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Author Topic: Black and Blue (Ch 34 6/4 The End!)  (Read 159808 times)

Offline rndmnwierd

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 31 11/18)
« Reply #500 on: November 24, 2012, 07:52:43 AM »
 :deco: You get hugglelove too!

Offline risa_ai

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 31 11/18)
« Reply #501 on: November 24, 2012, 10:09:39 AM »
Otanjoube Omedetou!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND HAVE A WONDERFUL YEAR AHEAD!! <3

Offline MsSmigge

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 31 11/18)
« Reply #502 on: November 24, 2012, 09:05:13 PM »
Omedetou, Hyvää syntymäpäivää, (That's how you say happy birthday in my mother language xD) Happy birthday rndmnwierd!! I hope you have a great year ahead!  :on BDay:


Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.

Offline rndmnwierd

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 31 11/18)
« Reply #503 on: November 25, 2012, 09:58:44 AM »
Huggles for you all!!~! :wub: :wub: :heart: :heart: :deco: :deco: :cathappy:

Offline rndmnwierd

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 31 11/18)
« Reply #504 on: December 01, 2012, 08:34:45 PM »
No comments replies today, I'm running seriously late.


Chapter 32: No Rest for the Wicked

“Thanks for letting me stay. Again.” Feeling refreshed after her bought of crying last night, Risa threw on her jacket that she didn’t remember removing and headed for the door. In the early light of the morning, Eri’s bleary gaze was barely visible from it’s place in her blankets.

“It’s the least I can do, but-” Eri mumbled groggily, only to be interrupted swiftly.

“First of all, quit saying that. I already told you, you don’t owe me. I was just coming through on my promises to you. Second, I know I need to work it out with Ai, but that is easier said than done.” The gunner had one hand on the doorknob and she clenched it tightly when a pain shot through her heart, “I can’t even find her sober anymore, not even in her sleep.”

With a sigh, Eri let her go, rolling back over to try and finish her shut eye. Risa made her way through the back hall of the empty dance studio, waving to the woman in the kitchen as she passed. Bunko was an old friend and she had been more than happy to welcome Eri as one of her jazz instructors, even offering her a place to stay.

Risa tried to shake away the memories that plagued her thoughts, but the train ride back home was too long to do anything other than think. Of course her mind went back to the day everything had changed.

After Ai had come to help her disarm the bomb, the job had been finished quickly and they had used the blasting caps themselves to blow open the latch holding the door. Getting Lin’s body back to base unseen was a hassle, but they’d somehow managed that too. Afterwards, Risa had done some digging and figured out the whole reason they were in that mess to begin with.

The Chief had decided that he wanted to assassinate his competition and get rid of the thorns in his side at the same time. The room they had been held in just happened to be two floors directly underneath the campaign headquarters of one Matsue Tadashi, the city’s most likely candidate for the next governor. The explosives had enough power to collapse most of the building, leaving only corpses in it’s wake.

It would have probably been chalked up to a terrorist attack gone wrong, especially since the Chief would have more power than ever to cover up their restrained bodies. Since that had been thwarted, though, Sawajiri had gone down hard. Turns out he was already under investigation for various reasons, the internal affairs division suspecting him of corruption. The room may have had traces of the gangs in it, but the bomb, which had destroyed most of the fingerprints and blood, could be directly connected to Sawajiri.

Risa and Reina had pulled some strings and managed to steer the police clear of them, but the damage had been done. Their ranks were decimated in the raids, many of their men behind bars, their illegal activities would have to be halted, which would decrease their cash flow considerably. And Lin Lin…

They all mourned her loss, none more so than Ai and Risa, but while the gunner was trying her best to live day by day, Ai had retreated, deciding to focus on tracking down the hacker’s killer and Eri, for her part in the whole situation. Risa had tried time and again to get her to move on from her obsession, but the woman had convinced herself that nothing was more important.

Risa had no intention of letting her lover lay a hand on Eri.

Ever.

The former cop had been easy to track down, Risa had found her at her apartment, frantically packing her things. When she realized that she wasn’t alone, she’d taken on this deer in headlights look of surprise and fright locking eyes with the other, “It’s alright.” The gunner had been quick to reassure, but she’d never forget the resigned look on her friend’s face.

“I was hoping it would be you. You would at least be merciful.” Risa’s heart broke at Eri’s half whispered words.

“I’m not here to kill you, I’m here to save you.” This made the former cop look up, “I told you, you’re my friend and I remember making a promise to you that I would put in a good word for you with my dancer friend.”

“Why?” The younger woman choked out through the lump in her throat, “I deserve to die for what I did!”

The guilt was plan on her face and Risa found that she had instantly forgiven Eri for what had happened. She realized, in that moment, that there was no use in being mad at the girl since no one would be harder on her than herself. “No, you don’t. You didn’t pull that trigger.”

“I might as well have!” The familiar argument almost brought a wry smile to the gunner’s lips. She sounded just like Ai, but the amusement quickly faded.

“You were going to help us, you did help us! If it hadn’t been for you, we probably wouldn’t have made it out of there.” Though Aika could have picked the lock on the bomb easily, Risa didn’t mention that.

“If it hadn’t been for me, you guys wouldn’t have been in that position in the first place!” The former cop collapsed to her knees, tears streaming down her face.

Risa kneeled next to her and wrapped her arms around the other woman gently, “What were you supposed to do? I understand, better than anyone, what it’s like to owe someone your life. I’ve done terrible, regretful things for the man who saved mine and, you know, I would probably do things differently with the hindsight that I have now. The only thing left to do is to move forward with those feelings of guilt and use them to become a better person.”

“You’re really not going to punish me?” Eri asked softly, feeling Risa shake her head, “Why not? You should.”

“There is no punishment I can give you that would be more harsh than the guilt you are going to put yourself through. In fact, keeping you alive to feel that pain will seem like a punishment for you. But you will live. I will make sure of that. If not for yourself, then you will live to keep Lin Lin’s death from being meaningless.” Risa vowed quietly. Eri finally gave up her struggles and began to weep in earnest.

It hadn’t been that difficult to get the girl a new identity and she had set her up with a job with Bunko, it was all about who you knew, but Risa knew that the healing was the hardest part. Even after six months, she still watched the girl closely for any signs of suicide. She still had bad days, though, and sometimes yelled at the gunner. In those instances, Risa would have to sit quietly and take it until the girl was satisfied and apologized.

She knew Eri didn’t really mean the things she said, that she just needed to vent. Risa was fine with that, it showed that the girl needed her.

Ai was another story all together, though. She had taken every resource that Risa had available and put them out there to find Yaguchi and Eri. She seemed to be more upset at Eri’s betrayal, though, since the majority of her time was spent hunting the girl instead of tracking Yaguchi, who, it seems, had left the country all together. Risa had tried time and again to get the woman to shift her focus, but Ai was obsessed.

The only thing the gunner could do was to make sure that any info on Eri went through her first. She’d made it quite clear through threats and force that the information brokers were to either lie to Ai about Eri’s whereabouts or give the reports to Risa so that she could censor them. It actually wasn’t that hard for so many dedicated brokers to find the former cop, she may have changed her name, but her appearance was still much the same and Risa was harboring her in her hometown.

She knew that she couldn’t keep this up forever. Something was going to give sooner or later and bring this precarious balance between her most important people crashing down. Risa could only hope that she was there when it did and that she would be able to resolve it without blood shed.


()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()


Saki sighed as she poured over the paperwork in front of her. Ever since their illegal business had slowed down, the gang’s legal cover had taken off to compensate. Risa usually left Saki in charge of dealing with the real estate details and the Captain had to admit, it was going very well. They owned most of the city, actually, which was no small feat.

