The Demon of Nakamura

Open Throttle

** I do not own any of the photos

Ryu was having another nightmare. It had been triggered by seeing what she thought was one of Tobe's men while leaving the station earlier.

"I want my daddy! I want my daddy!"

That was all little Ryu could scream as her mother dragged her towards the long black car. She could smell the cigarette smoke before reaching the vehicle. Her mother didn't say anything as her nails dug into the flesh of the small arm she had a grip on. Soon the doors to the vehicle opened and she saw it was filled with tattooed men.

"Fuck..." Ryu sat up, finally able to wrench herself out of the dream before it continued. She swung her legs over the side of her bed and looked around. It was still daylight out but she felt as if she had been asleep for a minimum of 50 years. Looking at the time on her phone it was only 2pm and her head had a jackhammer going off inside of it.

"Jesus, I'm never drinking any more of that tea again. Shit."

Standing, she stretched, her joints popping back in place. Ryu needed to do something as she needed to clear her head so she could think. If that was one of Tobe's men, she had to do something about it. She had no choice. Ryu opened the drawer on her nightstand and pulled out a half dollar coin that her father had given her. It helped give her guidance when she was indecisive.

Heads; motorcycle ride. Tails; training in the gym. It was tails.

Ryu changed into her workout clothes. Her training session would be brutal but she was ready for it. The more it hurt, the better she would feel later. It was just her brothers at home so she didn't mind not covering up completely. They had all seen her tattoo so many times that they didn't even pay it any attention any more. Ryu's tattoo is something she never wanted. It was forced on her by Tobe and her mother. A black demon that covered her entire back.   From the nape of her neck to the small of her back, there was nothing but a design of intricate ink work.  Black with shades of grey the tattoo was void of any other color. 

Black demon.

The name her mother repeated to her over and over instead of using her daughter's given name. A name she had come to not only embrace but personify.

Black demon.

The tattoo was not the only thing striking about Ryu. Underneath the clothes she always wore was a chiseled and muscular physique. Her scars were still visible but only close up. Dressed, Ryu picked up two of the free weights she had in her room to take back to their workout area.

Walking down the hallway, she heard Tomo and Seiji in the kitchen. She didn't have to say anything as she came into view, they could tell by what she was wearing that she was having a day.

They just let her go about her business. After she was gone they looked at each. Ryu was not doing good mentally and it was only a matter of time before she exploded. Hopefully her workout would help dissipate what she was feeling.

Earbuds in and music cranked up, Ryu started on the treadmill followed by the elliptical then weights. Still no clarity, so she tried the punching bag. Her shins were already scared from her nonstop muay thai leg kicks against the wooden dummy that Uncle used to practice on. After 2 hours, Ryu gave up on her workout. Now she desperately needed a shower. Walking out of the gym room she was a sweaty mess. Tomo was the first to see her.

"Feel better little dragon?"

"...no. I'm going for a ride."

"Be careful sis." Seiji was worried about her.