unfinished Beat and Ryth fiction (open office catastrophe - lost almost half of it... was so mad... ) JSRF

Beat groaned as he reached for the front door handle. He had been asleep on the couch after a very long day with work and Gang matters. The banging was loud and sounded urgent, though if it was Corn asking him to do another favour with this Poison Jam and Immortals business he was going to tell him where to stick it.

He opened the door and took a few seconds to gather his thoughts. Ryth was standing at the door with two very full looking suit cases. She looked at him sheepishly.

“I didn't wake you did I?”

Course you did. “No not at all.” Gawd I'm a terrible liar, Beat realised.

“I got evicted from my apartment.” she looked a little upset. “I've tried ringing around but no one has a spare room and since I didn't have your number to call I thought I'd come around and ask.” she said in one super long fast breath. She looked at him expectantly, hoping against all hope Beat wouldn't leave her out in the cold, unlike her unsuccessful phone calls to the other girls in the gang had been. She thought at least one of them would have put up with her a few days but the doors where firmly shut as they all seemed only to put up with her when it was GG business. She didn't give up though, the idea of bitchiness never crossed Ryth's thoughts for a second.... and that's was the trouble. Ryth was too nice and too innocent to know what the girls tended to say about her behind her back from time to time when it came to her background.

She didn't bother trying to call any of the boys as she knew they'd start spreading rumours and at least if she tried asking Beat there wouldn't be any as they'd have to go through him first and he took no crap from anyone in regards to the rumour mill that most groups of friends have with one another.

“I just need a place till I can find a new one. My rental agreement ran out.” she lied. She knew they all knew she came from a wealthy family that was rolling in money. What she never told them was she didn't touch any money they tried to lavish on her to incite her to move back home. If she spent any of it she knew they'd have their claws into her within days and then it was no more freedom of being able to be herself.

Beat didn't speak for a moment. He appeared to be thinking about it.

“Is that all your stuff?” he looked a little surprised that there was so little of it.

Ryth looked embarrassed. “My last place was very small.” another lie. Ryth's real reason was because she just didn't spend any time there to make it worth owning anything other than a few items of clothing and a few stuffed toys. She wasn't going to tell him that.

“If you can pay your half of the bills while you stay then sure... Maybe I'll give you a hand in finding a new place too.” he eventually gave her a weak smile. “Just don't expect luxury accommodation.” he figured since he didn't spend most of his time in the apartment anyway it wouldn't hurt for a little while. Besides, having someone to share some of the burden for a while, might be a good idea.

“They aren’t expensive are they?” she hesitated. The reason she hung up on Cube was because Cube had a list of demands of living with her and it was beyond a joke. “I know I come from a family with money and all but I really don't touch anything they send me otherwise I may as well go live back at home... I really REALLY don't want to have to do that.”

Beat shook his head. “No. I wouldn't be still here if they where. My job isn't paying as well as it was when I first moved to Japan... hence why I am down the garage a lot more lately.” it was true, the mechanics Beat worked for where slowly going out of business due to people now clamouring for these new flying cars that have taken the whole motoring industry by storm. Fewer and fewer people where still driving around in cars and on motor bikes these days and if you couldn't afford a flying car you couldn't afford to fix your ground one neither and a lot of cars ended up becoming scrap. There where still taxi services and bus services that required the old mechanics to fix their fleets but those where as rare as hens teeth since places would fight over them or end up having to go bankrupt. He was holding out till he was forced to retrain to work on the newer machines, but he also knew there where still people collecting the older ground cars to make it worth while still being a specialist. “Other than that you can do what you like, the room I have spare is yours.”

“No demands?” Ryth perked up.

“If it let's me go back to sleep within the next hour of so then no, not really.” he yawned. “Sorry I'm just too tired for this. Corn and Gum have me run ragged and things just keep cropping up. I really just need to rest a bit.”

Ryth gave a little cheerful salute which caused Beat to frown and shake his head. “Don't patronise me please.”

“Sorry.” Ryth couldn't wipe the smile off her face even if she tried. She was so happy she wasn't going to spend another night sleeping in an alley way.

Beat grabbed one of her suit cases and brought it inside while she struggled to drag in the other one. Beat flicked on the light so she could see the size of the apartment and she was really impressed by how roomy it was. Unlike her one which only had a bed, wardrobe toilet and a tiny kitchen Beat's was like a two bedroom house with a big kitchen and living room the moment you walked in the door.

Beat walked out of one of the rooms he had left the suit case in and tried to hide a smile at Ryth's wonderment of him home. “Here, let me grab...” He reached for the suit case she was dragging and when he lifted it his arm locked up forcing him to drop it and yelp. “Ow fuck! Shit sorry... grabbed it with the wrong arm.” he rubbed it down though Ryth could see the muscles in it where so taught they where shaking.

“Are you alright?”

“I'm fine, really. One of the Immortals just gave my arm a really good twisting today and I had forgotten about it.” He grabbed the case again, this time with his good arm and carried it into the other room. “Anyway, this is where you'll be staying... sorry it's not a fancy double bed and the rooms empty but I'm sure you can sort that out, I never expected anyone to come and stay in truth. I've only had it set up encase my brother decided to fly over and stay but since he got married last year I doubt that very much.”

Ryth followed him into the room. It was small but at least it didn't contain a kitchen and bathroom as well like her last place. There was room to put in a double bed if she wanted later on at the very least and the wardrobe was built into the wall. “You have a brother?” she asked. She never knew Beat to have any family other than himself though she suspected it was due to no one ever asking.

“Two actually, though one of them is much older than me and I don't have much to do with him. My other one you might get to talk to over the phone, he has a tendency to be a pain in the arse despite me living in another country... though that's what little brothers are for... or so I'm told.”

Ryth was about to ask more about them when she heard a growl coming from under the bed, followed by another sound that did not sound like any cat or dog that she knew of. “What was that?”

“Hmm? Oh that? Oh don't worry about it for the moment.” Beat brushed it off, as another snarling sound emitted from under the bed. “They will come out when they are ready to sleep. They are just hiding at the moment as they smell something very different and that would be you I'm afraid.”

“They?” Ryth's eyes opened wide.

Beat nodded and yawned. “They won't bother you as long as you don't stick your fingers under the bed. I better get their pouch ready, I was washing it when I fell asleep. It should be clean enough for me to dry.” Beat walked out of the doorway before adding, “If you are planning on going to bed I suggest leaving the door open so they can come out when they are ready... they are really shy so they won't stay there for very long.”

Ryth risked a glance under the bed when Beat had gone. She could see two pairs of eyes looking back as light reflected in them but still couldn't see what the hell they where. Maybe Beat keeps possums in his flat? Ryth wondered. She had heard from Garam when he talked about where he lived back in the America that the possums would make such a noise on the roof you swore it was feral cats fighting. She wouldn't put it past Beat to have a bizarre creature like that living in the apartment, since her family where into keeping exotic animals from time to time though she assumed it was something to do with showing off how much money you had.... or how stupid you where in ignoring the fact the animals belonged in the wild.

Ryth started unpacking her things and could still hear the growling and snarls from under the bed with a few snots and grunts mixed in as well. She set aside some PJ and got changed before crawling into the bed as she wanted her feet off the floor as quick as possible. She reached over and turned off the light as more noises started underneath and there was some thumping and hissing too. She watched as the the noises grew louder until there was a screech and something sort of ambled out from under the bed and looked like it was limping away out of the room. There was another snarl and screech but the other one seemed to be staying put. GREAT. Ryth thought. I have to sleep with a feral whatever it is under the bed.

The noises continued most of the night until Ryth got up and turned on the light. On the floor bits of one of her suitcases was everywhere and there where teeth marks all through the side of it. There was something inside of it as the snuffling and snorting came from it and there was clearly something moving around under the lid. There was a whine that sounded like whatever it was was stuck and was trying to get out. Ryth carefully lowed herself to the floor and gingerly touched the sipper before yanking it hard to open the case, in which she flung open the lid and the creature was buried inside one of her dresses which was now full of holes. Ryth was careful with her fingers, trying to take her ruined dress off the struggling creature. She realised it was very small for something that made such an awful noise, but still had no idea what it was. It let out a shrill cry and showed an impressive set of choppers and looked at Ryth with as much innocence as a kitten or a puppy would if you found it eating your shoes or your underwear. She tried to pick it up but it back away until it coward into the corner of the suitcase and let out a hiss and a snarl and then another pitiful whine.

“Beat!?” Ryth called out. “Can you grab this thing! It's eaten my suitcase!”

Beat eventually entered and yawned. “I see you found Matilda.”

The odd looking animal seemed to sniff the air and gave another hopeless sounding wail.

