Chapter Text
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Basically, it was not Eiji’s day. He blew his chance yet again.
He knew his coach still had enough patience though to keep him on the team despite the slump. His team mates were incredulous as well, asking him what happened to ‘Fly Boy’, a nickname Eiji was starting to tune out the more losses he sprinkled to his already shitty record.
“You’re making up stuff again,” one of his friends chided him during their common break. They decided to eat at the grounds, to Eiji’s chagrin because of a great spot overlooking the field. The baseball team were doing their laps. “It’s just a slump, no biggie.”
“Don’t jinx it,” Eiji told him before sipping on his protein shake. “It’s been going on for ages. I don’t even know what’s wrong with me. I’m training thrice as hard, overpreparing before the competitions but it still keeps happening.”
“What did your coach say?” another one of his mates asked him.
“He’s… pretty chill actually-“
His friends groaned.
“What the hell, man? Then why are you making such a big deal out of it? Jeez, I thought he’ll be kicking you off the team-“
“You all sound like my mom,” he pouted. Seriously, he needed friends who were hard on him so he’d actually make progress. “If I don’t improve, I’ll seriously be kicked out.”
“It’s just your third loss this season! You’re too paranoid. So what? You got a kickass record. The coach knows it too, that’s why he’s giving you another chance-“
“What if I blow it? Guys, don’t coddle me dammit! I won’t improve if you keep doing this to me!”
“Because you’re too hard on yourself Eiji!” all of them shouted in unison, to their shock as well. All of them then started to laugh.
“For once,” his best friend said. “Pretend you know what you’re doing. Walk it all off. You’re freaking Fly Boy! Don’t make us say it again.”
“Of course I won’t make you call me that again, gosh and don’t bring that godawful poster in the competition next month! Maybe it really is all your fault! You didn’t have to put my face on it, so embarrassing!”
Eiji came home and saw his sister lounging about and hogging a quarter of their dingy dining area, the TV in full force.
“Ain’t this cool?” she said, pointing at the familiar Mafia goon in a suit and fedora. “I really wanna go to New York and meet Don frigging Corleone-“
“You can go now,” Eiji pouted. “You’re hogging the room again. Did you even make food when you came back?”
Her sister yawned and rolled over her back. Her tummy was bulging as she resurfaced.
“We don’t have that kind of shit over in Japan,” she proceeded to ignore her turn in making dinner that day. Eiji looked over their massive but empty fridge and decided to make Omurice. He also began heating water for miso.
“What about the Yakuza though?”
“Eh, those guys have freaking tattoos and cut off fingers... not sophisticated at all.”
“You’re too loud nee-san, geez...” The Yakuza weren’t people to be trifled with, especially with how Japan was currently experiencing rapid economic growth. If his sister was serious, she can book a ticket to New York for two despite her job as a sales clerk. The Yakuza were one of the main backbones of their bustling economy whether he liked it or not. If a single one of them heard her, he might end up getting mixed up with their business and that was the last thing he needed. He did not know shit about guns and he didn’t want to know.
“Gosh, you sound just like mom. You always take things too seriously y’know?” his sister laughed. “Maybe this is why you’re losing all of the time. What happened to the preppy baby brother I know?”
“I-I’m not a baby stop it!” Eiji didn’t know if the ketchup was redder than his cheeks and was keen to hide his face from his sister as he laid her his usual giant serving. “I don’t know… maybe you’re right. I’m starting to become so uptight nowadays…” It was starting to become a pain, even during his part time. His manager kept reminding him to smile when he was taking orders. “The season’s getting to me.”
