Chiaki closed her eyes as a gentle spring breeze caressed her in a refreshing embrace. She breathed in and out as a smile traced across her lips. She lounged on the edge of the concrete fountain, leaning back on her arms. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the Sakura trees were in full bloom. She was so content in this moment, that she didn't even feel the desire to play her video games, at least not until she got home later. It could wait.

Chiaki wasn't usually one for fancy attire and she always felt more than a little out of place at big events. However, today was an exception. She donned a dress skirt and an elegant, black, short-sleeve low cut top. Around her neck was a necklace given to her by her mother, with a simple gold locket.

The graduation ceremony had finally come and gone. Everyone in her class had already said their final goodbyes and were ready to set out on new adventures, going their own separate ways. Most of them had already left with their families, but Chiaki had lingered. There was still someone she wanted to talk to. While she sat there waiting for him, she found herself lost in thought.

"Kept you waiting, Huh? Sorry about that"

Chiaki's eyes opened wide and she quickly turned her head to see a familiar boy standing with his hands in his pockets. She smiled warmly.

"Not at all, Hajime. I knew you would be here."

He took a seat on the fountain beside Chiaki and rested his hands on his knees. For a few long moments, both of them just sat there without saying a word. The right ones didn't come to them immediately. A heavy silence hung over them, despite their outwardly cheery dispositions.

"So… I heard you gave a speech in front of the whole assembly. What was that like?" Hajime asked, breaking the silence.

"It was… it was kind of terrifying, to be honest," she chuckled, "But once I started talking, it got a little easier."

"You're braver than me, Chiaki. What got you through it?"

"Well, they say that it's easier to give a speech if you imagine the audience is in their underwear. But then I remembered that would involve imagining TeruTeru in his underwear. That made me realize that there are things much scarier than public speaking," she said, raising her finger and speaking in a "matter of fact" voice.

Hajime put his hand to his mouth and suppressed a laugh. The girl's casual, unintended savagery was something to behold.

"What about you, Hajime? How was your graduation ceremony?" she inquired.

"Oh. It was nothing special really. It was pretty standard. Some students gave speeches. I didn't, of course. I'm the last person they would want to give a speech."

"Oh… I see."

Once again, a nervous silence rolled over the both of them. It was never like this, a year prior. Hajime scratched the back of his neck and Chiaki rested her hands in her lap, quietly.

"So… I guess this is it, then," C hiaki said quietly, looking down.

"Yeah..." Hajime muttered. "So, uh... where are you going to go from here?"

"I've been accepted into a college with a really good course in game design. I'll be starting in the fall. What about you?"

Hajime opened his mouth to speak, but stopped. He saw Chiaki cast a look of cautious curiosity at him. He knew they were both thinking the same thing at that moment.

"I'll be… uh… working full time for Natsumi's family… you know, protecting her and stuff."

"Oh! It's great that you have a job already lined up. They say it's good to get into the workforce early, these days. Experience goes a long way. Heh heh," she said, attempting a sincere smile and not really succeeding. They both looked away for yet another long, silent moment.

"You don't approve of this, do you?" he asked her in a calm, serious, mature tone.

"No. I can't say I do, Hajime," she said, dejectedly.

"I understand."

"I don't want you to get hurt, Hajime. I really, really don't."

"I know that."

"And… I don't want you hurting other people. I know that's not who you are."

"..." Hajime had a hard time responding to that one but Chiaki didn't want to press any further.

"Look, Chiaki..."

"It's ok. You don't have to justify yourself to me, Hajime. I know I'm not being fair. I shouldn't even be saying these things. I was just… thinking out loud. I'm sorry."

"It's fine Chiaki..."

The sound of laughter could be heard in the distance as a clique of chattering students walked together, patting each other on the back. These long silences were absolutely killing Hajime.

"… You're happy, right?" she asked, softly.

"Huh?"

"With Natsumi and the others. Do you think you've found what you were looking for?"

"Not really," he responded with a laugh.

Chiaki was shocked at this and looked at him wide eyed.

"Oh! I didn't mean that I'm not happy. I meant your other question," he explained quickly, trying to ease Chiaki's distress. "No, I didn't find what I came to this school, looking for. I wanted to be talented. I was hoping I could find it here, somehow, but I found something else. I think it's something far more important... I'm actually happy with who I am now. I'm where I want to be in life. I don't want to be anywhere else. It's the first time I've ever felt that way before. And I found someone I can't live without."