He got down beside Ryth ans carefully lifted the small animal from amongst her belongings. It grunted but didn't seem to mind being man handled. “Sorry about your suitcase... and your dress.” His eyes only just glanced over the carnage that the little monster had inflicted.

“What is it!?” Ryth looked at it like she had never seen anything like it before. “I have never known anything to make so much terrible noise like that in my life, and that's saying something since my dad had this interest in exotic animals that was borderline insane at times.”

“This... this is my younger brother's idea of a present.” Beat gave the little critter a cuddle which is seemed to snuff at with minimum fuss. Just stay out of the way of the jaws and they are generally fine. I was going to take them to the zoo when they got a bit bigger but after visiting the Tokyo Zoo a few days ago I'm not so sure any more. That place is in such disrepair I'm surprised they are allowed to keep anything there.” He stood up and started walking out again, only this time Ryth got up to follow as he still hadn’t answered her question. She could see a large leather bag on the couch that seemed to be lines with fleece where another similar looking animal had it's head sticking out of it fast asleep.

“But what are they?” Ryth persisted.

“Hmm? Thought it was obvious. They're Devil Joeys.” Beat headed into the kitchen to grab something from the fridge. “That one of the couch is called Victoria. Don't ask me why, that's what was written on their ear tattoos when they arrived a week ago. Apparently my sister in law thought me living by myself was too lonely and told my brother Alex to send me a puppy or something after she heard that Pots passed away. Alex, being the dickhead that he is decided to send me these two instead.”

“That's a bit cruel to them.”

“I know. I rang him to chew him out on it but it turns out if he didn't send them to me they wouldn't have lasted long back at the sanctuary. Their mother would have eaten them and he didn't want that as they are suppose to be trying to insure as many survive as possible, though it seems odd when mum can only really look after four anyway and keeping the other babies so she doesn't eat them before they migrate to the pouch seems against nature.” he pulled a bottle out of the fridge before closing the door and heading back to the couch. “My granddad used to own a wildlife park and my older brother inherited it when he died. Before I moved to Japan I use to help look after the animals that their mum's rejected. It was ok for a while but too many of them didn't make it when they where born during summer. I couldn't stand it so I moved away when I got a good job offer overseas. My brother then gave it to my younger brother Alex as well Alex surprisingly enough knew how to run the place better than David did and was able to look after the animals better and the breeding programs. Occasionally my brother still rings me and asked for help with the littlest ones but I don't think I'd go back. Last year he sent me a bloody Saltwater crocodile juvenile and I almost died and was desperate to send it back. This time I think I can handle two little devils, even if I don't particularity want to... but they wouldn't survive the plane trip back and the Zoo as I said, isn't an option.”

“If they weren’t so frighting with the noises they make they'd be really cute.” Ryth gave the one in Beat's arms an odd look as he gave it the bottle and it started suckling.

“When they are older they'd be able to take your hand off easy.” Beat gave her a worried smile. “Be glad they are only big enough for fingers.” he sighed. “At least you can get some sleep now, once they're fed they will sleep for hours... So I guess I will be able to get some in too until they get hungry and want to play again.... than Corn asked me to go and try and sort the Immortals out again as this time they have crossed the boarder into our turf.” He looked at his watch and muttered something under his breath. “Does that guy ever sleep? I swear he thinks I don't.”

Ryth watched a little bit before asking, “Can I hold her?”

“Yeah, sure.. just don't drop her.” he carefully passed Matilda over to Ryth along with the bottle though since it was still drinking away it failed to notice the transfer into a stranger's arms. Ryth smiled. “She's so soft.”

“Yeah. I like them when they're little. Destructive as they are.” He yawned again, this time pinching the bridge of his nose. He had less than twenty minutes sleep over the past two days and the floor was beginning to look more and more inviting.

“Um.. thankyou for letting me stay a while.”

“Don't mention it. Next time ring ahead though, I'd have been more prepared.”

                        ***

Ryth awoke the next morning when the sun shone through the curtains of the room, announcing that it was a brand new day. She better get cracking if she wanted to find a new place to stay of her own, that and she had some things to do back down that the GG garage, manly give some of the girls a piece of her mind about how mean they where to her the day before. The door to Beat's room was also open, though he was still fast asleep, and at the foot of his bed on the floor were the two baby devils also asleep, but they had ripped and mangled a t-shirt he had left on the floor to sleep on. Clearly no item of clothing was safe from teething little jaws.

She showered and got dressed and left a little bit of money on the table with a note saying 'first weeks rent, take what the split is.' before heading out for the day to go room hunting.

Beat eventually got up hours later when the dooner had been pulled off the bed by hungry little marsupials who thought the bit hanging off the bed would be fun to play with and drag into the living room. No sooner had he discovered the torn t-shirt and eventually fixed the bed and checked the room before closing the door the noises started. Well, at least I got some sleep last night, he sighed.

The edge of the turf boundary that The Immortals had crossed had yet to be fully taken over by their graffiti. Both Beat and Garam had scoured the boarder and had come back empty handed.

“Alright I'll take Celmininte street and you take Hoylswood.” Garam indicated to some areas of the boundary they had yet to search.

“Sounds fine. Will meet you back here.” Beat agreed before the two of them split up. It wasn't far down the wide street that Beat came across some freshly sprayed Egyptian art. Suddenly out of nowhere something hit him across the back, and when he landed there was another swing and it just hit the concrete where he had been. He rolled and got back onto his feet before another swing with a metal pipe came towards his head, this time he was able to block it and yank it from the arms of his attacker. The bloke was covered head to toe in bandages which clearly gave away the gang he was in.

 Beat sighed. “Do you want to do this the hard way or the easy one? I'd prefer the easy one if it's all the same.”

The mummified skater grabbed a trash can lid and swung it around clearly trying to hit Beat with it, but luckily Beat saw this coming and was able to dodge until he had his back against a wall and was forced to disarm him by grabbing the guys arm and slamming his wrist against the brick work until he let go of the steel lid.

“Hard way suits me fine too.” he said kicking the guy squarely in the groin with his skates. The  mummy then doubled over with pain. Beat moved away from the wall to check if the guy was alright since he was never one to want to leave even an enemy down on the ground exposed to other dangerous that the streets presented and instantly regretted it.

“CRACK!”

Ryth wasn't too pleased to be heading back to the apartment after a failed day of searching for her own. Everything she looks at was tiny and too expensive and there was no way she was going to spend any of that money that her parents gave her as it was her own personal rebellion and she wanted to prove she was her own person and didn't need to be tied down to her parents. She unlocked the door using the spare key Beat left for her under the rug out front to get inside and was surprised to see Beat there dressed in his gang clothes, though they where worse for the wear. He had a towel over his nose to try and stop it from bleeding though it looked like he wasn't getting anywhere with it.

“Holy crap what happened to you? Did they try taking your face off?” she wondered exactly how vicious those creatures he lived with where.

“The Immortals.” he managed to say. “They clocked me one. Hasn't stopped since I got here.” he seemed to laugh it off though Ryth wasn't too sure. “It comes and goes... but really been bad since I got back.”

Ryth tilled his head back and removed the wet towel to have a look. “Does it feel broken?”

“I don't know.. it's not like I get hit in the face with bricks every day.”

“Really? Could have fool me.”

“Very funny, if you're not going to help I'll just sit and wait till it stops bleeding thankyou.” Beat tried not to till his head forward. “You're not exactly a prize yourself after roughing it on the streets for a few year neither.”

“And here I was thinking all you where different. You're the same as all the others, chase after the girls who have the tits out. I bet Gum, Cube and Boogie get all your affection with your tongues hanging out.”

“Are you for real? I'd rather be castrated by the Love Shockers.”  Beat snorted, which was difficult without almost choking. “There's more to a person than their body... are you done insulting me? If so can I have the towel back so I can sit forward and not drown in my own nose bleed.”

“You serious?”
“Deadly. You have no idea what Corn and Gum's relationship is like and I really wish I didn't either... But Corn is hopeless when it comes to getting into fights with her.”

the phone started ringing, so Ryth handed him back the towel and went to answer it.

“Hello?”

Ryth frowned. The person on the other end spoke but it wasn't in Japanese. Beat realised and indicated for her to bring the phone over.

“Hello? Oh Bloody hell, Alexander I've been trying to call you the past few days!? What? No I haven’t got a cold......”

Ryth listened to the exchange in a language she didn't understand. Whatever was being said Beat didn't seem to impressed with the person on the other end. It was also pretty short, with Beat swearing after the other end hung up.

“Want me to take that?”

