A Future Without You is Soon |Mikey x OC|

Chapter Nineteen

Shiho pulls her jacket over her shoulders slowly. No more time. Shiho couldn't come up with much of a plan to stop Baji, and there's no way she can help someone she doesn't know.

"Are you ready?" Mikey asks from the door. Shiho looks over her shoulder. Mikey is already in his uniform, and he probably has been for a while. Draken is probably already ready outside. Shiho grabs her boots and walks towards him.

"Almost. We've still got time," Shiho says. Shiho closes her eyes and runs her fingers through her hair.

No more plans. No more planning. For the first time since Hide, she's ready to throw caution to the wind and play it by ear.

She just hopes it doesn't come back to bite her.

~*~*~

Shiho rolls her shoulder next to Mikey and Draken. The tension in the air was so thick it probably couldn't even be cut. Most of Touman stands there silently. There was no point in shouting or even conversing.

"You guys ready to throw down?" Hansen shouts from inside the dump. "Fighters! Make your entrance! Tokyo Manji Gang!" Touman members pile in behind Draken, Mikey, and Shiho. The division leaders are right behind them, and other members behind them.

Takemichi and Chifuyu funnel into the crowd somewhere behind Shiho.

The two gangs finally meet in the middle, chatter filling the air. Shiho can hear Mikey's name being thrown out a few times. Mikey ignores the crowd.

"Hansen~kun," Mikey says, gaining the attention of the referee. "I'd like to thank you for overseeing this fight."

Hansen laughs dryly. "If this fight suck, I'm kicking your ass. Both teams representatives, forward!"

Shiho and Draken share a quick glance, then Draken walks over. Kazutora walks forward too.

"Five on five with your best guys, or an all out with everyone?" Hansen asks.

"Valhalla picked this fight," Draken says. "So you decide, Kazutora. We have one condition. To rescue Baji Keisuke." Kazutora's gaze falters for a moment. His gaze is locked on the ground. "If Touman wins this battle, we take back Baji. That's all there is to it."

"Hah?" Kazutora asks. He looks up, a wicked smile painting his features. He looks at Draken, sneaking a glance at Shiho. "Baji joined us on his own! There's no taking him back now!"

"We're taking Baji back!" Draken says. "That's all there is to it!"

Kazutora clenches his fist. "You fucker...you think you're hot shit?"

"Hey, don't start throwin' punches yet." Hansen's objections don't go any farther than that. Kazutora punches Hansen's jaw. Draken watches with wide eyes. Kazutora connects his fists with Hansen's stomach. The man drops to the ground.

"Damn, what a lame ass." As much as she shouldn't, Shiho is inclined to agree with Kazutora on this one. "Overseer? Conditions? You think this is a game? We came here to torture you punks to death!"

"Shall we begin, Mikey?" Hanma asks.

"Let's do this, Touman!" Mikey calls.

The two gangs sprint toward each other. Several people start to hit each other. There's no pattern. Shiho smiles to herself. She loves the chaos. Shiho goes around kicking several Valhalla members around contently.

Out of the corner of her eye, Shiho sees a Shinai aiming toward her head. Shiho's arm instinctively guards her, but she still stumbles back. Nausea floods her system. Shiho shakes her head, which only makes it hurt more, in hopes of gaining her balance again.