Alright everyone, here's the second chapter of the new fic, with Naruto's backstory being in here.

I was in Disneyland Paris the past week, and boy was it fun, my first time. And I got to see the One Piece Red Film there too in the theatre. So I got material to write the Naruto/One Piece fic further. Let alone got to meet Stitch, my fav character.

So for now, one of the Disney characters is going to be seen in this chapter - and she'll be recognized by her name. Hope it didn't spoil you all, but I hope you all like it.

Anyway, working on the other fics - let's get this fic started - Let's go!

1977

In the Ganton Children's home that lay in the center of the city of Ganton that already had a bad reputation of a decaying city, a more rotten part that had yet to be displayed to the public, and would've caused even an outrage.

The building looked pretty normal at first sight, though it was infested with grown, untended weeds, and a poorly-managed car that was parked on the front lawn. Painted white to give off an air of innocence, people would think the inside is a caring atmosphere for the downtrodden.

But the inside of it was anything but innocent. The flickering light bulbs were dim, barely able to stay on, revealing the status of the building: the walls alone looked like they had better days, the wallpaper having been torn in places, or just covered in stains from either vomit with dried blood splatter. The smell of certain areas within were areas no one wanted to stay in for long.

The kitchen itself was a mess with the floor seen with an numerous amount of stains and even roaches seen crawling around every corner, with the sink filled with nothing but empty fast food packets with often leftover food that was already attracting bugs, if not growing mold that was appalling, with the open fridge seen mostly with six packs of beer bottles that were either empty or left open, with nothing for the children like formula, medication or even the necessities seen in them that should be kept cold.

The bathroom wasn't any better either, with wet dirty towels on the floor, empty shower bottles lying around, and the bathtub was with dirt that wasn't cleaned for months, and the cabinets were filled with makeup, fingernail polish and even bottles of suspicious looking substance, with nothing in it that even looked remotely needed like even a toothbrush.

And the bedrooms of those kids were an even more depressing sight to see: with them being even deprived of light as they mostly lived in the dark with their windows closed off with shredded carton boxes or black tape that made sure no onlookers were able to see the insides of the children's' room. Where they all were sleeping on empty mattresses that were lucky to be dry with only stains from children having peed on them in their sleep, or worse to be soaked in water that they were left with for the older kids.

No pillows, or blankets, no lights.

Inside one of those rooms, with the doors left open because of the broken lock, in that room laid five kids who were sleeping, all girls, with two mattresses being inside the room which was already not the norm.

*Cough!* *Cough!*

But only two of the girls were seen asleep as the three others were seen awake with the one laying on the mattress.

*COUGH!* *COUGH!* *COUGH!*

"Just breathe, sis, take it easy." One of the girls said offering a water bottle. "Here, have some water."

The girl who was laid on the mattress was an unlikely person in this city's demographic area, a Asiatic white girl with brown hair that was in buns like a panda, with gray eyes that normally were filled with happiness, joy and a rebellious spirit. Now was trembling and white while sweat was coming from all sides of her head.

*Gulp!* *Gulp!*

"Easy, Tenten, not too big." The girl said holding the bottle before removing it and putting her palm over her forehead. "You've got a high fever, sis."

The girl's darkened eyelids opened up, Tenten managed with the strength she had to grow a small smile on her face, trying to be the big sister for the girls in here.

"Just….go to sleep now." She tried moving her hand. "I'll be fine, just need to rest."

"No, you are not!" The other girl, with short brown hair, insisted by holding her sister down to rest more. "You're sick, it's those mattresses."

"I know, Michelle, girl. But what can we do about it." Tenten said to the younger girl, who like her had a tomboyish attitude that they shared. "The only mattress that are close to clean are the cribs for the little ones."

Those cribs were occupied by two babies sleeping, both girls laying on the better mattress that only contained a few stains and were in good condition. With both girls seen sleeping and holding their cuddly bears in their arms.

Young Michelle sighed and nodded. "Okay."

"Good, now check on them." Tenten instructed her before turning to the other girl, "As for you, Fu-"

"Please, let me stay beside you." The young tanned girl, also a Latina with short brown hair and orange pupils, her eyes had already shown signs of having cried earlier. "You've been getting bad lately, and I want to help you."

"Fuck! I swear if I can get the fuck out of here, I would." Tenten groaned. "Not like I have a place to go."

"Yo. I'm back."

The three girls who heard that voice, quickly turned their heads towards the open door and their faces were met with relief as they saw who it was. Wearing his jacket with small sneakers that had holes in them.

Coming in were Naruto and the slightly younger Jimmy, both having gone outside in the late evening to get some extra stuff while having managed to avoid the matron's sights.

