WD rule fourteen is entitled 'Family is a business that is only sometimes is worth the time put into it, but one can't help but start anyway.'

Previous rule thirteen: An imminent demise motivates like nothing else.

Next rule fifteen: There are times where there isn't a right answer, just greater and lesser degrees of 'wrong'

Summary page

-Short summary-

The focus shifts from Lukas's Chinese conundrum to the Asahara sisters familial bout. When loyalties cross who will be the victor?

-Long summary-

Taking the back roads that his brother specified before blacking out in a pain-induced sleep, Lukas heads towards Jia’s house. He said that his home has all the comforts one could ask for –including but not limited to medical attention due to Clarkson being quite generous in his ill-gotten gains. Lukas had hoped to meet his half brother’s mother, but understandably not because her son is in serious need of life saving medical attention…and not with the reason why he’s in so much pain sitting beside him in the passenger’s seat. They had managed to get off the main road, but soon they’d have to abandon their ‘hot’ vehicle to avoid suspicion. Until then Lukas figures that he’ll just let Jia sleep, since he’s going to have to hobble the rest of the way to the house. Dao’s more likely than not got guys looking for them, and the hope is that at least Jia could be treated before they meet up with him again. Lukas sighs and looks at his phone and then over at Jitka who remains unmoving but has him in her peripheral vision.  He’d really like to call his team to find out how things are going with Matilde –and more specifically how his plans for her are faring, but one thing seeing Jitka in action has done is made it very clear that she is a threat. She has the looks of a cub, but is actually a gun wielding lioness looking for a reason to pounce. Worse yet she’s a pissed off lioness because of Lukas’s comment earlier. The time for motivation had passed, and now he has to deal with the aftermath. It’s not too concerning however, since he knows at least she’ll follow orders –specifically the one from her older brother to not kill him if he doesn’t use his phone. Still he should really try to mend this bridge somehow….Lukas eyes something and realizes he has his ‘in’.

He calls her name and she turns to him her expression still mute, but her eyes filled with disdain. ‘Why are you calling me? Got any more cracks that I can consider lodging a bullet into your brain for?’ Lukas surmises she’d say if she could or would talk. He holds up a band aid with a cute monkey design on it and points at her leg which got cut at some point during their escape. He tells her not to get the wrong idea, that he’s not into Banana Jack (the monkey on the band-aid.) His girlfriend is, and had bought him some stuff. To him a band-aid is a band-aid, and he figured using this is better than bleeding to death. He’ll need her to be in tip top shape, and would like her to use it. She’s a member of the team, and he values her contributions up until now.

Jitka stares at the band aid and then something amazing happens. Her face lights up and she snatches it gleefully. Although she still doesn’t speak, she makes sounds similar to a mother cooing over her child and ‘oohhs’ while holding up the band aid and nuzzling it. Lukas makes a face and asks if she’s a fan? She nods quickly and applies the band aid with a cute zeal that brings something warm into Lukas’s heart that he can’t really describe. He grins and asks if they’re good then? She glances up at him and in a quick succession of movements hands him a pistol from her bag. He takes it and she makes ‘so-so’ motion with her hand by moving it sideways in the air. She the points at his phone with one finger and her eyes with two fingers, completing this by nodding slowly. Lukas nods slowly and she sits back in her seat and putting her leg on the dashboard admires her band aid. Lukas thinks to himself that girls are really amazing…that she could still have a side like this and be as good at killing as she is. Despite everything he finds himself more interested in learning about her than ever. Though what she had ‘said’ is she’s willing to trade something to him for his kindness, but he shouldn’t forget that she is watching him and his phone usage. So in short, they’re kosher, but she still has a job to do and orders to follow. Which means he still can’t call the Sevens to find out how things are going. Lukas grits his teeth and focuses on the road. He can only hope that Ruka’s carrying out her end….

