Takemichi did not went back to the future, at least Shiro thought so.
That meant he did not learn about Draken's death. That meant she had to do something about it.
Wouldn't she already do so, had Takemichi never came back? Would she leave him to die? Or maybe…
Was she killed?
That seemed the most likely choice. She would not let everything go to shit when she knew the consequences. She probably fucked with that boy's plans once already too…
Shiro looked up to the sky.
She would do it again. That brat was-
He was someone who would make his men rape a girl-
Yeah Shiro would not stand for it.
She sighed.
Night Shifts it was.
She found them. The ones who were about to rape a girl. They had gang uniforms so it wasn't hard to understand who they were. Kisaki's men, she had found them.
And she was going to crush their skulls in.
She grasped a piece of wood. She had gloves to it would not hurt her hand. She also had a medical mask on her face. She didn't cover her hair but her hair was cut on her shoulders and it was black so it wasn't like anyone would recognize her from it.
Thank god for her average looks.
She was really deranged as she hit the men with the pipe that she could not help the few slips of giggles from her lips. She really wasn't supposed to let anyone hear her voice, in case someone recognized her from her voice.
When last of the men fell with her bat. Shiro knew she had to make the friends of the third division guy leave but she might've scared them when she pointed them with her pipe and then gestured the exit of the alleyway.
"Oh- Thank you." The girl said with a shaky voice. Shiro waved her hand so they would leave.
Once they were gone she started breaking the unconscious men's fingers one by one with the metal pipe she found. This would be a good enough warning.
"My… what a mad little bitch." A voice froze her on her task, "What are you doing to those men?"
Shiro turned back to face with a tall, lean boy.
She did not answer and instead stepped on an unbroken hand, hearing its bones break. The boy gave out a weak grunt but he was still out.
The person in front of her narrowed his eyes.
"I see. Well, I can't let you do that. This wasn't in his plan after all."
Another day Shiro would love to fight this delinquent. But she knew of his mad tolerance and she didn't believe that she could knock him out. Time was precious and the odds of this fight were all against her.
She threw her weapon and ran towards the wooden gate, climbing it. She spared a glance at the angry teenager and raised a hand in mocking manner before jumping down.
Today was a good day, she decided.
Of fucking course the fight between Osanai's men and Toman happened.
The boy's, who she had saved, parents were still attacked so Shiro wasn't all that successful at her task.
Basically Pah was arrested; Kisaki had talked Mikey about letting him into Toman as the Third division captain.
Takemichi wasn't there this time so at least he didn't get beaten but…
Why were those two idiots in her house?
"Oi." She used her mad big sister voice, "You might be Takemichi's friends but if you start something under my roof I'll feed you to dogs."
"Haa? You are-?"
"Takemitchy's sis?"
"Oh crap…" whispered Yamagishi.
"Sister!" shouted the fake blond, "Don't provoke them!"
"Huh… You two look nothing alike." Muttered Mikey.
"You really don't. Was Takemichi adopted?" asked Draken.
"Hey! I hear you!" the said boy screamed at the two.
"Whatever, I don't wanna stay in a place with this stupid beanpole anyways."
"Huh?! Who are you calling stupid you shrimp?"
And before anyone could throw a punch, they were kicked outside.
Fucking teenagers.
Shiro's work never finished.
She was wearing her gloves and a medical mask again. She had a metal bat she had bought and she had even put on a cap.
August third.
If she was lucky, Takemichi won't even have the time to hear there had been a conflict.
As the manga suggested, some guys from Moebius and Kiyomasa's group were on the shrine.
When rain started Shiro let it wash over her worries.
Then she attacked.
Everything was alright, everything was okay. She had gotten the cupid so the brats could handle the rest by themselves.
She broke some fingers for good gesture. She was about to leave when a hand reached for her cap and dropped it.
"It's you again." The tattooed teenager said, "Who the hell are you?"
Shiro was simply too angered to answer, not that she would in the first place. She had not seen or heard him due to the rain. She grasped her bat and tried to form an escape plan but came up with none.
Fight it was.
She swung her weapon but, not to her surprise, the boy dodged and landed a kick on her abdomen.
"Look, by coming here I'm giving up on my chance to fight against Invincible Mikey so if you can just give up, it would be appreciated."
Shiro was not in a laughing mood. She set her weapon down and took a barehanded stance.
Plan: Capture and immobilize was on motion.
As the name suggested she would get a hold on the opponent and break some of his bones to get him to leave her alone.
It was hard but she managed to drop the guy from her shoulder and get a hold on his left arm.
She broke it and the male screamed.
"You son of a-" he put his head down on the concrete and said no more.
Shiro picked up her bat and fled the scene.
Thankfully Draken wasn't stabbed and the fight between the two gangs was finalized with Hanma calling his man back.
By the way, the tale of a psychopath who was breaking his opponent's hands was spreading around.