"The matron did not notice me borrowing the keys to get in her grocery store. I got medicine, snacks, and some food. Jimmy's loading the fridge…and we got beer, so the drunk doesn't question anything."

"Thanks, big brother." Young Michelle said before noticing. "Are those the diapers?"

"Yes, so go and grab some and replace them - bought some clean tissues too." Naruto said, handing them over to her.

To which Michelle took off him to change the infants. Leaving him then to go and approach Fu, and hand her some grocery bags.

"Fu, hide these at the usual spot." Naruto said while handing them over. "This one's the mouthwash and toothpaste, while this bag's the bandages contains the food and drinks, dried meat, vegetables, orange juice-"

"But Tenten-"

"I'll handle her." Naruto said, patting Fu on her head and smiling. "Now, go, Jimmy will be there."

Fu took off the water and dry food to hand over to the others. The bathroom was loaded up with toothpaste while Naruto gave Tenten medicine.

"Oi, Naruto-"

"Hush, Tenten." Naruto said, holding her head up and pulling out a small battle from his pockets and opening it up to pour out some pills. "Take two of these."

"Naruto, those are expe-"

"I bought them myself." Naruto said, seen pulling out a bottle of water. "Now drink."

Tenten sighed and moved up a little bit upwards and allowed herself to take the pills before she then was fed the water to him, as he was caring for her health to which she appreciated.

"Good, you have taken them." Naruto said, grabbing them from his jacket, folding it up and then laying it under Tenten's head. "Now you just need to rest, and tomorrow morning, you'll get some again."

"Where did you get the money?"

Hearing that question, Naruto paused for a moment before he then continued to grab a clean towel and poured cold water onto it before putting it on her forehead.

"Just lay and rest, and you will be okay-"

"You've been selling, haven't you?"

Not answering the question again, he just then grabbed for the blanket and pulled it over properly across his friend's body.

"Naruto, tell me what-"

"Yes, I've been selling." Naruto admitted, having gone on a long day after school with his friend to go around town, and sell whatever merchandise to any yuppie in Los Santos.

Having been the main helper of the orphans here, Naruto had taken the role of being the actual caretaker of the boys and girls in this hellhole, while being the oldest he also was the financial provider, often by illegal ways - having begun selling drugs at the age of nine.

He had no family except for the fellow orphans - having been found in Ganton in a bundle, he happened to be found by the local authorities and turned to this facility before it then got new management that was only here five years, and had already turned his life to hell.

He could've gone and ran off but he didn't. For the little kids he saw as the only family, he could not abandon them.

He could not, simple as that.

"Who was with you tonight? Lance?" Tenten asked tiredly but still angered. "Melvin? Who did you go with?"

"Lance, yes. But also Brian." Naruto said as he continued on with the blanket. "It was only supposed to be me and Lance, but Brian came along, said he wanted to help."

"If anyone wanted to help - they could just call the police."

Naruto scoffed at that. "Yeah, like the last three times? They only send the same state child service guy these bastards' have been paying off to."

It was true that with only mere luck that the matrons of the Ganton Children's Home were assigned with the local state inspector, a rather troubled heroin addict who was buying drugs from the likes of Naruto.

Ganton was very corrupt, and that's why it's no wonder things were so bad right now in this city to the point where certain groups were popping up across the place, including the ones Lance belonged to.

"You know that if you keep doing that, you will get caught-"

"Yeah, but who will go and get the diaper and milk for the little girls? Or the food for everyone?" Naruto said darkly. "I cannot let them eat junk food all the time and be unhealthy by those two bastards."

None of the kids inside would notice the shadow entering the room, with the slumbering man seen standing with an empty bottle of tequila, he wore brown work pants and matching boots with an white wife beater and had bad hair that fitted with his breath.

"I know…but if you are gone, then nobody will be able to keep an eye on them." Tenten said. "Who will then look after them if their big brother is gone-"

"Aren't you little bastards supposed to be asleep?!"

Before Naruto could even respond, he was slugged with a haymaker sending him hurtling in a dresser before Tenten looked fearful. Thad, one of the two matrons, was a mess of a guy who was both an heroin addict and a dealer, and seeing he was always either drinking, or shooting his arms in or beating, he now was about to do the third thing.

KICK!

Naruto got kicked in the stomach by the matron.

"How many times do I have to tell you!"

KICK!

"That boys and girls can't be in the same room this late!"

KICK!

Naruto gasped for air as he also got stomped on the head.

Thad then spotted the bottle of pills in Tenten.

"Where….did you get these pills, boy?" He asked in a dangerous tone. "Did you steal them from my cabinet?!"

