#you can have Splat for free if u promise to rate it

[sassyhazelowl]

Title: Life is What You Bake It Rating: PG - a few swear words, comedic violence Pairing: Lyon x Erza Secondary Pairings: Lucy x Levy, Gray x Lisanna A/N: A challenge piece. 10k in 10 days. Random pairing, random genre, random AU setting. Bakery AU. @dragonshost @impracticaldemon

Link to Full Story in Google Docs - Comments welcome and appreciated :)

Chapter 8

Well, if working around Erza had been difficult before, it was practically unbearable now.

“Gone nocturnal, huh?” Gray commented as he continued working on his sculpture. 

It was funny. As kids they could barely stand each other, as teens they hated each other, and as adults Lyon was willingly spending his free time hanging out with his brother.

Not that there were many other people he knew in the area - despite what he told Erza at the beginning of the summer, he hadn’t gone out of his way to get to know people outside of the bakery. What was the point? He was planning to leave in a little over a month anyway.

Summer was almost over, and plans hadn’t changed.

“It is quiet if I go in early.”

“And Erza isn’t there,” Gray observed, his eyes on the curve of wood he was sanding. “There’s early, and there’s keeping the owls company, Lyon.”

He could stutter out some excuses and deny everything. Gray would pretend to believe him and the subject would be dropped. But he was too weary to fight it.

“You said she was not my type,” Lyon accused quietly, without venom.

Gray reached for a can of lacquer and admitted bluntly, “I lied. She’s totally your type. Stubborn, socially awkward, proud, hardworking and genuine. But that’s not why I hooked you up with the job. Bro, I wish I had a picture of you at the beginning of the summer. You looked like crap before, all stressed and high-strung and pale as a snowman. You didn’t need a girlfriend; you needed some time to work on you and rest. Do you want me to talk to her for you?”

Before Lyon could answer, his phone buzzed. He almost ignored it, since it was mostly robocallers and scammers that had his number. But his previous job had conditioned him too well.

‘can u cum? emergen-c!!! :( :( :(’

Lyon’s lips pinched at the Freudian slip on Erza’s text but didn’t comment. He sincerely hoped auto-correct had struck again.

“You,” he pointed at Gray seriously, “Are not off the hook about tricking me. But we will speak later.”

Gray looked duly unimpressed. “Are you threatening me?”

“Promising. Be ready.”

Rushing over to the bakery, he wasn’t sure if he should brace himself for the entire place burned down to the ground or being out of whipped cream. Erza had a skewed sense of priorities sometimes.

So far, so good. No police. No fire trucks. No ambulance. Nothing amiss in the parking lot, which housed a number of customer cars. Heaving a sigh of relief, he pushed his way through the front doors and let out a slightly strangled scream of surprise. 

And tried to jump into Erza’s arms.

Lyon had never told anyone this, but he was terrified of dogs.

“Lyon?”

Fortunately for him, Erza’s reflexes were good, and she didn’t have those muscles for nothing. It wasn’t the most graceful of catches, but he didn’t splat on the floor into the clutches of the monster either.

He clung there for a good, long moment before Erza came to her senses and dropped him. If he hadn’t been focused on the beast, he might have heard some clicks of photographic evidence. Instead, he scrambled out of the animal’s reach as it clumsily lunged at him, tongue out and drool dribbling down it’s maw. Once safely behind the swing door of the counter, he subtly grabbed his chest and silently swore a string of words that would make any sailor proud.

“Wh-what is the emergency?” He tried for calm and collected. Several customers tittered at the effort but Erza was oblivious. She scooped up the dirty mutt, waving the monster around while it tried to slurp at her face.

“I found a puppy!”

“Hardly an emergency.”

She ignored his sarcasm, playing with the beast’s paws, “I need to take him to the vet. I bet his owner is so sad and missing him! Can you watch the front?”