Beat handed her the phone. “Bloody stupid brother of mine. Don't worry about it. He was asking me if I could transfer him some money as something for one of the animals is costing more money than they can raise.” he lowered the towel, hoping the bleeding had stopped. “Next thing you know I'll have the whole menagerie here in my apartment, Wallabies and all.”

“What's a wallaby?” Ryth asked thinking it was another dangerous animal.

“Never mind. The point is he's asking me for money yet again when I don't have any to give.” Beat let out a huge sigh. He looked a royal mess, with dried blood splotched on his face. “I don't see why he doesn't ask my other brother? I mean it's not like he hasn't got the cash to throw around.. he goes on all this flash holidays... man I'd give both my arms and my legs to be able to go on a holiday.” Beat looked down as one of the devils was pulling at the leg of his pants trying to tear it apart. “I guess I should try to clean this up while it's stopped.”

He stood up, but almost fell back over. He had lost quite a bit of blood from all of that. Ryth pushed him back onto the couch and took the bloody towel.

“I'll get you something to clean up with, otherwise your going to go over.” she said making sure he didn't move around too much and picked up the devil and placed it on his lap so he couldn't go anywhere if he wanted to. “Your brother called me something... Nate? I think it was... is that your real name?”

“Hmm? Ah no.. Nate is what he calls me to piss me off...works too.” He gave the devil a scratch behind the ears while it playfully gnawed on his hand. “It's Nathan... just don't tell the other's that. If my real name gets out to any of the gangs outside of the GG's I’m thoroughly boned.”

“Sakura.” Ryth admitted. “I hate it it's way too girly.”

“Heh, it's pretty but I won't say anything.” Beat gave her a look that said 'this conversation doesn't leave this room'.

Ryth came back with a clean towel and he greatly took it from her and handed her the joey before trying to clean up the mess. It growled a little and let out a whine in her arms. “I think she likes you.”

“Really?”

“No idea I don't speak devil.” he laughed. Ryth started one of her own too. “Anyway I was planning to order take out, I hadn't had the chance to do any food shopping. Anything you like to eat in particular?”

“I don't know what you you like? What do you usually order?” Ryth had never been asked that before. Normally she just got whatever street food she could that was on the way home, which usually consisted of chicken, noodles and occasionally rice.

“Well your not against Italian? There's a place that delivers that's just a few minutes down the road... I think the menu is on the fridge.. they do a lot of noddle stuff, thought not the same as Japanese egg noodles uh.. and they also do pizzas I think... and this really amazing lasagne.” he smiled. “They even have this stuffed rabbit dish, but I think that's eat in only.”

“Umm... I don't think I've ever heard of any of that before.” Ryth felt embarrassed.

“Don't worry about it.” Beat smiled. “If you grab the menu I'll order it and pay for it when it comes. It's the least I can do for you trying to take care of me. I'll make sure it's something nice ok?”

Ryth handed the grumpy sounding animal back to him and went to grab the menu.

When everything had arrived and had been paid for Ryth looked at all the food like it was some kind of deadly poison. For starters.. how do you eat it and what with? She was pretty sure chopsticks wouldn't cut it. She looked at knife and fork like they where strange weaponry.  

“So.. what did you order exactly?”

Beat dished it up. “Well the first one is some basic Beef lasagne, the pasta on the side is some penne with Tuscan sausages and walnuts and cream sauce and for desert we have a choice of strawberry risotto or sweet easter bread... with garlic bread too, but you can eat that with the penne and lasagne.” he smiled. “Trust me you'll love it. I make my own lasagne too so maybe next time I can make it instead of getting takeaway.”

“Wait.. You actually cook?” Ryth looked at him in surprise.

“Ha, yeah it's cheaper than getting take out every night... and I get to eat left overs the next night and not worry about them making me ill... and give these guys a small bit of raw meat all mashed up so they learn to start eating real food.” as he said that  there was a gnawing on the table leg by an enthusiastic devil. “Next time I promise.”

Ryth awkwardly tried to cut the lasagne with the knife and fork, gave up and just used her fork to do all cutting and eating. Beat tried not to laugh at the sight as it reminded him of a little kid who had never been shown to use cutlery before. Fair enough he decided since it took him years to learn to use chopsticks and he was pretty sure stabbing chunks of chicken with one of the sticks was considered rude in polite company.

“So they eat meat huh?”

“Yeah, just don't give them anything cooked. They are carnivores and cooked meat will make them sick unlike cats and dogs. I'm trying to get them to start eating solid food here and there.” he looked under the table. “I wish I could work out how to stop Tilda's chewing.... I'm not sure I'll have any furniture left by the time I figure it out.” he gave Ryth a smile, something he didn't often seem to give anyone these days.

Ryth blushed. It had been a long time since she had seen Beat smile, let alone to her specifically.

“This is nice.” He let out a humoured snort. “Sorry so used to being on my own I forget what it's like to have company.”

“Like wise.” Ryth flashed a shy smile of her own.

“I used to wonder how my mum use to manage with three boys I mean it wouldn't have been easy, my older brother wouldn’t eat anything green, my younger brother didn't eat anything that was remotely healthy and I just ate everything she put infront of me... we where shit of kids... at least my brothers where. Being the middle kid always made me feel a little ignored but it meant I could do what I wanted and get away with it. I guess I got really attached to the animals and getting out and into trouble with the police enough to have a rap sheet by the time I was twelve.” Beat chuckled. “Those where the days... I guess where freedom meant trying to get my parents attention... Now I'm just happy to have one night at home where I don't get a phone call or a call out message with people wanting me to do things for them. I don't mind I mean it stops me being here alone.”

There was a small silence as food was being munched, before Ryth filled it in.

“Hanging with you guys is was the first time I ever sat down and ate with anyone.” Ryth looked like she was playing with her food as she was thinking about what to say. “My parents where always busy so I ate nearly every meal on my own at a very empty and stupidly ornate table. When they where home they'd be entertaining and I wasn't allowed to be in the dinning room, as if they had other kids there I was expected to play with them.... I didn't, I hated other kids as they where nasty and all stuck up and spoilt and my folks though that buying the most hip new toy was what would make me happy. It wasn't.”

“My dad's idea of a family pet was a Bengal tiger. When kids at school find that out they don't want to know you..” Ryth helped her self to a slice of garlic bread. “The only reason I don't live there was because when I got the chance to study in the city I jumped at the opportunity to live on campus away from home. Since then I've been doing everything I can to not go back.”

“Oh.. that must suck.” Beat couldn't think of anything to say to that. “Sorry, I didn't know..”

“It's ok.” Ryth smiled. “I don't expect anyone to be able to say anything to that. I mean I'm used to people thinking it's all perfect and amazing having lots of money and having parents give you money all the time but they don't realise that getting everything for free without earning it puts you under their control and let's them rule everything you do in your life. Nothing is ever free without interest.”

“Fair enough.” Beat nodded. “I can agree with that.”

This put Ryth at ease.

“So, did you have any luck finding anything?”

“Um not really. I hope it won't take too long I don't want to seem like I'm outstaying my welcome.”

“Well just so you know, you're not ok? Take your time and make sure the place is suitable ok? You don't want to end up staying where Yoyo is as a permanent motel resident. It works for him but it's not really a place for everyone.” Beat sighed. It wasn't a secret that he tried for months to try and get Yoyo out of that rat hole... hell even rats wouldn't live there. Beat was pretty sure the neighbours he had where drug users but there was nothing he could say to get him to change his mind. Garam on the other hand offered to keep an eye on Yoyo since he lived not far from there but it was pretty clear it bothered Beat a lot every time Yoyo talked about his place. Now Ryth knew Beat had a younger brother it made a bit more sense his concern for Yoyo that the others thought was a bit unnecessary.

“Thankyou.”

“Don't mention it. I don't want to see anyone without a place to stay. We have all seen a bit too much of what’s on those streets.”

The phone started to ring and Beat excused himself to answer. After a while Ryth realised he wasn't coming back so she started hunting around the kitchen for containers to put all the left overs in to put them away. He came back when she was still trying to find a place in the fridge for the strawberry risotto.

“Oh hey, you don't have to put that way! You could leave that for me to do.” he sounded really surprised that she had taken it upon herself to clear the table.

“You can help me with the dishes then. If we do it together it'd be faster.” Ryth smiled, getting a bit of a kick out of seeing him so off guard.

“Sure.”

“So...”