"I-"

"YOU LITTLE CHINK SHIT!" Thad threw the empty bottle over Naruto's head.

CRACK!

The shattering of glass over Naruto's face caused the two babies to begin to cry in the presence of an already frozen Michelle, who tried her best to soothe the two young ones.

"YOU STOLE FROM ME! YOU LITTLE MOTHERFUCKING THIEF!" Thad screamed out. "I WAS SHOOTING YOUR KIND IN VIETNAM, DON'T THINK I HELD BACK SHOOTING YOUR SLINT EYES BRATS TOO! NOW-"

"He didn't steal them!" Tenten sputtered. "I did…."

The attention of Thad turned to the sick Tenten, who he noticed was covered in sweat and soaking wet, holding the pills still in hand.

"Come here!"

"Please no-AHHHH!"

Naruto's head turned to the yelling, and what his eyes saw happening.

Thad began dragging Tenten by the hair out of her spot, relentlessly as the crying of the other children in the room was loud in his ears as Michelle was seen trying her best to calm them down.

"Shut them up!" Thad barked before he continued to drag Tenten out of the room. "You, come with me!"

Tenten continued to scream as she was kicking her legs around as she was taken away by the dangerous drunk.

BANG!

The loud bang of the door getting slammed, meant the worst case was about to happen - the matron's lounge room.

"WHAAAAAH!"

One of the infants was now in such a state of distress that it caused Michelle to embrace the little white eyed girl into arms and tried to calm her down more.

"Please, Penny, please." Michelle pleaded with the small redhead girl. "Be quiet."

Fu was then seen rushing inside the room and saw the carnage but then spotted a shocked Michelle, and tried to help her.

Not noticing that Naruto was already standing up slowly on his own, with his face covered in shattered glass and droplets of blood that were leaking from the open cuts.

"Michelle-"

"Please, please, don't cry." Michelle looked all the more distressed and begged. "Fu, please make sure Chili's alright."

They didn't seem to see that the bleeding Naruto was walking out of the room and seen entering the hallway in an almost trance-like-composure, and somehow he was not seen by Jimmy who entered the room with a few bottles of milk.

"Fu, Michelle, step aside." Jimmy told them as he gave the babies their needed food. "Hopefully this will calm them down."

"Jimmy, Thad has taken Tenten-"

*CLACK*

The sound of that caught the three kids to turn around to the open door - and saw Naruto had re-emerged on the hallway, with him having dried the blood off his face, he now was with his empty gaze focused on the end of the hall with his hands busy on something.

That 'something' was a Colt.38 Cobra revolver in his hand, and he just loaded it up with live rounds and closed the chamber!

The hollowed looks on the children' faces said everything when they saw their oldest brother holding a gun.

Fu spoke. "Naruto, what are you-"

Naruto's gaze turned to the room inside, causing the question to then die in the girl's mouth, and the others to freeze in fear of that blank stare that turned into anger.

"Stay inside the room." Naruto told them as he kept a hold on his gun. "Do not move outside the room. Got it?"

"But brother-"

"Stay inside." Naruto firmly told them as he walked past the room and went on.

As Naruto proceeded to go walk through the hallway, he wasn't foolish enough to notice the other doors of the orphans, both from the boy's and girls rooms to slightly open up and the others to stare in shock at their older brother seen walking down the hallway holding a firearm.

Instead of crying, instead of gasps of shock, or even tears of fear, these long abused kids were standing by and watching on or closed back the doors.

Silence as they knew the inevitable was about to happen - their big brother was about to intervene.

Inside the lounge room, it was the nicest place of the orphanage, but only accessible for the matrons, as it was their place of relaxation.

A pool table alongside a poker table was seen, with a few couches and a small fridge with the lights of the room being that of a dark red, like giving the lighting that of a brothel, which wasn't fitting in a orphanage.

But it was fitting for one of the matrons named Medusa - a middle-aged white redheaded woman in a red dress who was anything but beautiful with the amount of cheap makeup and ugliness that was inside of her that was the perfect match for Thad. Both of whom both shared the responsibility of the Ganton Childrens' Home.

But she also shared a history of substance abuse - mainly heroin and alcohol with her also making her own laced cigarettes that she now was seen making on the pool table. Dipping the tips of tobacco smoke inside a jar of liquid that she had been preparing for sales.

The tracks on her arms weren't helping either as she often spent half of her earnings on the needle alongside with Thad, with the leftover cash to bribe the local inspector and to pay rent, water and gas, making sure to keep earning those government checks that she could spend on expensive stuff.

"No, NOOOO!"

Hearing a kid screaming, Medusa scoffed and rolled her eyes as she complained.