If it would make the creature go away faster, he’d do the Hula. Of course, what came out of his mouth was an affirmative. The problem was, he’d never run the front. He didn’t know how to run cards or make the change drawer open on the register. And the espresso machine was a mystery. He might be the genius in the back, but Erza was the one that kept the front running smoothly.

It took some fumbling and a lot of trial and error but eventually he got the basics.

“Oh, you’re up front today. Where’s your girlfriend?”

Lyon glanced up at the next customer and was about to inform her that he didn’t have a girlfriend. Instead, his jaw clicked shut, and his brain reminded him to shut up. The woman was giving a wide smile, her manicured nails clicking lightly against the glass display, and there was a twinkle in her bright blue eyes. He studiously kept his gaze on her face because one glance told him her body was as gorgeous as her face, and while she might want the looks, he was a professional and a gentleman. Also, if she wasn’t a model, she should be.

She leaned forward to peer past him then looked a little disappointed as she straightened up.

“Darn, I was hoping to catch you two together! I love watching your baking lessons on Youtube! They’re so helpful and fun, and you two are a darling couple. Can I get two cranberry-orange muffins and a coffee?”

Gray.was.DEAD.

At no point did Erza ever give her permission to go up on the Youtube channel. Lyon forgot about Gray’s little project. Once a week the two would screw around, throw out a tutorial and then Lyon forgot about it. It hadn’t occurred to him that anyone would watch it, let alone be fans. Now he was thinking he should’ve been keeping a better eye on things.

Plastering on his best smile, he leaned forward a bit and turned up the charisma, “Not as darling as you. We are happy to have such a lovely fan patronizing our bakery.”

“Such a flirt,” she laughed playfully, giving his cheek a friendly, chiding pat. “Don’t let your girlfriend catch you!”

“Oh, I do not have to worry about that,” he smiled back wondering how he could get her number without being cliche. It might be just what he needed to get his mind off Erza and get back in the dating ring. He almost put his number on the cup but at the last minute handed it over blank.

She took her bag and coffee, “You’re cute but the good ones are always taken. Thanks for humoring me though. My name is Jenny, and next time I expect to see the two of you together!”

“Do you know her?”

He jumped, whirling to face Erza. She was still holding the beast, but at the moment, he would take the dog. Her expression wasn’t as innocent as her question. 

“A Youtube fan.” 

He didn’t know why he was so guilty. Nothing had happened, and Jenny was a sweet fan.

“Oh, next time you should offer your autograph,” Erza remarked, brushing past him towards the back. He almost set the record straight, but something about the way she was holding herself convinced him to hold his piece.

After all, it wasn’t like they were actually dating. 

[umi-thurman-blog]

Dormant Dragon

Parings: Undetermined.

Summary: This was written and inspired by the Yakuza series better known as Like A Dragon. I absolutely love the game and it’s deep story and wanted to create something similar in tone and setting so here you go. The story of Sonoda Umi and her life in the yakuza, serving under the Kurosawa family.

Words: ~4,800

Tokyo 2008

The bustling nightlife of the streets of Tokyo were the perfect cover for today’s debt collection. Tucked away underneath a long since forgotten construction site of an ambitious plot of land laid a business man, caked in dust, dirt and sweat. Beads of blood blotched onto his white dress shirt as he cowered across the ground. The crimson splats growing in size as the blood evened out.

Standing above him was an average height woman, her hair long and her face shadowed from sight due to the lights that brightened the streets. Looking straight through the passageway, he could see numerous bystanders walking by, minding their own business. The man’s throat grew dry from the amount of times he attempted to escape from her. He opened his mouth to reason with the woman, but his voice crumbled as soon as they exited him, “P-Please! I promise you, I’ll have the 500,000 yen by the end of the week!”

The woman stepped closer, her shadowed figure growing larger and larger with each step towards him. She came to a stop and spoke, “You are 6 months late on your payment, Kurosaki…” her voice was deeper than one would expect. But to the man, it was all too familiar at this point. Before today’s encounter, her voice was always charming and alluring to him. She rarely spoke many words, but tonight changed every opinion he had.

