When you see me now, you'd have no idea I used to live a quiet and happy life on Shinzu Avenue. Well, quiet and happy – figure of speech. Let's just say juggling four jobs to make your alcoholic mother and ten year-old brother and sister live decently was quieter than what happened next. Not that the life I described is the load of a typical seventeen year-old. Where I come from, anyway. But neither is traveling the dimensions with a ninja, a wizard, an archeologist, a fur-ball and a princess to find the soul of said princess. Don't go thinking I'm complaining, on the contrary. Sure, I didn't really like it at first – getting separated from my kudan and all that. But you get used to it. Besides, now…I wouldn't change the way things went for the world.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. The name's Aisha. Aisha Kazumi. I'm from the Republic of Hanshin and, as I said, I'm seventeen. I don't like saying I "come from" someplace, but I kinda have to if I want you to understand. So let's say I was from the Republic of Hanshin. Sounds better. So here I am, many adventures and countless revelations later, trying to find a way to tell you what happened without boring you to death. So I think I'll just start with the day it all began…
XxX
For the normal passerby, I'm a girl running in the street. For someone a little more observant, I'm a girl fleeing in the street. But for me, I'm a girl running for her life.
The members of a rival gang caught me in their territory, which means a little distraction for them, and a lot of trouble for me. Even if I do outrun them, which seems less likely by the second, Kento is going to kill me. How was I supposed to know Shougo lost his territory like, three hours ago? He never gave me any trouble, though I am from another gang. Besides, I had to go through there. How else am I going to get to work? And how the hell am I going to get rid of those guys?! Maybe if I close my eyes and really wish they disappear…
I flash a quick glance behind me. Nope, still there. The lead one is almost at my heels. I gather up the little energy I have left and sprint. If I can find a door or an alley somewhere… But no. Apparently I'm not worthy of Luck's favors today. My ankles are burning. My lungs hurt more with every breath I take. If I'm so tired, shouldn't my little followers be too? I glance over my shoulder. Most of them are falling back, but one of them is still holding on – and gaining speed. How can he…?
I spot a splash of white near his shoes. After a few seconds I realize they're wings! Both of his shoes have on a pair of cute little wings! The bastard's using his kudan to catch up to me!
"Cheater!" I yell behind me.
If he's going to get the kudans into this, than so be it.
"Come on girl, NOW!"
And she appears in my back. I can't see her, but I know she's there. A silent angel with sad eyes.
"Show them what you've got!"
I hear grunts and whimpers of pain behind me, but I'm to busy running to check it out. Now people are staring; they probably think I'm getting assaulted by those guys, but other than a couple of college students who are probably part of a gang, everyone just avert their eyes. They're probably sick and tired of gang fights around here. I can't really blame them. So am I. But hey, what else would all these high-school dropouts do with their time? Not like they're smart enough to get a job. So all they can figure out to do is fight other high-school dropouts. Which ultimately leads to situations like the one I'm in right now.
My followers are getting tired, but they don't look like they're about to give up. In fact it seems like they're just getting more determined. In front of me, I see a bunch of guys emerge from an alley.
They called reinforcements? You have got to be kidding me. With the new guys, they're about fifteen. I'm alone. How many people does it take to catch a lone girl?
After going through my options, I decide on the element of surprise. They probably think I'm gonna depend on my kudan to defend myself, so all they have to do is overwhelm her to get to me. Heh. They'll be surprised.
Ignoring the excruciating pain in my lungs, I dash forward, extending my arms on the side like wings. My strategy visibly confuses them, because I see them squirm uncomfortably and look at each other for answers. Did you expect me to slow down and cower? Sorry to disappoint you.
My hand opens in expectation. I'm almost up to them. I gather myself and jump. They all look at me like I'm an apparition of some sort. I gaze upon them, pick my target… my hand closes on something solid… it shoots forward as if to slap him… falls short. The whip in my hand reaches its goal though, smearing his face with blood.
I land and face them. Close up, they don't seem so menacing. More like scared. With a snicker and a smirk – I wouldn't want to reassure them, now would I – I dive in. Slashing, punching, kicking, biting… add to that the explosions the kudans are making and you got yourself a pretty nice brawl. I eventually fight myself out of the pile-up, only to come face-to-face with… my follower from the chase. The one who cheated by using his kudan to catch up to me. The others are still fighting, too oblivious to realize I'm not even there anymore. My follower sizes me up, seems to think I look tougher than I am, and smiles.
"Let me offer you a deal. You surrender, and we don't hold this against your gang.'' He says.
"Let me offer a better deal. I kick your ass and when you come to fight the gang, we send you straight to hell." Before he can answer, I snap my wrist forward. My whip wraps around his leg, and I pull. He falls back onto the pavement.
With my whip now loose, I gather the microscopic amount of stamina I have left and run towards the closest house. Fortunately, the gate is open. Perfect. As I get closer, I see a sign dangling next to the gate. "HOTEL". Even more perfect. I can escape in the building and out through the rooftop.
As I dash through the gate, something strikes me as wrong. Was the wind always this strong? It whistles in my ears until the screams of the fight fade away. I try to orient myself, but I can't see the yard anymore. Just wind and a maelstrom of colours, twirling around me. The wind picks up, tightens up. I try to escape from it but instead I am sucked inside the whirlwind, clawing for anything to hold. I think I see a silhouette, but it disappears as soon as I see it. Finally, my hands grab hold of something. Fabric. I cling to it like my life depended on it. As far as I'm concerned, it might as well be the case.
Suddenly, everything turns black. I hold on even tighter. My kudan appears in front of me.
"Help me… please…" I realize I'm almost sobbing. I reach out to her but all she does is wave at me, like she's saying goodbye. Her, the beautiful angel with the sad looking eyes. I scream to her, but the more I try to reach her, the more I am pulled in the opposite direction. She keeps waving, and her face lightens up with a reassuring smile.
"You'll be fine, "I hear a voice tell me. "Trust yourself. You don't need me anymore…"
I feel a pinch in my stomach, like something's slowly being ripped out. The pinch turns into excruciating pain when I realize I'll never see her again.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