"Shut the brat off, Thad, I can't focus!"

THUD!

The disturbing thud only seemed to have ended the screaming as then Thad was seen coming into the room with an unconscious Tenten, who he then threw over on the pool table, still holding onto her blanket and night garments, but with a clear wound over her head.

"What now?" Medusa asked, irritated at the brat he brought in. "I'm busy making sticks, moron."

Thad went on the rumble. "This gook bitch stole medication from our cabinet. Need to teach her a lesson."

Tenten's mouth began to moan, from the pain that was inflicted on her, she was still unconscious but responsive also.

"Alright, just don't kill her. We need those checks." Medusa pointed at him with her polished nails. "We cannot afford another hospital visit."

*TRIIIIING!*

From one end of the room, the landline phone went off and it caused Medusa to walk over to it to answer it. All while Thad went on to reach his belt and prepare it.

"You're going to feel some real discipline, wrench." Thad said shredding the blanket off of her and leaving her skin exposed. "Steal from me? I'll make you regret it."

"Quiet, you." Medusa said, picking up the horn and preparing her fake smile. "Ganton Children's Home, how can I help you?"

That fake smile then turned into a shocking downturn as she heard what was being told to her.

"H-He's what?"

"What's the problem?" Thad asked.

"The inspector got arrested." Medusa said angrily, hanging up the phone. "For bribery and being caught with an underage girl."

"Not one of ours…" Thad said a bit taken back.
"Thank heavens, not." Medusa said, getting up. "Look, Thad. We need to prepare for a new inspector, so let the girl go for now. We don't need her bruised up."

"But my pills." Thad said before Medusa snatched him out of his hand.

"These aren't even your pills. It's cold medicine." Medusa roared. "Just put the girl back. I need to burn some things back at home."

Medusa had left the lounge unaware of Naruto slipping right past her. She would leave the building as Naruto went ahead to the lounge room. While Thad was not angry about the pills anymore, he was upon realizing she smuggled them in. Tenten was waking up seeing the twisted look at Thad's face. Tenten was shaking as he walked towards her.

"I guess I'll just have to spank you with my hands instead."

Tenten asked for the belt instead before he grabbed by her throat.

"You aren't in any position to make demands, you gook-"

*BANG!*

The first bullet went through Thad's leg, getting him to drop Tenten.

Thad turned to see a dead-eyed Naruto with a revolver. Pointed right at him with the smoking gun aimed at him.

Naruto took one look at Tenten, shaking and only in her nightshirt and underwear. He turned back to Thad, assuming the worst.

"You bastard!"

"Hold on, kid." Thad held his bleeding leg while he held his hand out. "Put the gu-"

*BANG!*

Firing a second shot, Naruto Thad slumped to the ground and hit his head against the pool table. Shot to the liver, The gut began to bleed extensively with now the drunk having to hold his other hand over the red soaked wife beater shirt.

"You little shit!"

Naruto lowered his .38 to the other leg and pulled the trigger.

*BANG!*

Tenten screamed after what she saw, completely traumatized, she just witnessed Naruto shooting Thad several times without any second thoughts.

Having now fired his third shot from his revolver, Naruto now had Thad fully pinned down, who now was laying on the ground with now both the bastard's legs shot up and the man's gut bleeding all over the place.

"Tenten, go!"

"But-"

"YOU LITTLE BRAT!"

*BOOM!*

One buck shot flew over the heads of the three, destroying the windows and the chandelier hanging above the poker table that now caught the chandelier as it crashed through the wood.

The shots were fired from the 12-gauge double-barreled shotgun that had its side-by-side barrels sawn off, an illegal modification in of itself, let alone the fact that she was shooting it at a kid in the first place.

*Click!*

"What the-" Medusa had pulled both triggers, yet only one shot went off as she grunted out of anger at her poorly-maintained weapon. "Stupid thing-"

*BANG!*

….

*THUD!*

The body of Medusa fell to the ground, with her double-barreled shotgun clattered to the ground, as she was knocked back by a bullet.

Naruto stood back up, his .38 Cobra pointed at the former position of the female caretaker, who he could hear moaning and gasping in pain.

The sight of both caretakers on the ground with gunshot wounds and unable to do anything about it was a view he never thought he'd see - let alone to be the one to inflict on them for all the abuse she'd visited upon him and the others for years.

The cigarette burns, the days in the cellar, physical torture, anything he could remember.

And now, they were at his mercy. His.

"Tenten, get back to the others, and lock the doors." Naruto instructed her. "Now."

Unable to even say anything, Tenten went on to walk away with the blanket from the ground and slowly went out of the room, just as she closed the door behind her, Naruto was seen walking through the room.