It had taken them months of bribes, threats and blackmail, but the Niigaki Corporation was now the head in the realty business. Risa’s aggressive business strategy had come in and caught the major real estate dealers off guard and she had knocked them off their feet and bought out their businesses while their heads were still spinning. She left the companies mostly unchanged, though the profit distribution was tweaked just a bit, as well as the company’s title. There were five major real estate companies based in Tokyo and three of them were now ‘Proud subsidiaries of Niigaki Co.’

It was practically criminal, Saki thought with a bit of a grin, and definitely cruel, but she couldn’t deny the effectiveness. Every transaction that went on under those companies gave a 10% cut to the Niigaki Corporation and that was in addition to the profits they already made under Takashi’s former business. And now they were putting plans in motion to begin their drug trade again.

They’d also done quite a bit of bolstering their ranks, beginning to fill out the empty lieutenant positions as well. There was Saki and the two drug brothers and now Tokunaga Chinami and Okai Chisato had joined their ranks. The two girls were people that Saki knew and could vouch for and Risa, as her test to them, had put them in charge of recruiting more bodies into their gang.

They had taken to their job with a gusto, hitting the schools and poorer neighborhoods like a tsunami, washing over everyone with promises of power and money and family loyalty. Now, after their successful recruiting spree, the newly made lieutenants were to focus on strict training. Risa’s goal was not to raise the crime rate in the city, but bring it down instead. She wanted any illegal activities to either go through her approval or be stopped dead.

It was ambitious and Saki had her doubts, but Chinami and Chisato had seemed optimistic in getting the recruits to follow their lessons. The recruits were split up into groups and given parts of the city to watch over. If anything needed to be done in those parts, they were to take care of it. If a shop keeper needed to be shaken down or someone needed to pay their debts, it was up to the group in that part of the city to take care of it.

If districts were crossed in the pursuit of their goal, they were to work together with whoever’s paths they crossed. On the other end of that, though, was a strict ban on any unapproved activities, including but not limited to; thievery, assault, even bullying in schools. When they were not given any missions, the groups would patrol their areas and make sure that nothing was happening that wasn’t supposed to happen.

And in return, they all picked up a hearty paycheck, even when not on missions. If anyone was deliberately not following instructions, though, punishment was severe. Risa had already made examples of several people who felt like they were big enough to disobey her rules on violence for the sake of violence. It hadn’t been pretty.

Thus, Chinami and Chisato had few problems with their new recruits!

It was one thing less that Saki had to worry about, at least. Movement in her peripheral vision made her look up sharply and the Captain met eyes with Risa, who had paused for a moment outside of the door to Ai’s study across the hall. Saki smiled encouragingly at the older woman, who returned the gesture a little weakly. The trouble between the two was the worst kept secret in Tokyo. Everyone knew that they were on the rocks and while most people just hoped that they would be able to work things out, the young Captain had also been hearing some worrying whispers from the dark.

Risa slipped inside after a breath and shut the door behind her. Many rumors floated around about the two, like they were fighting over control of the gang or even that Risa was seeing someone else behind Ai’s back. And, while it was true that Risa had been undermining Ai’s orders secretly and had been disappearing from the manor after every fight, usually for the night…

Actually, the more Saki thought about either option, the more likely they seemed. Ai had been determined to find Yaguchi and Kamei, but Risa had explicitly told their information brokers that any info on Eri was either to go through her, her not make it to light at all. And no one knew at all where she went after she and Ai fought. Shaking her head, Saki tried to clear those thoughts. She knew both of them personally and knew that Ai was only having trouble moving on with her grief and that was taking it’s toll on their relationship. Risa wasn’t the kind to be unfaithful, if she really held no more love for the demo expert, which Saki highly doubted, she would have left the girl already.

The Captain was sure that her boss was just trying to keep her lover safe. At that moment, though, she became aware of raised voices from Ai’s study. Alarmed, Saki focused on the commotion, just in time to hear Risa scream loudly, “Lin Lin is dead!!” followed by the sound of skin hitting skin.

The shocked silence seemed to permeate the air for a long moment before there was the sound of shattering glass farther in the room. Now Saki half stood from her desk, prepared to intervene, but hesitant to do so. She flinched at another loud crashing sound, but stayed unsure. Saki had never heard Risa raise her voice like that, usually it was Ai screaming or shouting and Risa responding too low and quiet to hear. It wasn’t that the gunner didn’t lose her cool, just that she had a different way of showing it.

There were no more alarming sounds coming from the room, so Saki slowly sat back down, eyes still glued to the doorway. She wanted to make sure they were ok, wanted to know what the hell was going on, but something prevented her from doing so. Suddenly, a loud cry more sexual in nature echoed from inside the room. The Captain jumped with a blush and looked down at her desk, so that’s why it got so quiet…

Just a few more minutes past before the door was flung open and Risa stormed out. Saki just caught a glimpse of her, but her appearance made her gasp; tattered clothes barely covering her torso with blood dripping heavily from one hand. The Captain got up and headed into the hallway, wondering if she should go after Risa or check on Ai, but Risa was long out of sight, so the choice was already made.

Poking her head into Ai’s study, her eyes widened as she took in the older woman’s swollen lips, the bite mark on her shoulder, her bruised neck and ripped up clothes barely covering her decency. When Ai looked up, she had tears in her eyes, “I’m an idiot.” The older woman confessed quietly. Saki gave a sigh and entered the room fully.


()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()


“Come in.” Eri answered the knock at her door without looking up from her book. When she did, she gasped at her friend’s appearance, “Gaki-san! What happened?”

The gunner looked miserable, her cheek had a purpling bruise, her lips were swollen and blood dripped steadily from her hand. Eri quickly ushered her into the bathroom, wondering how she even managed to get this far looking like some kind of mugging victim. “Ai.” Risa whispered in response to her question.

The former cop sighed and began to clean her friend up in silence. Once her hand was wrapped securely, she led the other girl back to her bedroom and sat her down on the edge of her bed to examine the rest of her wounds. Once Risa had shrugged out of her blood stained t-shirt, Eri gently applied antiseptic to the deep scratches that raked down her shoulder blades.

“Things got out of hand.” Risa suddenly said and then half turned to meet eyes with Eri, “I asked her to marry me. She said no.” The gunner struggled against her tears and the former cop embraced her gently.

“It’s okay, Gaki-san, it’s okay.” She wasn’t sure what else to say.

Risa welcomed the touch, Eri had been the only one she could turn to in these tough times. Even her own lover was one of the problems, leaving the gunner feeling so lonely and unwanted. Eri had helped and Eri had needed her in return and Risa felt so grateful. She was tired of being lonely and after everything that had just happened, the rough treatment and Ai’s rejection, her head was a total mess. Maybe that’s why she began to lean into Eri, maybe that’s why she wanted to kiss her.

They were already so close to each other, Risa just had to close the few more centimeters between them and their lips would touch. At the last minute, though, Eri tumbled away from her, “What are you doing?” she asked in surprise, snapping Risa out of the trance she hadn’t realized she’d fallen into.

What she had been about to do hit her suddenly and she let loose with a quick string of apologies, “Oh god, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean, I just wanted, I don’t even know! You’ve been there for me this whole time, the only one in my corner and I was just feeling so grateful and lonely and I didn’t mean to! I’m sorry, I’m really sorry! I-I-”

“It’s-It’s okay, Gaki-san, you just surprised me. I know you love Ai-chan and it’s been really hard on you lately. Just, I don’t feel that way for you and even if I did, I would only be a replacement for her. That’s not fair to either of us.” Eri managed not to stammer too much, face a brilliant red.