Chiaki's look of shock changed to a warm, understanding smile. "I understand, Hajime. I hope it all works out for you. And if it doesn't, I'll always be there to help you, if you need me," she said sweetly, placing her hand on her chest. Behind that smile, she was concealing a wrenching pain in her chest. It felt like it was going to twist and turn her inside out. There were things she wanted to say, but she was too considerate for her own good.

She quickly changed the subject. "Oh, before I forget. I have something for you, Hajime," she said, withdrawing a device from her pocket. She presented it to him. "I'm sorry I didn't have time to wrap it, but I want you to have this"

Hajime took it in his hands and realized it was her treasured GPX D3. He always saw her playing it. She was glued to this thing 24/7. He rarely saw her without it clutched tightly in her hands.

"Chiaki… this thing is expensive. I can't just take this from you."

"You're not taking it. I'm giving it to you. I want you to have it. There are a lot of games you still need to play. Also, it has netplay, so we can play together some time."

Chiaki suddenly stood up, with her hands behind her back. "There's one more thing, Hajime. But you'll need to close your eyes," she said, with a slight blush on her cheeks. Hajime hadn't seen her like this. If he didn't know better, he would say she was getting flirtatious.

"Uh… sure," he said, with a nervous laugh. He closed his eyes and sat still. Chiaki looked around nervously and leaned towards him, swiping the hair out of her face with her right hand. Her face grew hotter and more flushed as it grew closer to his. He froze up stiff as he could feel her warm presence. He knew they were face to face. The warmth of her breath could be felt on his lips.

Chiaki's chest was on fire. She knew this might be the last time she would ever see him. This was her last chance and they were only inches away. However, something else was eating away at her. Guilt. She knew this wasn't right. It wasn't fair to Hajime, Natsumi or anyone. If this was to be their last moment together, she had no right to ruin it with such a self centered act. At the last moment, she placed her hand on his head and planted a kiss on his forehead.

"Take care of yourself, Hajime."

Hajime took one last look over his shoulder, at the tower of Hope's Peak. It still glistened and towered above him like it did when he first arrived, but all traces of his initial discontent and sense of inferiority had been washed away. He turned his back to the school and began to walk away. He could see Natsumi and the others, loading their bags into a black SUV, preparing to set off. Hajime was about to walk over to join them when he heard a familiar voice.

"Mr Hinata," said a cool, reserved voice from behind him. He turned around to see the amethyst haired, young detective standing with crossed arms. "May I speak with you for a moment?"

"Umm..." Hajime responded, hesitantly, glancing over to the others. Was she really going to hassle him right as he was literally about to leave the school forever?

"I'm not here to interrogate you or accuse you of anything.. I… would actually like to apologize. I was far too accusatory of you, without proper evidence," Kyoko apologized, still speaking in her stern, cold tone of voice. It seemed to Hajime that it was the only way she knew how to talk.

"Oh.. well… It's not a big deal at this point. Don't worry about it," Hajime responded, scratching his head awkwardly.

"If you would allow me, I would like to discuss a few things with you before you leave."

Hajime looked at her curiously. He was uneasy around this girl, but something told him he should hear her out. The two of them sat down at a picnic table under a tree, at the edge of the courtyard. There were no other students around and they could speak openly. Hajime was the first to speak up.

"So, how's the investigation coming? Is it pretty much wrapped up now?"

Kyoko looked troubled and glanced away. "As far as the school and police are concerned... I suppose it is," she said with a hint of chagrin.

"But what about you?" he asked, obviously keying in on her body language.

"No. Not quite. There are still some questions that remain unanswered."

"Like what?" Hajime replied with a hint of nervousness.

"I am not accusing you of anything, Hinata. On the contrary. I am sharing this information with you because I believe you may be able to help me."

"Oh… Uh, I'll do my best, I guess," Hajime replied. "So what's bothering you?"

"First of all, the location of the student council killing game has yet to be discovered. Enoshima's lair was searched from top to bottom and it does not match the location seen in the videos. We couldn't even uncover any clues as to the whereabouts of that location."

"I see… That's pretty important."

" Yes. It is a crucial piece of the puzzle that remains missing. Although, we did discover how the student council was spirited away from the school. There is a second exit that leads outside the school grounds."