“Please, Umi, let me explain my situation before we go any further!” he begged.

The woman remained firm, “Kurosaki…” He jumped at the sound of his name, “You are expected to return the favor when you borrow from the Kurosawa Family. We have been generous in your case, but this time, I cannot let it slide.”

The look in his eyes showed fear, but he could not back down now, “Umi, m-my business was harassed by the Yazawa Family! They’re the ones to blame!”

The shadowed figure shook it’s head, “I’m done talking, Kurosaki. Where is your payment to the Kurosawa Family?”

“C-come on, Umi, I’m begging you…” he pleaded again, only this time he sat on his knees bowing as his life was on the line.

The woman sighed and turned her back, “I can't return to the Kurosawa family without some sort of payment. You should know this, Kurosaki.”

“What do you mean?” he asked wearily.

“The Kurosawa Family, graced you with a lower interest rate than most of their clients. They made an investment, and you failed to deliver on your end. How do you think the Chairman will react once they know of your incompetence…?” she warned.

He gulped in preparation for his answer, his throat ran dry as soon as he thought of what he must do, “Y-You don’t mean, I have to cut off my finger?” he panicked and stood up quickly, rushing towards Umi and grabbing her shoulders, “Hey! Answer me!”

His eyes saw the shadowed figure twist and felt something crash against his solar plexus, knocking him back a few steps before falling onto his knees again. A small amount of blood pooled in his mouth, but he chose to swallow it down, “U-Umi…?”

“Offering your finger is something only a Yazuka can do. You are nothing more than a civilian,” she answered coldly.

“T-Then does that mean… You'll kill me?” he replied. His voice cracked and his breath hastened.

“Well that would most certainly be the case…” Umi replied quietly enough for him to hear.

His eyes flared. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist in a fit of rage, “Y-You can’t kill me! I'll murder you and the rest of the Kurosawa Family before you can kill me! To hell with your money!” he stood up and assumed a fighting stance.

Umi observed him. During the entire shakedown, she had been the one pushing and beating him when he was fearing her. But the look in his eyes now showed desperation. She sighed and stretched her neck before hopping lightly on her feet a few times. Staring right back into his eyes, she raised her hands and taunted him, “Come at me.”

The man let out a battle cry as he rushed at her, he swung with a wide right hook that was easy for her to block. She stepped in close and used her underarm to lock his right arm in place; using her free hand to smash down on it, causing a fracture in the arm. She let go and the man retreated back, but not before she used her now free hand to land a powerful hook on his cheek. The man stumbled back and managed to stay on his feet, but only by a margin.

“M-my arm…” he mumbled before attacking again. This time he tried a forward kick, aiming for her abdomen, but it was easily caught. She kicked at his balancing foot and sweeped him to the ground, landing a hard-hitting punch against his jaw as he crashed onto the ground. With the air knocked out from the sweep, his arms fell weakly onto the ground and he laid in pain.

Umi stood up, her breathing a little heavy, “You shouldn't have done that, Kurosaki…”

He used the bit of strength he had to lift his head up, “I-I'll never… let you… kill me…” he muttered before passing out.

Umi sighed and squat down, turning the man over and checking for his wallet which she managed to find. There was only a couple ten thousand yen bills which she collected and tossed the wallet onto the now unconscious body. She stood up and placed the bills in her pocket before pulling out a cigarette, “We may be Yakuza, but we don't kill civilians…” she muttered before flicking her lighter.

She inhaled deeply before blowing out the smoke as she glanced at the night sky. The lights of Tokyo were too bright for the stars to shine. After one more hit, she tossed the cigarette onto the ground and stomped it out. She made way towards the street, making sure to straighten up her suit before emerging from the shadows.

Her eyes dilated from the sudden stimulation of neon signs and bright lights. Her ears rang with endless chatter as high schoolers, businessmen, and shady characters walked past her. It was too loud for her to think, but she didn't mind. To her, these streets were something like home, it has ceased to changed ever since she became yakuza 3 years ago. It was known as Kentobori.