“I know. I’m sorry.” Feeling like an ass, Risa stood and pulled her shirt back on, “I’m going to go back home, okay. Thanks for patching me up.”

“I think that would be best. And no problem.”

With the atmosphere more awkward between them than it had ever been, Risa made her escape. She couldn’t help feeling like she’d lost two important people today.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Offline MsSmigge

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 32 12/1)
« Reply #505 on: December 01, 2012, 09:55:18 PM »
Woah.... what a chapter...  :shocked

I read 70% of this chapter with my jaw open.  XD



 “I asked her to marry me. She said no."


MIO DIO!  :OMG: YES! YES! YES! YES... WAIT? NO? NOOOOOOOOOOOO!  :tantrum:


 “I’m an idiot.”

:tantrum:
OH YES, YOU ARE AI!  :angry: Ok, maybe it's not so easy to say yes, if you lover asked you to get married with her, when you're in that kind of situation. But I hope that this would open Ai's eyes a little bit and she would go back for her Risa~

And the great thing is that Risa is only protecting Eri, not going out with her and she's also trying to get Ai back to her senses.

Very good chapter, though Ai rejected Risa and GakiKame almost got true (My inner TakaGaki would have died then  :bleed eyes: )! I am impatiently waiting for more!  :cow:

Oh, and I just have to pray that AiGaki marriage would become true~  :wub:  :pleeease: Lol, here we go again... *shoos inner TakaGaki fan girl away*


Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.

Offline kuro808

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 32 12/1)
« Reply #506 on: December 01, 2012, 10:34:05 PM »
I feel that something will happen between the two, especially what Eri has done, although I find Eri will stay sane after this :nervous :nervous
Random Thought:

tumblr

R.I.P. Jab!  Dad/friend

Offline arisa03

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 32 12/1)
« Reply #507 on: December 02, 2012, 01:28:14 AM »
Yes, Ai-chan, you're an idiot. And because you know that, it's time for you to fix your shit up. ; A ;
Like I’m the most calm... Like, it must definitely be because, Like when we enter, I’ll be hurrying. But Because Junjun is older, I can calm down? I don’t really know, Like I just absolutely want her there beside me. Whenever we go abroad, if Junjun is absolutely not beside me, I absolutely won’t go. Something like that. -- Tanaka Reina about Junjun.

Offline darkacex99

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 32 12/1)
« Reply #508 on: December 02, 2012, 01:30:01 AM »
Whoa....so much has happened :shocked Ai has gone cray cray! Eri wuz funna go insane from guilt and fear! Risa with this heavy weight on her shoulders...and yaguchi high tailin it outta the country before ai gets her...wow

Thanks for the update this chapter was awesome as always :w00t: i have to agree with MsSmiggie my jaw was open for majority of the chapter :O cuz i juss couldnt believe all of the epicness that was happening in this chapter

Keep up the awesomeness rdw :thumbsup im luvin it, cant wait til the next chapter :)
« Last Edit: December 03, 2012, 12:49:04 AM by darkacex99 »

Offline kRisZ

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 32 12/1)
« Reply #509 on: December 02, 2012, 02:46:37 PM »
Quote
Eri’s bleary gaze was barely visible from it’s place in her blankets.
Lovely to imagine  :love:

Quote
“I can’t even find her sober anymore, not even in her sleep.”
Aw  :(

Quote
Ai had retreated, deciding to focus on tracking down the hacker’s killer and Eri
:shocked Nooo!

Quote
When she realized that she wasn’t alone, she’d taken on this deer in headlights look of surprise and fright locking eyes with the other
Aw, poor Eri  :cry:

Quote
followed by the sound of skin hitting skin.
OUCHES!!!

Quote
there was the sound of shattering glass farther in the room. Now Saki half stood from her desk, prepared to intervene, but hesitant to do so. She flinched at another loud crashing sound
What's happening in there.?.  :shocked

Quote
There were no more alarming sounds coming from the room, so Saki slowly sat back down, eyes still glued to the doorway.
All the more reason to be alarmed, yeah.?.

Quote
Suddenly, a loud cry more sexual in nature echoed from inside the room.

SH*T  XD

Quote
so that’s why it got so quiet…
:lol:

Quote
attered clothes barely covering her torso with blood dripping heavily from one hand
SH*T  :shocked

Quote
older woman’s swollen lips
Made me giggle  :grin:

Quote
the bite mark on her shoulder, her bruised neck and ripped up clothes barely covering her decency
Results of a rough ahem  :drool:

Quote
When Ai looked up, she had tears in her eyes, “I’m an idiot.” The older woman confessed quietly.
Good sign.?. Like she's now facing reality and ready to move forward.?. I hope

Quote
her lips were swollen
Yay!  :grin:

Quote
deep scratches that raked down her shoulder blades.
Again, Yay! lol

Quote
“I asked her to marry me. She said no.”
Tsk!

Quote
Eri had helped and Eri had needed her in return and Risa felt so grateful
Eri, Eri, no Eri, okay Risa!?

Quote
maybe that’s why she wanted to kiss her
OH-MY-Ggggggggggggg!!!!! That is so unacceptable Risa!   :OMG:

Quote
Eri tumbled away from her, “What are you doing?”
Good job Turtle!!!  :onioncheer:

Quote
Just, I don’t feel that way for you and even if I did, I would only be a replacement for her. That’s not fair to either of us.”
Good thinking! Yay!  :deco:

Quote
Feeling like an ass, Risa stood and pulled her shirt back on
Hmmm

Quote
She couldn’t help feeling like she’d lost two important people today.
Aw~  :gmon tears:
But on second thought, I'm still here for you Risa  :luvluv1: lol

Offline rndmnwierd

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 32 12/1)
« Reply #510 on: December 29, 2012, 09:59:00 PM »
Comment replies go here.

Offline rndmnwierd

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 32 12/1)
« Reply #511 on: December 29, 2012, 10:01:00 PM »
Chapter 33: And that's when things went worse than expected...



The manor was enclosed with a black, wrought iron fence that stood about ten feet high. The surroundings were filled with lush plant life and thick foliage, while inside the compound the grass was kept meticulously neat. There was a single sakura tree that hung over the yard and dropped it’s petals on a modest flower garden in one corner of the compound. It was here that they’d laid Lin Lin to rest.

And it was here that Risa found herself after the blow up with Ai and the whatever with Eri, a liquor bottle in her hand that was much lighter than when she started. It was something she rarely did when she was depressed, since drinking always just made her feel worse, but Risa decided to take a page from her lover and drink until she forgot who she was.

Luckily the nights were comfortably warm, the grass at the base of Lin’s tombstone soft and cool against the gunner’s skin. Risa had passed her time away chatting to the grave and singing random songs, trying to imagine how the younger girl would have smiled at her and struggling to keep her spirits up. It had worked at first, but now, she felt more depressed than ever.

“I don’t blame you, Lin.” she was saying, laying down on her side. She could practically see the other girl mirroring her, as she had done so many times before. “Or Eri, or Ai. I guess I blame myself. You never deserved any of this. If there was anyone who deserved there fate less, it would be you. Maybe if I had died instead, Ai wouldn’t be like this. You always had this way of getting to her that I could never hope of replicating.”

“I’m too impatient.” Risa continued, stretching out her hand to gently pat the ground above her friend’s remains. “I think they would all be better off without me instead of you. You could temper Ai, I only fuel her. You were learning what I was, but faster. All those times you helped me study all those crazy real estate terms and strategies, I was always really grateful.” She took a long drink from the bottle, spilling a little  and chiding herself, “Ah, you never liked drinking too much. Aika and I were the ones that got you to even try some that time.” This memory, fuzzy as it was, was what finally brought on her tears. “Oh, Lin Lin.. I’m so sorry.”

