A Typhoon Is A Good Time To Reflect

"Get her a suit in her size. Make sure her tie is tied properly." Ninagawa Charlotte snapped her fingers at her subordinates, returning to her throne as she studied the crying face of Mika. Charlotte's eyes were bright and dangerous, shining perfectly with the reflection of the flickering lights above her.
"And somebody bring this puppy another plate of wagyu!"

Mika's eyelids widened at the request, her own eyes searching Charlotte's for any ill intentions. As Mika sipped on a glass of orange juice, she remained quiet. The two held each other's gazes for quite some time, staying completely silent aside from the sounds of Charlotte's lips puffing against her pipe.

The yakuza members returned with a plate of wagyu steak and a small, black suit. The intricate patterns hand sewn into the blazer reflected beautiful roses, much like the ones decorating the table, the wallpaper, the bathtub, and even Charlotte's pipe. Mika shifted uncomfortably in her towel, gripping the hem close to her chest. She placed a few strips of steak in her mouth, speaking barely above a whisper.
"The Bara-gumi..."

"So, you've heard of us? That saves me a lengthy lecture." Charlotte motioned for Mika to change into her suit; the yakuza men stepped out to respect her privacy. Mika hesitated to drop her towel, the cold, crisp air of the night caressing her exposed thighs and shoulders. She wasn't scared of changing in front of other people, having been desensitized to nakedness as a whole; spending countless nights avoiding sexual assault in the back alleys that she called home. Her reasoning for hesitation stemmed below the surface of simply shedding her protective layer; she feared donning the suit in general, knowing that once it was on her body, she would officially be a pawn in Charlotte's wicked game. She had no choice, reluctantly slipping into the loose, button up white shirt and tight, black mini-skirt. Tucking the extra length into her skirt, she fastened the black blazer around her torso, her hands instinctively feeling the luxurious fabric.

"I don't know how to tie a tie." Mika held a black, silk tie in her right hand, staring at it in confusion. Ninagawa Charlotte arose from her seat, intimidatingly kneeling before the frightened little girl. Her touch was surprisingly delicate, skillfully maneuvering her hands with practiced perfection. Charlotte slipped a rose pendant clip onto the midsection of the tie, marking her property with her signature logo.

"If I ever catch you without this clip, I'll ensure your head is crushed, like a cockroach. Do I make myself clear, loser dog?" Charlotte's hands yanked the weightless girl closer. Her eyes were filled with absolute authority as she expressed the severity of her dictatorship. Mika nodded her head, frantically; her pink hair bobbing up and down.

"Good girl. Follow Kazuya to your new kennel. You have quite a day planned for you tomorrow." With a dramatic flutter of her kimono, Charlotte disappeared into the hallway; leaving behind the stench of burning tobacco in her wake. Mika gazed up at the muscular man waiting by the doorframe, immediately recognizing him from the beatdown in the alleyway. Stepping behind him, Mika clutched her shoulder where she had been stabbed hours prior. Her eyes scanned the layout of the apartment complex; studying potential escape routes if the opportunity were to ever arise.

The two stepped into what could only be described as slave quarters. Mika covered her nose from the foul odor, looking around at the various cages full of what appeared to be corpses being prepared for disposal. The yakuza member, known as Kazuya, shoved her in a large dog kennel; locking it from the outside with a small key. Mika gazed up at the tight space, finding she didn't even have enough room to stand up.
"You'll get used to the smell, kid. If you survive your training, I'm sure the boss will upgrade you to the first floor."

"This is nothing... I've slept in far worse places." Mika's eyes narrowed in retaliation. She wasn't lying; she really had spent the night under worse conditions than being surrounded by rotting corpses in a basement, but it was a gruesome experience nonetheless. She watched as Kazuya exited the room, leaving her to her own devices.

Rain poured down on the heavy, metal walls of the apartment above. Mika found herself hugging her knees close to her chest in a fetal position, letting out quiet sobs of dismay as she bit the nail of her thumb. Droplets of leaking rainwater sprinkled into her cage, offering a relaxing, rhythmic white noise to help lull Mika to sleep; despite the shouts of gambling yakuza upstairs, occasionally stirring her from her state of exhaustion.