Even when shot, Medusa tried to reach with her fingers for the shotgun - of which she could only move her hand as she laid flat on her back, unable to move even a inch of her upper or lower body.

"My….my back…"

"Guess I hit your spine."

Medusa's fingers only managed to hit the tip of the shotgun barrel before it got kicked away by Naruto's boot, as he then was standing over her with the revolver still in his hand.

Looking now down on the woman who tormented her for a good portion of his life - he only had one simple thing to say to her.

"Now you know how it feels like, bitch."

Trying to respond, the whole scenario became too much for the redheaded diva who then passed out on the floor, of what precisely he didn't know, but it didn't matter to him.

He turned back and walked over to the pool table, where Thad still was leaning against it, while bleeding out, a pool of blood was now steadily present, as a whole part of his shirt was now soaking wet of red.

"This ends now."

Raising his gun again, Naruto pointed the revolver directly at Thad's head, this time aiming directly at the bastard's face. He lost his train of thought when the sound of sirens could be heard in the distance. Someone from the neighborhood probably called the police after the first shot was fired; though from how faint they were, he had eight, maybe 10 minutes before they got here. Might as well finish the job.

Pulling the hammer back, Naruto listened as the last bullet enter, as he then was prepared to finish it off and said:

"Say your prayers, teme."

Thad spitted out. "Fuck you, you chink muthafucka-"

*BANG!*

1992

*Clink!* *Clink!*

The sound of metal being moved was joined with silent grunting that came from the person who was moving them.

Seen working out with dumbbells in the Verona Beach outside gym was Naruto, seen wearing only a pair of short jeans as he left his chest exposed while working out in the hot summer sun that he was used to - having done exercises during his time on Death Row in his one-hour a day with weights.

Wearing a pair of sunglass shades and a headband, Naruto wasn't bothered by the amount of sweat he was producing and quickly dripping around his face, , as he was used to this weather like any other LS native.

Once he was finished with his exercises, he stood up and took the work-out dumbbells with him to place them back at the rack. All the while he was being observed by some onlookers on the beach who noticed his upper body's shot wounds and the green bandana that was hanging from his back pocket.

He didn't care, right now he had bigger issues at his head, As he walked back to grab his shirt and put it on, he checked his watch that he had on and noticed the time.

"I gotta go."

Once he exited the open gym, Naruto started to make his way out of the beach as he had other places to go.

It had been a full week since his release from Death Row and Naruto's restart back in Los Santos wasn't without hindrances - as he had seen earlier this week with the death of Beverly Johnson.

The act itself, was beyond any words that even the blonde couldn't wrap his head around as he is like Sean and Kendl, were terribly hurt by the tragic end of the good motherly woman who was cut down in such an unforgivable act that caused shock among LS South Central's population.

The attempted killing of a Grove OG was understandable in gang life - but the precise killing of someone's mother who was a neutral? That was a line drawn, something that required retaliation at some sort. But that now wouldn't come as Sweet and his sister were wanting to make sure to give their mother a proper funeral that she deserved.

It didn't mean that things were easy for Naruto either ever since he returned back to LS. As he was forced to be not short on getting noticed by anyone who got the news about his release, or the very police themselves that were on the lookout for him. Seeing they mostly were not satisfied with his exoneration.

He was however lucky enough to not have a run in with one of them.

"Heyo!"

Hearing that shout from behind, Naruto looked who it was and saw that it was what he should've expected:

One bearded black guy with a baseball cap who wore all black clothes with long pants to a shirt but also was seen wearing a bandana that was hanging out from the front left pocket of his pants.

It was purple - meaning he was a member of the Ballas.

"You Naruto Uzumaki?" The Balla asked straight up for his name. "I got a message for you."

Meanwhile

In a commercial flight from Liberty City' Francis International Airport that went straight for Los Santos, CJ was making his way back home.

On his flight, the Johnson boy was not in a good mood and for a good reason as his flight got delayed two times already after he purchased a ticket the day before but now was only mere hours away before the funeral would start.

He knew that he had to make his way to the funeral the moment he'd land in Los Santos, not stopping by or even changing clothes, forget the fact he was now wearing black sneakers, a white shirt and some jeans.

He had to go, to save face for everyone there - especially his brother Sweet who he knew had still hard feelings towards him for what happened five years ago. Yet he also didn't want to disappoint his own sister who was perhaps in a worse state of mind than him.

As he looked outside his window, he saw that the plane was flying over the desert, to be exactly it was Bone County, with the lights of the gambling town not far away.

He was nearly home.

Jefferson

In the middle of the South Central, a church was preparing for another session - one of yet another sad sight. As the funeral of Beverly Johnson was beginning to take place.