She curled around the headstone, sobbing like a child. All of her failures crashing down on her head with no one there to help pull her from the wreckage. The pain was worse because Risa felt as though she could have prevented the outcome. There were so many opportunities to confront Eri that she never took for one reason or another. A good leader would have never let her crew end up in a situation like that, she would have dealt with the problem swiftly, despite friendships.

She had failed and the world had lost a wonderful child. There was no way she would ever be able to make up for that.

Ai’s study overlooked the garden, one of the reasons she had chosen the room in the first place. It was  a sight that she usually enjoyed, now turned bittersweet by the addition of the gray stone jutting up out of the ground. Still, she often looked out the window when she needed to think. Tonight was no different.

She had been watching her lover for many hours now, sober for once after their fight earlier. Seeing Risa tear herself apart like this was breaking her heart, but she felt as though it would be best to stay away, since she thought it was mostly her fault for the gunner’s current state. So Ai kept her distance, feeling her chest squeeze painfully with every sob that floated to her ears as she forced herself to watch her lover’s pain.


()()()()()()()()()()()()()

“Boss?” Risa groaned as she slowly came back to consciousness, “Boss? What’re you doing out here?” Strong hands were sitting her up, “Have you been out here all night?”

It took a few more moments than usual for the gunner to realize her surroundings. She was still outside, having been propped against Lin’s grave, if the crick in her neck was any indication. Her head throbbed mightily and her stomach churned, causing her to groan as someone tried to lift her up. With unexpected speed, she darted to the side, flinging herself overtop of a bush and emptying the contents of her stomach over the other side. Twice.

She stayed in that position for a few moments, waiting for her strength to return and already feeling a bit better. “You gonna throw up again?” Yasu asked her roughly, not doing much to mask his concern. Kenji stood silently nearby, holding a blanket he’d folded neatly.

“I’m alright.” she croaked out, feeling Yasu begin to maneuver her onto his back. She didn’t have the strength to resist and allowed Kenji to wrap the blanket around her as she rested her head on Yasu’s shoulder.

“It looks like you were planning to spend the night outside, Boss.” The younger brother was saying, “We were surprised to find you all curled up in that blanket like some homeless puppy.

Risa rolled her eyes at the comparison, but didn’t say anything. It was funny, she didn’t remember having the blanket when she started drinking. She looked up to the study window suddenly as a thought came to her, had Ai-chan..? She shook away the thought as they entered the house and were greeted by a concerned maid.

“Oh goodness, Niigaki-sama! Are you hurt?” She immediately began checking for injuries, much to the gunner’s annoyance.

“No, I’m fine, I’m fine. Just a bit hungover…” she swatted at the intrusive hands and the maid finally drew back.

“I know you knew she was out there,” Yasu began to scold the young woman, “Why didn’t you try to bring her in?”

“Well, Takahashi-sama said it was better not to wake a sleeping bear…” The girl said, a bit uncertainly.

“Does this look like a bear to you?” Yasu nodded to his weakened boss. The girl hesitated in her answer and the tattooed man chuckled, “More like a kitten, now.”

“Still, I fear what Takahashi-sama would do if I disobeyed her.” The maid whispered conspiratorially.

“You are right to fear her.” Risa spoke up, sliding down off of Yasu’s back, “But don’t forget who is the master of this manor. Ai-chan might kill you for not listening to her orders, but I’ll let you live.” she met the girl’s eyes with her own dark gaze, “I’ll let you live and kill the rest of your family instead.” The young woman gasped, demeanor turning subservient. “Now go.” and she skittered off as quickly as she could.

“Aw, come on, Boss, you didn’t have to scare the poor thing.” Yasu whined as the three headed upstairs to her own study. “Besides, she was cute.” Risa sat down on one end of the couch and Yasu on the other, “Anyway, say ah~” the younger brother told Risa, placing a small pill on the tip of her tongue when she opened her mouth.

Kenji closed the door and took his normal seat on the armchair next to Risa, watching her swallow the pill, “That’s our newest batch of Ecstasy, it’s particularly potent, with the high now lasting an average of 3 to 3 and a half hours instead of 2 to 3. The only catch is that it’s more dangerous to new users.”

“We’ve set our dealers up with the new and old batches and a warning for consumers, promise.” Yasu was quick to add when he say the reproachful look on Risa’s face. He knew she wanted as few overdoses as possible, not just because it would bother her conscience, but because they wanted returning users. That’s why she had all dealers sell measured doses of their more dangerous products to their customers.

The gunner had very strict policies that were put into place to protect as many as she could. Her dealers were all highly trained in first aid and carried various tools with them to potentially save a life in need. A lot of them thought it was unnecessary, but Risa had made it clear. If you work for me, you follow my rules. If you disobey me, I’ll kill you and everyone close to you. It only took one or two families to be made examples of before people finally caught on.

She even did personal inspections from time to time and always held meeting with the brothers like this in order to get news from her employees that she might have missed. They had just as many ears to the ground as she did, after all, and knew more of their dealers personally. Besides that, they always brought samples by when they reported in and the gunner had begun taking up some light recreational use to help her deal with her current depression.

Ecstasy was her new favorite, but she still smoked from time to time. Yasu was much like she was, she noticed he had taken a similar pill right after she had, but Kenji much preferred coke. Even now, he was pulling out his personal stash and tools and setting up on the table in front of him and Yasu stood and headed across the room to fiddle with the radio.

The boring parts were somehow made entertaining by the younger brother, who usually did all the talking anyway. Yasu knew what information she wanted to hear, how much of what was being sold for what and profit margins, blah blah blah. He always interjected with amusing anecdotes about his workers or jokes or gossip and Risa always found the 30 or so minutes it took before their highs kicked in to speed by. She could tell when the tattooed brother’s hit because he always started to dance.

And when her’s happened, she joined him; they would usually do an energetic jig or maybe exaggerated twirls and both would end up giggling for hours on end. Today, though, something was different. Instead of dance music playing, it was slow and Yasu took her into his arms in an enveloping embrace.

They rocked slowly together, Risa feeling absolutely electrified everywhere their bare skin touched. She knew he felt it too, that chemistry, that connection; Yasu was much taller than her and her head tucked comfortably underneath his chin. He had to crouch down to touch his lips to her throat and she rubbed against him in appreciation, feeling like they were floating, like she was finally at peace, feeling like she wanted him.

How long had it been since she had this kind of intimacy with someone? How long had it been since someone had taken care of her in this way? She wanted it, she wanted to feel it, she wanted to feel it inside of her. She wanted to feel his love inside of her. His kissed her neck, trailing his lips down to her shoulder, pulling aside her collar to get more access to her skin. She moaned and slipped her hands underneath his shirt, touching his taut muscles.

Another body pressed against her back as Kenji joined them, his lips assaulting the other side of her neck, his hips grinding against her butt. He reached around and cupped her chest, causing her to groan and thrust into his hands. Not to be outdone, Yasu cupped her warmth through her jeans, rubbing gently and eliciting a gasp, “Ai-” Suddenly, her lover’s face flashed through her mind, breaking the pleasure induced trance she had been in.

Like being hit with a bucket of ice water, her high disappeared and Risa realized the position she was in, horrified that she had been on her merry way to betraying her lover. She surged out of the room like a whirlwind, kicking herself harshly for her actions. By the time she was peeling out of the garage, tears were running down her face. There was only one place she could go.



