Sworn Loyalty

The lack of sleep from the previous night was starting to catch up to me. The only chance I had to properly rest was when the man from Kazuya's crew had rendered me unconscious for a few hours in that apartment's back alley, which definitely couldn't be considered a leisurely nap. As I waited next to Nobu in the cold summer morning sun, the full extent of what was about to happen to me finally flooded my brain.

I was about to be sold as a piece of fuckable meat to some nasty fifty-something-year-old man who had ties to the yakuza. Nobody would come searching for me, since I had no official records of ever existing in the first place, and would eventually either be tossed aside like garbage when my body was deemed useless, or I would be killed to ensure I wouldn't speak of the grotesque torture I was about to endure. No later than two minutes after this information found its way to me, the man in the tiger-print shirt exited the warehouse doors sharing a casual laugh with Ninagawa Charlotte.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you, Charlotte-sama,"
the man cackled.
"You always find the best quality toys for me; even if this one isn't as exotic as the others, she's quite cute."

Charlotte giggled, filling her ivory-coated kiseru pipe with a fresh ball of tobacco.
"Yes, she's simply adorable. Though, I could do without her attitude."
Like some sort of magic trick, Charlotte's hand extended rapidly to the side, a lit match appearing almost out of thin air. She gently brought the match head to the pipe's bowl, and the scent of burning leaves whisked around us in the gentle morning breeze.

The man in the tiger shirt approached me, his hands stuffed cockily in his pockets as he grinned. He snatched the leash from Nobu, yanking my neck close to his face with practiced ease. I gasped loudly, unable to hide my pathetic whimper as the spikes dug deeper into my already bruised neck.

"I'm going to give you a couple of test runs before our video sessions, little girl."
His breath reeked of sourness, like he hadn't touched a toothbrush in a day. I knew what he meant by "test run," but in a fit of desperation, I spit mucus onto his yokai-esque face.

"Go to hell!"
I shouted at the top of my lungs.

Without even flinching, the man lolled his tongue out and tasted the spit against his cheek.
"Delicious. You'll be an excellent toy,"
he spoke in a hushed tone.

I couldn't keep up this tough facade any longer. This man really was evil incarnate. Throwing away my pride, I dropped to my knees and landed my gaze on the person standing behind him, Ninagawa Charlotte. I prostrated myself like a servant to her shogun, my voice cracking as I began to shout.
"Please, don't let this man take me away! I'm begging you; if you let him take me, I'll be a shell of my former self! Charlotte, please! I promise you I'll be on my best behavior! I'll clean the toilets on my hands and knees; I'll wash your feet with my own tongue! Charlotte, I'll join your crew and accept any punishments you deem fit! Please, don't make me go with this man!"
My head pressed firmly against the concrete below, and my sobs of fear left my body shaking as the tears fell.

While I wasn't looking at her anymore, I could hear the smirk in her voice as she spoke.
"My, what an obedient little puppy. It's such a shame I already sold you, or else I'd take you up on that offer."
She blew a cloud of smoke in my direction.
"It's such a shame you didn't show me this side of you last night. I would have let you be my little servant. But alas, you have been sold. Enjoy your time with Daisuke, my precious puppy."

"No! Don't let me go with Daisuke! Charlotte-sama, I'm begging you!"
I raised my head my tears and snot flowing disgustingly onto the floor.
"I'll do anything! Do you want money?! I'll earn money! I swear, I'll spit-shine your entire office! I don't want to be sold!"

The man in the tiger shirt, known as Daisuke, finally spoke up, tugging my leash as he headed toward his black Lexus sedan.
"You'll have plenty of time to sulk later, little girl. Save those tears for our video sessions."
His voice seemed a bit stern, as if he were a father scolding a child for a temper tantrum.
"Thanks for the brat, Charlotte-sama. I'll be sure to correct her."

I continued to sob as he shoved me into the passenger seat. Helplessly, I gazed at Charlotte with longing and betrayal. I knew deep down that this was entirely my fault, but now that it was actually happening, I felt a fear worse than any other fear I had experienced in my entire pathetic life as a homeless thief thus far.