“Humm? Oh the phone call? Just work. They got a person wanting an old Nissan repaired and they wanted me to quote the price for parts. They want genuine originally but those are going to cost more than they can afford. People who still drive those old things pay a fortune to get the proper parts but if your stuck driving one of them around it means you can't afford them anyway. Even if I could acquire them I doubt they'd pay up... still a jobs a job so hopefully it won't take too many days to fix.... though by the sounds of it I could work out what's wrong with it under a few hours.” Beat smiled as a bubble puffed out the end of the dish washing liquid bottle when he gave it an enthusiastic squeeze. “It will give me a chance to think the Immortal thing out too. If we weren’t having problems with the Rapids and trying to keep those techno psychopaths within their boundaries away from innocent people I might have another person to help me work it out. Garam is just as stumped as I am with what to do about them as they are getting really more aggressive.”

Ryth nodded. The Rapids had not been easy to deal with since they learned the GG's where stretched to cover their whole turf and thought it was the perfect opportunity to make a move for some extra space.

“I wouldn't worry about the Rapids, I'm sure we've got them pretty covered.” She said encouragingly.

“I hope so. All we need now is Poison Jam or the Love shockers to get any ideas and we're in a lot of trouble, that's all I'm saying.... I can't be everywhere at once when the shit hits the fan.”

“It shouldn't come to that.”

“I hope so.”

It won't as if it did and anything happened to you, all the gangs in the city would hunt down your killer, Ryth thought to herself. While Beat got into serious scuffles with them often in the name of the GG's there was some level of respect amongst some of the gangs and their members for him as a adversary who was always keeping you in check and in line so you knew where you stood. Sometimes you needed an enemy you could find trustworthy. She remembered when the Goji tower came down and all the gangs that had turf bordering their own pitched in – temporarily forgetting they where fighting each other – to help scour the rubble to pull him out before he died beneath it. It was a wake up call to how much influence he had over keeping the peace of the area which was contested every now and then to make sure he was still in on the game... hence why Corn was so eager to make sure Beat was seen around on the streets in areas where the biggest problems where going down.

There was a growling sound at their feet and Ryth looked down to see one of the devils pulling at Beat's jeans and his lack of reaction to it suggested he'd done this all before and it was just a minor annoyance. Compared to some of the stuff she heard he got up to, a teething carnivore was nothing to stress over. He eventually leant down and picked the devil up and left Ryth with the last of the dishes to feed the creatures. Ryth finished up and sat down on the chair opposite the couch and watched the little balls of fur playfully try and get their milk from the bottles and couldn't help but laugh.

“Want to give it a try? It's not hard.” Beat asked. The one called Matilda had stopped going for the bottle and was now munching on one of his fingers.

“Maybe next time. They seem to be happy already.”

“Yeah I guess so. I might have to get them some chew toys, though nothing for puppies mind.. they've got to be hard and less likely to get broken very quickly.”

“How about I go for a look while I'm doing my patrol of 99th street tomorrow?” Ryth offered. “There's plenty of pet shops down there I could find something they might like to play with.”

“That would be great, but I don't want you to be wasting money when they're not your responsibility.”

“No I insist. You're nice enough to let me stay here after all.” Ryth watched as the other devil made squealing noises as it tried to push Beats arm out the way so it could cuddle into his lap. It was something she had never thought she'd ever see, him having a gentle side. He always came across as tough, really arrogant and a bit of a jerk when it came to things with gang matters though she was beginning to suspect he might not have always been that way. Away from the gang he seemed well... more human than he ever had. She guessed that's why Pots always followed him around despite how much you saw Yoyo dote on the old bulldog, making you wonder why the dog was so attached to Beat instead of the person who spoiled it like crazy.

“You're really good with animals, you know that right?” Ryth said absently.

“I guess so. I used to look after the little ones at my grandfather's sanctuary that the mother's either rejected or couldn’t look after. It made me feel important, I guess.. like I was doing something useful. The devils where my favourites, I never ever lost a single joey when I got to look after them...mostly because they have crazy appetites unlike other animals who's babies who need their mothers a lot more. They're like puppies and kittens in that sense, they're pretty independent once they can leave the pouch.” he tried to move his arm, but matilda insisted of not letting go of his fingers, she was too happy to use them as a chew toy.

“We had this pure white one at one stage, we assumed it was because of breeding them for the wild we managed to get one as they're so rare in most animals. My grandfather called him Moriarty, and it suited. We did get told not to breed him though as a white devil wouldn't survive in the wild and the novelty of it would end up like white lions and tigers... as animal you can only keep in captivity. He sired quite a few litters anyway as my granddad thought that not letting him into the gene pool when he was wild born anyway was a stupid idea. None of them where like him though, he was the only devil that would follow my granddad around and was allowed to live inside the house...until he attacked me. After that, once they hit a certain age they had to go back in the enclosures till it was time to let them go into the bush.” He rubbed an area near his collarbone and Ryth could see the indents of a large scar that looked old but hadn’t healed properly over the years.

“He was blind and my other brother thought it would be a great idea to frighten me with him on my lap. Moriarty went for my neck in fright and I ended up in hospital as he took a massive chunk out of me with his jaws. It wasn't his fault. He got put in one of the breeding pens right at the very back after that on his own... and when I was allowed home I'd take some meat other there and sit in the pen with him and let him fall asleep on me after he was full. I wasn't scared of him, he was just an elderly animal after all who wouldn't know any different. When he died my interest in the place sort of died with it... I still looked after the odd animal but I was I guess starting to be trouble of my own.” He smiled. “Anyway it doesn't matter. I've got these guys now haven’t I?” he said the last part towards the two balls of black fur in his arms. One of them snorted as it stretched out before falling asleep. He yawned himself. “They've also got the right idea. I think I better call it a night too.”

                    ***

Ryth and Yoyo skated along the border of GG and Rapid 99 turf, so far nothing too abnormal seemed to be going on down this end though she assumed the reason she got this boarder search was to keep her out of Gum's way down on the Love Shocker's front. She still couldn't work out why Gum was so annoyed with her but she wasn't about to ask either, encase it was something really stupid. Gum was nice and all but it was common knowledge especially amongst the girls, that around that certain time Gum became unbearable in her attitude and her nastiness level went into over drive. Calling it the curse of the werewoman was an understatement.

Yoyo seemed to be keeping to himself as well and it was starting to get on Ryth's nerves. She was used to having people avoid her from time to time as they didn't want to be the ones to tell her bad news and she could tell when it was something directly involving her. Yoyo was terrible at lying, you could see it from miles away so when he knew it was something he couldn't hide he went silent, which was even worse.

Ryth stopped dead and let Yoyo skate a few paces on his own till he realised she wasn't going to follow any more.

“Ok Yo, spill.” Ryth crossed her arms when he looked back towards her. “What's eating you alive?”

“Nothing's eating me alive.”

“You're an awful liar Yoyo I know some thing’s up. Is this to do with Gum being pissed off with me for some ungodly reason?”

“Uh well, I don't know if they are related.... I mean they might be.”

“Spill it.”

“How... how come you didn't ask me if you could stay with me when you lost your place? I mean it wasn't as if I would say no.” Yoyo scratched the back of his head. “I would have worked something out when the girls said no.”

AH... now the skate drops...Ryth thought. “How'd you find out that I asked them?”

“Uh... well I kind of over heard Boogie and Cube talking about it and them wondering where you ended up staying after finding out that everyone pretty much turned you down.” Yoyo admitted.

“I don't mean to be rude Yo, but how in the world do you think me staying with you would have worked?” Ryth asked. “You live in – and I'm going to put this bluntly – a one bedroom motel room that smells like dust bunnies and mildew with drug addict neighbours on one side and renegade hippies on the other and the whole thing is operated by beatniks.”

“I would have made it work Ryth, hell I would have found somewhere else for both of us if push came to shove I mean.... I can't imagine what kind of a shit shack you're staying in now it like.” Yoyo was trying to get a point across which really had no point to it, he just wanted to argue with Ryth about the issue until she gave in and stayed with him. She knew he liked her a lot but the feelings she had where not mutual in that direction. If push came to shove she wanted a person whom she knew would lay down their own life for hers and there where few of them around.

“It's not like I'm sleeping out on the street Yo.”

“No, you're staying with Beat, that's even worse!”

Ryth sighed. “Yoyo get a hold of yourself. I've got my own room there, I'm not having to share anything other than a bathroom and kitchen. It's also not a dump, it's a really nice apartment and he looks after it.”

“It's still not right Yo.” Yoyo frowned from what Ryth could only see as jealousy. “What will the others think about you huh?”

“They can think what they like, it's not like they already don't.” Ryth rolled her eyes. “Besides he's been really nice, nicer than anyone one else has been to me the past few weeks.”

“Pfft! Nice? What kind of a dream world do you live in! He's not nice at all, he's grumpy and an arsehole!” Yoyo protested.