()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()


It was still quite early in the morning when Risa burst into Eri’s room, so the other girl was understandably startled when the gunner had flung herself into her arms, sobbing like a child. “What’s wrong?” she croaked out, struggling to sit up with Risa’s weight against her.

“I’m horrible!” The gunner replied, pulling back and awkwardly confessing, “I-I almost had sex with the drug brothers.”

“What?” Eri was completely flabbergasted, she hadn’t been awake long enough to process this, “Which one?”

“Both of them. At the same time.” Risa whispered, watching Eri’s jaw open and close without making a sound, “We were all high.”

“High?” Eri asked slowly.

“I’ve been… Taking a lot of drugs recently. To help with my depression.” The gunner said slowly, looking away from her friend’s eyes.

“Oh, Risa, why?” Eri breathed out, reaching out to cup her cheeks.

“I’ve been so down lately and they kept offering it to me and offering it to me until one day, I didn’t say no. And it’s worked so far, I mean, I feel so much better when I’m high, now I can understand why people do this. And I understand how it can get you into so much trouble.”

Eri opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, the door to her room slammed open and Ai stormed in, gun drawn, “So this is where you’ve been hiding her…”

Risa dragged Eri up off the bed and pushed her behind her protectively, “Ai, stop!”

“No, you stop! You think I don’t know how you’ve been hiding my information from me. Did you think I wouldn’t find out where you’ve been keeping her?!” The demo expert waved her pistol wildly, “Now step aside and let me kill her, then you and I need to talk.”

“There is no way in Hell I’m letting you harm Eri.” Risa ground out, “Do you really think that killing her is going to make you feel better? That it will somehow make everything alright?”

“It’s justice.” Ai growled.

“It’s vengeance!” Risa cried, “Justice would have been killing Yaguchi! You’re just more upset at Eri because her betrayal was personal to you! If you really cared about justice for Lin Lin, you wouldn’t have let Yaguchi slip through your fingers!”

“Eri first, then Yaguchi. If it hadn’t been for Eri, there would have been no need for any of this! Now move aside or I’ll shoot you both.” The older woman threatened.

The gunner narrowed her eyes and began to stalk forward, “You’ll kill me? You will kill me?” Ai began to back up as Risa moved forward, only stopping when her back hit the dresser behind her. Risa planted the barrel of Ai’s gun under her chin, “You had better kill me then, because it’s the only way you’re getting to her.”

“Why?” Ai’s voice shook, “Why are you protecting her like this? She killed Lin Lin!”

“No, Yaguchi killed Lin Lin! Eri would have never harmed her, in fact, if Lin had stayed seated, we would have all gotten out of there in one piece. I still had my knife on me. Eri gave Reina the key to the bomb. What happened was unexpected and tragic and Yaguchi, not Eri is the one to blame!” Tears were flowing from both of their eyes now as Risa’s voice dropped low on the next sentence, “Beyond that, I would protect her because she was there for me when I needed you to be. Do you think you were the only one to mourn Lin’s loss? She was my friend, my family, too! You withdrew from me when I needed you and Eri is the one that comforted me.”

That was not what Ai wanted to hear and she pushed Risa suddenly, causing her to stumble a little backwards. Before she could make any other moves, though, Risa had repositioned them, putting Ai in a bear hug that trapped her arms and left the gun still pressed against her head, “Is your vengeance worth this? If it is, then take my life now.”

They stood in tense silence for a long moment, before Ai let out a sob, her pistol falling from a nerveless hand. She buried her face against Risa’s shoulder as the girl whispered to her soothingly for a while, “Go home, Ai, I will meet you there.” And the demo expert finally obeyed turning and leaving the room.

A few minutes passed in silence before Risa heard a thump on the carpet behind her, whirling around to find Eri collapsed on her knees, crying. When the gunner went over to comfort her, she was shoved violently away, “Look at this! Just when I was finally starting to think that I could start over, you keep bringing this back into my life! You keep coming back into my life! I don’t need your drama! Go away!” When the gunner hesitated, hurt, Eri glared at her, “Why are you still here? Go fix your own life! And leave mine alone!”

What else could she do? Feeling her heart crumbling, Risa picked up the discarded pistol and left. Now, more than ever, she dreaded the next conversation that she needed to have.



()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()


She found Ai in the study where only hours ago she’d been on the verge of betraying the demo expert. The older woman’s back was to the door, she was looking out the window the overlooked the side of the manor opposite the small garden where Lin was buried. As soon as the door clicked shut, Ai began to speak.

“All this time, you’ve been hiding her away. Protecting her. After she betrayed us.” There was a pause, “Why?”

“Because Eri is my friend. The only one, other than you, to ever touch my heart that deeply. And she was there for me when I needed someone.” Risa responded tensely.

“And you didn’t think to try and reason with me about this?” The demo expert spat caustically. “Aren’t we adults, here?”

“Ai, you haven’t been reasonable for six months. And to be perfectly honest, neither have I.” She watched her lover’s shoulders shake a bit, but couldn’t tell if it was from anger or pain, “Lin’s loss effected everyone and beyond that, it’s been hard to run this gang practically alone at the top. Saki’s been great, but she’s not the one I want to hold me at night.”

“Is that why you started using?” Ai accused through gritted teeth.

Risa felt her eyes widen, “How did you-?” the older woman half turned and threw a small vial at her, the gunner catching it with ease. It was about as long as her palm was wide and as thick as her middle finger, filled three quarters with white powder. She instantly recognized it as Kenji’s and tried to explain, “This isn’t mine. I-”

Ai scoffed, cutting her off, “Even now you can’t be truthful? Do you think I’m stupid?”

The gunner bristled, “And do you really think that I wouldn’t own up to something once I’m caught? I won’t confess to doing something I didn’t do. Besides, how is what I do any different from your drinking?”

“Because I can control it!” Ai yelled and Risa rolled her eyes, spoken like a true alcoholic.

“That stuff will kill you as sure as this stuff will.” The gunner gestured with the vial, “That’s not the point, though. Look at us, we can’t say two words to each other with out it degenerating into an argument. What is wrong with us?” She crept closer to Ai, who had kept her back to Risa this whole time, and placed her hand gently on the older’s shoulder, “It shouldn’t be like this.”

“You’re right.” Ai nodded, allowing the touch for another moment before coldly shaking the hand off, “You’re right, it shouldn’t be like this. I’ve been giving it a lot of thought and I think maybe we should take a break.” Risa couldn’t stifle her gasp, “Time apart is what we need to settle our problems. No matter how long it takes.” Ai was saying something else, but the younger girl couldn’t hear it above the sound of her heart breaking.

Her mind was blank, her chest was tight. She didn’t know what to do, what to say. This wasn’t something she could shoot into submission and so, Risa did the best thing she could think of. She ran.



()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()


The little coup sped down the road like the driver was being chased. Somewhere along the line, it had started raining and Risa was glad that even the sky was matching her mood. The same rain fell hot down her own cheeks.

Where could she go? What could she do? Was it really only yesterday that she had asked Ai to marry her? Maybe her answer then should have been an indication of today, but it wasn’t. Risa had held hope that things would work out, that, even if they had to start over, they would do so together.

Suddenly, Risa realized that she was still clutching Kenji’s vial in her hand. She had never tried coke before, but she thought there had to be a first time for everything. Maybe it would help sooth her. Maybe it would help numb her. She didn’t care at this point, she needed something to wash away the pain. She was just crossing a small back road bridge leading out of the prefecture when she popped open the vial, held it up to her nose and inhaled over half of what was left.