"Is that how Ryota Mitarai escaped too?" Hajime blurted out. Kyoko looked at him curiously.

"Yes… but how did you guess that?" Kyoko asked, with a hint of suspicion. Hajime realized he might have said too much..

"It's… just a basic deduction. He killed himself outside school grounds, right?"

Kyoko put her hand to her chin and looked away, ponderously.

"That is… another topic of contention for me. Mitarai's death is highly suspect."

"Do you think foul play was involved?" Hajime asked. Kyoko looked at him with her blank cold eyes and nodded.

"Mitarai fits the mental profile of a potential suicide victim. I can't deny that. A troubled past, high stress, anxiety, depression. Perhaps he was scared of being caught and convicted as an accomplice. But still, his actions make little sense. Why would he escape, only to kill himself?"

"That's true. That part doesn't really make logical sense, but it could have been a last minute decision. Criminals in police chases have done the same thing in the past."

"Yes. I'm not discounting that possibility entirely, but I think it is important to put ourselves in Mitarai's position. One of the few pieces of information we were able to get out of Komaeda was that Mitarai expressed to him that he was being held under duress. He was being forcibly conscripted by Enoshima to serve her interests. As such, in his position, he should have welcomed his liberation."

Hajime thought about this for a moment. "Well, maybe he was more complicit than he wanted to admit. Maybe he just said that as an excuse to cover for his actions. Then, when he realized he wasn't going to get away with it, he decided to kill himself."

"Before we discuss this any further, are you aware of what kind of work he was doing for Enoshima? Or, if we are to believe him, work he was being forced to do for Enoshima."

Hajime scratched his head. "He's the Ultimate Animator, right? I really don't know what use he would be to her."

"What if I were to tell you that Ryota Mitarai had devised sophisticated brainwashing techniques, using animated sequences and patterns with intense subliminal messages."

"What? Could he really do that?!" Hajime asked, in disbelief. That sounded really far fetched, even for an "Ultimate," It was like something out of a Sci-Fi movie, but it would explain why Junko would take such an interest in him.

"I'm not supposed to tell you this, Hinata. This is highly classified, so you will take this to your grave. One way or another. Is that understood?"

Hajime nodded nervously, as Kyoko glared daggers at him.

"We uncovered disturbing information. Enoshima had already begun experimenting with this tool in vile and inhuman ways. I would rather not discuss them in detail."

"That's… crazy. That kind of power in the hands of someone like her..."

"Yes, and If we hadn't stopped her when we did… well, we probably wouldn't be alive to have this conversation," Kyoko paused for a moment and furrowed her brow. She looked into Hajime's eyes. "Hmm..." she murmured.

"What is it?" he asked, nervously.

"Did you not notice it as well, Mr Hinata? How… suddenly and abruptly all of this came to an end, just at the perfect moment? Doesn't that strike you as odd?"

Hajime pondered this. He had these same suspicions, but no one else seemed to share them, up until now. "Yeah. I thought the same thing."

"Junko's plans were incredibly sophisticated and well planned. She managed to work her way right under the school's nose and if she hadn't been caught when she was, she would have likely succeeded in her plans," Kyoko said in a dark, ominous tone.

"That's true..."

"Nagito Komaeda. He is a member of the 77th class and the one who killed Junko Enoshima. He was questioned about it, but his answers were vague and nonsensical. We couldn't extract any valuable intelligence from him. Most of all, we weren't able to determine where he attained the location of Junko Enoshima's lair."

Hajime thought back on that as well. When he had asked Nagito about that, he simply received a blank smile in response. What was that boy hiding?

"In my view, this is a glaring omission that calls the entire investigation into question."

"Do you think that Komaeda was in league with Enoshima?"

"That seems unlikely. Their ideologies were polar opposites. Also, Komaeda has been out of the country for months, and since he has been back, he has been under close surveillance. I think that all of the clues we have examined points us towards a different possibility."

Hajime came to the same realization as Kyoko said this.

"What if Junko had another accomplice that has yet to be revealed?" Kyoko theorized, as Hajime's blood ran cold.

"Do you... think there is someone else out there, as we speak?"

"It is just a hypothesis. I have no hard evidence to back this up. They haven't made a move in the past 4 months. That certainly detracts from my theory, but if I'm correct, the same person who organized Junko's downfall from within also murdered Ryota Mitarai. It would mean that they are still out there and they could have a truly world shattering power at their disposal."

