lit end of his cancer stick against my elbow. I screamed and the man I had thought nice placed his hand over my mouth as I looked at him with tears spilling from my eyes.

I had been seriously misled. I had heard of people being attacked before, but my family had never been in any danger. I was always with someone. I always knew my way around town. Not today. Today I had gotten lost and asked for help. Today I was going to be beaten.

He pulled his cigarette away and tossed it into a puddle where I heard a resounding sizzle as it drowned. He scoffed, "This harlot isn't worth my time. She came here because she wanted some action." He pinched my cheek roughly, "She pretended to be a little lamb to get our attention when all she is, is a slut." He slammed his fist into my stomach and stormed off, leaving me heaving dryly.

I straightened wearily and a fist collided with my cheek. I didn't have a chance to cry out before another punch met my lips. The man behind me was holding me up by having placed his arms under my armpits. I couldn't fall down even if I wanted to. As another forceful blow smashed against my face I realized that I had to do something in order to survive. If I didn't do it soon, I wouldn't leave here alive. I raked my nails against his fist when it came close to me, oblivious to the blood running from my split lip and the severe pain radiating from my fingers. It didn't matter.

I fought to move out of the masquerader's hold, but I was unable to be free of it. I caught his punch with my hands, saving my nose from breaking. He wrestled his arm free of my hand and the guy behind me grabbed it and twisted it back with the help of the other. I screamed –this time no one silenced me. His knuckles battered my jaw with his next angry jab. When he went for my face I had nothing to protect myself with and his fists hammered against me.

I was suddenly dropped and my face met the hard, slimy floor. Water coalesced around my nostril and I took to breathing through my mouth. Booted feet pummeled my side and it was as though the pain was distant. A giant throb away from me. My cry was drowned out in the sound of laughter. I lay for a while in the silence, attempting to move and make my way for survival. I knew that my body did not physically move but I felt my muscles protest the movement. I felt an excruciating pain unlike any I had ever felt before sear my mind of coherent thought.

I fell into a pool of darkness, away from the pain. Away from the experiences waiting for me there and hungering to devour me. Blackness consumed me, its fangs scouring my mind of all I knew. It swallowed me whole and didn't spit me back out. My body lay unmoving, barely breathing. It was hardly connected. It was just a bruised piece of flesh ready for death.

Sorry for the cliffhanger -you'll have to wait a day or two to find out what happens most likely. I hope you liked.

Etsuna's claustrophobia will be explained in due time, to those of you wondering.

I know how she seemed really, really dense in this chapter with actually thinking that the strangers were all good people and all, but she is that naive and trusting. Sheltered. She never thought that they might be dangerous. I hope that was portrayed well. It's kind of important to understand as her character, but very hard to explain when everyone reading knows that it won't end well.

Again, thank you for reading!