Lifeline

CHAPTER 5

The sun had set in the city allowing the moon to rise up in the sky. However, the night was just beginning for Tessa and her friends.
Tugging at her Toman jacket's buttons aimlessly, her eyes wondered around the surrounding area. The sounds of bike engines and their lights lit up the area and made it feel...well...alive. Well, other than the fact she has had to stifle her yawns. Her teachers in school always complain about her sometimes falling asleep in class and have asked her why, and every time she throws up the excuse of taking care of Akira, her younger sister. In reality, she is up until one or two in the morning trying to advise and wrangle these morons in front of her.
"You keep tugging at those buttons like that the stitching is going to come off."
Tessa turned her head to look up at a familiar lilac-haired man.
"Well, if they do fall off, you'll just have to sew it back on, Mitsuya." she said giving him a teasing smile.
Mitsuya chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Don't worry, I will."
Tessa bumped his shoulder. Her and Mitsuya have what some people call a "sibling relationship". From when they first met years back, they have always been like this. Tessa would help him take care of his sisters and he would help her around the house a bit. Before the two could carry on, they heard a scuffle going on not too far from them.
Standing up, the two walked over to see a group of Toman members yellling at someone. As Tessa got closer, she saw a tuft of blonde hair on top of someone's head. Recognizing them, she muttered, "Takemichi?"
"You know him?" Mitsuya asked her with a raised brow.
Tessa nodded. "I think I remember Draken telling him to come here."
Mitsuya nodded and made his way over there.
"Hey, he's the leader's guest. The hell are you threatening him for," he said kicking one of them.
"Sorry," the gang member apologized.
"What's up Takemitchy?" Tessa called to him using his nickname Mikey gave him.
Takemichi gawked. "Tessa?! What are you doing here?!"
"You remember I'm apart of this gang, right?" she said with her arms crossed.
Takemichi rubbed his neck. "Right." He had to admit, it was kind of strange to see Tessa in a gang uniform. He had always seen her wearing her school uniform or in something nice and comfortable when he would soot her running around in the city.
"Follow me," spoke Mitsuya as they all walked towards where Mikey was at.
When they got there, they saw Mikey sitting on his bike with others in the surrounding area. Mikey turned around to greet Takemichi with a smile. "Yo, Takemitchy. Sorry for the sudden invite."
"Why'd you bring your girl here?" Draken spoke up noticing Hina was behind him, Tessa standing beside her.
"Sorry, I didn't think it was going to be like this." Takemichi replied.
Draken bent over a little towards Hina. "Hina, sorry about the other day." He gave her a small smile to not seem as intimidating.
"It's okay." Hina replied.
Tessa smirked at this. Draken may be tall for his age and look intimidating, but at his core, he's a huge softie.
"Hey, Emma!!" Draken called out in the area.
"Coming," a girl's voice spoke up.
"This is Takemitchy's girlfriend. Tessa can't look after her, so you do it instead."
A blonde-haired girl wearing a button up shirt and skirt, a jacket tied around her waist stopped in front of them. "Okay," she sighed. The girl looked up and was shocked to see a familiar boy she had run into earlier. Smiling, " 'Sup "wussy boy"!"
' "Wussy boy"?' Tessa thought as she tilted her head in confusion.
Meanwhile, Takemichi was panicking internally.
"Wussy boy?" Hina said with a tick mark on her face.
Tessa and Draken looked at Takemichi. "You know Emma?"
"Why did she call you "wussy boy"?" Hina repeated clearly angry.
"It...It's not what you think, Hina!" Takemichi stuttered out.
"You got to see me in my underwear and you still ran away." Emma answered for him.
Tessa was appalled. "Excuse me?!"
~~~
Takemichi was now on the ground with bruises all over his face after being beaten up by Hina with a bat. "I'm sorry. I'll never do it again."
Hina walked away while calling him a "jerk."
"Damn," Emma smirked. "You got a girl like that and you went along with me anyway. But don't get me wrong. It's not like I care about you or anything." She glanced over to where Mikey, Draken, and Tessa were standing. "I just wanted to grow up faster, that's all." She watched as the three of them were laughing together. She watched as Tessa said something snarky to Draken and he proceeded to wrap his arm around her neck in a playful chokehold, the two laughing. She turned around and threw her hands up in a mock shrug. "I'm so fed up with him. He's not interested at all! It's all Mikey, Tessa, bikes, and fighting with that guy. I thought he'd get at least a little jealous."