The Church of Redemption was located in Jefferson - a central area within the area that laid at heart in the community, yet itself was not alien to its presence of gang members who were in the area.

The church was in the midst of a Ballas neighborhood, and it was the very sight of several GSF members having parked their cars inside the church' parking lot that caused a few people in the neighborhood to be concerned. It has appeared to everyone that gang members seem to have no problem breaking any moral or street rules lately.

Perhaps rather fittingly, the Ballas had seemed to stay away from church, there were no dealers, no OGs, and no youngsters on the corners. No, the gang had gathered elsewhere all realizing that this was not going to end well.

At the door of the church stood Sweet and Kendl, it was a rare moment when Sweet was not wearing his favored green hat or even his colors in general, as he and Kendl were seen wearing black clothing, which was a rare sight for the gangster's oldest son.

The two siblings had prepared a normal funeral for everybody to come by and visit their mother's casket. Having at first thought only a few would come, both were surprised about the amount of visitors that had shown up.

Almost a hundred people had showed up - a hundred. With many of them being members of the Ganton community of which some knew her, fellow churchgoers, old friends of hers and even former missionary people who knew Mrs. Johnson when she once went to Africa and South America as a volunteer, in the days she was younger of course.

But also some old faces who both Kendl and Sweet knew. Like Old Reese the barbershop owner from Idlewood who came to pay his respects, seen now hugging and comforting the Johnson daughter.

"My condolences, Kendl." Reese said, holding her tight as the old man was being compassionate to her. "What happened to her…I don't have the words for it."

"We neither, Reese." Kendl said, patting the old man in the back while hugging. "Neither me nor Sean can."

The barbershop owner broke the hug and proceeded to say. "But she's in a better place now. I might not be the best man of faith, but I believe she's looking down to you two."

"Yeah, we know." Kendl smiled at the old man. "I appreciate the words."

"I'll be inside." Reese said as he walked in, just then when the next person came in, another familiar face to the Johnson kids-

"Hello Sean, hello Kendl."

"Emmett. Good to see you." Sweet greeted the graying man in a handshake. The red-cap wearing and jacket man was in his usual clothing but had taken the time to freshen them close up.

"Hey Emmet. Good to see you." Sweet said as he hugged the old man who was clearly upset.

"I couldn't believe it when I heard it…" Emmet said, shaking his head and understandably sad as he turned to Kendl. "My deepest sympathies to you and your brother."

"Thank you." She smiled before turning to her brother. "Sorry, but I got to speak to the priest inside."

"Sure, go on."

Kendl proceeded to enter the church to speak to the priest, Emmet also didn't waste time as he walked right in to take his seat, leaving Sweet to stand by himself for a moment.

It happened to be then that a brown Picardo entered the parking lot - with the down Jerri haircut gangster having also another guy at the passenger seat, both Families members approached the grieving OG.

"Ryder."

"Sorry for being late, Sweet." Ryder hugged the friend out of respect. "Homie wanted to attend. You know LB, right?"

"Yeah, your homie from Seville Families?" Sweet said turning to the big guy. "Hey man, thanks for coming."

"Always, man. We Families, homie." Said the big guy as he dabbed hands with Sweet.

The guy known as LB was a slightly overweight guy with still muscles enough to fight. He's seen wearing a green sweater with a bandana knotted around his head with some black jeans and white sneakers.

He was not a Grove Street member or even from Ganton, but he was a member of the Seville Boulevard Families, a Families set that was based at Playa del Seville, one of the sets that for most part not on good terms with GSF, especially with Sweet.

"Still, think this is wise to do?" Sweet asked the Seville gangster. "Given we still set trippin over-"

"Over bullshit, homie, bullshit." LB cleared. "But I'm not here for that, I am here out of respect for Mrs. Johnson, you and Ryder. If the big homies have a problem over me paying my respects, then so be it."

"Paying respect is what anybody should do. No matter what."

The three men turned around to be met with someone who the Johnson sibling had expected to come.

An elderly brown skinned woman who's an Colombian that Beverly got to know in her missionary days back in the late 70s back in South America, and helped her and her family emigrate to LS as they settled with the whole family: it was Alma Madrigal.

Sweet reacted. "Mrs. Madrigal?"

"Sean, por favor, just call me Abuela." She moved over to embrace him into her arms in a grandmotherly way. "I'm so sorry for your Mama's death…querido Dios, I hope she didn't suffer."

"Nah, she didn't." Sean responded as he remembered. "... She was dead before she hit the ground."

"Hermano Sean!"