A vibration from her pocket broke her out of the nightlife trance. The flip of her phone revealed a message from her longtime friend, Ruby. The message read, “How did the shakedown go? Sis wants to hear from you ASAP. Get down to HQ right away.”

Umi closed her phone and made way to the nearest taxi. The Kurosawa Family headquarters was located 10 minutes away from Kentobori. The standard fare was about 800 yen which was fine for her. She spent most of the time during the ride just staring out the window, people in general could tell she was yakuza by the way she dressed so any sort of small talk with the cab driver would be accompanied by a nervous and cautious tone.

The cab came to a stop in front of a grand hotel named “The Diamond Heights” it was a hotel constructed under the influence of the Kurosawa Family and it served as a headquarters for the family chairman and the rest of the captains. She made her way inside and entered the elevator. Her finger moved and pressed on a combination of buttons that lit up periodically once she finished. She leaned back against the wall of the elevator and waited for her ride to finish.

After a few moments, the elevator doors opened and she stepped out, only to be stopped by guards, “Hold it, what is a low ranking yakuza like you doing on the chairman’s floor? This is for captains and the chairman only.”

“I was asked to speak with the chairman by Ruby,” she replied.

Just as the guards were to respond, a cheerful light voice broke the tension, “Umi!” she strut over to the guards and grabbed Umi’s hand, “Sorry to bother you boys, but Sis would like to see Umi right away.”

The guards immediately stepped away and bowed, “Yes! Of course Miss Kurosawa!”

Umi followed Ruby and spoke, “You could have at least told them I was to be expected.”

Ruby shrugged, “Meh, I forgot.”

“And how long are you going to hold my hand?” Umi added.

“Whoops!” she let go immediately and laughed, “Guess I got carried away.”

“How’s Dia doing?” Umi asked.

Ruby looked down, “I don’t suppose you happen to have Kurosaki’s payment for us, do you?”

Umi shook her head, “Other than a couple ten thousand yen bills, no.”

Ruby sighed, “Sis is going to be mad…”

Umi nodded and replied, “Yeah, I know.” The two arrived in front of a decorative door. Ruby knocked onto the wood and waited for a response.

“Come in,” a firm voice replied.

The two glanced at each other and nodded before entering the room. At the far end of the room sat a strict looking woman behind a desk. Her face stained with what looked to be anger and irritation, “Umi, how was the collection?” she asked immediately.

Umi stood firm before bowing, “I regret to inform you that Kurosaki is unable to repay us.” She kept her head down until Dia would respond.

The woman let out a groan and slammed her hand against her desk, “Son of a bitch!” her voice raised and so did her body. She stood up and made way to the nearest window that overlooked Kentobori, “Do you know how much money we lent that rat?!”

Umi nodded and responded, “500,000 yen.”

“And how much has he paid back?!” Dia continued.

Umi pulled the bills from her pocket and counted them, “After today, 30,000.”

Dia sighed and paced around the room, “We’re losing money investing in this man. Tell me, Umi. What did you do with him?”

“He attacked me and I had no choice but to rough him up,” Umi responded.

Dia nodded in approval and made way to Umi’s side, “You can stand up straight now, you don't have to be so formal with me.” Umi straightened up to see the stern face replaced with a soft one, “You smell of blood, you must have roughed him up quite a bit,” she sharpened up Umi’s clothes and pat her shoulder.

“Thank you, Chairman Dia. Kurosaki was nothing I couldn't handle,” Umi replied.

Dia smiled and chuckled, “That’s why I send you after the stubborn ones.”

Ruby joined into the conversation, “Hey Sis? Do you mind if I take Umi to go have a few drinks now?”

“Oh, yes. I must get back to work anyways.” Dia gave Umi a hug and a pat on the back, “You go have some fun, you've earned it tonight,” she said, handing back the 30,000 yen Umi had brought.

“C-Chairman, I can't take that, that’s for the family,” Umi declined.