Right before Daisuke could shut the door, I heard a loud, authoritative voice call out.
"Halt!"

Both Daisuke and I stopped moving, tilting our heads at the exact same time toward that sultry feminine voice. It was Charlotte.

"I've changed my mind, Daisuke. I want my puppy back."
Charlotte didn't move even an inch. She just stood there, puffing elegantly on her kiseru pipe.

Daisuke's face contorted in rage. Letting go of my leash, he stomped toward Ninagawa Charlotte with his fists clenched.
"I beg your pardon?"
He said, in a gravelly voice.

"You heard me, Daisuke. I said I want my puppy back."
Charlotte didn't show even an ounce of fear, standing her ground as her blood-red eyes gazed at Daisuke.

Moments of silence passed, and Daisuke's voice grew deeper as he continued.
"We signed a contract, Charlotte-sama. That little piece of meat is mine to take."

Charlotte's eyes narrowed slowly. Her lips remained beautifully parted against the tip of her pipe, and she spoke in a quiet tone.
"Contract? You mean this?"
Her hands reached into her silk kimono, pulling out a sheet of paper between two fingers.

"That's the one. If I recall correctly, I now own Umeda Mika; body, mind, and soul."
Daisuke stared at the contract in her hand, knowing something highly frowned upon was about to happen.

"Oh, don't fret. It's just a silly little piece of paper. Besides, I think it's time you abandoned that disgusting lolita complex of yours."
Without hesitation, Charlotte tore the paper contract into two perfectly sized pieces. I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Fuck you!"
Daisuke reached into his waistband, pulling out a Walther handgun and aiming the barrel between her eyes.

Not even one second later, the man known as Nobu retaliated, lining the tip of his own pistol with Daisuke's temple, putting a complete stop to his movements.

Charlotte, unfazed, simply grinned. She toyed with Daisuke, pressing her own forehead against the barrel with a sadistic smile.
"Go ahead, Daisuke. Do what you're gonna do."

Nobu chuckled, pressing his pistol deeper into the side of Daisuke's temple.
"What should I do, boss? Smoke him?"

"Fuck you, too, Nobuyuki! This is a complete breach of trust!"
Daisuke screamed as his hands began to shake.

"Trust? I don't care about such trivial things."
Charlotte pulled back slightly, only to inhale another cloud of smoke.
"I do what I want, and I was just starting to think that maybe I've taken enough money from you; you disgusting pedophile."

"Say that again! Call me that again and it's lights out for you!"
Daisuke's hands were now completely useless, shaking harder than a leaf during last night's typhoon.

Charlotte grinned wickedly, her lips looking surprisingly adorable as she whispered the word,
"Disgusting pedophile."

Nobu wasted no time in defending his boss, pistol-whipping Daisuke across his yokai-shaped face. I watched in awe as Daisuke's head snapped to the side, a pool of blood dripping down his now cracked cheekbone. I was more surprised by the fact that Daisuke remained standing after taking such a cheap shot.

"You'll regret this, Ninagawa Charlotte! I've given you more money than any of your clients thus far! This is a betrayal on levels unseen!"
Daisuke stormed in my direction, yanking me out of his luxury car and starting the engine. He peeled out of the driveway with a deafening screech of his tires, gone into the morning light as if he were never there to begin with.

I glanced up from the road where I was tossed aside, making eye contact with Charlotte, who was still puffing that beautiful pipe. I didn't know whether to thank her or not, but I was sure the look on my face spoke volumes.

The next words out of her mouth were,
"Come to my office, loser dog. We have a new contract to discuss. I hope you like saké."

She left with a flourish of her kimono, the bright morning sunshine reflecting off her silky black hair as she disappeared into the warehouse. Why I promised to lick her feet and spit-shine her office was still unclear to me, but I thought in that moment that just maybe, that kind of life would be bliss compared to what awaited me with Daisuke.

I headed into the warehouse with Nobu behind me, completely ready to indulge in my sakazuki initiation process. These gangsters were the real deal. I would never refer to the Bara-gumi as "wannabes" even once after what I had witnessed today.