"Why are you telling me all this, Kirigiri?"

The young woman paused for a moment, before replying. "Truthfully, I am still not convinced that the Yakuza are totally uninvolved in this series of events. There is something at work here. I don't know how it all ties together, but perhaps you will be able to uncover something."

"Uh, sure. I'll see what I can do," Hajime replied, still not sure if she was suspicious of him as well.

Hajime could almost see the hint of a smile on Kyoko's lips. Almost. She nodded. "Thank you Hinata. If you should acquire any useful information, please relay it to me" she said, turning to walk away.

The amethyst haired girl stopped in her tracks. "Oh, and one more thing, Hinata… If this person does, in fact, exist, and if you should happen to run into them… do whatever it takes to stop them. Whatever it takes."

Hajime, straightened his tie as the elevator ascended. This was the first time that he had returned to the Oshigori tower in many months. Peko, Natsumi, and Fuyuhiko stood alongside him in the elevator. All of them were still wearing their graduation clothes. Natsumi still donned her white dress. Peko wore a skirt with black button up coat and tie. It was formal and professional. Fuyuhiko wore his new trench coat over his suit. He was slightly taller than when he had first met Hajime. His hair had grown longer too and he had a short ponytail tied behind his head. He crossed his arms impatiently as they ascended the tower.

The elevator doors opened with a ding, and the four of them stepped out. The executive chamber had large, concave bay windows behind the Oyabun's desk. The surrounding windows also gave a wide and dizzying view of the city below. Rain gently drizzled outside and the misty clouds looked like they were nearly at arm's reach. Three men awaited them. The Oyabun sat at his desk, flanked by Yudai Sagara and Takuo. They stood, arms crossed. Waiting for them.

"Welcome" the Oyabun said solemnly, his fingers interlocked and his elbows resting on the table. He closed his eyes for a moment. The four young graduates stood in a row bowed to him. The room was silent in that moment, save for the rain outside.

"I would like to say a few words. If you don't mind," he said, standing up from his chair, placing his hands on the desk and resting his body weight on them. Natsumi looked at him curiously.

"Dad?..." she trailed off. He looked more serious than she had seen him in a while. The Oyabun walked around his desk and stood in front of the four of them, with his hands behind his back. He looked over each of them.

"Every generation of our clan has had a great struggle to overcome. They have all had to forage their own page in history. The four of you are no exception to that rule. You are part of that history. I know that you have endured a lot. You've come face to face with death, time and time again. I know without a doubt that the future of the Kuzuryu-gumi is in capable, strong hands."

The four of them felt a swelling sense of pride as they stood there. They were no longer the kids they were when they entered Hope's Peak. As Hajime looked around he saw proud, strong adults, with unwavering resolve. He never really stopped to appreciate how much they had progressed, until now. They were hardly recognizable.

Matsushige first walked up to Fuyuhiko. He reached out his hand, which Fuyuhiko did not hesitate to return. Fuyuhiko's grip was noticeably stronger, which brought a smile to the Oyabun's face.

"Now there's a handshake," he said with a smirk. Fuyuhiko smirked back. The Oyabun put his other arm around Fuyuhiko and pulled him in to give him a manly hug.

"Son… I'll be honest. You are a far wiser and far stronger young man than I was at your age. I can only imagine how much of a superior leader you will be when you take my place. " He said, to which Fuyuhiko blushed slightly, tipping his hat down to cover his eyes.

Peko was next in line. The Oyabun took her hand in his. She looked at him with reverence and a hint of nervousness.

"Peko… You have watched over my son since the day he was born. You are a guardian worthy of the history books. You are as resolute and strong willed as you are beautiful, and I would wish nothing else than for you to stay by my son's side forever."

Peko blushed crimson . "Y-yes, sir. Of course I will" She said, glancing over at Fuyuhiko, who was also flushed red. The Oyabun moved on to Natsumi. He took her hand as well and kissed it gently. Natsumi looked away, slightly embarrassed.

"Natsumi… you are as radiant and beautiful as your mother was... and just as stubborn. But I know that you are stronger and more caring than either of us were. And I know that one day you and Hajime will be far better parents."