Dia remained persistent and pushed the bills into Umi’s hand, “Don’t worry about it, I've got it covered.”

Umi reluctantly accepted the money, “T-Thank you, Chairman.”

Ruby burst with energy, “Let's go drinking at Moonlight!” and pulled Umi by the hand once again. Umi glanced back as she was dragged away by Ruby to see a sullen look on Dia’s face, even if it was for a brief second.

The two arrived back in Kentobori and made way to their most frequented bar known as Moonlight. It was tucked away in a crowded and claustrophobic district in the city, well hidden from the general public. Because of this, the two could have peaceful drinks without any goons or rival yakuza bothering them. Ruby went through the door first and greeted the barkeep, “Heyo, Hanamaru!”

Umi walked in seconds after and greeted her as well, “How are you, Hanamaru?”

The woman smiled and replied, “Welcome back, you two. Will it be the usual?” The two women took their regular seats as their favorite drinks were served to them, “Since you're both here, I guess something good happened?”

Umi shrugged and Ruby took the lead, “Umi over here roughed up a scumbag who still hasn't paid us back.”

Hanamaru knew that the two of them were yakuza. It didn't surprise her that stories like these were common with the two of them, “Who was it this time?”

“Kurosaki,” Umi replied, “He owes the Kurosawa family 500,000 yen.”

Hanamaru sighed, “So this Kurosaki has been avoiding you and the family for quite some time now, huh?”

Ruby took a sip of her drink, “Yeah, I just wish that good for nothing would pay up. He’s stressing Sis out!”

Umi pulled out a cigarette and glanced up at Hanamaru, “You mind?”

Hanamaru shook her head and Umi continued to light it, “Hey, hand me one too,” Ruby demanded. Umi did as she was asked and lit Ruby a cigarette as well.

Umi took a deep hit before continuing with the conversation, “Has the chairman mentioned anything about what she's planning?”

Ruby shook her head and took a hit, “You know how she is. She's too stubborn to let anyone else help.”

Umi sighed and continued to smoke, “Well, whatever she does, I'll follow her.”

“Same with me,” Ruby replied, offering her drink up for cheers. The two clanked their glasses and gulped down their liquor.

The bell attached to the entrance door rang and a young woman stepped in. She was blonde and wore her hair in a ponytail, she was suited and wore an eyepatch over her right eye. Umi took notice and immediately greeted her, “Anego!”

The blonde smiled and strut her way over towards Umi, taking a seat and smirking at Hanamaru, “You know which drink.”

Hanamaru smiled and nodded, “Of course Eli.”

Eli peered over Umi at Ruby, “How's it goin’ Little Ruby?”

“Just enjoying some drinks with Umi,” she replied.

Eli made a grandiose movement and grabbed the drink Hanamaru just set on the counter, “So you wouldn't mind if I joined ya?”

“Of course not, Anego,” Umi replied.

“So what's the deal? I heard they had you do another shakedown tonight, Umi,” Eli asked.

Umi nodded, “Yes, it was Kurosaki again.”

Eli’s eyes widened, “Kurosaki?! He still hasn't paid?!” Umi nodded and Eli let out a groan, “Man… I'm tellin you two, Chairman Dia is way too kind, if it were me, I’d have whacked him by now.”

“H-Hey!” Ruby shouted in protest.

Umi held up her hand, “I know you wouldn't do that, Anego. Although, you probably would have beaten him until he was an inch away from death.”

Eli smirked and threw her arm around Umi for a half hearted embrace, “You know me so well, Umi.”

The four women in the bar enjoyed most of the night together, sharing stories and tales with one another until the dead of night. Umi had fallen asleep on the counter, Eli on one of the cushioned couches near the back, and Ruby, still awake with Hanamaru, “So you have this… plan?”

Ruby nodded, “Yeah, once the Kurosawa family is back to where it was financially, Sis and I were thinking of making Umi a captain for the family.”

Hanamaru showed curiosity, “A captain?”