The effects of her overdose were nearly instantaneous. She blacked out, her eyes rolled back into her head and convulsions seized her body. She involuntarily jerked the wheel and the little coup crashed through the wooden side railings of the bridge, diving into the deep water below.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



I'm sorry, I really am evil... But I just love everyone's reactions to my cliffhangers.

Offline MsSmigge

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 33 12/29)
« Reply #512 on: December 29, 2012, 11:46:00 PM »
 :fainted: :imdead: :stunned: :on_puddle: :cool2: :scared: :stoned: :on blackhole:
Some emotions I had during the chapter and after reading it.

Just one word: Amazing.
I would like to rant about how you really like to kill TakaGaki (shame on you) and how you should bring them back together immediately, but at the same time, I just have to say that you just blowed my mind with this chapter. It was just... just... something awesome. I can't even dscripe it.

You better not kill Risa, or I will come to you and...  :shifty:

And dammit, stop killing my jaw! My workmates thought that I finally lost it, when I stared the laptop's screen like this: :mon scare:
XD


Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.

Offline arisa03

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 33 12/29)
« Reply #513 on: December 30, 2012, 01:23:01 AM »
I've been wondering lately.... just how many lives Risa has. LOLOLOLOLOLOL.
Like I’m the most calm... Like, it must definitely be because, Like when we enter, I’ll be hurrying. But Because Junjun is older, I can calm down? I don’t really know, Like I just absolutely want her there beside me. Whenever we go abroad, if Junjun is absolutely not beside me, I absolutely won’t go. Something like that. -- Tanaka Reina about Junjun.

Offline kawaii beam

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 33 12/29)
« Reply #514 on: December 30, 2012, 02:08:39 AM »
omg this is like :panic: idk what to even say...u made ur padawan speechless ;3;
please visit kawaii-chan's avie's and siggies!

Offline risa_ai

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 33 12/29)
« Reply #515 on: December 30, 2012, 03:30:32 AM »
NONONONONO WAIT. HANG ON. HANG THE FUCK ON. WHAT ON EARTH I CANT EVEN. NONONOOOOOOOOOOO. Aichan what are you doing and Risa why are you taking drugs. ;___; Dont kill risa. Kill those two drug brothers i dont give two shits about them. ;A; FEELS. FEELS. AND MOAR FEELS.

Offline darkacex99

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 33 12/29)
« Reply #516 on: December 30, 2012, 05:55:32 AM »
OH. MY. GAWD. :panic:  OH. MY. GAWD....risa...doin drugssss ohh lord Dx. wat an AWESOME chapter!!!! ai n eri confrontation had me super scared cuz i thought ai wuz gunna go all commando...and eri.....risa saved her once again yet she rejects her like water does oil  :smhid ...i mean how can u do dat gurl  :angry:

ai's decision leads risa to try a new drug and run offa cliff :cry: that cliffhanger iz pullin at my heartstrings  :shocked: i hope risa is ok

rndmnweird u r amazing!!! the story iz getting sooo interestin :thumbsup i cant wait to see wat happens in the next chapter XD

Offline yunagi

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 33 12/29)
« Reply #517 on: April 28, 2013, 03:47:11 PM »
I know I’m super late with the comment but I just finished reading this... so I guess I’m like giving it a little bump(I am using the term right, right?)

I got really curious after chapter 1, so like any other reader I continued reading(and rereading). Now after I don’t know how many days and 32 chapters later, with about 70% of the time I had my face near the screen all I can say is… WHOA!

Drama, angst, romance, action, tragedy all rolled into one neat fic. Can I just say you are one awesome writer! :bow:

Risa!!! The suspense is killing me! ヘ(;´Д`ヘ)
._.

Offline rndmnwierd

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 33 12/29)
« Reply #518 on: June 05, 2013, 12:23:04 AM »
Chapter 34: Finale, Yet Not the End




Everything was white. It wasn’t that everything was painted white or covered in white, there was simply an absence of all color. Also, there was nothing. No walls, no ceiling, no floors, even though Risa wasn’t floating. She could feel something solid underneath her bare feet, but she couldn’t place the material. She wasn’t sure how long she had been here, time had quickly lost all meaning, but she was sure of one thing.

She was dead.

She was dead and this was her hell. She was going to go mad eventually, trapped in this space with no one but herself and her memories. She was sure that she would be haunted by her past misdeeds as a self inflicted punishment, forced to relive her worst days forever and ever until her mind simply stopped functioning. Here was the insanity already!

She crouched down, hugging her knees to her chest, feeling herself begin to hyperventilate. How was she supposed to come to terms with this? She was afraid, more scared of anything in her life. The one thing she never wanted to face was herself.

She sat like that for a long time, rocking back and forth, sobbing into her legs, scared and confused. After a while, she finally began to calm, now laying on her side, her mind a pleasant blank. Maybe, if she could just stay in this state, things wouldn’t be so bad…

“But don’t you want to go back?” a familiar voice sent Risa nearly jumping out of her skin. “Don’t you want to see Ai-chan again?”

She knew the speaker before she had even looked up, but her shock dictated that she had to make absolutely certain, “Lin Lin?” The younger girl smiled down at her gently, “Oh, god, I am dead!”

“Well, not quite.” Lin began to explain, reaching down to help Risa up, “Right now, you are actually laying in a hospital bed, being kept alive by life support.”

“So I’m in a coma?”

There was an uncomfortable pause, “…Sure. Although, you weren’t supposed to survive at all.”

“I wasn’t?” Risa wracked her head, her memories after the fight with Ai were pretty hazy.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Lin asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

“Um…” Risa wracked her brains, after the fight she had left the manor. She remembered driving angrily… The coke! “Oh man, did I OD?” Her friend just nodded, “I knew it was stupid, but I still did it anyway. Getting involved in all of that stuff.” Risa looked down for a moment, then turned back to Lin in confusion, “This doesn’t feel like what I remember my last coma to be like. Last coma, sounds stupid when I say it like that, but I remember darkness, punctuated by people talking to me.”

“Well, your ‘last coma‘,” Lin curled her fingers like quotation marks, “was just a thinly veiled plot device the author used to get you out of the picture long enough for Ai to come to understand how to do what was needed for the business to thrive.” There was a pause.

“What?”

“I mean that was different, see, this time it’s not really a coma, per se. Although coma is probably the best word to describe your body’s position right now, you aren’t waiting and struggling to go back like before. This time, you’re trying to move forward.” 

“I’m trying to die.” Risa sighed dejectedly, “Why haven’t I?”

“Well, the life support is keeping you tied down, but that’s not the point. The point is, I’m here to offer you a second chance.” Lin grinned happily at her own declaration, but Risa frowned.

“Is that really such a good idea?” At her friend’s questioning look, she continued, “I mean, you said I was supposed to die. Is it really okay to mess with the future like this?”

“Well, if I wasn’t supposed to do this, then why do I have to power to help you?” The Chinese girl asked seriously, “Ultimately, it’s up to you. If you say no, then I’ll stay with until they finally decide to unhook the life support. If you want to go back, though, then I will help you to do that.”

“I need to think about this.” Risa said slowly. There was a long pause in the conversation and finally, Risa asked, “How am I not dead?”

“What do you mean?”

“You said I wasn’t supposed to survive at all. Why did I?”

Lin gave an enigmatic smile, “Free will.” When Risa looked confused, the Chinese girl just smiled wider. “I guess now would be the time to fill up the rest of the chapter with meaningless dialogue, huh?” She sat down on what appeared to be nothingness, continuing with her words before Risa could analyze her strange question. “Life, no, the world, no, EVERYTHING is like tree branches.” Lin held her hands up in front of her, palms together and fingers towards the sky.

