Chapter Three: Rebel Song:

Once upon a time, there was a girl who lived in the city. Her life felt like hell. Not many people dared even to approach her. She hated school, poor girl. Some of her classmates feared her, and the teachers felt the same.

She lived in hell at home. Her mom ignored her. Then there was her father. Oh boy, where to begin with him? The best word to describe him would be lowlife scum bucket. He was chronically unemployed, drank far too much, beat the crap out of his wife, and molested his daughter. Pretty much a textbook narcissist. All the girl could do was suffer in silence. Those that tried to help wound up deeply regretting it.

She prayed for death or someone to take her away. Earlier this year, she would get her wish.

In the spring, she met a delivery boy. They met when he made a delivery to her home. She was alone at the time, and as always - felt a bit needy. This seemed destined to be a love at first sight story. Like her, he too was an outcast. Maybe that’s what first drew her to him. When she opened the door, her life changed forever.

“Is this the Wakahisa residence?” he asked. Her cheeks pinkened as she nodded.

“Yes!” she confirmed.

“Is your name fate?” he asked, as his eyes stayed on hers.

“No…” she shook her head.

“Aw, should be. It was destiny for us to meet.” His smooth words made her heart flip.

“Would you like to come in or are you too busy?”

“Oh, no, no. You’re my last stop for the night.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“Well… uh… wow!” She shuffled nervously from foot to foot, red-faced. “Okay, come in!”

“Thanks.” He followed her into the house.

From that day forward, he always arranged his deliveries so that he could drop around to her place more frequently. He even began showing up after his shift. Naturally, her father did not enjoy the idea of some young interloper hanging around his women. The last thing that pervert wanted was to share his daughter with another boy. He thought about disposing of the boyfriend. More of that later…

The young lovers grew to feed the darkness in each other. She felt that she could trust him, and freely voiced her frustrations to him.

“I hate them all!” she complained on their way to his secret weapons supplier. “I wish they all would just fucking die.”

“They will, baby. We’ll see to it tonight.”

She stopped in her tracks, trembling. “Wait!”

“Having second thoughts?” He paused, giving her a strange look.

“No. That’s not it,” she said, shaking her head.

“Then what is it?” he asked.

“We have to spare Shu-kun,” she insisted. “He's never done anything wrong.”

“Fair enough,” he said, shrugging.

He opened the door and led her by the hand into the surplus store. The sound of the door chime ringing as they entered excited them, signaling the beginning of a new adventure.