Akira and Amber: Fire and Oil
For most of her life, Amber Lockhart had a tendency to treat people like little kids. Kids older than her, kids younger than her, and even some adults were not spared of her haughty attitude. As if she had airs to walk on.
Akira wasn't sure this was fair, and she grumbled about it whenever their paths crossed. It was thankfully not often, but every time, there would be a stray remark. "You still have barrettes?" Or, "No make-up?" Or, "When are you going to grow up and be a woman?"
Ikarin didn't think much of it; then again, he crushed on her for years. "She's smokin'," he had explained. "I'll take whatever she dishes out at me."
But when Amber needed a bodyguard, being some new sensation dubbed the 'Voice of the World' and touring the world, she was asked by Reeve first--and then by Cloud--to fill in the position. "What did you even take up a sword for," Zero had asked her, "if you aren't going to ever use it?"
Akira didn't have the finesse of a ninja, or the eye-spot of a gunman. She was a brute, plain and simple. She killed wild beasts, taught bandits hard lessons, and if anyone mugged her, they lost a hand. Why, oh why, did anyone think she should be a bodyguard for a spoiled, snobby princess?
Cloud and Reeve owed her five favors each. Maybe more. One per each insult she had to suffer through from Her Royal Heinous.
Lehrman Rude was in charge, and Akira never failed to be impressed that he was still in firm, fighting condition despite his increasing age. But with a Turk in charge came a prerequisite wardrobe. And she had never worn a suit before; shifting around in it made her worry. The Turks always fought in suits, but how could that be? It felt like she would split the seat of her pants if she even started dashing after someone. So, in secret, Akira added her favorite spandex shorts beneath the trousers. Just in case anything happened the first day.
The starting point was Junon. And from there, it would tour the now major towns and some minor villages, to give everyone the chance to witness WRO's latest propaganda. Or publically, their message of hope in the face of the vampire scourge. Amber could sing. She was gorgeous like her mother. She had the charisma of her father in a more receptive package. A homebrewed star. Why wouldn't Reeve use her to get control back?
And now, Reeve was using Akira, too. She wasn't sure if she liked the idea of being useful or couldn't stand the idea of being a pawn. For the time being, she'd do her job.
Anything to not think about Mom or Koarin. It left Dad alone, but Akira had begged for Ikarin to see to Zero from time to time.
Akira inhaled, her heart pounding, as her hand found the door knob between her and the next year of her future. She smoothed down the bottom of her buttoned-up jacket with her free hand, reached back to feel one hilt of her kodachi pair, and then turned the knob.
Behind the door was a waiting area. Several people, Rude included were shattered around, seated or skulking in the corners. Some had been engaged in small talk, until she walked in. And she was about to pull the door closed, awkwardly, but the sudden rush of feet behind her was already behind her, and a hand caught the door's edge before it hit the jam.
"Sorry, sorry," a man huffed from the other side, as she left go to allow him entry. "Thought I was gonna be late."
"Lost, Sona?" Rude asked coolly.
The man, now further recovered, looked uneasy. "Er, no sir!" He ushered Akira inside--and frankly, of to the side--and closed the door behind him. "This everyone?"
Rude nodded. "Begin."
"All riiight," he said, in excitement. "'Kay troops, name's Kage Sona. I am your vice commander-in-chief for this operation. The big scary man with the shades who implied I got lost is your superior, if you are not aware, and some of you probably aren't. Half of you are Turks in training, one of you is someone's protégé, and another three are freelance hires. Sorry for the suits.
"Our job is protective detail and perimeter surveillance. Basic stuff. You know this.
Before Akira could file out of the room, one of the men--Kinder, was his name?--put a hand to her arm and asked, "Hey, Creisse, they said? You related to a Dr. Creisse?"
Akira stared, wide-eyed with images of the blood-splattered living room flitting behind her eyes. "Um..." was all she managed.
"Ah, never mind, I suppose." He smiled cheekily. "My sister works at one of the hospitals here, as a nurse. She tends to complain about him, so I just thought to ask. Sorry."
Oh. He meant Ikki, she thought, as she looked downward sadly, trailing behind the rest. She never really did think of him as a doctor. The Doctor title was always Dawn's. Always. But hearing this, it was like several knives into her gut. Ikki was the new Dr. Creisse. Guess I have to start thinking of him like that.
But she really didn't want to, and if it was because she was adamant that he was her dorky, little brother, that was one thing. But if it was because she couldn't move on from the events of three years ago, any shrink would tell her: "That is not healthy."
Because everything to a shrink's ears isn't healthy. And she didn't want to go back to one, just to be told stuff like that.