Natsumi's face flushed red at the last part. "W-ha...what? What are you talking about, daddy?! It's… way too soon to be talking about that!" she grumbled as she cast a distressed glance at Hajime, who was unsure of how to react.

"Of course, of course. There's definitely no rush. I don't need to become a grandpa just yet. I'm just really proud of the woman that you've become, " he said, which caused Natsumi to look away before tightly hugging him. The Oyabun gently pet her head, just as he did when she was little. She eventually pulled away and regained her composure. The Oyabun finally moved on to Hajime.

"Last, but not least… Mr Hinata... The Hammer, himself," he said with a smile, as Hajime straightened himself rigidly at attention.

"Ever since I first heard about you, Hajime, I knew you were something special. You'd have to be, to put up with my lovely daughter's antics. However, I never expected that you would be such a blessing to my family. You have exceeded my expectations time and time again. You have tackled every obstacle presented to you and surmounted them all. You have done more for my family in a year than most do in a lifetime. My family could not be more lucky to have you," he said, reaching out his hand. Hajime clasped it tightly and shook it. Both of their hands had deep scars on them. For the first time, Hajime truly felt a personal bond with the Oyabun. For the first time, he felt that he was truly worthy to be a part of this family.

"Thanks you sir… That means a lot. I hope that I can continue to be of service to your family," he said, slightly bowing his head.

"And... just so you're aware… . If you wanted to ask for my daughter's hand in marriage, I would totally be down with that."

Hajime's mouth was agape in shock and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. Fuyuhiko and even Peko were also shocked. Natsumi's face was beet red and she beat on her father's shoulder with balled up fists.

"Goddammit dad! Stop trying to embarass me!" She cried out angrily. The grizzled Yakuza boss just chuckled.

"Hey, hey. I was just putting it out there," he laughed as Natsumi crossed her arms and pouted. Hajime sighed, but smiled warmly. Natsumi's gaze met his and she gave him a weak smile back. The Oyabun stepped back and took out a large, silver bottle of sake from a drawer in his desk.

" Today, all four of you are ready, not just for adulthood, but to become true Kuzuryu. Up until now, your lives have been all about preparation, always looking ahead to the future. Well, that future is now. It's time for you to take your place as leaders. I've seen you all in action. I know you have what it takes. So, today we make it official. Today you will join me in the innermost circle of the clan. It is time for you to take your place as the next generation of Kuzuryu."

Takuo spoke up for the first time in all of this.

"If any of you wish to walk away from this, this is your chance," he said, in an even more serious tone than usual.

"That's right," said Yudai. "This isn't something that is being forced on you. That goes for you too, Natsumi, Fuyuhiko."

"Can we just get on with this already. You already know what the answer will be" Natsumi jeered haughtily, thinly masking her nervousness and excitement. She then felt something brush against her side. Hajime had covertly slipped his hand down and nudged hers with it. She quickly took his hand in hers, interlacing their fingers.

The Oyabun poured the Sake into one glass and held it up.

"This is where it begins. The next chapter of Kuzuryu history will be written by the four of you. Everyone in this room is prepared to sacrifice, prepared to fight, prepared to kill, and prepared to die for the legacy of this family. To consummate this vow, you may all drink."

He then passed the cup around the room to all of those in attendance, including Yudai and Takuo. Natsumi, who was not accustomed to alcohol, winced a little as she sipped it down. Peko and Fuyuhiko also took their respective turns.

The last person it reached was Hajime. He looked down at the glass for just a brief moment longer than the others before drinking. It wasn't due to hesitation. It was just mind-blowing to think of how far he had come, to get to this moment. Before coming to Hope's Peak, he never would have imagined that this was the future that awaited him.

He drank it all down without any further thought.

One Day Later

( This is it? ) Hajime wondered to himself as he stood in front of the dingy tattoo parlor. The neon sign above him read "Takeshi Ink" in red neon. It gently flickered and looked like it could burn out at any moment. The walls were brick and the parlor was nestled between two larger buildings. It was noticeably older than any of the businesses in the surrounding area. It was an unassuming, "hole in the wall" type of place.

Fuyuhiko, Peko and Natsumi exited the SUV behind him and also seemed less than impressed with the locale.

"This is it? What a dump," Fuyuhiko grumbled. Natsumi also was perplexed.

"Is this really the place?" she asked Hajime.

This was where "the greatest tattoo artist in Japan" was said to be located, at least according to Matsushige Kuzuryu.

