My Future

Devastation

July 7, 2008

"Right this way ma'am ." A burly looking guard said. Today was Monday. Draken and I tried to make a routine of visiting Kazutora on Mondays. Draken was swamped at the shop today with repairs so I decided to visit Kazutora on my own after leaving work. It was that evening by the time I got to go. I followed the guard as he guided me to the same room as last week. I twiddled my fingers as I waited. We had become rather close with Kazutora over the past couple years and I had come to value him as a good friend. "Your by yourself today?" I looked up and smiled at the boy. "Yup! Draken got swamped at the shop so we agreed that I would come visit you instead! How are you feeling?" Kazutora sat down on the chair behind the glass and smiled. "It's been a pretty good week I guess. Same old stuff really. How about you?" He said gently. "Ehh. I've been feeling a little off lately, but nothing to worry about. I've got a checkup scheduled with my doctor for tomorrow. Pretty sure my vitamins are all out of whack!" I felt sad as a look of concern crossed his face. "Are you sure? What if it's not your vitamins?"

I smiled and shook my head. "I'm fine Kazutora! Don't worry, okay?" He only nodded but I could tell my words went in one ear and right out the other. We carried on for the better part of the next hour before the guard came to retrieve him. I said my goodbyes and left the center. I felt incredibly queasy and lightheaded standing there on the sidewalk. I quickly took an object out of my pocket. It wasn't my vitamins and I knew it. I just didn't want Kazutora to worry. It was supposed to arrive today. My period. But it didn't. So on a whim I ran to the market and got a pregnancy test. I never expected it to be positive. I had absolutely no clue how I was going to tell Draken. Would he even be happy? That was something I just wasn't sure about. I put the stick back in my pocket and made my way back towards downtown Shibuya. My phone rang in my pocket and I was surprised to see it was a call from Takemichi. "Hey dude what's up?!" All I could hear was harsh breathing on the other line and crying. "Adriana! I'm so sorry! Draken...he...he's been shot! It was Rokuhara Tandai. They couldn't save him! They're taking his body to the hospital now! You should..." I dropped the call and ran. This couldn't be happening. Not now! Please, someone tell me this is some sick joke!

While running the nausea got worse. I felt as if I could collapse at any moment. I arrived just as the ambulance did. I stood there in silence as they pulled out the stretcher and took it inside. I quickly followed and explained my relationship to Draken and they let me in the morgue. They pulled back the sheet and I broke into hysterical sobs. I grabbed onto his hand and screamed. "Please no!! Wake up Draken please!! I need you! This baby needs you! Your child needs its father! Please!" No response validated what I already knew. Who would have done this. What did his murder get from it. My phone rang and I was slow to answer. "Adriana? It's Takashi. I just got notification that something big was going on down by the pier. Three of the gangs have gathered there. Should we go?" I slowly got up from my place on the floor and walked out of the room. "Gather everyone and go...I'll be there when I can." Silence and then he responded. "Adriana what's wrong?" I tried my best to contain my sobs but a few got out. "It's Draken...he's dead Takashi! Someone from Rokuhara Tandai shot him!! Just get everyone there. This ends tonight!" I hung up the phone and walked to the cafe I had left my bike at that morning.

In my head I knew I shouldn't be doing this. I'm pregnant for crying out loud...but... I need to. As the wind blew through my hair the only thing I could think of was him. My love. He was now gone and I didn't quite now if I could contain my dark impulses anymore. Not with him gone. I needed revenge! And I'll be damned if I didn't walk away with it. Total chaos was all I seen when I arrived. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I shut off everything. The only thing on my mind was the battle in front of me. "You gonna be alright Adriana?" I turned to face Takashi as he walked up to me. "I don't have a choice. This ends here! Let's kick some ass boys!!" Punches were being thrown all over the place and I couldn't help but smile as the other gangs members started to fall. I felt a presence behind me and quickly dodged as a black baton came into my peripheral. "Pleasure seeing you here Haitani! Which one of you bastards killed Draken?" Ran Haitani observed the tattoo on my arm before his eyes widened in realization. "Ahh! The commander of the Black Moon and Draken's woman. South gave the command but it wasn't meant for Draken. It was meant for Takemichi Hanagaki. But Draken got in the way." I chuckled before looking at him sinisterly. "I see then. I apologize but I have no business with you"

He looked at me confused and I quickly twisted and connected an axe kick with the back of his neck. He fell to the ground and I heard his brother scream for him. "Ran!!" I walked past them connecting punches with anyone who stood in my way as I made my way to the center of the brawl. There I saw him. Mikey. His eyes connected with mine for a brief moment and in them I saw concern. Was he worried about me? "Adriana I..." I quickly cut him off, not really caring for what he had today. "Shut it Sano. My business isn't with you. It's with that son of a bitch over there. And if you so much as touch me I will kill you! Got it?" I started to walk past him but was stopped when his hand circled my wrist. He pulled me into his chest and I struggled against him. "Stop struggling Adriana! If you fight him as you are right now he'll murder you!"

I threw my elbow up but he quickly caught it. "Why the hell do you care anyway?! You're the one who said we were enemies! Or have you forgotten that?!" His arms wrapped around my shoulders locking mine in place. Without a word he drug me away from the battle. "Let me go Mikey!" He let me go only to push me up against a wall and pin my arms above my head and place his knee in between my legs. "Absolutely not. I won't let you get yourself killed." Tears stung my eyes and freely flowed down my cheeks. "Why? Why do you care?" He let go of my arms and softly placed his finger under my chin. He tilted my head upwards and kissed me gently. My body froze. I didn't understand why he was kissing me but at the same time I did. He pulled back from me and looked me in the eye. "Because no matter what I do I can't bring myself to stop loving you. I can't bare the thought of hurting you. I'm still in love with you Adriana. And I don't see that changing." I was dumbfounded I had anticipated it but I still couldn't believe it. I shuffled my legs uncomfortably and he moved himself off of me.

A clatter was heard as an object hit the ground. Panic filled my body as Mikey picked it up. He looked at the object and his eyes widened in surprise. "You're...pregnant?" I only nodded and took it from him, sticking it back in my pocket. "Yeah. I just found out today. I was on my way to tell Draken when...." I broke out into hysterical sobs and fell into Mikey's chest. "You have to stop this Adriana. It's not just you that needs cared for anymore. Do you understand that? Stay here. I'll call Mitsuya to come get you." Without another word he walked away from me leaving me both dumbfounded and totally confused.