#abandonedrage

          This was planned. It had to be and he refused to even think otherwise. It wasn’t the coincidence what he deserved for running late, it was the yakuza. He had been in the city plenty of times in full uniform. These damn goons were waiting for him. They knew he was going to be there because they were told. 

                 You mess up for the first time in five years, and you get the shit kicked out of you. He didn’t know what to do, the prince got hit a couple times and his fight or flight kicked in - which apparently meant giving them what he knew they wanted and begging for mercy. 

     It wasn’t his shining moment. Of course he couldn’t take a punch - look at the kid. He didn’t care who it was saving him from having to crawl away, Hibiya simply kept to himself until it sounded like it was over. 

              The prince looked up at the other with his bruised face, finally, able to just process what the hell happened. He meet the other’s stare, confused that this wasn’t his butler? A breathless “thanks” quietly came out, not hesitating to let the bloody hand help him up. Which was much easier said than done though, not realizing until he tried to move that he couldn’t just ignore the pain from his legs, back, stomach, head... A loud groan came out along with a swear, just trying to focus on getting on his feet. 

@abandonedrage

Rio usually enjoyed living alone. Occasionally she would be freaked out after watching a scary movie, or seeing someone dangerous on the news. Or, like that night, when it was storming particularly bad. She hadn’t experienced a storm like that years. It wasn’t that she was afraid of storms, but she had to admit this one was getting to her.

She kept peeking out the window of her apartment to check to see if the city was still there. She nearly had a heart attack when she saw the silhouette of a man in the darkness down by the street. It was late and with the weather being as bad as it was she found it strange that somebody would be out walking.

When a bright flash of lightning that was too close illuminated the figure, she saw that it was Shizuo Heiwajima. She had only ever talked to him once, but that didn’t stop her from slipping on her shoes and going outside to check on him. The closer to him she got the more upset she could tell he was.

“What are you doing out here?” She had to yell to be heard over the pouring rain. She barely kept herself from shrieking when another flash of lightning struck, so close that the clap of thunder was almost immediate. “You’re going to be struck by lightning! Why don’t you come in?”

“I don’t care if lightning strikes me anymore. Just leave me out here in the storm,” he had said.

Hearing that, Rio stepped out from under the safety of the awning she had been under. The rain instantly had her soaked.

“I’m not going to do that. Please, come inside with me.” She gently offered her hand to him, as if she were coaxing him off the ledge of a building. “If not I guess I’ll be forced to stay out here in the storm with you.”

Mikado probably should’ve expected this. 

He wasn’t very strong, and he was trying to control loads of members; it was only natural that some of them would go rogue and cause trouble, but Mikado never thought whoever it was would go after him, the leader, rather than the people who did the beating. 

“Hey, kid, ready to get a taste of your own medicine? This is what bein’ in a gang ‘s really about!!” 

And then came the punch to the gut. 

Mikado tried to duck away, but he was cornered in an alleyway by three other guys who were a lot bulkier than he was. And his phone was already crushed on the ground; there wasn’t any calling for help.

@abandonedrage

It had been days.

It’s been weeks since Sybil worked the courage to leave her house, hours spent in trembling resignation from the rising and falling of daytime minutes. Even within the comfy confines of her edifice, she did not feel safe. 

they’ve sent me thin’s...

She’s had things thrown at her door, letters and notes, all threatening. Sometimes, she walked into the kitchen to find shattered panes of glass and bullets knocked onto the floor, none misfired but all warnings. Sybil knew what these were; they weren’t loaded threats or mindless acts of violence. These were deliberate strikes; it was only a matter of time before they went full-on after her.

by then though my house would have burned to the ground

The Crimson Carnation Syndicate. A criminal organization from America she had managed to piss off considerably.

it’s what i get for bein’ involved in this sorta shit

They’ve been after her head for years now, never failing to find her and never failing to remind her that they were still very very angry with what she’s done. And, never failing to scare the ever living shit out of her.

Unfortunately, life does not heed these acts of fright.

Quorum Quantity had a package to run, and this package was heading straight to where she did not want to go. Sybil had called them, insisted that they gave the job to somebody else, anyone but her. Yet, she was only met with an answering machine, a recorded message that essentially told her to buckle down and get a grip on reality.

She needed help.

More specifically, she needed his help.

And that’s where we are now.

“...Shizuo-san?” she greeted in a soft manner, her eyes downcast. Guilt was rolling off of her in waves, that stubborn pride nonexistent now as she trembled considerably.

i shouldn’t get him involved...i should just walk away and face ‘em accordin’ly...i really shouldn’t drag him into the mess i made...this is only gonna get ‘im hurt...

But, goddammit, she was too scared to go alone.

@abandonedrage

Hockey has always been Sybil’s favorite past time.

Ever since she was little, the American has participated in the notoriously violent play; sometimes she got a little too involved. Being the stickler for rules that she was, Sybil often got agitated by foul plays left unchecked by the referee, usually when it is the opposing team that committed the error. As she got older, the woman managed to keep this to a minimum of cursed shouting and drowning in a bottle of stale beer; as a child though, she often went out of her way to smack the offenders involved. Usually forcibly...with a hockey stick.

One such game resorted into a needless fight that knocked out one of Sybil’s teeth, causing her to get a false replacement by the optometrist. 

Her parents took her out of the school’s hockey team due to this violation. Sybil’s father though always made it a point to play with her whenever he manages to get off work, for he enjoyed playing it as well.

Japan wasn’t much of a hockey country, probably due to the culture’s point of view on politeness and sportsmanship. However, this didn’t stop her from having fun once and awhile, as she sometimes liked to play a round or two at the park. Due to her naturally friendly nature, the American often welcomed people to play with her if they were willing; most of the time, she spends teaching younger children on how the sport works. 

