First Mission

That night, Mika dreamed of hell. Barren landscapes of burning fire and large demonic figures roamed freely, hunting down the survivors who dared hide from their punishment. When she woke, she was being carefully wiped with a soft, fabric rag. Her eyes blinked open, watching as Kazuya caressed over her skin with disinfectant alcohol.

"Take it easy, puppy. You went through some pretty brutal punishment last night."
Kazuya's eyes softened as he heard a sharp hiss escape Mika's lips, he watched as she groaned in pain.

"Where is Harumi?"
Mika lifted her head, feeling the muscles in her slender neck strain to hold herself up. She remembered the brutal night she had just endured, finding her lack of power infuriating. She was sure that her life had ended.

"Harumi... is in Charlotte's room. You won't be seeing her for a long time, and neither will I."
Kazuya placed Mika's freshly washed suit on her lap, turning around to let her dress. He brought a comb to his slicked back hair, brushing away the loose strands.

Mika slipped into her clothes, wincing at every small movement as she fastened the fabric. Kazuya knelt down to properly tie her necktie, watching as her eyes disassociated.

"What did I do to deserve that? Last night, I thought I lost my life..."
Mika tucked her tanto blade into the back of her skirt, slipping the revolver into her inner blazer pocket.

"You didn't do anything wrong, puppy. Charlotte is just a sadistic trickster. Don't feel bad about it, you aren't the first, and you won't be the last."
Kazuya offered the small girl a cigarette, knowing she was far too young to take up the habit, but he figured she might want one after her traumatic night.

"No, thank you. Sato-san told me to never smoke or drink."
Mika's eyes flickered between the tobacco stick and the floor, recalling the words her homeless mentor once drilled into her.

"Sato-san, huh? Was he a friend?"
Kazuya took a drag of his cigarette, carefully choosing his words as to avoid bringing up painful memories.

Mika nodded her head, tying her hair in a messy ponytail. Her eyes filled with fondness as she spoke.
"Kind of. Sato-san was a homeless man who taught me how to survive in the world. He often let me sleep in his tent and shared his food."

Kazuya's eyes averted Mika's; he knew exactly whom she was talking about: Ichiro Sato, the man who sold his soul to the Bara-gumi to fund his family business.
"I see. I'm sure Sato-san misses you."

"No, Sato-san is dead. He hung himself with a hairdryer cable under the Hōsuiro Bridge a few months ago."
Mika continued adjusting her clothes, as if the information she provided were nothing but normal. Kazuya let out a small scoff, knowing the Bara-gumi must have driven him to suicide; due to being unable to meet his monthly payments.

"Kazuya, I'm ready for cleaning duty."
Mika stood idly by, clutching her hands behind her back, looking timid and fragile.

"No, puppy. You don't have to clean today. Come with me, I'm going to show you the true brutality of the Bara-gumi."
Kazuya motioned for Mika to follow behind him, using his cell phone to disarm the rose clip alarm around her tie. She stepped outside for the first time in three days, covering her eyes from the blinding sun as she stepped inside the black Lexus parked in front of the apartment.

The two walked the streets of Tokyo's red light district, a place they were both uncomfortably familiar with. Mika stayed close behind Kazuya, occasionally hugging his forearm when she received unwelcoming stares. She felt fragile and weak among the many adults who crowded the littered streets.

"Stop clinging to me, puppy. They're gonna think I'm a lolicon, dragging you into a love hotel."
Kazuya shoved her away, making sure to keep a safe distance from the tiny girl.

"Sorry... I'll be more careful."
Mika hung her head low, not wanting to make eye contact with the rotten scoundrels who plagued the district.

"We're here. You ready for your first mission, puppy?"
Kazuya stood before a door of an unopened ramen shop, waiting for Mika to step forward. His words were vague, leaving Mika in pure suspense as she approached the metal door.

"Mission?! What do you mean? What am I going to do?"
Mika could feel her palms beginning to sweat, her collar feeling tight around her neck.

