Hey everyone! Sorry this took so long to update, but between school work, extracurricular activities, writer's block, and my own laziness, things happen. But thanks to everyone who reviewed and to those of you who pestered me to get back to work on this! I needed to boost. Anyway, quick note on this chapter: I'm not happy with it. So I'm going to rework it and retype it while I'm at work. So it will be changed eventually. Also, do not expect a new chapter until August. I'm not going to be home and I have no internet where I'm going. So the rewrite of this chapter and the next will be coming then. And thanks to my betas Rahenne and amberthefool, despite the limited use a beta can have in this case. But you guys are great help with this story!
Gangs and Demons
Chapter Three: Complications
Fira resisted the urge to bang her head against the locker. Things were bad enough without her adding to it. School had ended, which was a blessing, but everyone now knew about the episode between her and Hiei. And if her fellow students hadn't avoided her before for being one of the only neutral girls, they avoided her like the plague now that Hiei had singled her out.
"Damn it all," she growled under her breath. She threw her unnecessary books and binders into her locker. Every single one of them hit the back of the locker with a loud thud that sounded like someone hitting another. Fira ignored it, seeing how it matched her current mood. She just wanted out of this hell-hole.
"You're going to destroy that locker one day," a girl's voice said. Fira looked up from where she knelt to see her friend Amber. Amber was unlike most girls who moved into the area. She had always wanted to be protected by someone. That had annoyed Fira at first, but then she found that Amber knew she'd never be able to protect herself. However, Amber didn't allow that to stop her from doing what she wanted—like befriending Fira. Fira supposed if that was the life Amber truly wanted, then Fira was going to do nothing to stop her.
"If I get lucky, maybe I'll destroy it today," Fira said to Amber. She continued to toss books into her locker.
Amber laughed. "Whatever you want, I guess. But why didn't you tell me!"
Fira stood up and slammed her locker shut. "Tell you what?" If she was lucky, Amber wouldn't say it….
"That you and Hiei are going out!" No such luck.
Fira laughed sardonically. "Me? Dating Hiei? Not likely."
"Then why did he stop you at your locker today?"
"He was fucking attacking me, Amber! If you're going to listen to the rumor mill, at least learn how to pull the truth out of the gossip!" Fira stormed off.
Amber ran to catch up with her. "Geez! I'm sorry, okay? I just thought…."
"Don't worry about it," Fira interrupted. "Just one thing. How many people think I'm dating him now?"
Amber looked a little sheepish. "Not many, but I mentioned the possibility to Charles."
"Shit! You go and tell him otherwise. I don't need the Bachi on my case as well!" Fira swore for a few moments, ignoring Amber and everyone else around her. Then she turned to Amber and said, "You tell that boyfriend of yours nothing's going on between me and Hiei, understand?"
"Yeah, I got it. I'll tell him. But you know" Amber smiled slyly at this point, "you two would make a great couple."
"Amber, if it weren't for the fact you're one of my few friends, and that I'm about to miss my bus, I would kill you now." She grinned at her friend. Amber smiled back warily. "But like I said, I've got to catch my bus, so I'll see you later." Fira walked out of the building, waving back to her friend as she did.
The bus ride home was quiet. Uncommonly quiet. Nobody talked or whispered; they kept glancing back at her like she was a serial killer or a mugger. Even the few gang members were looking at her strangely. Fira tried to ignore it, but it was unnerving how her confrontation with Hiei had made everybody react. Obviously, Amber wasn't the only one who suspected deeper meaning to the encounter. Fira growled in annoyance. The whole system was crazy! A girl couldn't even get into an argument without everyone considering "deeper meanings."
She got off the bus several stops early. Better to walk home than continue riding the bus. The walk afforded her time to consider the dilemma she was now in without having people stare at her. Should she go meet Hiei or not?