Ruby grabbed another smoke before continuing, “You can think of captains in a family as big as ours to be like advisors or the second highest seat. There's the chairman who sits up top with a personal lieutenant, that’s me. Then there are captains, and underneath them are lieutenants and foot soldiers,” she detailed. Hanamaru nodded as Ruby explained, “The only problem is that for Umi to become a captain, she has to start her own family and gather up members which can take a very long time.”

Hanamaru wore a confused look, “Wait, if she is a part of the Kurosawa family, why would she need to start her own if she's already in one?”

Ruby took a sip of her drink before answering, “You can think of the Kurosawa family as a giant machine. The entirety of it is called the Kurosawa family, but all the parts inside are composed of multiple families. For example, the Ayase family and the Watanabe family serve under us. If Umi were to become a captain, then she would be in charge of the Sonoda family which serves the Kurosawa family, you understand?”

Hanamaru’s face showed small signs of confusion, but it seemed like she got the gist of it, “So if things turn out well, Umi could become a high ranking member for the Kurosawa family?”

Ruby nodded, “Yup, that's pretty much it.”

“So why didn't you just make Umi a captain from the start?” Hanamaru asked.

Ruby sighed, “It’s a little complicated. Our father ran the Kurosawa family when Sis and I were still children. Once we became teenagers, that's when the Ayase family began serving under us.”

“The Ayase? So you mean Eli’s…” Hanamaru mumbled.

“She’s the head of the family now ever since her father was killed while in Okinawa years ago,” Ruby replied. Hanamaru looked down apologetically and Ruby continued, “Anyways, I'm sure you don't know this, but Umi was orphaned at a young age.”

“Oh my, I had no idea,” Hanamaru reacted.

Ruby nodded, “She was taken in by the Ayase’s and that was how we met. Our father introduced us to Eli and Umi once the Ayase joined under him. Eli was always busy with her father, so that left Umi to spend a lot of her time with Sis and I.”

“Huh… I see,” Hanamaru commented.

Ruby drank again, “And you can imagine what it would look like to the rest of the family if someone like Umi, technically a nobody, were to suddenly shoot up the ranks of the family and start her own. Sis always said that making Umi a captain so soon would make it seem like she would have only gotten that position because of her relationship with us. That would make the other members of the family jealous because becoming a captain makes you one step closer to having a chance at being the Chairman.”

Hanamaru nodded and listened intently to Ruby’s explanation, “But now that Umi has proven herself quite a bit over the past 3 years she's been yakuza, I think it’s a good time for her to finally get promo-” Ruby jumped at the vibration that came from her pocket and she quickly opened her phone, “H-Hello?” a few seconds passed before she stood straight as a board and knocked over her drink, “What?! S-Sis…?!” Umi woke up slowly and looked up at Ruby.

“What’s wrong… Ruby?” she asked with a yawn.

Ruby ignored her and immediately ran out of the bar. As she passed, Eli awoke and sat up straight, “What’s goin on, Umi?”

Now more alert, Umi stood up, “I-I don’t know, but we should hurry and follow Ruby.”

Eli nodded and headed out the door without another word. Umi looked back at Hanamaru, “T-Thanks for the drinks Hanamaru, here, keep the change,” she said, leaving the 30,000 yen she received from Dia on the counter.

Hanamaru bowed, “Thank you for visiting, I hope things go well on your end.”

Umi nodded and bolted out the door, crashing against Eli’s back, “A-Ahh! Anego?”

“Sorry, Umi, a lil dizzy from the drinks,” Eli replied.

Uni shook her head and squeezed past Eli, “Did you see which way Ruby went?” she asked looking around frantically.

“I think she headed south,” Eli replied.

Umi nodded, “I'll check that way then, you head north and if you can't find her, meet me back at HQ.”