Hajime made his way up the stairs, followed by the others. It was cramped and dingy. They passed a few locked doors along the way, that were possibly for living quarters, but Hajime couldn't be sure. They finally reached the third floor, where a final door awaited them. It had a window of foggy glass with a faint light emanating from the other side. There was a speaker on the wall adjacent to it.

Hajime hesitantly pressed the button. The sound of a buzzer could be heard on the other side. The speaker crackled to life and a gruff voice could be heard. It was the voice of a man of an advanced age.

"We're closed," he said, bluntly. Hajime was a bit shocked.

"We're here for the tattoos" he said, but the man simply replied the same.

"We're closed" he grunted again, in an annoyed tone.

"I'm here with Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu and Natsumi Kuzu-" Hajime said, but before he could finish the door opened. A man in his 70s stood before them. He had tan leathery skin and a shaved head. He wore a tanktop and his torso was absolutely covered in old, fading tattoos.

"Ah. It's you four. I thought you weren't supposed to be here until tomorrow… I guess it can't be helped. Come in, " He said, beckoning them inside.

As they entered the parlor, there was a smell of cigarette smoke in the air. There was a woman of the same age as the man, sitting at a small table. There was a cast iron tea kettle on a small burner, and she puffed away at a cigarette. She looked up at them skeptically as they entered. Like the man, she had tattoos, but most of them were covered up by the sweater she was wearing.

The old man closed the door behind them and walked over to a nearby sink, to wash his hands.

"My name is Fujio Takeshi. And this is my wife, Anzu. We have served the Kuzuryu family for 3 generations. And it looks like you will be the fourth. But seriously, why did this have to be on my day off," he grumbled.

"So… how does this work? Do we get a catalogue to look through or what?" Fuyuhiko asked as the old man just sighed in response. His wife, Anzu stood up. She took the cigarette out of her mouth and mashed it on a nearby ashtray.

"One does not simply choose their markings. They must reflect who you are within"

"What? So you're just gonna choose them for us?!" Natsumi complained. The man shook his head.

"I won't choose anything. You will receive a tattoo befitting your true self. My job is simply to look within you and bring out that form," he explained. The four of them were suspicious of this, but if it was truly a Kuzuryu tradition, it seemed unwise to protest too much.

"You two will be with me" Anzu said, gesturing to Peko and Natsumi. The two of them looked at each other and nodded. They followed the woman into one of the back rooms. The woman closed the door behind them, leaving Hajime and Fuyuhiko with the old man.

"Right this way, gentlemen, and we will begin" He said, gesturing them towards the other back room. As Hajime stepped into it, he saw a cushioned table, and shelves of various inks. There were tools laid out on a table in the corner of the room. Hajime did not see any electric tools among them. All of Takeshi's implements were as old fashioned as it gets..

"So, which of you will be first?" he asked. Hajime looked over at Fuyuhiko who was visibly sweating. He was not a fan of needles, by any means. He had expressed this to Hajime before they got there. He was not looking forward to this. He glanced nervously over to Hajime, trying his best to mask his apprehension.

Hajime sighed and stepped forward. "I'll go first," he said, with a bit of reluctance. As soon as he said that, the old man walked up to him and looked into his eyes intensely. Hajime was a little taken aback by that. He analyzed Hajime's posture. He roughly grabbed Hajime's chin and he moved his head around, reading his facial features.

"Very well. Take your shirt off and take a seat" He said, gruffly. He walked over to the shelf of inks and began to pick out a base and many different colors, laying them down on the small bedside table.

"What is your name?" He asked.. After slipping off his shirt, the young man rested his hands on his knees.

"Hajime Hinata" he answered

"Why did you join the Kuzuryu?"

"Huh? Why do you ask?"

"It's a strange thing, Mr Hinata. You have a peaceful aura. It's abnormal for men of the Yakuza to have such an aura. I don't mean to insult you. If you have been chosen to receive your ink, then you have already been deemed worthy, but it still makes me wonder what led you here."

"I..." Hajime paused for a moment. "To tell you the truth, I didn't seek out the Kuzuryu-gumi. This path just opened itself up to me. It's true that I never belonged on this path... but I took it anyway. Now, I have people who I care about. I want to make them proud and I want to protect them. So, I'm going to take this path wherever it leads."