It’s a good thing Sybil was blessed with an incredibly amount of patience.

“...no, that’s a foul, Seto...”

The confused boy cocked his head as she explained his crime, showing him a more efficient way to knock at the puck. “...put your hand here and swing it, but not too much! Ya don’t want the puck to go flyin’!”

A smile spread across her face as the boy did as he was instructed, watching the blacked object slide across the ice and pass between the goalie’s legs. Seto looked entirely pleased with himself as well, matching her broad grin in competition.

“...Good job! Ya will be a real pro in no time!” Raising her hand for a high-five, the slightly clumsy met it with a gloved palm, shaking his balance and falling over. The woman laughed merrily, her voice ringing through the barren park. “...maybe we should work on your balance, though...”

Sybil has been spending the entire morning playing with the small children, working as not only teacher, but referee and player. She made sure to go easy on them and to not be so strict on the play as they were after all...kids. And, they were learning.

the only way to learn is if ya make mistakes, right?

“...may I have a go? Ya’ll haven’t let me touch the darn thin’ since we’ve started!” Sybil laughed, already meeting the skidding puck with her stick. Several of the children grinned at her as the goalie shyly stepped aside, afraid to be hit by the blackened piece. Seto began to count down softly.

“...3...2...1!”

Striking it with a shout, the American woman hit across the icy pond, watching the ebony disk fly through the snowy air...

fuck!

@abandonedrage

                       Oh how he didn’t want to do this. Tsuki had heard about Heiwajima Shizuo and the blond had been hoping since he started this job that he wouldn’t have to encounter his look-a-like.

Walking briskly, Tsuki took a huge deep breathe, he really didn't want to do anything to anger the counter-part, but would he get upset at anything Tsuki did? He couldn't be too sure, the least he could do was cover his face and maybe perhaps the body guard wouldn't remember what he looked like if he needed to make a quick get a way.

@abandonedrage

“...hey…”

The woman tugged at the tall man’s sleeve, an indifferent expression written on her face as she approached without care, all in verve and no fear. The wind ruffled her hair, revealing the usually hidden odd spots of white and, then, covering them back up with the mysterious shroud of nightmare black. In her callused hands, Sybil held a cardboard box, neatly taped and packaged cleanly with a label reminiscent of Mercury.

if Mercury could have rings and moons

On the package, written in permanent black marker, stood out a well-recognized name...a name so well-recognized that everyone spoke of it in hushed whispers and harsh rumors.

i hate rumors

Sybil didn’t take much stock in gossip. As someone who spent most of her youth avoided and mocked, she knew better than anyone the effects it had on a person, what it did to them, how it alienated them. Yes, you could argue that there was always some truth, some inevitable base undivided and unaltered, that it was a variation. But, that wasn’t the complete and total truth, now was it? A woman who devoted her life to recognizing only the truth and nothing but the truth...it wouldn’t make much sense believing in the story people paint over it.

besides, words are wind

She held out the box to him, her blue eyes bearing into his face with unrelished curiosity and utter calmness, her movements slow and cool. “...this is for ya…”

The package arrived with her new furniture...literally. It was in the same box as the unbuilt bed, stuck and hidden somewhere between styrofoam peanuts and bubble wrap. It didn’t take long for Sybil to recognize the company logo, the symbol reminiscent of Mercury. Why the hell it was with her newly bought bed from Ikea was beyond her; after all, the two companies hated each other for some strange and unexplained reason. The CEO of Quorum Quantity, David Holly, had only expressed his distaste for the Swedish furniture store when confronted for an explanation. He went on a terribly long rant about their manager and how cheap their products were in quality, information she didn’t necessarily ask for. She hung up once the conversation turned into nothing but petty comments and curses.

Point is: out of all the strange places they’ve handed her a package, a bed from Ikea took the cake.

She also made a mental note to go fall in love with an Ikea employee.

Finding that the receiver was a curious personage, Sybil knew that he wouldn’t be hard to find; after all, he was pretty unique in appearance, going by what the rumors have said. Tall, blond, bartender get-up, sunglasses...she’s seen him before, a couple of times out in the park. The American woman went out there to walk her dog, Dany, on a daily basis, or simply sat on a bench, sometimes with her guitar, other times not. But, each and every time, he was out there, smoking a cigarette.

either that’s just my luck or downright God fuckin’ with me...m’Lord has a strange sense of humor…

Sybil thought she was clever with that one.

So, naturally, the female went to the park and she found him. Like usual. Smoking a cigarette.

She gave him a courteous smile. “...I work for Quorum Quantity Package and Delivery...Someone wanted ya to have this, I guess…” She laughed a little, feeling remarkably sheepish. “...you are...Shizuo, right?” Sybil said his name slow, measured, trying to feel it out on her tongue.

Akane wasn’t sure why she kept running.

The sirens had faded from her ears blocks ago. She’d crossed street after street, sometimes narrowly so. A car horn blared in her ear, deafening her and nearly toppling her with the sheer force of its sound. Still, Akane kept running; she didn’t let a stumble bring her to the ground.

Her pulse pounded in her ears. Akane’s throat felt raw from gasping and her legs ached. After another five minutes, she finally came to a stop. Akane doubled up with her hands on her knees, working extra hard to push fresh air into her lungs. The winter chill hardly even bothered her.

When Akane lifted her head, she realized she’d bumped into a familiar face. Heiwajima Shizuo stood just a few feet away, a cigarette between two fingers. Smoke drifted from his person.

The scent carried to Akane and agitated her hoarse throat. She began to cough.

“Kh- kh kh- kh kh kh-!”