Eli nodded and Umi sprinted off down the street. She looked left and right, scanning the crowds and stores for Ruby’s distinct hair, but to no avail. She ran further down the street and managed to catch a glimpse of Ruby entering a cab, “Ruby!” she shouted. But it was useless because of all the endless chatter that cluttered the streets. The only ones who could hear her were the strange faces around her immediate vicinity. The cab sped off and Umi made a break for it, only barely touching the trunk of the cab before it returned to the street. Umi looked around to see no cabs left and shook her head, “Goddammit!” and began sprinting towards HQ.

20 minutes later, Umi arrived in front of the hotel, leaning onto her knees and breathing heavily to catch her breath from the run. As soon as she had the strength, she jogged into the hotel to see that the front lobby was completely empty. Or rather, it sounded like no one was working in the building at all. She made way for the elevator and entered in the button combination to the Chairman’s floor.

The doors to the elevator opened and she was immediately greeted with the intense smell of blood and gunpowder. Not only that, but the guards that attended the elevator lied on the ground dead from gunshot wounds. Umi stepped over them and ran down the hallway towards the Chairman’s room.

She slowed down at the sound of yelling, “Sis?! SIS!” it was muffled and came from the other side of the door.

“Ruby?” Umi muttered to herself.

She leaned against the door to listen in on the yelling. From what she could make out, Ruby was directly on the other side, “How could you do this?!” Ruby yelled.

“No hard feelings little one, it’s just part of the job,” another voice replied.

“I won’t let you get away with this!” Ruby barked back.

“I'm afraid I don't have the time to deal with small fry like you, once your big sister is dead, Kentobori is ours for the taking,” the voice mocked before the distinct cocking of metal echoed the area.

Umi’s eyes widened and she went for the handle, “Ruby! Get ou-!”

A ear-piercing blast attacked Umi’s ears before she could realize the warm liquid materializing around her abdomen. The door in front of her broke open as another shot was fired and her friend propelled towards her, knocking the both of them against the opposite side of the hall.

Umi tried to sit up but the sharp pain in her abdomen refused her to. She had taken stray shotgun pellets to her stomach. She managed to move her arms and shake Ruby, “R-Ruby? Hey, get up!” she attempted to lift the girl but the pain refused to let her. “Ruby!” Umi groaned. She managed to get her head above her friend’s shoulder before her eyes widened. The white dress shirt that Ruby wore under her suit jacket was stained with red, and the pool grew larger with each second.

Ruby coughed and more blood spilled onto her shirt, “...U-Umi…?”

Umi’s voice was caught in her throat, her eyes widened with disbelief, “R… Ru...by…?” Her friend managed to turn her head and make eye contact before her eyes closed, “H-Hey, Ruby! This is no time for jokes, stay awake!” Umi managed to slide herself from under Ruby despite the pain in her stomach and apply pressure to where Ruby had been shot, “Come on Ruby, don’t die on me! HEY!! RUBY!!!”

The girl managed to open her eyes slightly, “Umi… there is… a tra...i...tor…in...the...family...”

“W-What?!” Umi replied belligerently with tears welling up in her eyes.

“S-Sis… you… have to… help… si….s….” Ruby weakly muttered.

Umi looked around in panic, all she could do was keep pressure on Ruby’s wounds despite having wounds of her own, “Hey… Ruby…!!” She watched as the life slowly left her friend’s eyes, “Stay with me, come on… Don’t leave me!!”

Ruby opened her eyes again slightly and raised her hand towards Umi, “....te...ll….hana….maru….i...ca...n’t….make….our….ne....xt....drin….k….”

Umi’s tears began to roll as she grabbed a hold on Ruby’s hand as tightly as she could, “I will… just stay with me!!” Her eyes closed and her head fell back, the grip around Umi’s hand loosened and fell to the ground, “R-Ru..by…?” her emotions poured out as she laid over her friend’s limp body, “RUBY!!!!!!!!”

“Oh my god, would you give it a break? The bitch is dead!” the voice from before yelled. Umi turned around to face the voice she had heard from before. It was someone she wasn't familiar with, and tied up next to her feet was Dia.

