Choices & Chains

I'm Home, Yokohama

" You're weak, you're a fool... you don't deserve to live like this..."

" But I... I just..."

" If you're going to throw that ability away, then might as well just stop breathing. In here, only those who wield strength can live, and as long as you can't draw your strength, then there is no meaning in your life."...

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Red eyes fluttered slightly as she felt the airplane dropping. Gazing through the round window, she could see the five towers standing proudly in the middle of the small city and the great abyss at its side filled with an amalgamation of buildings of all kinds.

" We'll be landing shortly, please fasten your seatbelts," the airline waitress stated through the speaker.

The woman tucked away the blond streaks of hair that fell out of their place when she fell asleep and proceeded to secure her belt before looking back at the city. Three years, it had been three years since she last laid eyes on that sight. No words could ever express her excitement for returning.

Allowing a smile to manifest on her lips, the young woman laid back her head on the window. " I'm home, Yokohama."

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The scent of coffee filled her nostrils upon hitting the threshold of the shop, it was very familiar and all the same enjoyable. She threw a quick look around, only to find the booths empty and the bar devoided from any customers.

" Welcome. How can we help you today?" A young waitress in a black and white uniform greeted her with a beaming face.

" I would like a latte please," the blonde said leaving her suitcase by the door and taking a seat by the bar just as the waitress went to prepare her order. An old man was yet standing there, cleaning glasses using a white rag.

" Here is your order." With a cup of coffee placed before her, the woman proceeded to drop five cubes of sugar into the liquid.

" As usual, you haven't grown out of your unhealthy addiction to sugar."

The woman merely smiled as she steered her coffee. " And I see you haven't changed location yet, must be hard, running a café in this building. I see you still have a problem with having customers." The woman looked up at the man as she lifted her cup. " It's been a while, Manager."

" Three years if I remember. You've grown up fairly during your time away. It's hard to believe you're the same girl who used to sit here and order juice."

" You're making me blush," she said sipping her coffee. " More importantly, it must be hard running this shop with all those fools running loose atop."

There was a faint rumble, as though something was smashed into a wall. The blonde looked down at her cup as the liquid's surface was disturbed.

" It may seem so but, those fools are the ones keeping this café going. I'm earning more than enough from them to keep it open, either by orders or compensation." More loud voices, gunshots and shouts, clattering and clangs. The waitress looked up at the lamp swaying above her as if about to fall any moment.

" Either way, how was your time in London?"

The young woman heaved a sigh as she leaned her head on her hand. " Boring."

The sound of glass breaking somewhere above them.

" I mean, I had to focus on my studies and all, but I really wanted to have some more fun like I used to do here."