"Mommy...I'm hungry" Izumi said softly.
"GO away Izumi...mommy's tired right now...mommy has to go back to work soon, so just find something to eat" she told her.
Izumi sighed. Once again it was up to her to feed her and Kenji although she didn't know how to cook. She did know how to make sandwiches though and it was getting old.
Once she was finished she noticed her mother was no longer on the couch but in the shower getting ready for her 'other' job. When the mother was done she got ready to go in some trashy clothes. "Izumi, don't do anything to upset your father when he gets home" she said to her.
"Yes mama" she said. "We'll be good"
Her mother nodded and left. Another night of being left alone, when their dad came home there would be more abuse. She would try to hide Kenji away so he didn't get the abuse but it never worked because he would start crying and gave himself away.
"I'm still hungry 'Umi..." Kenji complained. He did that alot, she knew they couldn't have anymore because if more bread was taken she would be on the other end of a bigger punishment than just a beating.
"I'm sorry Ken, no more to eat tonight...you know the rules" she said hiding the money she had found from doing laundry in a secret hiding spot. "I will get us out of here" she promised herself
About an hour later her father came home sober, which was unlike him. "Izumi, where is your mother?" he asked very calmly.
"At work father" she said.
"Well, I'll have to tell her later then" he said.
"What is it?" she asked.
"You and Kenji are going to be enrolled in martial arts classes. You start tomorrow" he told her.
She could hardly believe her ears! Martial arts class! She's always wanted to go and had told her father at one point she was interested and she didn't think he heard her, so she had dropped it. And now her dreams were coming true.
"Oh thank you father!" she said bowing to him.
"Now that daddy did something nice for you, why don't you repay daddy's kindness" he said smirking. "Go upstairs and into my room, get undress and wait for me...tonight only you will get to feel 'the love' I have for you, Kenji is safe"
She nodded and did as she was told. He was sober and he was still going to rape her. 'I hate you' she thought to herself and waited for the abuse to begin. Izumi knew better than to fight or it would be worse and longer...from this day forth she vowed to herself never to let another man touch her.
*End Flashback*
Izumi shuddered and sat up sweating from her bed. "God I hate him..." she said to herself pulling her knees up to her chest. She looked at the clock. "I might as well get up and get ready to go train...I think I'm safe with my trainer...he's not going to hit on me or hurt me like 'he' did..." She said to the blankets on her bed.
She got up and showered before eating something. Izumi finished getting ready to train with Hiei. She knew today would be a good day, it was her first day of training and she was excited.
A few blocks away Kenji was getting ready to go find a job to support himself. He showered and got ready to go. "I guess a busser would be good, or a dishwasher...I need to figure out what to do for school..." he mumbled to himself.
He left the house and found a resturant that was hiring for a dishwasher and he applied. He had two interviews on the spot and got the job, he started work after filling out the paper work. His hours were five a.m. to one p.m. everyday except Saturday and Sunday as the business was closed those days. After he got off from that job he went home and cleaned up before going to look for a second job. His second job was three buildings away from what he was working and they were looking for a janitor from three p.m. to eight p.m. at night. They were also closed on the weekends.
When he went home that night he felt very happy for getting two jobs in one day. Kenji would have to go ask his sister for money for groceries but he knew she didn't have much left either.
When Izumi when home that night she was drained. "I have to balance out training and getting a job...maybe I can ask Kenji to live with me..." she said to herself before getting in the shower. "I have to look for a job early before I go train..."
After the shower and eating, she watched a little tv before going to bed. She prayed for no more nightmares, but as everynight she knew they would come.