Chihiro Hanagaki

Chapter 24

*After the Bloody Halloween Fight*

Chika watched from above as Hibiki rushed away with the unconscious Chihiro. A cool chill went down her spine every time she saw Chihiro. 'It's hard to believe she was just eleven at the time,' she mused. Chika hopped off the backhoe and ran off just as the sirens got louder. Chika managed to get out before getting caught. She ducked into an alley when her phone began to ring. "Hello?" she answers.

"Chika, did you get okay," a female on the other line asked. She leaned on the alley wall, "Yeah." The person on the other line was Hotaru, another girl who used to be a part of the same gang as her. "Did you see that girl?! From back then?!" Hotaru gasped. Even though she couldn't see it, Chika nodded, "She's in Toman now." Tokyo Manji Gang, known as Toman, had only been around for two years. Toman had taken on several gangs in the past two years.

The fight against Valhalla and Moebius ended with someone getting hurt and someone else getting arrested. Toman's fight with Valhalla ended up with someone actually getting killed. She felt like Toman would end up becoming as corrupt as The Skulls. The Skulls is the gang she and Hotaru were in before a person dubbed The One Woman Army took them down. Hotaru, Chika, and Hibiki were the only ones who knew the truth of that day.

"She looked so different," Hotaru commented. "Yeah...hopefully 'that' won't happen again." Chika worried. Everything that happened that day was still burned into her brain two years later. Chika ended the call and headed to the hospital. She waited for a certain pinkette to come out as she enjoyed her cigarette. Two hours later, Hibiki exited the hospital with a blond teen she saw during the fight. Hibiki clocked her almost immediately upon leaving the doors of the hospital.

"Why are you here?!" Hibiki hissed as she stormed up to her. Chika casually stubbed out her cigarette, "Nice to see you too." Hibiki grabbed her by her shirt much to the horror of Takemichi, "I won't repeat myself!" Takemichi was even more shocked when Chika proceeded to put Hibiki in an arm lock. "Man, you should dye your head red instead. You're as spicy as a pepper." Chika joked dryly. Hibiki struggled against Chika, but her grip didn't budge. "I'm just here to talk," she assured.

Takemichi approached, unsure of the situation, "Um....excuse me?" Chika gave him a quizzing look while Hibiki looked ready to murder someone. "What's up?" Chika asked. Takemichi looked between the girls, "What exactly is going on? Do you know Hibiki and why is she so determined to attack you?" Chika smiled, "Oh Ikki and I go waaaay back~" Hibiki headbutted Chika making her jump back with a grunt holding her nose. "Ow! That was my nose bitch!" Chika cursed.

Hibiki popped her shoulder, "Like I care bitch!?" Hibiki then turned to Takemichi, "Go home." It wasn't a suggestion, she was telling him to go home. Takemichi wondered if he should listen to the younger girl. His fear of Hibiki however was far greater than any curiosity he had of the woman before them. Takemichi learned long ago not to try Hibiki when she looked like that. Takemichi awkwardly left the two, hoping that they wouldn't get out of control.

Chika moved her hands to reveal a bleeding nose. "You didn't hold back either," Chika winced, wiping her nose. Hibiki rolled her eyes, "I didn't break it." Chika glared at her, "That's not the point! You charged at me like a wild animal. I was merely defending myself!" Hibiki crossed her arms, uncaring of her words. "I made myself clear two years ago," she stated. Chika sighed, "Hibiki you were in hot water-" "I TOLD YOU NOT TO TELL HER?!" Hibiki screamed, cutting her off.

Hibiki continued, pointing an accusing finger, "Leaving the gang was my decision! Whatever came of it was mine to bear!" Chika leaned back on a nearby bench, "You would have got yourself killed." Chika looked up, eyeing a visible scar on Hibiki's arm, "The Skulls wasn't a place for a girl your age. Almost all of the people in that gang were adults doing shady business. I told her hoping she'd go to the police or your parents....I had no idea she would have..." Images of that day flashed through her mind. There was so much blood and that dark look in her eyes. Hibiki hid the scar on her arm, "That shouldn't have happened."

There was a deafening silence between the two of them. Chika finally broke it moments later, "How's your friend?" Hibiki sighed, "She fucked up her back. The doctors want to make sure she doesn't end up with spinal damage. But for the most part, it's only bad bruising, a few cracked ribs, and a few broken ones." Chika wasn't surprised, Chihiro had fought hard during that fight. She then asked, "Who was the blond you were with?" Hibiki narrowed her eyes, "I don't like the suggestion in your voice." Chika lit up another cigarette, "I wasn't implying anything unless there's something between you two."

Hibiki had a disgusted look, "Not in a million years. He's my friend's older brother." Chika's eyes widened, "The weak wussy boy?!" Hibiki nodded, "Yup, that's her older brother." Most everyone knew that Takemichi sucked at fighting and could be a bit of a coward at times. That fact didn't allude Chika, and she barely knew him. Hibiki through with the conversation made for her locked-up bike, "Going already?" Hibiki didn't look back, lowly cursing, "Just fuck off Chika." Hibiki unlocked her bike and soon left the hospital.

Chika gave a small laugh at her audacity, "She's never gonna change." Another woman around her age approached her from behind, "What do you expect from hormonal teens?" Chika shrugged tilting her head back, "Hotaru, how did you know I was here?" Hotaru leaned over the bench, "I took a guess when I saw Hibiki booking it on her bike to the hospital with that girl unconscious on her bike." Chika patted the spot beside her which she took. "I'm guessing your conversation didn't go well," Hotaru giggled seeing her nose. Chika puffed her cigarette, "It went 'bout as well as I thought it would." Hotaru took her cigarette, taking a puff herself, "You can't blame her. She told you not to tell her friend what she was doing. You went against her trust and confidence in you." Chika frowned, "Are you going to lecture me now?"

Hotaru shook her head, handing back her cigarette, "Just stating facts. It might seem small to you, but it wasn't to Ikki. She dared to do what we couldn't. The heads of that gang did a lot of fucked up things." The two sat silently as they passed the cigarette between each other.

*Chihiro's hospital room*

Mikey and Draken visited her room after seeing Baji's body in the corner office below. Chihiro was sleeping deeply due to the drugs being pumped into her system. Takemichi had texted them and told them about her condition. Mikey felt incredibly guilty about the position she was in. "The doc said everything was looking good so far." Draken told him. Mikey's hands balled into fists, "What if I fucked her up? There keeping her for observation because of her back." Draken glanced at him, "Don't be so hard on yourself. You were upset and let your anger get the best of you. Chihiro and Takemichi knew full well what they were doing when they tried to stop you."

Mikey's gaze didn't leave Chihiro's sleeping form. She looked so small as she lay in her hospital bed. Usually, Chihiro looked a whole lot bigger when she was at her best. All of her bruises and cuts were an alarming sight. They've seen her banged up before, but she still appeared strong. "If it makes you feel better, apologize when she wakes up," Draken suggested. Mikey nodded as he continued to stare at Chihiro.