A small boy ran up to Sweet's leg and hugged, a boy around 10 years old who had curly brown hair and had a dark color skin, an Afro-Colombian boy with a lot of heart and energy, this was Alma's youngest grandchild.

"Antonio." Alma began.

"Nah, it's alright." Sweet said as he patted the little man on the head. "How you doing?"

"I'm doing alright….but how about you, Sean?" Little Antonio raised his face up in a clear sad face as he had hugged the oldest Johnson around with clear intentions of being helpful. "Are you okay?"

Sweet who was not known to be much of an smiley person, grew one on his lips and patted the little boy on the head.

"I'm doing okay, little homie. Thanks for asking."

"Sean."

The Johnson son turned up to see then the other members of the Madrigal family having also turned up, with them coming to pay their condolences to the late tragic passing of Mrs. Johnson.

Or at least a part of the family.

"Excuse me."

Everybody who was outside had to turn to the source of the voice that was the priest of this church who humbly informed them.

"My apologies to interrupt you all, but it's about to start."

Sweet nodded. "Right, let's do this."

They all started to walk inside the church, with Ryder even taking the moment to putting out the cigar he had in his mouth as LB stuck with him for a moment as he looked around.

"Where's Smoke?"

"I don't know." Ryder spoke when he puffed out the smoke from his mouth. "But let's get started, and pay our respects."

Closing the doors behind them, they didn't know that they were being observed.

Just down the street from the church, an C.R.A.S.H patrol unit was parked as it was facing the full view of the congregation with the two officers inside of it, observing the funeral from a good distance.

The cops inside were Tenpenny and Pulaski, both of whom had voluntarily taken the normal job for some rookies to observe a funeral that had gang members present.

With the radio on and the two senior officers having themselves bought a box of food and coffee, yet none of it wasn't even touched.

And for a good reason, as both men were not in a particular good mood, as it was best seen on Tenpenny's face that had a frown that serious that could explode the tension in any room if given the chance.

"One simple drive-by…." Tenpenny stressed out restrained as possible as he held his hand over his head. "A simple FUCKING drive-by and all they managed to do is THIS!"

"Can't argue with that." Pulaski replied, much irritated himself, he only sighed. "Nothing we can do about it much now."

Tenpenny shot towards his partner. "You trying to be funny, Eddie?"

"What? No! Of course not." Pulaski defended himself as he simply pointed it out. "I was just stating the obvious, that's all."

"Yes, the fucking obvious, that's for sure." Tenpenny groaned as he looked onwards. "Look at this mess, one simple job and it results into the killing of a church woman, like that's going to be ignored by the media."

"Or the big guys…" Pulaski stated the obvious. "Of which, we still got to handle our Internal Affairs problem, Pendlebury."

"Yeah, we deal with that fuck now, but not alone." Tenpenny said as he asked. "Where's that moron Hernandez?"

*Click!*

The backdoor seat opened, and the two cops saw Jimmy enter the car, a young Hispanic male cop who joined the C.R.A.S.H unit recently.

"You're late." Tenpenny stated.

"Sorry, had to-"

"Don't give me excuses, boy." Tenpenny shut him up and told his colleague. "Pulaski, drive. We got business to handle."

"Like right now?" Pulaski asked, a bit surprised. "We're on watch duty."

"Nobody's going to pull any stunts at this funeral. I can assure you that." Tenpenny told him before ordering. "Now move it. I am not in the mood."

"Alright Frank, your choice."

The patrol car moved up as it then left the spot, driving to their next destination while the funeral proceeded on.

The Church of Redemption

Currently, inside the church, it was a full house to say the least as the hundred attendees where people were sitting down on the benches that were cramped full.

Amongst those were regular churchgoers who knew Beverly Johnson, yet also were long-time acquaintances of the deceased mother who had left them good memories for them to remember her, as even members of other congregations came from across the city to pay their last respects to her.

Even one man came, who was touched by her support and help as he was an man who looked very young given he was in his early fifties, he had unkempt hair and was a Latino from South America whose family, like him, had emigrated to the US decades earlier.

As a matter of fact, his family was present in the funeral right now.

The local priest of this church - a elderly African American man with graying hair walked up to the Pulpit.

A man who devoted his life to Catholicism, he was still unprepared for the open casket of Mrs. Johnson who he watched briefly.

Mrs. Johnson's lifeless body that was laid in a brown suit with her clothes properly, with an calm but heartwarming corner smile that she was made before her death.

A funeral all as the more tragic, as she did not see it coming.

He proceeded to walk up to the Pulpit and then had his hands grab the wooden podium with a firm grip as he spoke.

"Welcome everyone, and thank you for coming to the funeral of Beverly Johnson. A woman who was taken away from us way too early. And is now at peace with the Lord."