"Barbaric little slut," Amber muttered.
Akira couldn't spin on her heels fast enough. "Say that again, princess," she growled, storming back to get in Amber's face. "Go on, start bitching away!"
Amber's face darkened considerably, eyes narrowing to daggers. "You're a simple-minded, dumpy, no-class, nympho Neanderthal bitch," she spat. "Is there anyone on crew that you haven't slept with?! Daddy wouldn't be too thrilled if you came home pregnant, would he? Or would you ask your brother to give you an abortion since Mommy's not around to do it?"
Akira's nostrils flared, and she reached up to grab at Amber's lapels, dragging her down. The other two on duty flinched, and Liza told Gino she was going to find Rude, as a safe bet against escalation. "You ignorant little dumb selfish cunt!" Loathing seeped in every raspy word. "You don't get to say that shit! Do you even understand what I saw?! You have no fuckin' right to even mention my mom to my face! Do you know anything of loss?!" she screamed. "You never lost a single fucking thing in your life, you spoiled, rotten bitch!"
She was barely finishing when Amber interjected, now equally as furious. "Koarin almost killed my father! That's your only family problem I care about! Your stupid, sick family does nothing but terrify him, every minute of his waking day! 'The Creisses aren't to be trusted,' he told me! And of course he's right; every single one of you, Seph included, are fucked up! All of you are so fucked up! Your mother and Ko both got what they deserv--"
Amber gasped raggedly, and Gino was at Akira's side instantly, drawing back the fist Akira had slammed into Amber's gut. But that was the limit of his strength capabilities; Akira was simply stronger than him. Now, Amber collapsed to the floor, wheezing in vain to breathe. Akira loomed over this wounded prey, shrugging off Gino's hold and even managing to shove him aside, banging him roughly into the crates. How Akira wanted so badly to pummel that pretty, helpless face. So much like Tifa, so little like Cloud, and nothing like either.
But as she raised her leg to slam her heel onto some part of Amber's body, two arms hooked themselves under her own, looping back around to knot at her neck. Rude, it could only be Rude.
"Stand down, Creisse."
"NO! I'm going to teach her a lesson! I'm gonna fuckin' KILL HER!"
"You will not." And with ease, Rude dragged Akira away from Amber, back out the door he came, all the while handling a hollering monkey.
Gino just stared blankly out the door, still in a daze, while the newly returned Liza was helping Amber back onto her feet. "Y'all right?"
"Would've been better if I could count on my protection to protect me," Amber told her icily.
Liza colored, a mix of embarrassment and anger. "We're gunmen, Ms. Lockhart. Should we have shot her?"
Amber's anger suddenly drained away, leaving nothing but the shaking of her adrenaline. "No. I'm sorry; thank you." And looking mystified, she turned away and started walking down the stage steps, gingerly holding her midriff.
"Think we screwed up," Gino managed, plaintively.
"Just you, darlin', but that's not what it'll look like later on." Liza looked at him. "Tossed?"
"M'pretty sure I got a lump." Beat. "Who the hell puts people with issues like that together?"
"Who knows. We prob'ly won't be seein' Creisse 'round anymore."
"Too bad." Gino grinned and joked, "I haven't slept with her, yet."
"Sicko."
* * *
Akira didn't stop fighting Rude's hold on her. As much as she tried to squirrel out or fight him, it was like battling a steel wall. Again she would be impressed, if red wasn't coloring her vision. "Lemme go! Please let me go! She's gotta pay! Gonna smash in that fuckin' face of hers!"
When she finally was released, she had a clear moment of shock as her flailing carried her forward. But the rage was back, and she turned to flee--exit available, behind Rude, need to have Rude move--and then kicked in her fight instincts, lashing out at her obstacle with her own raw strength.
She was swatted aside like a child's toy. Gently even. Not that she noticed. Akira did it again. Same results. Again. Again. Repeat and repeat. She finally drew one of her swords and rushed him. And she was thus disarmed with alarming simplicity--the blade skittered over the ground to the other side of the room--and the blow that came wasn't so gentle, knocking her back on the lacquered wooden floor. It deterred her none, because she still had one kodachi left, and it was drawn the moment she was back up.
Nothing changed. She was disarmed as easily as before, but this time, Rude captured her wrists, criss-cross. In the blink of an eye, she was spun and trapped between a wall of muscle and ropes of sinew and tough bone. Rude held Akira pinned solidly against him, allowing no leverage in her upper body. The kicks to his shins, however, he endured.
And struggle she did once more. "Lemme go, bastard! She has no right to say that stuff! No right! She can't say stuff about my family! It's not right! She has to pay! She can't...can't...!"
"Done now?"