Light Impulse

You belong with us

"Are you ready?" Takemichi asked carefully as he looked at the closed double doors in front of them. Everyone had already gathered inside but he had insisted she would not be entering the room alone. He could almost hear her teeth rattle as she stood trembling beside him. They had prepared together and had been over what to expect, but he could understand the overwhelming feelings she was likely experiencing now. Inside were so many people she had known in multiple timelines. She witnessed some of them die multiple times too. Some had been eager to meet her, others had proven sceptical or even hostile. There was no saying how all of them would react to her knowledge about the past. Some had met her already, so the news about her origin had slowly spread throughout their ranks. Taiju had been kind enough to let them use one of the rooms in his venue for the meeting. It hadn't officially opened yet but he had apparently dubbed this the final rehearsal before the grand opening in a couple of weeks.

Yuuna shifted beside him as she heard Draken's bellowing voice open the meeting inside. She had heard him do that so many times, but it had always been from a distance and never had she imagined she would be the one being called in. She looked up at Takemichi desperately as a strongly conditioned panic started to whirl in her chest, trying to convince her that this was unsafe. Not just for her but for all of them. She felt like she couldn't breathe.

"Hey," he said, grabbing her upper arms firmly. "You are not on your own in there," he said affirmingly. "Mikey and I are right there with you. And so are Chifuyu, Mitsuya and Kisaki," he continued in a hushed voice, keeping his ears perked for what was going on behind the doors. "As a wise man once said to me: 'Everyone is scared in a fight, it's about how you handle it. So just look at the guy in front of you and I've got your back'," he said with a grin. But when she looked at him puzzled he realised she couldn't know. "Chifuyu, it was Chifuyu who said that," he laughed apologetically.

She managed to smile faintly but almost jumped out of her skin when she heard her name being called. "No-," she whispered as her fear got the better of her and she staggered back a little.

"Yes," Takemichi said resolutely as he grabbed her hand and pushed open the door. There was no going back now.

As her eyes adjusted to the light inside she could hardly believe what she was seeing. She hadn't expected so many of them to show up and as Takemichi pulled her along to the front she spotted so many familiar faces. At the far end of the room; the unmistakable Tokyo Manji Gang Commander and Vice President. Mitsuya was right. As reluctant as he had been, Draken had shown up and flanked Mikey at the head of the company. Just as it had always supposed to be. He had grown out his natural hair colour and she had to admit, it suited him very well. He had tied the upper part of his overalls around his waist and if possible he looked even more fit than in his earlier years. She couldn't resist a faint smile as she looked at him in this light and her heart made a little jump for joy despite her anxiety.

Mitsuya had also been right about most of their captain-rank showing up. They were all dressed casually but even after all these years they formed semi-organised rows in front of their superiors. And as Takemichi led her out in front of them and turned around she was left facing all of them. Her heart pounded in her ears as she looked at the group of young men in front of her. Kisaki, to the far left, looking sharp as always. Baji, Chifuyu and Mitsuya were next in line as leaders of the First and Second Divisions.

Following them was a face she knew very well but hadn't had the pleasure of meeting yet. He had been killed or detained for most of the time and only when he got out of prison when he was older had she caught glimpses of him. Kazutora Hanemiya, Captain of the Fourth Division. He was joined by his vice-captain, the bright and brave Sendo Atsushi, or Akkun. He wore his hair long and his bangs were blonde, just like she had got to know him in previous timelines. She couldn't contain a little smile. The likeness with Baji was unmistakable when his hair was long like this. As their eyes met she saw him slant his head a little and she felt a shiver run down her spine as she had a hard time getting a feel for his intentions. But in contrast with Baji's confidence and sharpness, Kazutora had a vulnerability or softness about him that he always seemed so eager to hide.