“Unlike you he's also not a Bullshit artist, Yo.” Ryth shook her head. “Sure he takes things a bit too seriously but he's not at all that bad. I'd rather be around someone who uses their brain and tells the truth and doesn't pretend that the stuff going on around him is all a huge joke.”

“Oh wait up Ryth I didn't mean it to sound like that!” Yoyo skated after her as she pushed herself forward. “I mean come on! You know as well as I do he's as boring as a tree stump! You want someone who's more fun to spend time with outside of the Gang!”

“Like you huh?”

“Exactly like me Yo!”

“Look, Yoyo...” Ryth halted as she spoke. “ I'm not dating him, just living there till I find a place of my own. There's a huge difference. You need to get over yourselves if you or anyone else is saying otherwise.”

“How'd you know that I'm not the only one thinking it?” Yoyo looked aghast.

“Because I know how the rumour mill works. Have to be an idiot not to... I bet I also have an idea where it would have started.” she almost growled. “It's no one's business... besides I have other things to worry about going on than silly people making up fake relationships for me to be involved in.” She sighed before adding. “I have a meddling mother for that.”

She dug out her phone and gave it a glance. She'd eventually have to tell someone about the messages she got this morning from her family as things seemed to be going south in terms of her freedom by the looks of things. She didn't really know what she was going to do about it either as reading wasn't her strong point, and whoever she told would have to read them to double check for her. She shoved it back before looking up and seeing a pet shop on the street corner. She grabbed Yoyo by the arm and dragged him along toward the shop, hoping that at least if she kept and eye on him while she was looking inside at the same time he would go around causing any more problems than she needed.

                                                               ***

“So, what your saying is your mother is trying to get you engaged to some guy you've never met?”

“That's the jest of it yes.”

“Let's have a look at that photo message again.”

Ryth held up her phone to show Beat the lists of short texts which would have been better if it was all in one message again. He had his hands full holding onto a chew toy Ryth had bought home with her for the Devils to play with and Victoria was happy tugging and growling with it as long as Beat was holding it. The second he let go she lost all interest, so he was left there getting his fingers all covered in devil drool.

It was a picture of a Japanese business man, quite attractive, even if Beat was honest and said that all Japanese business men looked alike to him anyway. Fair's fair though, they would probably say all westerners looked alike, all from the backwater and sound like uncouth savages.

“How old did you say he was?”

“My mother says he's 40. I don't think he looks it... but if he is he's 12 years older than me! I don't know how the hell she thinks that would work out!” Ryth looked sour.

“Fuck me, I hope I look that good when I'm 40. I could have sworn he was 29.” this brought a small smile to Ryth's face. Beat was only older than her by a year and a half and he looked a lot older than what he was. “What does he use? Stem cell anti-aging creams?”

“Well apparently he is vice president to a cosmetics company. His father owns and runs it. If he gets married his father gives him the whole empire. I called anyway just to make sure.”

“Wow, fucking lucky bastard.”

“That's not all, if he marries me then my family get a big share in the business and the estates.” Ryth looked sad. “That's all my mum wants me for... to marry some rich idiot who I will be miserable with my whole life just so she can live forever in comfort.”

“What about your dad? Doesn't he have a say in any of it?” Beat asked.

Ryth shook her head. “No. My father is just a yes man, only does things to keep her happy. Actually he's a bit like Yoyo, a huge man-child.”

“That's a bit harsh on Yoyo.”

“No, it's harsh to my old man.” Ryth snorted. “My father is too nice and that's he's biggest weakness. He wasn't a big business man, just an ordinary bloke who just happened to win the lottery and make the right investments. My mother on the other hand was a lady who was raised to be married off into wealth and fortune as her family had always been like that for years and had always owned big companies. The reason she married my father was because it made the company heaps of money and they didn't have to buy out any business in the process.” She grinned. “My old man would like you, you know. He has a thing for old ground cars and other things my mother can't stand.”

“So.. when does she want to you meet this guy?”

“I don't know, she didn't say... just said I'm engaged and that's that.” she frowned.

“So I'm guessing that if you where like already married or something that would create a problem wouldn't it? I mean she can't give betroth you to someone if you already have a spouse... isn't that illegal?”

“But I'm not Nathan. That's the problem. I'm not going to make-up some fake husband to my parents. Anyway even if I tried she'd do everything she could to get it unruled so this new guy didn't know... heck I wouldn't put it past her to try and pass me off as a virgin either.”

“That's a bit extreme.” Beat looked rather surprised.

“Exactly. Besides, really that one time with Yoyo on his birthday doesn’t count. We where both stupidly drunk and no one stopped us.”

Beat nodded. This was new information to him, he wasn't aware Ryth and Yoyo had even remotely held hands let alone made it to third base.... but that would have been mostly due to him always being else where when the GG's had their down time together... like work for one thing. Besides he gave up trying to track who was an item with who a long time ago when the others where saying things about him and Jazz that weren’t true. She's a lovely girl sure, but she doesn't go for men – no matter which way you cut it.

“Well I don't really know another way you’re going to get around it other than faking a pregnancy, as it looks like it's a pretty sealed deal.” Beat looked serious.

“I know. I guess I'm going to try and enjoy the little freedom I have left until she tries to make it all official. She knows where I live now, I can't run anywhere, she'll send people after me.”

“I'll help think of something. I've known you what... 10 years? Maybe more? I'm not going to let a friend go that easy... not without a fight.”

“Thanks, But I don't think there's much left in the way of getting out of this one.” she stood up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “The help isn't unappreciated though.” and with that she headed off to bed with as much worries of the world sitting on her shoulders where they shouldn't have been, but where going to stay.


                                                                  ***

Ryth yawned and stretched as she walked into the kitchen still in her Pj's. She was surprised to see Beat dressed and doing something at the bench while two little furry animals where hissing and snarling at each other by his feet.

“Look, I've told you already, No meat yet till we get to the park ok? It's suppose to be a treat for your first trip outside.” he seemed to be telling them off sternly to no avail. “If you guys behave and are alright on your little harness leashes you get to eat as much as your tummies will let you ok? I Can't keep you locked up inside forever, you need to be out in the sunshine too.”

He smiled as when saw Ryth. “Hey glad you're up, was thinking of doing something different today.” He threw an apple her direction and she fumbled it and almost dropped it on the floor. “Was thinking you need a break and these guys need to see the outside a little so I thought a trip down to the park that's a few blocks from here would be a great idea.”

“Don't you have things to do with the Immortals?”

“Yeah, but it won't ever go away. It's not like it's going anywhere. Corn kept sending messages last night after you had gone to sleep and I figured fuck it it's NEVER going to stop.... so I just told him to forget it and I'll deal with it later. It made me sound like a total dickhead but hey, when your ringing people and messaging them all through the night about something they can't do anything about or hey maybe they could sort out for themselves I think I've got every right to tell them to get lost once in a while.” there was a clatter of cutlery on the bench  as he reached over for the box of sandwich bags. “Thought I dunno, maybe make it a picnic or something? Like maybe take a book or a sketch book and things... just to chill I suppose. It's be nice to finally get into those books Garam lent me to read a few months ago I haven’t had time to start and maybe do some graffiti as I feel there's an itch there I need to scratch that hasn't been satisfied for weeks.”

Ryth threw the apple back and was impressed Beat caught it one handed. “You don't have to come if you don't want to... it was just a thought.”

“That really sound like a good idea.” Ryth smiled. “I'd like that.”

The sun was shining and it was quite warm in the streets of the city when they made it to the park. It wasn't that long a walk and Ryth was surprised she had never seen the place before in all her rounds of the city and GG territory. It was pretty decent size, you forgot there was any traffic around and that you where in the middle of Benten cho's most busiest district. Ryth walked around following Matilda on her harness letting the little noisy devil explore the flower beds she seemed to find interest in while Beat found a shady spot under a tree to do some drawing while Victoria rested her little head on his lap watching the end of the pencil scratch across the page, occasionally trying to reach it with her paws to try and grab it to chew. A few people walked by with their dogs and Matilda hissed and growled at a small shibu inu that got a bit too close, lucky for the dog it had the brains to walk away before Ryth realised what the devil was hissing at. Beat had been pretty strict on the rules for them, they where to be kept away from other peoples pets as some dogs would eat them alive and the little ones would end up loosing their sweet little faces if the devils decided they where being threatened. Eventually Ryth gave up trying to stop Matilda from trying to investigate the dogs that where running around the park around her and picked her up and walked back to where Beat was sitting and sat her back against the tree.

“How come I've never seen this place before?” Ryth asked.