“Maybe you need to take a break,” his sister said nonchalantly. She then began to scrummage the fridge for her leftover Corona. “I heard uncle’s going to NYC. Dunno when though. As much as I want to come and meet the godfathers of New York, I think you deserve it more. I also saw your stash of pics. Is that girl your-“
“Don’t look over my stuff, geez sis. Respect my privacy…” Eiji moaned. “And can’t go to New York as I please. I’m in college and I need to practice-“ he stopped. He was letting his losses get to him and making him doubt his skills. “I guess you’re right… maybe, it’s just weird for me, I guess I got too overconfident. You guys praised me all the time, so it got to my head. Then when I started to lose… Ah, shit, I’m overthinking again.”
His sister said nothing as she snagged another large chunk of food. Eiji poured more tea and let the silence blanket them completely. His head was still pounding though. He really was letting the negativity get to him.
“I’ll wash up, Ei-chan.” His sister stood up when they finished. “Sleep on it. Mom called earlier. She’s ok with you going home this weekend. Told me the bad air in Tokyo must be getting to you.”
Eiji laughed. “I really did get it from her.”
Maybe he should just quit. He was letting it poison him, his fears of hitting that damn ceiling was making him queasy, turning his legs to jelly before he even pushes that pole for lift-off.
Instead of avoiding that dose of reality, he should add that swig of acceptance in the mix tomorrow. If it doesn’t work out in the next competition, he shouldn’t stress over it too much and let it vilify him. He was Eiji Okamura, dammit. He needed to bring his old self back and smile! He shouldn’t let this drama drag him down!
Light was falling on his face by the time he squinted himself awake. He looked at his right to check the alarm clock but couldn’t spot it. Sleep was too overpowering, so he reaches out his hand and-
Air. Nothing but air. He blinked rapidly again. The light wasn’t from the sun at all, but from the fluorescent bulb in the ceiling. He raised his body. What was happening. Shit. Where was he. He turned around. There was no window, only brick walls all around. A narrow passage was behind him. On the foot of his bed was a study table with a humble collection of books. There were a few books strewn on the floor as well… What. What was going on here?
He stood up and accidentally tripped on the red trainers who were anxiously waiting for him on the bed. He felt a quick shot of pain on his forehead and let out a small cry.
“Why are my jeans ripped?” he found his mouth sputtering in horror. His arms- his arms looked pale as well. Was he kidnapped? Did the Yakuza overhear my stupid sister? Where is she?
“Yo, you ok?” he heard someone call out from that phantom passageway. Eiji immediately froze. There was a strange twang to that person’s voice. It wasn’t Japanese. Shit. These people weren’t- this place isn’t- this still must be Japan. Right? Right?
“Hey man, woah, really woke up to the wrong side of bed tonight. You should have a look at that.”
It was only then that he felt his a quick spurt of pain in his forehead. Blood was starting to trickle.
“Must’ve been a literal nail on the head.” Eiji immediately backtracked at the voice of the man, who under the light was wearing ripped jeans as well and a garish Rolling Stones shirt. He definitely looked Asian though. His skin, though pale wasn’t as pink as his was- and his mohawk was still black. “You look like you saw a ghost. What’s wrong with you?” He then began to laugh. “Come on up, man. Let’s go see if someone knows first aid around here.”
“T-Thanks-“ He covered his mouth immediately. He was speaking English. And fluent English at that.
“Dude, seriously, did you have a nightmare or something?” Mr. Sunglasses then opened the door. “I should also apologize to Skip for getting a spare set of keys. I wanted to spook you on Halloween but it’s a good thing, right? You ok, man? The floor did a good one on you…”
Eiji gasped as he opened the door. A bright-red sunset stretched above and buildings encroached his view. This is definitely not Japan…
“Man, where the hell is Skip? Must be out at the usual with the others… You should treat me this time. I’ve been a reliable friend to you for the past week, despite my duties in Chinatown. Treat me to that hotdog stand, the one you kept raving about-“
“I don’t-“ Eiji followed him, unable to make a coherent sentence because he really was not… he shouldn’t say anything stupid. He must not be in Japan anymore, judging by the narrow bricked buildings, the gratuitous graffiti, and the lack of Japanese.