Meanwhile the aforementioned Ruka is on the roof of the Sevens’s HQ eying down her younger half-sister, as Matilde, Wargle, Philipa, Tariq and the other Sevens pensively watch them from a distance. Meifa walks in-between Heike and Nolan and asks if they have any idea what’s about to happen? To be honest she’s got no fucking clue. Heike shrugs and comments that it seems Ruka is back to get her sister. Though he’s not sure why she’s just doing so now after three years? Surely she knew where she was this whole time? Nolan nods in agreement. The whole situation is strange really…but what he’s most interested in is how Matilde is going to take this? He expected her reaction to be stronger than what it is since she seems to at least have some regard for her henchmen, but she’s been silent the whole time. There has to be a reason why she’s allowing this to happen at all. Meifa gives their ‘boss’ a thoughtful glance and states that she can feel that Matilde isn’t too happy about it despite her silence, but she’s not sure what she’s not too happy about. Ricca asks what she means? She shrugs and just calls it intuition. She doesn’t seem all that bothered about Ruka and her sister having this bout, or that Ruka is here to take her away….no, it seems like she’s more mad about how it’s happening more so than what.

Ruka hands her coat to Tariq and trades her heels for flats with Phillipa. Mizuki stretches and cracks her knuckles, all while not taking her eyes from her sister. She considers striking while her back is turned, but for reasons unknown to even her she wants to do this the fair way….to give that bitch what’s coming to her fair and square. She killed their Dad, and then took over the cult like that’s how things are supposed to be! She’s always been pissed how Daiki and eventually their father seem to favor her just because of her mom. Ruka’s not strong, and had only killed one person. She had been doing her father’s will for years and no one even looks her way! Hell, Ruka is only a year older than her and even that’s only barely. What’s so great about her? Why does she get everything including the attention of the ‘Dark Prince’? Although she can’t really stand him either, what she really can’t tolerate is how close they are.

She would beat her sister down, work out her aggression and show everyone she’s just as much in this game as they are, if not more.

Ruka turns to her sister at last, an expression of apathy in her eyes. She asks if they really have to do this? It’s all so utterly meaningless. She had given her three years to come home on her own, and she couldn’t even do that much. Why must she be such a pain in the ass? Even when they were coming up she would bully Ruka just because she’s a little taller and she less aggressive. Honestly it seems like every little thing Mizuki does is to piss off others. Despite appearances she’s actually very busy, and would appreciate if she’d have some decorum and—

Having enough of her sister’s talking Mizuki lunges forth with a punch. Ruka uses her shorter height to duck, weave, and draw her sword all while getting behind her sister. Ruka whispers to her that she doesn’t want to make her any more upset than she already has, and to stop acting like a fool. Mizuki rages and elbows her sister in the stomach managing to escape but getting cut on her neck in the process. She lunges again and this time feints with a kick catching her sister off guard, and following up with a jab in to her jaw. Ruka spits out some blood, and gives Mizuki a look of pure venom. The younger Asahara realizes now that this is not the same sister she used to bully. Something fundamental has changed in her, and this fight will not be as one-sided as she thought. Despite knowing all of this, Mizuki gives her sister a slasher smile and welcomes the challenge. Ruka lowers her sword and suddenly launches forward using one foot, almost catching  Mizuki who hops back and tries to sweep her sister off her feet, but instead grabs air as she leaps over her and slashes below. Mizuki’s arm is cut but it is not a serious wound. She rolls backward and gets back on her feet in time for Ruka to slash at her horizontally, and then upward. Mizuki dodges both, but Ruka juts the sword forward causing her to stumble backward slightly. Ruka then follows up with sweet after sweep, each one dangerously close to cutting something important, evidenced by Mizuki’s clothes getting cut and then the tips of her bangs. The younger Asahara gets impatient with being pushed back and when Ruka tries to parry her attack, slides under her defense and flanks her with a kick to the legs. Ruka goes down and Mizuki yanks the sword from her and tosses it aside. She then assumes a fighting pose with her hands spread, one over her head and one forward. Now Ruka wouldn’t have that reach anymore, and she’d be forced into a fist fight…which Mizuki is much more assured to win.

Ruka apparently did not get this memo.