“Probably because you weren’t looking for it and partly as it's in the mutual turf between us and Poison Jam that we've agreed to leave alone because so many young families live around here.” Beat didn't look up from his drawing. “I don't know if you knew that we have a few treaties with a few of the gangs, large and small around here that make this place a safe zone.”

“Who's idea was that?”

“Mine, though Corn would try to tell you otherwise. There's actually about 4 zones like this thorough the city that are considered neutral territory... no one owns it and no one can claim it, giving us a place to mingle freely and have normal lives on the outside of this turf war crap. Too bad no one really bothers to remember where they all are... or at least tell other people about them.” Beat eventually looked up from his drawing and looked in her direction. “Then it's a fact that no one ever asked. One of the Guys from the Jam lives around her with his family two young daughters and his wife and one of the girls from the Love shockers and her sister too. I bump into them sometimes... it's not like it's unavoidable but at least here we all know we are not trying to bash each other's skulls in.”

He gave Victoria a tap on the nose with the pencil and she playfully snapped at it lazily. She wasn't as adventurous outside as he hope she should have been but wasn't too shocked as she was the most dependent on him of the two... she still wouldn't let Ryth pick her up without any aggressive snarling and snapping at her hands.

“How are you feeling anyway? Want to talk about anything?”

Ryth was surprised. “Uh talk about what?”

“I heard you crying last night after you turned in... was hard not to.” Beat felt a little bad for eves dropping but it's hard to avoid it when you sleep in the room next door. “Is everything ok? I mean are you sure you're ok with your family trying to push you into something you don't want to do? I can't promise that I’ll be able to understand but I'm happy to listen.”

“To be honest, I don't think I'm ready to talk about it yet. It still sinking in.” Ryth looked over her shoulder and could see what Beat had been drawing. He had been sketching Ryth walking around the flowers with a devil on a leash and had been filling in the details. A far cry from the graffiti sketching he said he was planning to do but something where Ryth could see how good an artist he really was. Most of the GG's where quite talented, but it wasn't often to have someone who's graffiti didn't quite fit the style of art they where really good at. They where a good mix of styles, from grungy to fluid to amazing murals and detailed graphic designs. Nothing of which looked anything like what was in Beat's sketch book. It was fast and messy like most sketches, but also had a lot of realism and fluid movement and seemed to capture the subject matter quite well.

“That looks really good.”

“Thanks, but it's just a quick 10 minute sketch. I'm sure if I take it home and refine it it will look a lot better, maybe with some paints and things... if I get time. It's nice to do something loose.”

“Wow, you sure that was in 10 minutes?”

“Close enough, there 'bouts. I don't have my watch on to time it. I'm sure you can draw stuff pretty fast too.”

“Not as detailed as that. I have to plan all my drawings.” Ryth admitted. It was true she had to know exactly where she wanted things to go before she got remotely close to adding key features and shapes before going into the nitty gritty. Even her wall graffiti was all planned out with paints before she started adding the colours.

“We should do a proper jam sometime.” He said casually, picking up his old headphones. He was going to tune the world out for a while, while he drew something else. Ryth could tell he was pretty relaxed, something you didn't see very often and it was a comfort to know that if he was pretty chill about his surroundings then you where in no immediate danger.

Ryth watched the sketch for a few minutes, he seemed to just be drawing random people in the park now, each was fast and quick before moving onto the next, a bloke walking a Doberman, a kid playing on the swings....

She looked up and spotted the one person she didn't want to see today, let alone all week. She seemed to be looking around for someone and it wouldn't be long before she came over and saw them under the tree. Ryth got up and carrying Matilda with her wandered off to a safer distance not too far from the tree but out of sight at least so she wasn't spotted if push came to shove.

“Well this is a FINE howdie-do.”

Gum stood over Beat blocking out the light he was using to see his drawings. He looked up to see her with her arms folded looking very unhappy, though to be fair she looked like this almost all the time these days. He didn't look to impressed to see her either. Of all the things he didn't want to put up with today, her bullshit was one of the many.

Truth was, Gum was the reason Beat didn't have a girlfriend. Not because they had been anything previously, but because Gum really tried to push it. Infact he wasn't the only one she tried it on however Beat was the only one who had been really pushed away from the rest of them for it.

Corn, Gum and Beat had once been really close. The GG's wouldn't exist as they are without the three of them and their ideas to just have fun with life. It still was the plan, but it had changed a great deal after plenty of serious things went down in the city, like the Mafia Gang the Golden Rhinos mistaking the GG's as another Mafia gang and bringing down of Goji, who was the corrupt city mayor who was living off the Golden Rhino's kick backs. There was more to it than that, but that's where it all started. The streets are a lot darker now than they ever had been... gangs more violent and dangerous and people more poorer and desperate too.

And when you get older things do change and so do the needs of those around you. Gum had built up this brilliant reputation as a fem fatale on the streets and as she started growing up she began to really look the part too. All those really sexy woman you see in movies where not a patch on the real deal the GG's had amongst them. The problem was Gum had started to want what those ladies in the movies had.... relationships and to been seen as a lady and not just one of the guys. Her reputation was not going to do her change in attitude to this new desire any sort of favours. The girls avoided her a lot of the time as she got real case of the green eyed monster if they where having a relationship with anyone outside or even within the gang.... and same could be said for the guys too. She had this crush of sorts on both Corn and Beat and both of them took the news of her interest in them like all guys who are like brothers to you do.... and she decided that if she couldn't have at least one of them interested in her she'd make it hell on anyone else who tried it or at least hell for either of them. Corn took it with a grain of salt as romance never figured into his life at any point being someone who'd die single and probably have lots of children he never knew existed to random woman he met in bars while Beat just wanted her to go away... preferably another planet as he didn't find her at all attractive as she thought she was... and she had every reason to think she was drop dead sexy, guys drooled over her every where she went even out of GG gear. No one really knew why Beat just never caved and just got it over with by saying 'yes'. If they new the shit she put him thought however....

He slowly took of his headphones. “I don't know why you're wasting my time, Gum....This is the only free time I have. You guys always get to party and leave me to do the dirty work. Just one afternoon is all I ask.”

“You had time off yesterday. We need you back on the line.”

“I had to work yesterday. It keeps a roof over my head. Not everyone has the luxury of having a family to mooch off or able to just fall into a load of cash. I work everyday that I can as the jobs are getting fewer.” Beat closed his sketch book and put it down, shuffling Victoria on his lap. The devil was snarling and hissing at Gum, though Victoria would growl at anyone who seemed to be threatening her adoptive dad.

“We still need you out there things are getting out of hand with the Immortals, Garam can't hold them on his own. They managed to break Combo's arms yesterday when they jumped him in the alleys around the skyscraper district.” Gum looked dead pan as if this topic wasn't up for discussion.

“That's not good to hear.” Beat did look very solemn about Combo's injury, though there was nothing really to say about it. Getting a broken arm was the least they could do to you these days. Beat had spent a full two weeks in hospital having all his fingers in one hand being turned the correct way after they mangled it with a hammer. “I don't see why we can't let them just self destruct? They're going that way without our help, the police are getting rather jumpy around there and if they do themselves in then that's one less problem for us.”

“Pfft you've always had an attitude problem towards doing any sort of negotiation.”

Beat frowned. “You can't negotiate when they refuse to put down their weapons.” he sighed. “This isn't really anything to do with the Immortals is it? I can tell by the way your not really grilling me badly over yesterday like you usually do.” Beat knew when he was being put onto a hook to be fed to some bigger nastier fish and with Gum it was obvious she wasn't here to talk gang war disputes since usually she had no idea what was going on on street level anywhere else other than GG turf and the boarders of 99th street where she lived. Beat also didn't have to wait for the penny to drop... he knew exactly why she was trying to make idle banter... he just didn't want to be the one who had to mention it.

Gum leaned against the tree and didn't look at Beat when she spoke. “Why did you give Ryth the spare room in your apartment when she could afford to buy one of her own? Her family is loaded, so she's not having to save up for a place of her own or anything.”

“I don't see why this has anything to do with you or anyone else.” Beat said calmly, giving the little devil a scratch for being on it's best behaviour despite the noise it was making. “She needed a place to stay and if she is trying to do things without the aid of her parents and their money then I say 'all the best' as it means she's being independent, something a few people seem to lack around here.” he didn't wait for an answer before continuing, “I also heard what you told the other girls to say to her after she had initially asked you first about a place to stay for a while till she got another one of her own. How do you explain that?”

“What's to explain? I didn't want her to stay with me and told the other girls that she had lost her apartment. Not my fault they didn't have any spare rooms either.” Gum sounded all innocent.