'Well, on the one hand,' Fira thought, 'if I don't go it'll show a passive strength through my non-obedient behavior. On the other hand, it could be taken that I'm a coward. Or it could be viewed that I'm not following the norm. But Hiei may decide to press the issue…which means he'll probably chase me down wherever I go. And I really don't want that. Then again, if I do go, I may be forced to give up my stats book, which I don't want to occur even if it would be worthless to him. If I don't go, I don't run that risk.'
She ran up the steps to and into the townhouse where she and her dad lived, her good mood restored. She didn't have to go meet Hiei if she didn't want to, and, frankly, she didn't want to. After taking her shoes off in the foyer, she went upstairs into the kitchen. She rummaged through the cabinets and fridge in an attempt to find some food, but instead found a note from her dad saying that he'd be home late due to work, so she needn't worry about him for dinner. "Yeah, Dad. Work," she snorted as she read the note. "More like another date you're trying to hide from me. Whatever." Fira tossed the note into the trash before leaving the kitchen to head into her room, abandoning her search for food.
She dropped her book bag at the foot of her bed and flopped onto the bed, burying her face into her pillow. A nap sounded really good right now. Just a quick hour nap…
Fira woke with a start. Something felt wrong. What was it? She glanced around her darkened room. Nothing seemed out of place. Nothing that is…except the sun. "Damn it! I overslept!" She scrambled to disengage herself from her blankets. That effort resulted in her crashing unceremoniously to the floor. "Note to self: burn those sheets later."
She picked herself out of the heap on the floor and tossed the school clothes she had been wearing into the laundry basket. Tonight was another night to watch the rising powers of the street and she had to be inconspicuous. She began to pull on her evening outfit. Tonight she was wearing a pair of loose dark jeans and a large blue long-sleeved shirt with a blue dragon pattern on it. The entire outfit was baggy enough to hide her few curves. She tied her hair into a loose bun which she covered with a baseball cap. As she left the room, she grabbed her notebook and stuffed it into one of her pants' pockets.
Entering the kitchen, she scrawled a quick note to her dad saying she'd gone out for a walk and would be back late. She then dug out a sandwich that was hiding in the fridge and proceeded to run down the stairs and out the door, making sure to lock it behind her and hide the key.
The streets were busy with the evening traffic. Car horns honked. Tires squealed. People rushed by, uncaring, to unknown places. Local gang section watched from side alleys. The city's music filled Fira, and, confidently, she entered the melody.
She threaded her way down the street, avoiding the gaze of the various gangs. She was uninterested in engaging in a fight at the moment, and she had no intention of being followed. Again. Assuming that was what Hiei had been doing. But that wasn't her concern right now. If she remembered correctly, the Akuma were going against the Yuko for more territory. Considering they were equal in strength the last time she saw either of them fight, it would be interesting to see.
Ten minutes later, she was cutting across the park. It was full of sightseeing families, couples, and the occasional worker taking a shortcut to or from work. Fira traveled on the edge of the groups of people, skirting along not only society but also the edge of the only bit of untamed wilderness within the park. Once again, she had no desire to start of fight—especially one of the magnitude that would occur if she entered there uninvited. Everyone understood this—told or untold.
The fight was to be next to a parking garage on the far side of the park. There was a small construction site there which most of the gangs favored as a neutral fighting ground. Fira liked it when the gangs fought there because then she could sneak into the parking garage and watch from a higher vantage point. Tonight she was planning on heading to the third floor since both gangs were on the larger scale in membership. The third floor would keep her close enough to see the actual fighting but far enough to view the strategies and any sneak attacks.
Arriving a little early, she was surprised to see no one there. Usually there would be at least a scout there. Instead she saw an empty lot and had the incredible feeling that something was incredibly wrong.
Just as she was about to leave, somebody grabbed her. She grabbed the person's arm in an attempt to throw them. The person just chuckled and reversed the momentum. She crashed into a concrete post. Fira groaned as she picked herself up slowly. Her back smarted from the impact. She lifted her head slightly to see who it was that had thrown her. Only to lower it agitation. It was Hiei.