"The owner of this place owes us thirty-thousand yen. You'll use any means necessary to acquire said funds."
Kazuya kicked the door open, giving Mika no time to prepare. She stormed inside, looking around frantically as the frightened shop owner clung to a chef's knife.

"Wait, Kazuya! I'll get your money by Tuesday! Please, don't do this!"

Mika looked to Kazuya for guidance, but he just stood there, waiting for her to make a move. Mika stepped closer, staring at the floor.
"You owe us... thirty-thousand yen."

"What? Y-yes, I know. What kind of bullshit is this, Kazuya?! Why is there a little girl?!"

Mika stomped her foot, shouting directly at the owner. Her attempts to intimidate the man were futile.
"Thirty-thousand yen!"

"Fuck off! I don't know what's happening, but I'm not taking orders from a girl the same age as my daughter!"
The restaurant owner gripped his knife harder, pointing the shiny blade towards Mika.

Mika's instincts took over, filling her mind with anger. She drew the snub nose revolver from her coat pocket, pointing it at the man with narrowed eyes. Something about her position felt right, as if the gun was calling to her like a supernatural being.
"Thirty-thousand yen!"

"Whoa! Shit, my bad! I think... I have thirty-thousand around here somewhere. Let's just put that piece away, yeah?"
He stepped back, dropping the knife to the countertop below. He scrambled to his safe with shaky hands, pulling out his remaining savings.

"Go on, puppy. Count it."
Kazuya lit a cigarette, never taking his eyes off the man on the floor. Mika leaned closer, snatching the crumpled bills in her small hand.

"It's only twenty-four thousand. What should I do, Kazuya?"
Mika handed Kazuya the money, waiting for her next command. Kazuya pocketed the cash and gave Mika a pat on her backside, right on the handle of her tanto blade.
"Take his pinky finger. This is the fourth time he's shorted us, rotten gambler."

Mika's eyes widened at his request. She immediately glanced down at the man, who was now cowering in fear. He began screaming, like a baby waiting for his mother's milk.
"No, please! Kazuya-sama, I'll get another loan! Do you hear me?! Don't touch me!"

Mika unsheathed her weapon, studying the restaurant owner's left hand. Her hands began to tremble and she was unsure if she had the resolve to do something so drastic.

 This is crude! This is messed up! I don't even know this man and I'm cutting off his finger?!

 She gently took his hand in hers, watching as he trembled violently. Mika lined the edge of her blade against his large finger, drawing a small trickle of blood from his skin. Her mind entered a trance-like state, causing her vision to tunnel.

"Remember what Charlotte put you through? Remember how she hurt you? Channel that anger, puppy."
Kazuya watched with steady eyes.

Mika snapped out of her trance and took a deep breath. She sliced through his bone in an instant, listening to the deafening crunch, followed shortly by the sound of blood seeping onto the wooden floor. 

The man howled, slamming his head against the blood pool before him. He clenched his wound, shrieking loud enough to draw unwanted attention from the neighboring buildings.

"Holy shit! The Bara-gumi got Jin!"

"Stop staring! Do you want Kazuya-san to see you?!"

"This area isn't safe anymore! I don't want to share a building with a crook!"

Mika couldn't be bothered to focus on the gossip. She stared at the severed finger in her hand, watching as it lost color from lack of blood. Her hands trembled as she quickly dropped it, watching the ramen shop owner writhe in agony. She had truly given into her anger, ultimately changing the life a total stranger forever. The familiar feeling of a creeping anxiety attack had begun to stir in her mind.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to-"

"You're sorry?! You sliced my finger off, you stupid bitch! Go fuck yourself, Bara-gumi!"
The man stumbled to his feet, limping as he headed for the counter.

Mika immediately fell to her bottom, crawling close to Kazuya's side. She hugged his leg, tightly. Her eyes were filled with regret as she met the hard-boiled yakuza's gaze.
"Kazuya... I did something irreversible!"

Kazuya stuffed his cigarette in her mouth, forcing her to take a long, deep drag. She felt her nerves subside as the nicotine filled her lungs.
"That's just how the Bara-gumi functions. You'll get used to it, puppy. Finish that cigarette."