"Rise and shine, newbie." An unfamiliar face stood before Mika's cage, fumbling with a set of keys. Once he finally unlocked her door, he let out a grunt of displeasure; his breath reeking of alcohol and tobacco from the previous night. Mika hadn't even had time to process the fact that she had been asleep before she was being dragged by her hair up the basement stairs. Breakfast was in full swing, hungry yakuza members stuffing their mouths with various fish and rice dishes. The pleasant music of the morning radio added to the noisy chaos of the dining hall, filled with the laughter and chatter of the Bara-gumi.
"You can sit next to the boss, she's expecting you."

Mika pulled her hair free from the intense grasp of the yakuza member, her eyes focused ahead on the intimidating figure awaiting her. The dining hall seemed to stretch endlessly, with countless faces giving her unamused once overs. Amidst the dangerous crew eyeballing her every movement, a few daring hands reached from their plates and onto Mika's bottom; groping her in ways that went beyond innocent patting. She maintained a stoic face, occasionally letting a timid squeak escape her lips at the roughness of the assault.
"Hands off the boss' property!"
Kazuya shouted from his seat at the end of the table, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous warning.

"Whoa, easy there, Kazuya-senpai. We're just making sure she isn't armed, right, boys?" One of the men quickly removed his hand from her backside, raising it in surrender at Kazuya's intimidation. The other yakuza members rapidly nodded their heads, saving themselves from the wrath of Bara-gumi's second in command.

Mika took a seat next to Charlotte and Kazuya, sitting between the two imposing figures with a heavy conscience. She glanced up at Kazuya's face, quietly whispering a soft "Thank you" before returning to her motionless posture. She stared down at the plate of salted fish and pickled vegetables in front of her, her mouth salivating heavily.

"Eat. You'll need your strength. Let's make one thing clear, puppy. I only stopped them because the boss doesn't appreciate sharing what's hers." Kazuya gracefully placed a chunk of fish in his mouth, his handsome jaw flexing with each thorough chew.

Mika picked up her pair of chopsticks, hesitating to accept even a single bite from these twisted mafiosos. Her eyes scanned Charlotte's face, her eyes closed in indifference to the rowdy bunch in front of her. The way everybody seemed to act as if this chaotic dumpster fire of a breakfast was normal made Mika feel out of place. It wasn't like Mika knew what a real breakfast felt like, as her earliest memories had always included older homeless men scrounging for food scraps in a garbage bag to share with her. She felt terribly anxious, watching the yakuza members shout curses as they discussed trivial nonsense; jokingly threatening each other with sharp remarks and banter.

"Do you not have ears, loser dog?! Kazuya told you to eat, so, eat!" Charlotte hissed at Mika, shoving a bite of rice into the small girl's mouth. Mika nearly choked on the grains, coughing her breakfast all over her lap. She was frightened to disobey, immediately shoving large bites of food into her mouth to spare herself any more rough treatment. She mustered enough courage to ask Charlotte the question that had been eating at her mind all night long.
"What are you going to do to me? What do you want with an orphan like me?"

Charlotte raised an eyebrow at the foolish question, swallowing a bite of daikon radish before propping her chin in her palm.
"Homeless orphans are untraceable. According to governmental records, Umeda Mika doesn't even exist. You're simply a stray dog for me to train and use at my disposal. It's not uncommon at all, child soldiers." Charlotte's voice was surprisingly sultry, her red lipstick looking beautiful as her lips curled with every word she spoke.
"You'll make a fine assassin for me, loser dog. You'll be desensitized to the smell of gunpowder and blood before you know it. Any more stupid questions?"

Mika's eyes widened in horror. She could feel her heart beating rapidly in her tiny chest, and she felt like regurgitating her breakfast at the thought of murdering another human being. She was about to become a brainwashed chess piece, unable to do anything but follow her player's orders. Clutching her hand over her mouth, Mika dropped to her knees. Charlotte loomed over her, her shadow casting a cold shade over the distraught child.
"Training starts at 10:00 AM. I look forward to our future together, loser dog."