Alpha City

Chapter 1 - Exhaustion

He dragged his feet across the pavement, blood dripping down his tanned face. He brushed his hair back with his hand as his house came into view. He dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out his keys. He stopped at the gate, he forced the key into the lock and pushed the gate open. He let out a sigh as he pulled the key out and pushed the gate closed. He looked up at the two floored building he called his home, this was the home of the so called protector of Alpha city, Yukio the only Guardian of Alpha city.
He walked up the walkway then climbed the three stairs that lead to the door. He opened the door and dropped his guitar on the floor next to his little sister's small shoes. He closed and yelled "I'm home!" He slowly made his way to the coach and flopped down on it, exhausted.

He had just closed his eyes when Karin, his young sister, came in and sat on his back. He opened his eyes and said "Did you finish your homework." She smiled and said softly "yes" He slowly got up and Karin jumped off of him, he sat there for a second and then said to her "you hungry?" She nodded and Yukio stood up, he placed his hand on her head and said "I'm to tired to cook, so looks like we are ordering pizza." Karin smiled and ran to get the phone. Yukio sighed, this had become a routine for him. He would come home and make sure Karin had done her homework and then feed her. He loved his sister, but he was growing tired. He was running on two hours of sleep and he would have to go off to work in an hour.

When Karin came back with the phone, she still had a smile on her face. Yukio ordered the pizza and then placed the phone on the end table near the coach. He sat back down on the coach and Karin sat down next to him. He turned on the television and they both sat there and watched it. Karin then looked at Yukio and said "Your bleeding again Yuki." He touched the wound on his forehead and said "don't worry about it, I'll be fine." She shook her head and said "Why do you keep fighting, can't someone else do it?" Yukio smiled and hugged Karin, He then said "If I let someone else do it, then I wont have anything fun to do." Karin smiled and leaned on Yukio, he could tell that she was worried about him. She hated seeing him get beat up, he knew that. But he had to keep fighting, if he didn't, who knows what would happen.

After a while the doorbell rang and Yukio got up and answered the door. Yukio took the pizza from the delivery guy and pulled some money out of his pocket and handed it to him. He placed the box on the coffee table and then looked at the clock. It was time for him to go, he looked at Karin and said "I'm going to head off to work, i'll be back late. So don't wait up for me." He hugged her and then left quickly. He made his way to the driveway where his motorcycle was waiting for him, he put on his helmet and backed up. When he was on the street he turned and drove down the street quickly, he didn't want to be late. He made his way to downtown Alpha city, he pulled up in front of a fancy restaurant. it was a popular place, but since his "boss" owned the place he always had a spot. Yukio walked inside with his helmet still on his head, he walked to the back room and a group of men sitting around a table playing poker.

They were all smoking cigars, Yukio stood there in the door way, the man at the head of the table looked up at him and said "Good your here, I got a job for you. Some punks owe me some money, I want you to go show them what happens to people who don't pay what they owe." Yukio responded "where can I find them?" The man chuckled and said "that's why I like you kid, straight to the point, you can find them by the docks. should be three of them, they sail their boat out just about everyday." Yukio nodded and then slowly turned around and began to leave.

Tendrils of smoke tangling about the room assaulted Caspian’s nose, along with the unpleasantly strong perfume that the women wore. They were the regular smells of Chat Noir, a restaurant owned by the very man who owned him. The sounds, or should we say noises, were of hearty laughter and chattering peons that meant nothing really, the overhead music was akin to something played in an elevator too. Yet still, Caspian preferred listening to it than to be pulled into a conversation with Donnaghy. Besides, they never spoke much, their business was more physical than anything. When they did talk it ended up being a battle of wits that Caspian was quite bored with.

And so sat, legs and arms crossed in a defiantly quiet position. He stared ahead, eyes downcast so as not to mistakenly make eye contact with any other people, they would often not notice he was blind until they approached him, and by then he’d have to explain himself, which became quite tiring after the hundredth time. He was sitting next to Jack, who was engaged in a game of poker, Jack’s own lavish apparel was accented by Caspian’s own, as often Jack would dress him as you might a pet, to match your furniture or outfit. But enough complaining, because somewhere in the back of Caspian’s head there was a voice who kept telling him to bear with it because he deserved no better, and he listened to it without even knowing it.

Caspian drifted back to the scene from his own thoughts as he felt the atmosphere shift, someone approached the table and now all eyes were on him. “Kourei-boy, on time as usual. My sources tell me you’re fighting has gotten even better? Your little fight earlier is already on the internet. Kids these days and their vlogging…” Caspian’s ears perked, this boy was Yukia Kourei, a person looking for money to support his family, a person who had caught Jack Donnaghy’s attention too. Apparently the boy was quite the phenomenal fighter, enough of one to be promoted several times until the Boss himself spoke to him directly.

“One of my associates, Han, he works at the business building of A n’ R, he is late on his payment, make it slear to him that I want it by tonight.” He leaned in, “And I do mean tonight.” He leaned back and glanced at Caspian’s still form, “Doll Face, do you still have errands to run?”

“Me doll face? On the contrary Jack, I believe you look quite handsome tonight.” Caspian’s knowing smile coldly elongated at his own joke, waiting for Jack Donnaghy to catch on to the remark. A few seconds ticked by before a chuckle greeted the clever comment. “If you weren’t so pretty I’d cut your tongue out for such a remark Caspian.” Jack grabbed Caspian’s chin none too gently, running a forefinger across his lips. “Don’t paw at my face, it makes it harder to spea-“ A sharp smack cut Caspian off, he took it rather well, only his eyes had fluttered shut at the impact, otherwise he seemed utterly unparsed.

“Haven’t you been getting brazen? Know your place sweetheart.” He leaned back in his chair, “Take my Caspian on his errands after that, drop him off at headquarters and you’ll be done for the evening. You are both dismissed.” He waved Yukio off, Caspian got the verbal hint and gladly stood up, his hand reached for his walking stick carefully, and finding it he backed away from the table and walked towards the general direction of his babysitter for the night. “You’ll have to speak up otherwise I can’t find you.” He told what he hoped was Yukio and not thin air.