“It all begins at the same place, but also not, as a tree also must widen as it grows. Maybe you’re born into this world on the wrong side of the tracks. Maybe you are normal and live a simple life with a loving family. Maybe you decide to become an idol in your favorite Japanese girl group. Maybe you fall in love with a girl or guy your own age, or two years older, or a year younger, or maybe you don’t find anybody in your life to share yourself with.”

“No matter what life you live, you will make choices.” Lin split her hands apart, the heels of her palms touching to form a ‘V’ shape, “Maybe they’re small ones.” she put her hands back together, instead only splitting her left index finger away, “Maybe you decide to have chips for lunch or maybe a sandwich that happens to have bad mayonnaise.” She split her other index finger apart so that both were now separated outward from her hands.

“Maybe it wasn’t chips, maybe you had nothing, maybe it doesn’t really effect how your day goes.” Lin curved her right index finger so that it rejoined her hand, the tip touching just above the knuckle of her middle finger. “Or maybe that bad mayonnaise sent you home early and you avoided that twelve car pile up on the free way.” She closed her right hand into a fist with a quickness that made Risa jerk.

“Most of the time,” she continued swiftly, “two trees will intersect.” Lin held her hands up, crossed together like an ‘X’. “Sometimes they just cross each other, but other times, they will become intertwined together, like vines.” She closed her hands together, fingers locking, “Not necessarily romantic, but indicative of a bond all the same.”

“How do you know all this?” Risa asked incredulously.

“Well, no matter how many lives we live, there is only one soul. And only one Heaven and Hell.” Lin chuckled at something only she seemed to find humorous, “When you die, all of those lives come together on this plane. Time and space don’t exist here, so I know and have experienced everything my other selves have and will experience.”

“Is there a God, too?”

“No, and Heaven isn’t really Heaven, either. It’s just a place that souls collect so that they can either move on or do stuff like this. I mean, miracles happen every day, right?”

“What about Hell?”

“Oh, Hell is real, but whether or not you go there is up to the soul. I mean, if you have all of the knowledge of every life you’ve ever lived or will ever live, you have to be able to judge yourself. Hell is really only a place of self punishment, the soul stays until they feel that they have repented and they’re ready to move on to their next life. That’s why every life, while fundamentally the same, will make different decisions.”

“But, if you have already lived every life, how do you become reincarnated?” Risa felt her eyebrows pull together as she tried to puzzle that question out.

“Try not to think about that too much.” Lin laughed gently, “You don’t need the headache. Anyway, I was telling you why you hadn’t died. There was a man who was also supposed to die that day, you know?” Risa shook her head, becoming engrossed in Lin’s words again, “He was going to jump off the roof of his apartment building and kill himself. He even dragged himself all the way over the safety fence and stood on the edge, looking down. Then he realized something.” Lin paused for dramatic effect.

“What?” Risa asked when the silence had stretched a bit too long.

“The time. The man realized that the first people to find his body would probably be the kids leaving home for school. His conscience wouldn’t let him do the deed there, around all of those people, so he thought of the most secluded place he knew of.”

“The bridge.” Risa breathed out. It was off a seldom used back road, perfect for some privacy.

“Yes, the bridge. He traveled all the way there with only a quick pit stop for some rope and cinderblocks. Just as he was getting ready to tie the rope to his ankle, he heard it. A screech of tires, the roaring engine. He looked up to see your car barreling towards him. The man was certain that, one way or another, he was about to meet his end.”

“Instead, the car swerved at the last moment, crashing through the rotten wooden railings and over the side, down into the river below. The man couldn’t believe his luck! Then he thought of the driver and, after calling the police and paramedics, dove over the side. He pulled you over to the river bank and performed CPR on you until the ambulance arrived and took over. Somehow, you managed to survive the ride to the hospital before you flat-lined. And, miraculously, they managed to bring you back long enough to hook you up.” Lin smirked a bit, “Both my doing. Not bad for someone relatively new to the whole ‘Guardian Angel’ thing, huh?”

Risa hummed in contemplation, “If I die, what would happen?”

“Well, Ai-chan would leave the gang, which would be absorbed into Reina and Koharu’s groups. You’re really more interested in Ai’s future without you, though, aren’t you?” Lin said knowingly, “She would get a job as an OL and wallow in her self pity and hatred for years to come. Eventually, she would say yes to a suitor of her’s, go on to marry him and have a few kids, grandkids and great-grand kids, but she would never feel truly fulfilled. Your ghost would haunt her throughout her life, the guilt she had for her part in your death never leaving her. She would have an average life of safety and security, if never being actually happy, she would be content.”

“And if I live?”

“Well, things between her and Eri are being worked out on their own, you know? So you don’t have to worry about that one. Convenient, I know.” Lin rolled her eyes, “When you come back, you two will make up, that I know for sure, but beyond that, there are so many choices. You have the potential to unite the entirety of the Japanese underworld. The unity between the three Tokyo gangs is notorious all over the country and the strength of your influence will continue to grow. If it continues down this path, you will begin to attract attention.”

Risa was unsatisfied with her vague answer, but didn’t push once Lin fell quiet, “So, what would you have to do to bring me back?”

Grinning slowly, Lin replied, “Well, I would need a bit of help. I’ll go get her if you were interested in that path.”


()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()


After thinking about everything that Lin had said to her, Risa decided that, yes, she really would very much like another chance at life, so the other girl disappeared for a while, promising to bring back someone who could help. This left Risa some time to think.

She’d absorbed a lot of information, but she really wondered if it would all matter. She had decided here to make things right and to do what needed to be done, but would she really be able to keep to this decision? Was this selfish? Was this what was best for everyone? Was this what was best for Ai?

After thinking for a long time, Risa could only come to one conclusion. “I want to see her.” Her heart had been aching these past six months that she hadn’t felt that intimacy with her lover and it ached now at the thought of never feeling that again. Was it selfish? Yes, but she didn’t care. Her whole life she’d done nothing but what she wanted and that wasn’t about to change now.

Besides, she was confident that she could work things out with her lover. She had never thought otherwise about that. Nodding to herself, she began to practice in her head the things she would say when she saw Ai next.

“Risa-chan?” Lin Lin’s musical intonation of her name brought her attention to the younger girl as she reappeared with another figure in tow. Risa was surprised that the other figure was a girl even younger than Lin, maybe about 15 or 16, with short black hair and a small, round face. “I brought my friend. This is Sakura-chan!”

The girl bowed, “Please take care of me.” She said quietly, then shared a knowing look with Lin. Before Risa could ask what that was about, the two girls placed their hands on her shoulders and began to glow radiantly.


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“Ai-chan?” Ai looked up at the sound of her name, meeting Eri’s sympathetic gaze, “It’s time.”

“I know, but that doesn’t make it any easier.” the older woman felt her eyes drawn to the comatose body of her lover, laying still in the hospital bed. The decision to turn off the life support and let her go had been made a week ago after months of deliberations. The doctors were convinced that Risa would not only never wake up, but never be able to survive without the aide of machines ever again.

Even Ai had to agree that was no way to live. As much as it pained her, she felt that this was ultimately the best thing to do for her proud lover. She felt a light grip on her arm and looked up at Eri again. Over the months that Risa had laid in this bed, the two had slowly worked out their differences. Ai felt that it was her fault that Risa was even in this bed and her guilt was, surprisingly, only assuaged by the former cop’s words.

“You are both only human, the mistakes you made affecting each other equally. If you really want to repent, then you have to find a way to move past your guilt. I need to, as well. I want to start by making things right between us and that way, we can have each other to lean on.”

