noice

CHAPTER 1: Mikey

I stand up straight with my hands in my pockets in an attempt to look taller and more intimidating in front of my subordinates, like Kenny, my vice president. I inhale deeply, and announce the sick traitor and publicly expose them to the rest of the gang. The traitor freaks out and tries to run. I roll my eyes uninterested in the current situation. I would rather be spending time with Lara than dealing with the traitor. I look over to Lara with a bored voice “go deal with him.” She nods and struts over to him and begins to beat him. I point to Lara beating the traitor “this is what happens when you betray Taiken. You are dismissed!” The rest of the gang yelled yes simultaneously and dispaned. Lara however, still continued to beat the traitor. “Alright enough!” I yelled. She kicked the guy's body once more then smiled at me cheerfully and walked off. Like the sass she has isn’t already enough.

CHAPTER 2: Lara

I watched as Mikey announced the traitor and he made a run for it.  I looked to Mikey for approval to take him down. Mikey looked at me clearly uninterested, and told me to show what happens to traitors.  I jumped down from the platform and kicked the traitor in the back of his head, pinned him on the ground and proceeded to beat the shit out of him repeatedly. I was exhilarated and enjoyed the opportunity to deal with this traitorous bastard. I took the pleasure in punishing the traitor and wished I could encounter traitors more frequently. I heard Mikey yell something behind me and everyone else started leaving. He told me to stop so I stood up and kicked the guy once more for good measure. I turned and smiled at Mikey before heading home.

CHAPTER 3: mikey

I watched as Lara walked away, a satisfied grin on her face. As I saw her departing figure, a wave of conflicting emotions washed over me. I had always admired Lara's fierce loyalty and unwavering dedication to the gang. Her ability to handle difficult situations with confidence and brutality was a testament to her strength.

However, at that moment, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The way she revelled in punishing the traitor made me question the darkness that lurked within her. While I understood the necessity of dealing with threats, I had always strived to maintain a balance between a gang that protects rather than attacks.

As the rest of the gang dispersed, I found myself standing alone, deep in thought. The adrenaline rush from the confrontation slowly faded, replaced by a lingering sense of doubt. I had to address this issue, not only for the sake of the gang but also for the person I cared about.

With a determined expression, I decided to confront Lara about her behaviour. I knew that open communication was crucial, and I couldn't let our relationship be clouded by unspoken concerns. I made my way home, preparing my thoughts for the upcoming conversation.

Later that evening, I found Lara sitting on the rooftop of our hideout, gazing at the city lights. I took a deep breath, gathered my courage, and approached her. The wind carried my words as I spoke softly, "Lara, we need to talk."

Lara turned to face me, her eyes revealing a mix of curiosity and confusion. "What's on your mind, Mikey?" she asked, her voice tinged with genuine concern.

I hesitated for a moment, choosing my words carefully. "I couldn't help but notice how you handled the traitor today. It was brutal, Lara, even for someone in our line of work."

A flicker of defiance flashed in Lara's eyes, but she quickly composed herself before taking a second to think. "Mikey, he betrayed us, put us all at risk. He deserved what he got."

I sighed, trying to remain calm. "I understand the gravity of his actions, but there's a line between justice and vengeance. We have to be careful not to lose ourselves in the darkness."

Lara's expression softened, and she reached out to place a hand on my arm. "Mikey, I've always had your back, and I always will. I know the difference between right and wrong. But sometimes, justice requires a heavy hand."

I nodded, appreciating her loyalty but still concerned. "I trust you, Lara. I just worry about the toll it takes on you. We need to find a way to maintain our principles without losing sight of our humanity."

Lara smiled gently, her eyes filled with understanding. "You're right, Mikey. I appreciate your perspective. Let's promise each other that we'll keep each other grounded, okay? We'll remind one another of the path we set out on together." I felt weird after she said that as if she was… lying?

I felt a weight lift from my shoulders as I reached out to clasp Lara's hand, shrugging off the previous thought with glee taking over my face. "I promise, Lara. We'll face the challenges ahead together, without losing sight of who we are." after i had said that we both headed our separate ways.

CHAPTER 4: lara 

I walked away with a satisfied grin on my face. Well that was fun I thought as I made my way to Tenjiku, the gang I'm actually loyal to.

I walked in the front door only to be blocked by some new looking members who were quite short. “Who are you little girl?” he said, trying to intimidate me. “Haha” I bent down so I was the same height as him. “Who are you talking to, little boy? "I said with a grin on my face, mocking him. 

He swung his fist at me so I kicked him in the face and continued to liams, the leader of this damn place they call home, as the other newbies ran off. 

I stride into liams office and get a glare from the new guys that had clearly run here to get Kale, the supposed “big guy” to come beat me up. “ha you wimps couldn't take me on so you came to get ‘le to beat me up” I looked over to see Kale snickering at my comment. 

I then turned to their confused faces.

“le?” One of the guys said but was interrupted when liam spoke up”oh Lara you're here, took you long enough. I see you've already met the new members.” He said with a sly expression. “Yes, I actually think there are a bunch of wimps who can't take a hit.”

I sat down on the couch next to kale. Liam eyed the new guys and said “oh really then do you think they should leave?” I looked at him and grinned “definitely.” After I said that, Liam kicked them out with no hesitation.

I left after an hour or so of filling in liam on what's going on in Taiken. I decided to head to the Taiken captain’s hideout where I ended up having an oddly long talk with mikey. 

As Mikey continued sharing his thoughts and concerns, ranting into the night, I struggled to stay engaged in the conversation. My mind drifted to other concerns. My true intentions and my loyalty to Tenjiku, the rival gang, was almost taunting to Mikey. The allure of power drew me closer to their ranks in Tenjiku, and I couldn't help but entertain the idea of finally revealing my true intentions. The horrors of the rest of Taiken’s faces brought joy to my eyes just thinking about it.

Mikey's words seemed distant, his worries trivial in comparison to the opportunities that awaited me elsewhere. My desire for more control and authority clouded my judgement, making it challenging to empathise with his concerns about maintaining a balance between justice and vengeance. It was boring me to death.

However, as Mikey spoke passionately about our ‘shared’ principles and the importance of staying true to ourselves, a ping of guilt washed over me. I remembered the companionship we had built, the trust I had nurtured over the years, and the bond we shared as partners in the gang even if it was all fake to begin with. Deep down, I knew that betraying Mikey and Taiken would come at a cost. It would mean severing connections with the friends I had made to fulfil my role. It would mean sacrificing a genuine bond for the promise of power.

As Mikey concluded his monologue, he looked at me expectantly, waiting for a response. I took a moment to collect my thoughts, the internal conflict raging within me. At that moment, I made a decision.

"Mikey," I began, my voice filled with uncertainty of where my loyalty truly lies at this point, after a small pause "You're right, Mikey. I appreciate your perspective. Let's promise each other that we'll keep each other grounded, okay?” I said even though it was a complete lie. I didn’t want to lose what I had with Mikey even if it almost was an inconvenience.

Mikey's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope, his faith in our bond reignited. He reached out and held my hand, a silent gesture of understanding and forgiveness.

"I promise, Lara. We'll face the challenges ahead together, without losing sight of who we are." 

At that moment I had made up my mind that I'm betraying Mikey and my true loyalty lies with Izana. 

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