They then went downstairs a dilapidated dump. Graffiti remained plastered even at the stairs as they trotted down. His blood immediately ran cold. He wasn’t tied up, surprisingly. Maybe he can make a run for it. This Chinese (he must be, right? He mentioned Chinatown) seemed nice, but he did not have a good feeling the moment he opened the door.
The people there didn’t look like nice men at all.
“The hell are you waiting for? Come on, there must be a first aid kit somewhere…”
“Shouldn’t we be going to a hospital, uh-“
“Nah, pretty sure the owner of this place is used to seeing blood here all the time-“ he laughed. “Seriously though, what’s with the hands in sides schtick? Did the hit on the head make you all polite and shit?”
Both of them then went inside a larger room with better lighting. The place was pretty packed. Two pool tables had players focused on their balls. Only two seats were occupied at the long counter of the bar as well.
“Boss, what happened to you?” a child said to him. He stared at him as well. This child definitely wasn’t Asian. Boss, what?
“I’ll buy us some drinks. Give him a quick check-up, Skip. The fall earlier might have done something to him.”
He did not understand but his stomach started to get queasy, not from the smell of booze and smoke that was permanently part of the place, or the people- because so far, despite their hard looks, the Chinese man and Skip seemed nice. It was weird. They must be mistaking him for someone else. He couldn’t be- but- his hands… everyone also seemed shorter than usual-
“Sorry, Boss. You told me to go on ahead here, I didn’t think-“
“Am I, am I really your boss? You must be mistaken?” Eiji ended up whispering to Skip’s ear.
By then, the child gave him the same reaction the mohawk man gave him earlier. “Oh my gosh, the floor really did a good one on you!”
“What’s wrong, Boss?” some of the people with cigarettes began to come closer. Why were all of them looking at him? Holy crap, what was happening? He couldn’t help but hold Skip in front of him, to the child’s surprise.
“W-Why are you all calling me Boss?” Eiji stammered as he started to inch closer to the door. “I-I think you got the wrong person.”
All of them looked at each other before finally starting to laugh. Almost everyone were now flooding closer and closer to see the commotion.
“Too early to do an April Fools, Boss!”
“G-Good effort though-“
“I got the first aid, what did I miss?” Mohawk man then sang out before looking around. “What’s up?”
“I-I-“ Shit, if these people find out the truth- But if they do believe he was someone else… he needed a mirror, definitely, and a freaking telephone. “Who am I again?”
Mohawk man’s laugh was the loudest in the din. He gave the medicine kit to Skip and threw an arm around Eiji, to his surprise. “Man, this is like all those radio soaps. Let’s play along guys. Poor Ash here landed his head on the floor during nap time. Definitely out of it.”
“Ash?” The stifling reality came like a freezing gust of wind as he took a mirror from one of the bar waitresses. He wasn’t Eiji. This- he wasn’t Eiji?
“Ash Lynx, gunslinger extraordinaire, and Boss of Manhattan,” he sang out. “Pretty sure you just suffered short-term amnesia or something. If you were not Ash, then the Magnum wouldn’t be strapped to your back.”
Eiji was shaking as he slowly pulled out a heavy object from his back. He was too enveloped with shock to notice it sooner. He looked at it in wonder. It was a gun. A real, real gun.
“So cool…” he managed to spew out. Everyone in the room continued laughing and cheering. They also made sure to get out of the way when the gun pointed at their direction.
“You running for the Academy now, man?” Shorter- at least that was the name the other guys called him- roared along with the rest. “Yo, fetch us some beer. Drinks are on me, folks. Dunno about you guys, but I know ‘Best Actor’ when I see one.”
Eiji peered at the mirror again as the rest of the people there continued having a good time, fuelled by the free drinks that Shorter secretly whispered they split the bill on. Skip began to dab disinfectant on his wound.
Compared to the face he had now, he felt sorry for the guy using his.
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