Ai needed the forgiveness from Eri as much as she needed forgiveness from Risa. Now, though, it appeared that she would have to let her lover go before getting that forgiveness and she’d been trying for weeks to come to terms with that.

“I’m ready.” She wasn’t.

“I know.” She did know.

Ai held Risa’s unresponsive hand in a tight grip as the doctor began to shut off the various equipment that kept the gunner from going to the other side. Finally, the respirator cut off with a click and the ventilator slowly drained of air. Ai held her own breath as she waited to hear the fading beeps from the heart monitor.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

After a moment, Ai blinked in surprise; her lover’s heart was still going strong, even though everything that had been keeping her breathing was gone. Apparently the doctor realized this too, because he called in a small team of nurses to begin checking over the gunner in amazement. Ai was vaguely aware of them saying that they were going to run some tests to check for more brain wave patterns or something to that affect, before they were wheeling Risa out of the room.

It wasn’t until Eri shook her did Ai realize that she was staring at the open doorway with tears running down her cheeks. Risa would live, she would be alive, she would have a chance to come back to her. The relief she felt brought Ai to her knees.


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Even though Risa was making a recovery, it was still very slow. She would be in a coma for another six months, Ai at her bedside constantly. Even through the inactivity, though, the gunner was still finding ways to surprise her.

“Pregnant?!” Ai cried at the doctor’s diagnosis, four months after the beginning of the younger girl’s recovery. “What do you mean? How is that possible?”

“To be honest, we don’t know.” the just as bemused man confessed, “We’ve confirmed that’s she’s four months along, which would mean the pregnancy would have happened while she was in the hospital, but there were no signs of any penetration, forced or otherwise. Even then, you’ve been with her night and day, so I think you would notice any strange visitors to her room.” It was true that Ai had become something of a permanent fixture to her lover’s room, having left most of the gang’s day to day operations in Saki’s capable hands.

The doctor eventually left Ai alone to let this information sink in by herself. At first, she was repulsed by the thought of the inconvenience, but then, Risa’s baby bump began to show. That’s when it really hit Ai that her lover was having a baby, that there was a tiny life growing inside of her. With her ear pressed over Risa’s steadily beating heart, Ai gently stroked the gently sloping belly. She decided it was their baby, no matter how it came to be.

When Risa awoke the next day, Ai took it as a good sign.


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Recovery was slow going, but the gangs continued business as usual. Saki began bringing reports to Risa as soon as she was able to entertain guests, but Risa pretty much left everything up to the girl’s capable judgment. “Maybe I should just let you take over for me permanently.” Risa said, semi jokingly to the girl one day after it had become apparent that she didn’t really need any help from Risa or Ai.

Saki was vehemently against the idea, though, “No! I mean, no, that’s ok, I’m just keeping your seat warm for you. Besides, I don’t have what it takes to maintain order the way you do.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Captain, you’re doing great.” Risa chuckled at her, “But I do plan to be back on my feet soon enough, don’t you worry.”

Reina also had some new developments, that she went over on one of her very rare visits. Risa and Ai knew she cared, since Sayu sent her thoughts whenever she visited, it’s just that her love for them was outweighed by her hatred of hospitals. Seeing her in the room was drove home the importance of her news.

“New members.” Reina said without preamble, dropping a few files in Risa’s lap. “Eight pieces of fresh meat.”

“Why so many?” Risa asked curiously, skimming through the dossiers and noticing that most of them had been given high ranks in their two groups in the few short months they had been with them.

“They were a package deal. I decided that we needed some new hackers and when I went looking for the best, I came across these kids. Iikubo and Ikuta are the hackers, the others have various other skills. Fukumura is a chemist, Ishida is a master swordswoman, Sayashi is a ninja, Suzuki is a master of disguise, Kudou is a mixed martial artist, and Sato is, well, something…” Reina rolled her eyes at the thought of the last girl, “They all apparently grew up together, so they were more than simply reluctant to leave each other, but I took four into my group and the other four went to yours. Kusumi wasn’t interested in any of them, since she’s still sorting the mess left behind.”

Risa took a little while to skim through their files, looking at the notes Reina had left on her thoughts on each of them, chuckling a little as she reached Sato’s file, “Looks like they’ve grown on you.” She smiled knowingly, watching Reina blush a little and grumble at her, “If you trust them, then I trust them.” she finally concluded, getting raised eyebrows from both of the girls in the room. “What? You’re a good judge of character, if you think they’ll be helpful then I trust your judgment.” Reina nodded and that was that.


The gangs were in good hands and Risa was free to concentrate on her recovery.


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Two Years Later

She was on the hunt. Her prey was somewhere on the premises, also hunting for her. She knew that she had to be quick, there were no room for mistakes. She peeked around the corner, back to the wall, checking to see if the coast was clear. She was so absorbed in her task that she failed to hear the muted foot falls behind her.

Before she could react, hands closed around her waist and lifted her in the air with a squeal, “There you are you little escape artist!” Erina cried, pulling the little girl into her arms securely, “We gotta get you washed up for the party, Sakura-chan.”

“No-pon! Don’t wanna-pon!” The soon-to-be two year old cried, squirming in the hacker’s arms. Erina tended to be the default babysitter for the girl, all too happy to do so due to her massive admiration of the girl’s mother and the fact that Sakura was just too cute.

“Well, that’s too bad-pon~!” Erina responded playfully, taking the girl back into the bathroom to finish getting ready.

Downstairs, Risa was surveying the impressive mound of Sakura’s birthday presents with a slight grin. There were offerings from their allies all over the country; the Nakazawa clan in Kyoto, the clans in Sendai, Saitama, Sapporo and Hiroshima, even the newly appointed clan in Yokohama, which came about at Risa’s behest. In just 2 short years, they had aggressively spread their influence across the nation and had even made contact with a few foreign organizations, thanks in part to an old friend of Risa’s with international contacts.

“It looks great.” The gunner turned at the sound of Sayu’s voice to see the very pregnant woman waddle into the room, her lover and the MaaDuu combi on her heels. Reina was bickering playfully with the younger two, one arm captured by the grinning Masaki and the other arm resting lightly against Haruka’s shoulders.

As soon as they entered fully, Masaki broke from her beloved Tanasa-tan to run over to Risa at full speed, crying out her name jovially as she latched onto her waist. Duu was only a moment behind her, having turned to look to Reina for permission first before joining her partner in crime. The two only separated from their excited retelling of some story when Reina gently chided them not to crowd the gunner as she came over.

The dining room began filling with people as more and more guests arrived, Risa casually chatting with whomever as she waited for her wife and daughter to come down. The gangs were on top of the world and even though that meant that they were never really safe, today was a day of celebration for all. The gunner turned when a familiar presence appeared at her side, Ai slipping against her as naturally as puzzle pieces would, their daughter held against her hip.

Things could only go up from here, Risa thought, embracing her wife and slipping her hand against the other woman’s slight baby bump. The ride was only just beginning.


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OMG it's been so long, but I've finally finished this thing.(even though I know it's crappily short and not at all awesome) I don't really have much to say, other than my understated thanks to everyone who has read this thing and stayed with me up to this point and my great relief that it is finally over. My great epic is finished after so many years! *dies*

Now onto my next one. XD

Offline kawaii beam

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Re: Black and Blue (Ch 34 6/4 The End!)
« Reply #519 on: June 05, 2013, 04:26:57 AM »
im happy, yet sad that its over omg ;3;

to many things to quote, and to many feels ;3; i cant even think of what to properly say XD well done! it's over! :deco: XD
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