She shifts her weight to one leg and pivots forward at high speed, almost catching her sister off guard. Almost. Mizuki flips out of the way and attacks with her own kick, which meets Ruka’s halfway and both girls stand in this position for a moment before trading punches that land in one’s face and one’s torso accordingly. They then separate from their grapple and lunge at each other trading kicks, but Ruka slips out of Mizuki’s reach again using her smaller size and gives her shin a hard kick. Mizuki is caught at an awkward angle, and tries to strike back but instead is hit hard in the ribs by Ruka’s palm. She stumbles slightly and begins to fall, when  she hears her sister’s voice reprimanding her for being ‘too slow.’ Mizuki angrily tries to punch her, but Ruka grabs her fist and with surprising grip crushes it slowly. Mizuki grits her teeth against the pain, as her sister shakes her head and again admonishes her for being too slow. Mizuki glares at her, just to get clocked in the face by Ruka’s foot. She lets go of her sister and follows up with another palm to the stomach, and then a punch to the face, and kick to her side. Ruka angrily asks her how she could possibly be this slow? She’s even getting her ass whooped far too slowly for her liking! Besides that their father had tried to kill them for God’s sake. How the fuck long is she going to go living her life hanging on to his image? Cut the fucking umbilical cord already! Although she can understand not knowing how else to live, she had always figured at least she couldn’t be so slow that she’d keep marauding around killing for people simply because she likes being ordered around? Stop being a fucking masochist, and worse than that, a Goddamn disappointment. Since she doesn’t have the sense to come home where there are those who care about her, the only choice she has is to get her ass handed to her, and then dragged back home. Now, if she’s done being a fucking retard just get the fuck down before she lays her the fuck out.

Ruka finishes her sermon just as they reach the edge of the roof and Mizuki lies slumped half on the edge half off. The older Asahara takes a deep breath to calm herself down and snaps her fingers. Tariq hands her coat to Phillipa and strides over to Mizuki’s unconscious form gingerly picking her up and placing her on his shoulder. He comments that she’s malnourished, and dangerously underweight. Ruka straightens her hair and tosses aside her broken glasses, commenting that if the dumb bitch weren’t so dumb she probably would have noticed that herself. In any case she’s probably going to need some reeducation, so they’re taking her back to give her just that. Part of the problem of working with or in this case against family is that you’re well aware of everything they do…including how very disappointing they can be. Still, whether one wants to try living with them or without they can’t just leave them alone can they?

With that Ruka walks towards the exit back down to the building as the Sevens look on in awe and just a bit of fear. She stops when she gets to Meifa and whispers that she saw a pale gentleman with the profile of someone who kills for a living on her way in. She figures that he’s not here to sign up to be a member of the Sevens, so perhaps they may want to keep an eye out for him? Just in case of course.

Meifa nods and asks Ruka if she’s gonna be okay? That was awesome to watch but she imagines it probably wasn’t so awesome to do…and after glancing at Mizuki she adds ‘or feel’. Ruka shrugs and cricks her neck. It’s all business to her, though she appreciates the concern. She doesn’t like subservient bitches since that whole spiel hits close to home. She recommends they get out from under Matilde’s thumb soon, and with a half-smile notes that Lukas is doing his best to ensure they can. Meifa looks confused for a moment and then it dawns on her. She curses and wonders why dipshit can’t just be straight with them? Ruka waves to the group and then leaves with her sister in tow.

Meifa motions over to Heike and Ricca and tells them about the warning Ruka left, and figures that they should look around for this guy. He might be the sniper from earlier hoping for another shot…and if he is, they’d better talk to him before Matilde finds him. They nod in agreement and Heike replies that he’ll see if he can find the guy on the street, while Ricca looks into his weapon. Meifa thanks them and they go. Nolan on the other hand regards Matilde with an uneasy look on his face. Meifa turns to tell him what Ruka said, but stops when she sees what he sees. She mutters ‘shit’ a few times before telling Nolan what Ruka said. Nolan grimaces and replies that it’s apparent that she knows.

Wargle stands aside from his boss with a mute expression as Matilde quietly watches Ruka and her team leave. While she seems to be calmly regarding the group, all it takes is a second look to see that in her eyes there is a quiet and deadly emotion lurking.

Matilde Ngai is silently seething.

No one takes advantage of her…especially not her slaves.

Something Lukas would find out painfully upon his return.