“So you didn't happen to tell oh Jazz and Cube that you'd make their lives hell with some kind of bribery if they offered her a place to stay? For what I understand it both of them are always happy for another female room mate.... and don't tell me you didn't as Yoyo's got a mouth on him like a foghorn, just about everyone knows since you told him to keep what he knew to himself.” Beat didn't add the rest of what Yoyo had told him as Beat himself didn't want to think about it. If Gum was the reason he didn't have a lady of his own then Yoyo was the same for Ryth in many many ways that Beat wished he never found out about.... not like he ever asked either. An afternoon with Yoyo begging him to convince Ryth to move in with him at the motel for all the wrong reasons made Beat's skin crawl.

“No I didn't. Whatever they said to her was all on their own accord.” Gum huffed. She wasn't keen on how Beat found out and was going to hurt Yoyo later till he admitted it.

“I'm sure. Anyway we need to look after our own and leaving her stranded out there on the streets is not what we do.”

“Funny hearing you saying that after just telling me that the Immortals can sort themselves out when other gangs have asked us specifically for help on it.” Gum tried to swing the whole conversation around on him. She wasn't very good at it but her point still got made.

“I don't think you quite understand...”

“Oh I understand. You only want to help when it suits you.”

“Quite frankly you're still lucky I help at all.” Beat's voice let out a low growl. He was getting rather annoyed with Gum's arrogance and clear stupidity. In reality, he should have died a few years ago, but as luck would have it he had managed to get a lot of the gangs on his side so when the tyrant Goji's tower in the middle of Shibuya - cho came crashing down they had all pitched in to remove the debris to recover his body, dead or alive. Quite alot of the GG's hung back too, unsure what to do. Corn was shouting at them to get them to help as he was destroying his own hands to try and lift some of the rubble that was clearly too heavy for him to budge on his own.

Funny... even though he didn't remember much of it... he was sure Ryth was there....he remembered her holding his hand before he blacked out under the rubble from being squashed under it. Gum was still talking, but it didn't seem to bother him any more, the anger with her had worn off after that thought. It was as if anything Gum said didn't matter any more... and her just calling him a heartless and emotionally hollow tree stump didn't seem to hurt.

“You're such a utter jerk! I mean after all these years you've stepped back and just let shit just go south and not even gave a shit about it.” Gum's voice snapped, though she had not quite picked up Beat was no longer listening to her. She could have wished him dead for all he cared.

Ryth could see people steering clear of them as Gum's voice was getting louder and more insulting and even now she could make out exactly what was being said, although it was only one sided. Eventually Gum must have realised she was being fobbed off as she stormed away still swearing rather loudly. Ryth took a breath, waited a few more minutes for the coast to be clear and then walked back with Matilda and sat down beside Beat at the tree without saying a word.

Eventually he spoke. “I guess you heard.” he didn't have much emotion in his voice.

“I don't know what I heard other than Gum yelling and making an idiot of herself. Something she'll do when she finds me next I'm sure.” Ryth had been thinking about the mood Gum was in and how much crap she was going to be in for when she found out where she was. “Her face goes redder than a tomato when she's pissed off it's impossible not to laugh in her face and avoid getting a fist in your own.”

“Heh, sounds about right. I don't know what half of it was to be honest... I zoned out. I tend to do so with her after a while. Guess it's years of practice that, Though honestly I should have picked up when Corn started ignoring her.” he shrugged.

“You liked her once right?” Ryth asked, expecting to be rebuffed.

“Once. She liked Corn so I got over it. When he passed her off she started after me like a really convenient second choice. I knew so I said no. I'm not as head strong as Corn so saying 'no' just gets brushed off till it got to the point I just didn't like hanging around any more... I mean how can you when everyone else gets on well and you know that if you try to fit in you are going to be made unwelcome by one person whom you thought of as a friend. I thought it would be alright to just stick with the Gang side of it rather than hanging out with you guys as there really in the end that all I seemed to be there for. I'm really sorry about that.”

Ryth could sense a wound being opened that really needed to be talked about. She often wondered why the most cheerful and playful of them when she first joined became withdrawn from them all and in some ways rather shy but highly aggressive in his behaviours around it.  Shy was the main thing though, everything, from the clowning around to the protectiveness of those he felt where worth being close to was all because of that one really big emotion that was hiding behind a mask, once to fit in and now to protect himself.

“Hey, Don't be.” Ryth tried to sound positive. “If we really saw what was going on it might not have been any different. It might have been a lot worse.”

“It couldn't have. Either way I would have felt the same. You know I've never really talked about why I decided to try and take Goji on in his tower while everyone was trying to clear the streets from those gunmen....” He paused, trying to think of a better way to word the next part, realising there probably wasn't any other 'good' way to to tell her about it attempted it anyway.

“To be honest I don't really know what came over me... though I saw red when Gum had started calling me all sorts of things despite doing everything I could to get people off the streets to safety. At that point after saving Yoyo and all sorts of things being made to feel like nothing I did mattered... I was so angry and at the time I was I guess a little bit beyond being just depressed I figured that If I didn't stop it I'd have died trying or if I did I would have been killed in the aftermath whatever it may have been since I at that point I didn't really know why I was still fighting things when I had nothing to fight for.”
He snorted. “Sorry I didn't mean to admit to wishing to commit suicide or anything but I can't really lie about how I felt at the time and why I did something without thinking too deeply into it.”  for the first time in this conversation he looked back at Ryth and gave her a reassuring smile. “I don't think like that any more... I mean ok sometimes I'm still a little depressed and annoyed things are not working out, but not to that point. I don't remember much of it in truth but every time someone just goes bonkers at me like Gum just did I zone out trying to think about the things I remember about it... making it all seem so small and unimportant.”

Ryth, like the others didn't really know what had gone on in Beat head when he did what he did and always to a degree wanted to know, but if he truly had no idea why either then it was best no one ever really found out. Still if there was some chance that he remembered something willingly on his own it was worth to get him talking.

“So.. what do you.. you know or remember? I mean what do you think about to zone out to?” Ryth asked, curious.

Beat blushed. “It's going to sound really stupid.”

Ryth smiled. “Sometimes stupid things are what get us through the day.... so...?”

He took a deep breath and couldn't meet her gaze, embarrassed before he even uttered a word. “You're not going to hold this against me or anything if I tell you, are you?” he said quietly like he was about to admit to something naughty like a little child who just got their hand caught in the cookie jar when their mother entered the kitchen. “I mean you and Yoyo and stuff.... I don't want you thinking that I was...”

Ryth gave him a dirty look. “What on earth are you on about? What's this thing got to do with me and Yoyo... whom by the way I'd be happy to push off the top of a tall building?” she could see Beat's nervousness to how stupid he thought what he was going to say sounded, and was trying to hide the urge to just laugh in his face about it before she had even heard his answer.

“I... I just don't want you to get the wrong idea that's all.”

“Wrong idea about what?”

“Wrong idea about how I felt when you where squeezing my hand when I was stuck underneath all the concrete and plaster when the building collapsed.” Beat just blurted out, wishing he hadn’t and was now feeling immensely stupid. “The only thing I remember was being in total darkness with my arm trapped under something from where I was being crushed, I assumed it was outside in the open as all I could hear was your voice telling me things where ok and that help was coming and you squeezed my hand to make sure I was still alive.” he took another deep breath and this time held it, waiting for Ryth to laugh at him and put him out of his embarrassment.

“Is... is that what you think about when you zone out?” Ryth sounded pretty stunned. “Me finding you under the rubble and holding your hand?”

Beat closed his eyes tight. “Yeah. At the time I didn't think anyone would have cared and would have left me there wither I was dead or not. All I wanted right then was to have died and the fact that I had wished it upon myself.... was why I was left to have it happen slowly and painfully as a sort of punishment for wanting it so badly. In the mist of it I think I came to at some point as all I could here was your voice shouting either at me under everything or others above it all.... but the feeling I got when you squeezed my hand was like.... I can't describe it properly at least I don't think I can.”

Beat opened his eyes and Ryth was sure she could see something different in them, something quite innocent being unshielded from the general walls of self preservation.

“I felt wanted....I guess. I don't really know... maybe it was hope that someone actually did care enough about what happened to a waste of breathable air like me.” he shrugged it off. “Look it doesn't matter any more alright? Everything’s well good... with that stuff anyway.... everything else still needs to be worked out but one thing at a time right?” he gave Ryth a tap on the arm to indicate he was fine. “Come on let's get back.” He stood up holding the little devil and picked up his art supplies.

The walk back to the apartment was done in silence, Ryth full of all these unsaid questions that she felt needed answers to but was afraid to ask. She still wanted to know more about that day in question but there was no way he'd be able to give her the answers she wanted. Back in her little temporary room she spent a little bit of time pottering around trying to make it feel more like she lived there trying to take her mind off it.... unfortunately all it did was make her stare at some toys she placed sitting on her pillows wondering why someone who fought pretty much everything thrown at them would only be doing it in hopes that it would kill them.