“Chairman!” Umi yelled. She stood up but stumbled, reaching for the closest wall to support her. She was losing blood and the pellets from the shotgun were lodged in her body.

“Umi! You have to get out of her-” Dia’s warning was cut short when the unfamiliar woman bashed her head with the butt of the shotgun.

“Now now, Chairman Kurosawa, you wouldn't want Umi here to end up like your dead little sister now, would you?” she teased.

Umi winced in pain and grabbed her stomach, the blood was leaving her body fast, and her hands were stained with both hers and Ruby’s blood, “Who… sent you…?”

“Me? Oh, don’t you worry about that, love. I'm sure you won't live long enough to know that anyways,” she said with a snicker.

“Then… who are you?” Umi muttered.

With a nonchalant swing of the shotgun and a bow, “Yazawa Nico, at your service!” she replied with a smug grin.

Umi spit out the blood that welled in her mouth, “So you’re part of the Yazawa family that has been causing trouble here lately…”

Nico tilted her head, “Part of? I'm the leader!” she set down the shotgun and began preaching, “And let it be known that it was me who took down the Kurosawa family! Kentobori is now under the property of the Yazawa family.”

“Not if I can do something about it…” Umi muttered.

“Umi, now!” Dia yelled. She grabbed Nico’s legs in attempt to create an opening for Umi to attack.

Umi sprung herself forward using the wall and lunged for Nico, “You bastard!!!!”

Nico shook Dia off and stomped her head against the floor, “You bitch! Stay down!” and reached into her suit to pull out a pistol.

“Yazawa!!!!” Umi cried.

Nico quickly adjusted her aim and took her shot, hitting a clear mark on Umi’s chest, sending the woman flying past her, rather than at her. Dia’s eyes widened in disbelief, “Umi!!!”

Nico began laughing, “Can you believe that?! She actually thought she could fight me when I have guns?! That’s fuckin’ hilarious!” Umi groaned and attempted to lift herself up, but the pain was too much. She couldn't even find the strength to speak. All she could do was lie on the ground as her own blood began pooling around her. “Now, it’s your turn, Chairman…” Nico sat Dia up and pressed the barrel of her pistol against the back of her head, “Bye bye~” Dia shut her eyes in anticipation for the bullet, and all Umi could do was watch.

Nico pulled her pistol away and leaned back just in time to dodge a large knife that was thrown from the shadows, “What the…” another was thrown and Nico yelled in pain. Her pistol fell to the floor along with two of her fingers, “GODDAMMIT!!!” she screamed.

From the shadows emerged a woman who gave a swift kick to Nico’s stomach causing her to propel backwards, crashing through the window. She was able to grab a hold of the ledges before falling off, “Jesus christ, what the hell just happened?” she cursed. As if on queue, a helicopter appeared in a matter of seconds and retrieved Nico from the ledge. It was obvious that whoever was helping the Yazawa family had connections and money, “I'm not done with you, Kurosawa! Soon you will die just like your useless little sister! And Kentobori will be mine!”

The sound of the helicopter grew quieter and quieter until all she could hear was the breathing and voices in the room with her. “Chairman, are you alright?” the woman asked.

“Yes, but Umi…” Dia responded.

The woman made way towards her and checked Umi’s pulse, “It’s faint, but if we can get her to the underground infirmary, we might be able to save her.”

Dia nodded and tears began to stream down her cheeks, “Please do… I don't want to lose anyone else…” she said as she looked over at Ruby.

The woman glanced at Ruby before placing her hand on Dia’s back, “I'm sorry I wasn't here in time, Chairman…” the woman apologized, “If I had arrived sooner…”

Dia shook her head, “No… there is only so much you can do, you are not to blame. Right now, you have to save Umi.” she replied with a shaky voice, “I'll take care of Ruby…”

“As you wish, ma’am…” the woman carefully picked her up to avoid further injury. Umi looked up towards the woman as her vision began to blur, but she knew who the woman was,

“Ane...go…”