"I thought I told you to come to the park directly after school," he said, moving towards her.
Her head snapped up in defiance. "It wasn't in my best interest to come. Besides, I don't answer to you."
"Oh really?"He was scant inches from her. "All girls are under male guidance. Didn't you know that?"
She raised an eyebrow at that statement before calmly spitting at his feet. He in return raised an eyebrow. "Hn. You know who I am, yet you still defy me?" She just stared at him. He shrugged. "No matter. Now once again," he grabbed Fira's shirt, "why are you watching the gangs and what is in that book?"
"That is what I would like to know as well," a new voice called from the shadows. Hiei glanced behind his shoulder and growled, releasing his grip on her shirt. Fira began to move slowly towards her best exit route. Instinct told her that she didn't want to be around here any longer than need be.
"Get out of here, Toguro," Hiei was saying. "You've got no business here."
'Oh shit!' Fira screamed in her mind. 'The Urami's after me too!' She began to move faster.
The younger Toguro moved out into the light. Towering over Hiei and Fira, he should have been imposing. However, neither was truly intimidated. Fira merely looked him over before deciding to take a chance and sprint for the stairs. If she could get down them, she'd be home free.
"It seems our friend is trying to leave," Toguro said. "Boys, make sure she doesn't leave while I take care of this uninvited guest." Fira could hear Hiei chuckle in response to that statement.
She ran a few more feet before stopping in the middle of a patch of light. She could hear Toguro's lackeys moving around her. 'At least this won't be a total waste of time,' she thought as she got into a defensive position.
The fools obviously hadn't been told she knew how to fight. One guy walked towards her, a cocky grin on his face. "Hey doll, just come with us, and I'll take care of you," he said. She seemingly lowered her defenses to give him a simpering smile and walk slowly toward him. His grin deepened and he gave a quick glance to his buddies behind him. So he never saw the kick to his groin. He only got a quick glance at the fist to his temple that knocked him out.
Fira smirked. "Who's next?" she said. Seven more boys came forward. Except for directly behind her, where the edge of the garage was, they had her surrounded. She smiled in anticipation. This was going to be fun. That was when the boys attacked.
It was a harder fight than the one she had fought with the Cadres. She delivered punches and kicks sparingly. Ducking and dodging were more valuable in this fight. She weaved among the boys, avoiding their attacks. Her plan was to wear them out as fast as she could. When one was finally tired enough, she would put them out of their misery. Then she would have one less to worry about.
However, they picked up on her strategy after she'd lessened their numbers by two. Two of the boys ran up to grab her. She dodged them. A third took his chance and grabbed her arms. She went limp. He let go slightly in surprise, allowing her the opportunity to throw him. The first two came back and tried again. This time she kicked both of them. The final three got into the act, rushing her. She tried to duck through the small hole two of them had created. It didn't work.
Two of the three grabbed her arms. She struggled to break free, only causing the two hold her to tighten their grips. She winced inwardly at the brief pain that flashed up her arms. As she continued to struggle, the third pulled out a knife. "Now," he said, "you're going to come with us quietly. He was trying to sound menacing, but was breathing so hard, that it didn't work.
"Ain't happening," Fira replied, kicking at him.
"Bad move," the boy said, stepping back up to her. He grinned suddenly. "Let's see what's under that shirt of yours, shall we?" He cut diagonally down her shirt, from her left shoulder to her right hip. However, due to her struggling, he misjudged the amount of pressure needed. Fira screamed as he cut into her skin. That was when the two boys dropped her. Her head hit the floor before she could brace herself for the impact.
As she began to black out, she felt someone pick her up from the floor and Hiei's voice saying, "You're going to regret that." She passed out at that point.
Ok...all done. Don't like the ending...sigh Oh well, it'll be fixed. Leave a review and let me know what you think!