The old man nodded and closed his eyes.

"I see, Mr Hinata. I know exactly what your mark will be. Lay on the table, so we may begin."

Hajime lay on his back, with his arms at his sides. He breathed in and out slowly and stared up at the light above them. The radio could be faintly heard in the background. The old man placed a handful of ink bottles on a small metal table beside the bed. He unrolled a cloth with various sized needles and tools. The needles were then attached to a primitive implement with an edge similar to an old style ink pen, and it followed a similar principle. The man also had a small mallet that was used to lightly tap and dig the needle into the skin.

Old man Takeshi took a small disinfecting pad and wiped it all over Hajime's upper pectoral and shoulder. He then dipped a needle in the ink and slowly placed it against Hajime's skin.

Hajime took a deep breath and then felt the sharp implement penetrate his skin The initial shock made him wince. It hurt, but not quite as badly as he expected. He had experienced far worse pain before. Being tattooed was an unpleasant experience, by anyone's admission, and it only got worse as time went by. He remained still and allowed the artisan to continue his agonizing work. The sound of monotonous clicking could be heard as the man tapped the needle applicator over and over, etching the ink into Hajime's skin. As the tattoo progressed, the pain became more and more fatiguing. It just went on and on. Time seemed to slow down.

Hajime was beginning to feel feverish and slightly nauseous. It was an effect of the toxins in the ink. Some of the inks had traces of snake venom, which produced more powerful colors, but also induced more pain. Hajime was beginning to feel delirious, as the man continued the ink work down his arm. He sat upright as the old man sprawled the elaborate drawings all the way down his right arm, to the mid forearm. The tattoos led all the way up to his upper-right shoulder and parts of his upper chest and back.

After a few grueling hours, the old man's work was finally complete. He set his tools down and wiped his hands off with a cloth. He let out an accomplished sigh. "We're finished. You haven't passed out, have you? " he asked in his typical harsh and impatient voice.

"I'm fine" Hajime mumbled deliriously. His head was still spinning and he felt ill. However, there was an undeniable sense of relief to be free of the needle. He swung his legs to the side and slid off the table, onto his feet. He was wobbly at first, but he was able to find his balance.

"There's a mirror on the other side of the room," the old man gestured to Hajime. The young man walked over in a zombie like state, until he saw his reflection. It shook him back to reality. He saw what had been permanently etched onto his body.

An elegant blue dragon wrapped its way around his arm, all the way down to his wrist. It was set upon a stormy background, with golden clouds and raging seas. The dragon was emblazoned with a red,fiery mane, and yellow spines running down its body.

"The blue dragon… It symbolizes wisdom, protection, temperance and righteous fury. Bare it proudly, Mr. Hinata."

Hajime slid on his tank top undershirt and grabbed his white collared overshirt off of the nearby rack. He tossed it over his shoulder as he made his way to the waiting room. He was intensely dizzy from endorphins and from the venom infused ink. He managed not to stumble as he lowered himself onto a couch. He lost track of time, in his agonizing haze. The chemicals from the ink had to work their way through his system. This was as much a part of the rite of passage as the tattooing itself. He had to push through it.

It wasn't long before the door to the girl's side opened up and Peko hobbled out. She was a resilient girl, perhaps one of the most strong willed people that Hajime had ever met. However, even she was taken off guard by the pain and dizziness from the tattoo process. She sat across from Hajime and slowly breathed in and out.

"Are you holding up ok?" Hajime asked her. The silver haired girl nodded.

"Yes… Thank you. I just feel a little ill. That's all."

"It takes a while to wear off," he explained, checking his watch. He then realized that only about 20 minutes had passed since his tattoo was finished. It felt like two hours.

He glanced over at Peko, who was also donning a tank top with nothing underneath. Like Hajime, she was airing out her tattoos. It was at this moment that Hajime was able to get a better look at them.

Her tattoos sprawled across both sides of her upper chest and down her left arm. Peko's ink covered even more space than Hajime's, which is probably why hers took longer. It had a black, wavy background and was adorned with chrysanthemum flowers and foo dogs. The flowers were indicative of royalty and the foo dogs symbolize loyalty and protection against evil. If anyone deserved such tattoos, it was Peko.

The two of them sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity, as they waited for the two siblings to finish receiving their tattoos. In the other room, Natsumi clutched a foam ball and bit her lip as the needle dug into her skin over and over again. Fuyuhiko had beads of sweat dripping down his face and he kept his eyes clenched shut as the work was done.

