Amamiya Sister: SHIFTING GEARS

CHAPTER #6

It only took Rekka a day to get healthy again.  Due to her consistent nightmares, Masaki encouraged her to talk about her past.  As her story was told, the brothers couldn't believe all the shit she'd been through. Only a survivor; a person with an incredibly strong will to live, could overcome the odds against her.

"So you never knew our mom? Did you ask your dad about her?"

"I thought my step-mom was my biological mother, up until Takeru found me.  I don't even know how he knew to look for me.  Anyway Dad got furious when I asked about your mom. It was the only time he ever beat me so bad I couldn't even fight back. So I never asked again. I was naive back then. I thought doing the right thing and standing up for justice, could never be bad.  I fought as a kid, because of helping those weaker than me, against bullies. Dad put me into martial arts to rein in my temper and learn control. It probably helped a little. There was a high school beside our elementary school. One of the guys there was selling drugs to our school and I caught him. I beat the crap out of him and threatened to put him permanently in the hospital if he ever came back. I got into so much shit for doing that, all the adults punished me and not him. That's when fighting anyone who pissed me off began to happen."

Rekka drank the scotch in her glass and waited for a refill, before continuing.

"I got suspended after I put that high school guy in the hospital.  I remember that day, because someone's tooth cut my knuckles bad and I couldn't get the blood to stop. The school nurse bandaged my hand, before I got sent home.  I noticed two black SUVs in the driveway and so took the back door into the house. Dad worked from home sometimes and hated it when I interrupted him.  Anyway I was in the kitchen, grabbing food, when I heard raised voices and smashing glass.  I went to see what was going on and .... Some men shot my mom in the head and stabbed my father in the chest.  I didn't scream or anything.  I ran to the kitchen and grabbed the knife block.  I threw every knife I had at those men. They shot me." She lifted up her shirt and showed them the bullet scar on her left side.

"It went through without hitting anything important. The pain of it put fear into my heart and I ran all the way to the police station.  I passed out after I told them about those men.  When I woke up in the hospital, my Aunt was there.  She said the police found my parents dead, some stuff stollen at our house and that it was a robbery home invasion.  I never believed that, but I was just twelve.  I recovered from being shot and my Aunt became my guardian.  She was a total prude and made sure I knew that I was her charity work.  Long story short, she waited until I was fifteen and kicked me out on the street."

Masaki asked, "was that when you met that veteran?"

"Not until a year later.  I stole food and fought anyone who crossed my path.  I had tried to steal the Veteran's pizza and that's how we met.  He beat my ass, then fixed and fed me.  He bluntly gave me a choice and always talked to me like I was an adult.  I learned from him about the real world.  He bought me my first motorcycle and taught me how to ride.  I got my license and then he allowed me to go on jobs with him.  There are a lot of sick bastards out there."

Hiroto refilled her glass. "You said it was a job that got him killed. What happened?"

"Ambushed by mafia. He saved my life and lost his. A lot of evil stuff goes down in Little Asia.... So that's my story."

"And Ryu?"

She laughed, "a stupid mistake. He had good knife skills, we dated, he left the Mighty Warriors and started working for Bulge. He's a mafia douche, that controls the prisons. When I found out that some of Bulge's men were involved in that ambush, I thought Ryu would help me get revenge. Wrong. So I dumped him, but he wouldn't let it go. Constantly causing trouble for me. And well you know the rest."