"Shiro." Inupi called as he pointed at his boss' neck, "Did you get on a fight?"
"Oh? You always get the whole fun by yourself boss!"
Ah- there was a bruise on her neck. Well, there was an easy lie to make up about it.
"Next time I want to have a threesome, I'll make sure to call you then, Taiju."
The boys stuttered.
Yes, life was good.
Kazutora never expected to be approached by a gang after he left the Juvie, let alone by two totally different people.
The first one, a boy younger than him, understood his wish for revenge. Encouraged him even. That person was Tetta Kisaki. He was giving him a chance to face Mikey on a battlefield.
The second one, a boy older than him, was driving him mad.
He introduced himself as Kokonoi Hajime. He wanted to recruit him as well.
Kazutora told him that someone had already recruited him for a gang and tried to refuse his offer but this bastard was persistent; he would not leave.
"No matter who they are, they can't give you what you really want." The man said, "My boss will surely be worth your time." He said, "Come on, if you refuse they will cook me!"
And so he decided to follow him.
The black haired boy brought him to a little hill of Tokyo. There were three teenagers chilling there, two boys and a girl.
"Oh. You're back Koko. And you brought the boy as well."
"Welcome back Hajime."
"I'm back boss." the boy bowed, "This was the one you were asking for, right?"
The girl raised her head to look at him and smiled a little.
"Yeah, Hanemiya Kazutora. You too, welcome."
Kazutora got chills from this girl. She didn't look like much but-
(That man didn't look like much either. Even with a wrench on his hand-)
"Kid, Kid!" the black haired boy shook him out of his thoughts. Now all four of their eyes were on Kazutora.
God, he wished that girl would not look at him. With pitying eyes, with that man's eyes-
He already regretted coming here.
"Calm down kid." The girl said as she averted her eyes, "We don't have to look at each other to talk."
She patted the place beside her and with a little push from the other boy, he sat down.
"What do you want?" Kazutora asked.
"Calm down, kid." The older teen had closed her eyes, "I want to talk. You just got back your freedom right? It's a nice weather right here, even though a little chilly."
"Cut the crap." He snapped, "You sent your man to collect me. He told me you knew what I actually wanted. So? What do you know? Won't you talk?"
"Revenge." She said with a chilling voice, "That is what you think you want. That thought will drag you to your demise."
Kazutora growled but she wasn't finished.
"What will you do when you kill him, hmm? Go back to your little prison? Rot away for ten more years? I'm asking you, what will taking your so called revenge get you? Nothing is what it will. It will bring you down on your knees. You will be lucky to live another month."
"Shut up! You don't know anything-"
"Don't I?" the girl's eyes were open again. They were cold in a way he had only seen on- (-Mikey who looked at his enemies, he had looked Kazutora like that too? But when would he look at him like that? They never met after that bight-)
"How could you-?"
"Listen kid, we all have our demons we want to kill. But yours was just a trauma response. You had to blame him so he would be the demon and not you."
"I-"
"Kid, you don't become a demon by killing someone on accident or trying to rob a place. If you're regretting it all, that only makes you more human."
"I-"
"Hanemiya Kazutora," the woman spoke, "I can't lock you up to keep you away from your revenge nor can I steal your fury's victim from you. But if you think about it, you will remember that you don't want to kill that demon. That's not a demon anyways. It's just your friend. Your friend who suffered because of you. He suffered and you suffered and it was because of your actions."
"No! It's his fault- he is my enemy! It's his fault that I-"
"It's your fault Kazutora. It's yours and your friend's and your father's and your mother's. Now what? Will you kill everyone who was the cause of it? That's a war you can't win. That's why apologizes exist. They are not for the past, they are for the future. You can't change anything with an apology but you can make things better with one. Maybe, ya know if you're lucky enough, you can even take your friendship back. If you apologize…"
"No- no-" Kazutora was crying. He didn't want to cry.
"Join my gang kid; I'll make sure you're safe and sound and if you can't take your friendship back, then we will provide you with new ones here."
Kazutora was crying.
Trauma was a bitch.
Sometimes, Koko really disliked his boss. Not hated, hate was… a strong word.
He really came close to it tho.
Well anyways, he was on a Toman meeting to fetch the first division guy because, apparently, the new boy Shiro had recruited herself was one of Toman's founding members and he was supposed to join Valhalla and he also swept the first division guy on his side since those two together killed off Sano's brother. Etc. etc…
When Inupi learned he was the one to do it, he wanted to kill him too; Koko could see it in his eyes. Shinchiro was his role model, his childhood's shining hero. Inupi hadn't wanted to have him on their ranks but… Shiro made him understand it, yet again, killing him would do them no good and he was a kid younger than even them too so…
Inupi respected Hanagaki Shiro and Koko would even dare say he loved her dearly as a friend and any of the gang members would accept she was a smart person and a good leader any day.
Sometimes it was just too hard to… to give meanings to things she did.