Sitting up in groups, in the front set of course Sweet with his sister Kendl as he got several of the Families' gang members sitting apart from the rest of the other attendees - with some clearly wearing their gang colors, but also to the dislike that some of the normal community members had for the gang members.

But also sat behind were the Madrigals - including a praying Alma who had her scarf over her head, with her own daughters, sons-in-law and a few of her grandchildren being present.

"Now, I'd like to give the word to a member a friend of mine who came all the way from Colombia, to say a few words."

Seen wearing a traditional green Poncho that he always wore on special occasions, this was the one piece of clothing that the Missionary man with an former addiction problem had worn ever since his return from Colombia.

Taking his stance on the podium, the brown skinned, experienced-driven, and clearly emotional man. Began to speak some truth in his words.

"I'm not going to lie, that the moment I heard of this - I wanted to tear these streets asunder looking for the bastards who did this."

A missionary who knew Beverly had taken it hard trying not to fight tears and the urge to hit the bottle. He left powerless. Bruno Madrigal was not one to feel powerless…not that this level.

The youngest child of Alma Madrigal, Bruno was a man with many mistakes, but a golden heart that was in his honesty, hard work and reliance - a Madrigal who took after his late father. Bruno long had stayed in Colombia after his family was forced to flee duo the political violence in the 1950s that killed his father but also destroyed their isolated home that had become a battlefield that they were forced to flee from.

As he spoke, he saw his family that he had not seen in a long time, the emotions were high, but for him, they were higher once he turned to the casket.

"I know that she is no longer with us, but let us remember what she had done for the community. Bonded by shared suffering, she brought joy anyway she could. So let us continue on without her hopefully to bring a better community she had hoped to see, but never will. Let's do it for her. She always had people's backs…she even saved my neck a long time ago. I wouldn't be here if she hadn't helped me out."

Sean and Kendl, who by now wore dark shades of glasses to cover up the lack of sleep she had on her eyes, were paying attention to Bruno's speech.

"I can never give back the time she spend on me, trying to help me and even saving me from a uncurable mistake. But I can however make sure, we, can make sure to remember her deeds - and learn from them as we should. Especially now in a place like Los Santos."

*Click* *Click*

The sound of clicking caught everybody's attention in the silent church as they all turned around to the entrance and saw who it was. It was the one person many knew was out but yet surprised most of his presence.

Naruto entered the church. Wearing now with a black cargo pants with a white shirt with his crystal pendant on, he looked cleaned up with no traces of his previous workout. He also wore his black bandana over his head and had the nicest pair of shoes of his cleaned up as he walked over the church floor.

But he also wore what got many who didn't know him to believe he hadn't changed, as the green bandana of Brian was seen still hanging from his back pocket, pretty much showing his ties to the gang life hadn't been broken up.

But what he was carrying around his arms was a large corsage of flowers, roses of both red, white and other colors as he walked through without paying attention to any of the spectators, let alone the gasps and some whispers that were being given to him.

Wearing dark shade glasses, he was glad nobody could see the hollow emptiness in his eyes as he approached Mrs. Johnson's casket.

Feeling like minutes had passed by, Naruto then placed the flowers over the casket before he then said a few solemn words.

"Rest in Peace, Ma Johnson."

As he walked back, he proceeded to turn around to the seat that was open, just next to Ryder. Pretty much sitting right in front of the other attendees and right behind Sean and Kendl.

Of which Sweet turned his head around for a bit to nod his head in appreciation.

"Thanks for coming."

"Of course I would." Naruto responded silently in a respectful tone. "She was a good woman…"

"Yeah…" Sweet nodded as he felt guilty. "Wish I could've realized that sooner."

The procession continued on as the priest then began to do his sermon on the life of Beverly Johnson as everybody who was there, was present.

But not all….

One Hour later…

Los Santos Internation Airport

Walking through the hallways of the airport, Carl Johnson was making his way to the exit, as he was already late and needed to rush.

Damned those delays, he was getting later than he needed to be, as he now hoped to at least reach the burial of his mother at the least. Already expecting a ranting from his brother if he got there.

"Please, last thing I need is to get pulled over." CJ pleaded as he ran outside and saw a couple of cabs being parked up there.

"Taxi!" He ran to the closest one and entered the backdoor. "To Los Sepulcros cemetery in Vinewood, please."

The cab driver did not hesitate and began starting his engine before he drove up the road, hoping to reach there in time.

Only problem would be, that a certain C.R.A.S.H unit was tailing them, making Carl Johnson's welcome back party to Los Santos official.

Hope you all liked it.

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Peace!