Fuyuhiko opened the door and stumbled into the waiting room. He still had his shirt off and Hajime was able to see all of his new tattoos. The design surprised him. It wasn't quite what he was expecting. Upon a background of stormy clouds and mountains, was a sprawling sakura tree with pink cherry blossoms. A green dragon snaked around Fuyuhiko's shoulder. Hajime was unaware of the fact that all men in Fuyuhiko's family bore the image of cherry blossoms. Fuyuhiko's father and his father before him also displayed the same vibrant tree. It represented the intensity and virility of life and its short, fleeting nature.

Fuyuhiko took a seat beside Peko, hunching over and resting his arms on his legs. His skin burned and he felt like he was drunk, due to both disorientation and nausea.

"That… That wasn't so bad. It didn't hurt that much at all. He shoulda done my whole body," the boy unconvincingly boasted, with bluster. Hajime just smiled at this. The effects of the ink had mostly worked their way through Hajime's system at this point and he was feeling a lot better.

Just then, the door to the other room opened. Natsumi stood with a towel wrapped around her chest, tied behind her back. Her face was pale, her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were droopy. She didn't look well. She was even more fatigued and dizzy than the others. She took a few steps and began to lose her balance. Hajime was there to catch her and keep her from falling over.

"I've got you, I've got you," he assured her, as he helped her over to the couch, sitting down next to her.

"I'mfinedontworry," she muttered drowsily, slurring her words together. She put her hand to her face and groaned. "Ugh… I feel like...balls" she murmured incoherently.

"It will wear off soon. Just give it a minute," he assured her. The fatigued girl leaned her head limply on his shoulder, fading in and out of consciousness. Hajime was able to get a view of her tattoos. She had a full arm sleeve on her left arm. Her arm bore images of sparse red flowers and a pair of snakes. One red and one green snake entwined her arm, spiraling from her shoulder to her wrist.

The snake symbolizes good fortune, health, wisdom, but also wrath. They were elegant and somehow fitting. Hajime had no qualms as the young woman rested her head against him, snoozing away. She looked so much more innocent when she was sleeping. He always admired it.

Hajime glanced over and realized that Fuyuhiko had also passed out and he was laying his head on Peko's lap. Peko's face was crimson red and she was frozen stiff. Despite her embarrassment, Hajime was able to spot a sly little smirk creeping across the silver haired girl's lips.

Hajime shared a similar contented smirk as Natsumi rested against his shoulder, gently nuzzling him. Anzu walked into the room and observed them.

"Geez. Kids today are so soft. I got my whole body tattooed when I was their age," she scolded. She then walked over to a small closet and retrieved two wool blankets. She draped one of them over Natsumi's body and the other over the shirtless Fuyuhiko. Hajime caught a glimpse of a motherly smile on the elderly woman's face, which she quickly masked with her usual scowl.

"I have been around a long time. I've seen members of the Kuzuryu family come and go, like embers in the wind," she said, taking out a cigarette and lighting it with an old match. "Those two are the last sparks of the Kuzuryu legacy. It is your duty to keep them from being extinguished. I hope you understand the seriousness of your duty and what you may be called upon to sacrifice"

"We understand that fully," Peko spoke softly, looking down at her young master, peacefully resting his head on her lap.

"We'll lay down our lives if we have to," Hajime said, with a natural, unwavering resolve.

"You'll die? Sure, that's easy. But what about suffering for them?" the woman asked, ominously. "It's impossible for you to truly understand suffering at your age. You need to have… lived a little. Whatever you've gone through already is nothing compared to what lies ahead. I can promise you that" the old woman warned, staring deeply into Hajime's eyes, with a prophetic intensity.

Hajime looked away, and down at his arm. Perhaps it was a mirage brought about by toxins and fever, but it seemed to him like the dragon on his arm was alive and breathing. Its orange and golden eyes almost seemed to glare up at him, gauging the resolve of its master.

"You're probably right about that, ma'am... but I'm not worried about it," Hajime said, as he looked over to Natsumi. "I'm in love with this girl. So, I'm obviously just a sucker for punishment."

The old woman's grizzled visage cracked with a wry smile. "I wish you good luck, Mr Hinata. You are going to need it."