Takemichi watched as Emma walked away in the direction of Hinata. 'So that's it. Emma was trying to make Draken jealous.' Either way, I don't understand girls at all.'
"Takemichi."
He turned to see Tessa standing there with her arms crossed.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," he apologized and jogged towards her. Both him and Tessa walked towards Draken and Mikey.
"Hey everyone!! Gather 'round. The meetings going to start!!" Draken shouted.
The four stood at the end of an archway into the shrine where the meeting would take place. All of the gang members had lined up in lines and bowed as Toman's President, Vice President, Advisor, and guest walked towards the front. Takemichi watched as Mikey went up the steps and turned towards his members, Draken off to the side while Tessa stood beside him. He was in awe as Mikey stood front while everyone else stood quietly.
"We're gathered here today to talk about Moebius," Mikey began. "If they go against us, it'll be a huge conflict."
'A conflict with Moebius? What's Moebius? I didn't see anything like that in Naoto's intel.' Takemichi thought.
"If a fight happens, it'll be when the Musashi Festival happens." Mikey continued. He sat down on the top step. "So, I wanna hear everyone's opinion on this."
Tessa could see Takemichi was confused so she leaned over to Mitsuya and whispered, "Tell Takemichty about it."
"Sure," Mitsuya began to explain. "Moebius is a biker gang that's two generations above ours currently in control of Shinjuku."
"What?! I thought that was Toman's turf." Takemichi said.
"Toman's got Shibuya. Shinjuku's different. That, and we're still a new team."
Takemichi took all this information in. There was another gang bigger than Toman at this time.
"Speaking of conflict," muttered Mitsuya.
A boot hit Takemichi's back causing him to fall forward.
"You're Hanagaki, right?"
He looked up to see two gang members looming over him. It was the Third Division Captain and Vice Captain.
"You got our teammate Kiyomasa all messed up thanks to what you did in that fighting ring." The Vice captain Peh-Yan said.
"How're you gonna pay for that asshole?" Pah, the Third Captain asked him threatening.
"Pay for it?" Takemichi said.
"Cut it out boys.  We're supposed to drop the whole thing about Kiyomasa using Toman's name without permission for his fighting ring." Mitsuya intervened.
"Huh?! I'm a dumbass, so I really don't get it!!" Pah walked towards Mitsuya.
"If you don't get it, then butt out, stupid." Mitsuya retorted.
"Pah," said Tessa getting his attention. "Zip it." She walked over to him and grabbed his shoulder. "I get you're mad right now,  but there's no deed to take it out on others."
Pah shrugged her hand off his shoulder and walked away, Peh-Yan trailing behind.
"Don't hold a grudge against them." Draken spoke up beside Tessa
"Those two are out of control." Takemichi said.
"Pah's pretty pissed right now." Draken said looking in Pah's direction.
"Moebius's leader, a guy named Osanai, got into a fight with Pah's best friend over some crap. Some of Moebius's members beat the shit out of Pah's friend. Then, they raped his girlfriend right in front of him, hung up his parents and siblings, and took all his money. So, he's desperate enough to ask for Pah's help." Mitsuya explained. "This isn't a kiddie slap fight."
"Damn," whispered Takemichi.
"That's the kind of team Moebius is." Tessa said solemnly looking down at her boots she was wearing.
They all turned to see Pah in front of Mikey.
"Well, Pah? Are you gonna fight?" Mikey asked him.
"They're two generations above our gang. We won't get away unscathed. It'd just be a bother to you. But, I can't stand it Mikey."
"That's not what I asked. You going to fight or not?"
Pah gritted his teeth in frustration. "I want to fight! I want to murder those sons of bitches!!"
Mikey smiled. "I know right?"
"Huh," said Pah.
"Anyone who thinks that Pah's buddy getting beat up is too much of a bother to deal with?!"
No one spoke up.
"Anyone here is scared of Moebius even though they beat up Pah's friend?!"
Silence.
"See?! Not a one!!" Mikey exclaimed as Pah had tears in his eyes.
All the gang members had grins on their faces, grins that screamed they wanted to fight.
"We're gonna crush Moebius!!" Mikey shouted.
The shrine erupted in a roar of empowerment. Fists were up in the air.
"August third.  The Musashi Festival is where we'll have our decisive battle!!" Mikey shouted.

A/N: Hey guys sorry for the late upload. I was busy all day yesterday and we went to see the new Marvel movie Eternals (which was good) anyways, love you guys