In honesty when they first met, she did lead him on a wild goose chase all those years ago and didn't really spend much time getting to know him since. She still remembered the pink paint she sprayed down the back of his shirt to grab his attention from whatever he was painting on the wall down in Korgane-cho. The chase around the city and it's skylines was incredible, so full of adrenaline till he miss judged a jump and fell through the roof of an old factory building. Ryth  sat with him till the ambulance came, though afterward when they came across one another again she was officially a member of the GG's and the rest was pretty much history. At the time out of all of them he wasn't the loudest or the most obnoxious; like most people you find in street gangs - and to some degree even within the GG's itself  - but was the most playful and carefree until the Golden Rhinos, a real faction of the Yakuzua, began to see the GG's and other smaller street gangs as a threat to their mafia frame work in the city.

Everyone had to get serious, and everyone found different ways to find release from the stress of having to fight for their survival on the streets of Tokyo-to. Some turned to alcohol, some to drugs and some to more outward signs of violence, and at the time the GG's tried to keep things as loose as possible despite the clear signs of people falling apart and in away pushed the lighter hearted members including herself in a way to put up barriers between themselves and certain people to protect themselves and small internal alliances ended up forming without them realising it. Ryth knew she ended up making a small pasty with Soda, Yo-yo and Combo as they seemed the least bothered by things that where going on, Gum pretty much started to alienate everyone with her own issues and try to control all the girls which is why Cube had ended up leaving, Garam tried to be on side with everyone while Corn was his usual aloofness. Like Garam, Beat didn't really want to be enemies with everyone but unlike Garam it sort of didn't work out as well. In a way he was always forced to pick a side and when all your friends are all at each other of various reasons you could see why he tried so hard to stay out of it. The other consequence of staying out of things was that those who wanted you to give a damn went out of their way to guilt you into doing things and simply just taking unwarranted abuse.

Maybe that's why he made friends with Jazz and Clutch while he was trying to find out what happened to Yo-yo on his own? It annoyed her that they will no matter what they tried to do to be seen as one of the GG's, despite everything they have done in the gangs name, they would never be accepted as them. So much so infact that after her relationship with Yo-yo ended back on track, the stuff that he had said ended up being the end of it between them. She couldn't believe how much of an ungrateful arse hole he was towards all three of them despite risking their own skins to save his hide. Even now, Clutch and Jazz kept their respective distance, though for reasons Ryth was probably never going to know.

“Hey, are you sure you're alright? You've been really quiet since we got back.”

Ryth looked up to see Beat slouching against the doorway, a concerned look on his face.

“It's not the thing with your mother and that stupid marriage thing that's bothering you again is it? I'm sure we can work something out, She can't be above negotiation right? I hear money talks.”

This made Ryth smile. “What are you going to do? Give my mother a drowery? I doubt anyone can compete with a whole bloody business empire as one.”

“Is that what it's called? Didn't think there was a more sanitised version of the word 'bribe'.” he looked a tad uneasy when he said it. “But think about it... what has a young looking business man have to gain out of an arranged marriage with a girl he's never met before? I mean you know what your mother hopes to gain out of it right? Have you though about what she might be loosing out of this arrangement too?”

Ryth gave him a lop-sided stare. “Have you been thinking too much about this?”

Beat shrugged. “Maybe. But you said yourself you're not umm... you know... anyway,” he coughed. “I wonder, if he knew that... what would he like to get out of this deal to make up for it? I can't see a person like that in it unless he was getting something out of it... I mean isn't the point of an arranged marriage to pair off two single virgins who can't get their own partners? Correct me if I'm completely wrong here which I'm sure as hell I am but hey I can't pretend to understand why people do it in the first place.”

Ryth gave him a less than impressed expression but was happy to let it slide as he did have a point.

“I will ring her and ask. I doubt she would tell me though if there was.”

“Maybe but at least you'd have worked out something is odd just after a few minutes of talking. That's how I usually find out when my brother's need cash.” Beat smiled. “So... anyway still thinking of a way out of it right?”

“Sadly.” Ryth caved. “Unless you have any bright ideas, I think I'm stuck.”

“Well you and Yo yo are still pretty close right? Why not tell them you've already got a partner and I dunno... all go out for dinner or something? Maybe seeing that you have an existing life of your own would make her arranged marriage fall through... maybe? I don't really know any other suggestion that doesn't get any less complicated than that one will.”

“Ha,” Ryth snorted. “do you honestly think Yo yo would be able to pull that off without taking it the wrong way? I don't know if you missed the memo but we're not that close anymore. Infact I'd rather keep away from Yo yo and his 'wandering hands' if I can help it.”

“How about someone who's got a brain that this about other things than just sex then? You could always ask Corn... He's usually pretty good at subterfuge.”

“Maybe. I'll think about it.”

“Well don't think about it forever otherwise you'll end up married to someone who you may not like.”

“Maybe... They do say arrange marriages last longer than most others do.” Ryth gave Beat a smile. “Don't look at me like that Nate, I’m not considering it for a second, it was just food for thought.”

“I just hope you know what your doing.” Beat still sounded mildly concerned. He had never had his name shortened before by anyone else other than his brother, and while that usually annoyed him, coming from Ryth it didn't sound so bad. He stopped leaning against the door frame and walked back into the main living space, leaving the door wide open so Ryth could still talk to him if she needed to.

Beat reached over the record player he had and turned on a bit of music. Ryth was surprised that he was into music at least from the previous century and beyond and some really beat – filled jazz music from the 90's vibrated out from the speakers, causing a smile to cross her lips when she heard it. For the first time in many years Beat seemed to be enjoying himself, clicking his fingers along to the beat and Ryth couldn't help noting a bit of a bounce in his step too. Ryth got up off the bed and also entered the main room unable to help herself, being mesmerised by pure innocent joy of another person just being happy despite the world outside doing everything possible to kill any positive things in life one might have.

Ryth took his outstretched palm and they both started just making up a bit of a dance with each other, neither of them really used to classic styled dance since rap and break dance was all the major rages in the 23rd century and beyond though it was definitely something Ryth decided she would eventually have to learn just so she could spend more time like this with Beat. She was having so much fun and didn't want it to end. It would have to at some stage but for now this tiny moment in time was something she wanted to last forever.

                    ***

Ryth woke up in the dark, her heart racing and pounding against her chest. She couldn't recall what had woke her up but she knew the nightmare would still be there when she tried to go back to sleep.
She rolled over a few times trying to get comfortable again but to no avail. In the end she wound up staring at the ceiling. She gave up and dragged herself out of the bed and into the main living area. The apartment was always so different at night, and felt more quiet than usual even though the devils where still growling in their sleep in the little pouch bed of theirs on the floor beside the couch. Without thinking she was opening the door to Beat's room and was surprised he wasn't really asleep, but reading with a small book lamp on. He looked up puzzled. “Your'e still up?” he asked, sounding tired himself. He looked so different with normal glasses on Ryth considered and was surprised he needed them to read since he never normally wore anything that wasn't sunglasses.

“I had a nightmare and I can’t go back to sleep.”

Beat put the books down. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Ryth hesitated. She really had not thought this through. “Not really. I just want to be near someone till I feel a bit better to go back to bed.”

“Do you want me to get up and make a hot drink or something? I don't mind sitting up... I don't generally sleep well anyway.”
“Well I don't really want you to go to that much trouble.”

Beat smiled. “It's no trouble... unless you want to sit here and read with me a bit?”

Ryth rolled her eyes. “I don't own any books. They're lame.”

Beat looked over the top of his glasses, something Ryth didn't realise that without sunglasses looked  more questioning than sexy like she used to think it made guys look. “Seriously?”

Ryth sat down on the end of the bed. “My mother thought a real lady shouldn't be taught to read. It's gives them ideas above their station. It never seemed to include her though.”

“Can you read?” he asked.

“Of course I can, just.... not books. All those words all crammed into a page together becomes a blob of text after a few sentences.”

“So that explains why your text messages are always half legible then?” It was no secret that Ryth usually took a few days to decipher anything on her phone unless it was under seven or eight words long and why her mum's messages about her engagement was sent over the course of multiple tiny messages as if she knew her daughter wouldn't have understood enough of what she wrote to argue about the marriage. Too bad for her Ryth was a lot brighter than that and eventually worked it out, though Beat probably had to admit before she told him she'd most likely spent hours with a dictionary. They never really brought it up as reading and writing never really figured into the Gang life style much anyway.