Like an omniscient deity, she looked at the problems none of them were aware; she solved them before they could get big enough to be seen to the normal eye.
And his boss was a handful in a normal day so he should've guessed her brother would be too.
He was waiting for his time to find the long, black haired; fanged, cute, dog-like male (Shiro's description which got muddy with the input of Kazutora) and getting him to their hideout (Taiju's home.)
(He was getting tired of playing the fetch dog.)
A new third division captain was being nominated. It was far away from a nice ceremony. The brat, who was being nominated, was too arrogant for his own good. Koko would've punched him if he did the same thing to their boss, Taiju and Inupi would too.
Hanagaki would too.
Male one, not the big boss.
Yes, Takemichi was a cute kid. He acted weird sometimes but he was a good kid most of the time. Boss would be angry if Koko just let him get beaten. But stepping into the scene could make it worse. The mission could go to the trash bin as well. So Koko did not run to save the kid. He decided he would step in if he was really in need for help. And his resolution lasted a few seconds, until a black, long haired male with a small fang that was visible from his grin came to the scene and punched the blue eyed boy.
Time to be a hero, Koko.
He rushed in and prevented the boy getting punched a second time.
"Mikey-san." he greeted politely first of all, "It is so very nice to see you."
"You are-"
"I am just the fetch dog of Black Dragons." It was a hasty answer but Koko could be polite enough to cover it up, "I'm sorry for interrupting your meeting but I was told to bring Baji Keisuke to my boss. They told me you would understand."
"Why did you come here to fetch him? He was suspended from the meetings."
He was? Oh well… "Now, how would we know about that?"
"Wait a minute." The fanged male recovered his arm, "Who the hell are you bringing to your shitty boss, huh?"
Koko had to restrain himself. The little boss would not stand for it if he was to be harsh right now. He leaned towards his fellow black haired boy.
"We have Kazutora." He whispered to him. Baji's eyes widened and he seemed like he was going to shout but it would do no good to either of them and he knew it.
"Bastard- I will come with you but you better did not do anything-"
"This was not a threat, Baji-kun. It was merely the reason why we want you to come by. My boss and him alike will appreciate it if you come in your own volition."
"Alright."
Koko gave out a relieved sigh and turned to the gang leader.
"It seems we've resolved it by ourselves, Mikey-san. We will take our leave now. I apologize again for the convenience." He faced the younger blonde, "Hanagaki, you too follow. Your sister would kill me had she learned I left you here alone."
"Wait." The tall, braided man stopped him, "How do you know Takemitchy's sister?"
"Or Takemitchy himself?" Mikey added.
"One of the higher ups went to middle-school with her. She's our friend."
"Is that true, Takemitchy?"
"Ah- yes. Inupi-kun." The boy nodded.
"Okay." The leader nodded at last, "You may leave."
'With your life.' Koko added mentally.
He was becoming religious with the number of prayers he sang every day.
It was a few days later, when Valhalla sent them a war declaration.
Shiro did all but laughed before going out to hunt some headless angels.
"Boss."
"What is it, Koko?"
Hajime took one last deep breath and collected his courage before he blurted out the question; he, Inupi and Taiju were dying to ask.
"How do you know all these things?"
"What do you mean with 'all the things'?"
"How you knew about Hanemiya and the first division commander and… that Valhalla would send us a declaration of war."
"I don't understand. What exactly do you think I know about?"
The boy gritted his teeth. He knew she was playing dumb while knowing what exactly he was talking about. She knew that as well as she knew everything else.
"You knew those two were the ones who had killed Shinchiro while not even Inupi did."
"Knowledge isn't so hard to come by."
"Is the same thing stand for all the other things you know?"
Shiro raised her head from the book she has been reading. As the two of them alone at the living room, everything was quiet for a few seconds.
"Do you believe in destiny, Hajime?"
He was stunned by her use of his first name but he shook his head.
"I… Don't believe in a higher power that decides our lives. Maybe luck."
She smiled.
"That's just like you, ya know… I believe destiny to be… our stories you may say. Many things change and countless possibilities appear right in front of our eyes, but how did we come here? By only luck? That sounds like an insult, ya know? For me to be here just because of luck…"
Koko winced at that.
"Sorry, boss…"
"Don't worry; I'm not offended or anything. But you know Hajime, there are just too many choices we need to make; from choosing what to eat for dinner to what to call our friends, from choosing which school to go to choosing whether we want to live or not… how that can be luck? It was all us wasn't it?" She got up from her place to stand right in front of him, "I chose you, Inupi and Black Dragons. I chose to get these piercings and this tattoo. All those as a girl. Trust me, if it was luck, I would be the last person to get this all. So…" she smiled, "It's only fair if I know what I'm doing."
She passed by him and headed towards the kitchen.
Now he had more questions and no answers in sight. Shiro was, undoubtedly, the best at manipulating the conversation between everyone he had met to this day.