Ito Ai: A New Dawn

Later that night Ai, Seiji, and her mother Shizune went out on their hunt for resources. But when they reached a parking lot a few streets from their house, Ai and her father looked at each other and nodded. "Mom, wait here for a second while dad and I check up ahead. Last night I ran into a few thugs up ahead. If anyone comes, shoot first and ask questions later."

"Ai wait don't leav..." It was already too late as Shizune cried out. Her daughter and husband had disappeared into the darkness leaving her in the parking lot all by herself.

"Ai are you sure about this?" Seiji asked as he looked at his wife who was obviously scared out of her mind. She was looking around every which way pointing her gun at every sound she heard.

"Mhm… It is already a good sign with how she is pointing her gun at everything that moves." Pausing for a minute due to her hearing a rustling nearby. She spotted a figuring walking towards her mother. "He's here." Ai said pointing at the shadow coming into the light.

Shizune heard the sound behind her and quickly turned around pointing her gun at the man who appeared. "You! Don't come any closer!"

"Fuck! No one told me about a gun!" The man yelled, his eyes wandered around as if he was looking for someone. He paused his steps and wanted to turn around but when he remembered the threat from that girl quickly pushed those thoughts out of his head. "Listen, lady, sorry to tell you this but someone hired me to beat the shit out of you and r*pe you."

Seiji turned towards Ai, his gaze filled with anger. Ai ignored him and said: "If I do not go that far mom would not break out of her shell and enter the new world."

"Ai, I am telling you now, if anything happens to your mother..." Seiji was so filled with rage he wanted to take his daughter and spank her ass right then and there!

"If something happens to mom then it would mean I lack in training myself. But I can guarantee that nothing will happen to her. At most, she might reveal some skin, break a bone, and get beaten up. But dead men tell no tales. And then you can take her and wash away the man's dirty touch." Ai seemed to be out of her mind, crazy even. Seiji couldn't believe she would let her mother go through such an experience. He was completely regretting agreeing to this.

Seeing her father gritting his teeth to the point that it sounded almost as if his teeth would break, Ai could only shake her head. She also didn't want her mother to experience such things but this was the only way to toughen her spirit and prepare her for what was to come. "Father if you are that worried go kill him yourself and I will leave."

"Just shut up! Did I say anything!?" Seiji was doing his best to not yell out in anger. But this daughter of his was really treading his last string of sanity.

"Then don't give me that look. I do not care what you think. I am doing this for you and mom, not for myself. I hate this just as much as you but, I will not sit around with you looking at me like that. I can survive in this new world on my own. I do not need to do all this. I am doing this out of my love for my family, wishing for them to grow stronger fast. I do not want to see my parents die again." Ai's voice was bitter. She did not want her parents to die but if her father was going to judge her due to her way of training then she would rather leave than watch them die again.

Seiji swallowed his anger. He realized he went too far and he was taking his frustration of the situation out on Ai. "I said too much."

"It's fine. I just want you to know I can leave at any time if you so wish." Ai said before going back to watching the scene before her.

Seiji stayed quiet. Everything they had thus far was given to them by this daughter of theirs. She knew what was to come and only had their best interest in mind. "Ai, I'm sorry. I know you got our best interest in mind. I would never want you to leave nor will I ever tell you to leave."

"Don't worry, I understand. Just be prepared because you will need to kill someone next." Ai said without even looking at Seiji.

"I know. I am ready for it." Seiji said, his expression now showing one of resolve.

Shizune, on the other hand, was now in a tough position. The man did not listen to her warnings and kept coming towards her with this knife. The cold glint of the blade frightened her and her knees were shaking nonstop. "Please stay away, I do not want to shoot you!"

"Sorry lady I have no choice. Otherwise… " The man was scared of the young girl who tormented him. He did not want to die and he also did not want to live in fear of Ai. If he only needed to beat up this woman then there was no problem right? "Forget it I am going to have a good taste of you and make you scream my name soon."

Shizune trembled at the man's words. She turned to run but ended up tripping on her own feet and dropping her gun. The man ran over to her and kicked her in the side. Shizune yelled out in pain. She reached out to grab the closest thing to her since the man had now pinned her down and was sitting on top of her. Her hands fell on a good-sized rock which she swung with all her might right into the man's head knocking him over. She scrambled to her feet and picked up the gun, with it in her hands she turned and pointed it at the man. She remembered Ai's words before she left "If anyone comes, shoot first ask questions later."

Shizune swallowed the last bit of saliva she had in her dry mouth, aimed the gun, and pulled the trigger. The bullet sunk into the man's shoulder causing him to shout out in pain. Shizune continued to pull the trigger riddling the man and the ground around him with bullets. Even after the clip was empty she continued to pull the trigger. It was only after half a minute did she finally come back to her senses and slump to the ground. Tears rolled down her face as she held her side. The adrenaline began to wear off causing injury she had just received to scream out in pain. She could tell a rib or two was broken.

"Come on let's go. Right now she will need you the most." Ai said standing up and rushing out of her hiding spot. "Mom! I heard gunshots, are you okay!?"

Seiji almost tripped over his own feet hearing the blatant lie coming out of his daughter's mouth. But he quickly did as Ai said and ran to Shizune's side. "Nene! What happened!?"

"I… I… I killed someone!" Shizune's hands trembled as the tears rained from her cheeks. Ai's heart hurt seeing her mother like this and it made it worse knowing that she was the one to cause her mother to be in this state right now.

"Dad, carry mom. We will return home first before continuing." Ai said doing her best to not cry at this time. Seiji nodded his head and carefully lifted Shizune up.

"Ahh!" Shizune cried out as her body was jolted the wrong way.

"Dad, wait." Ai ran over and lifted her mother's shirt to look at her side. She then took a roll of gauze and an ice pack out of her backpack. She placed the ice pack on the spot that was beginning to bruise before saying. "This will hurt so bare with it." Ai said before setting the bones back in place and wrapping the gauze around her body tightly. The whole time Shizune could only cry out in pain.

The three walked back towards the house in silence. It was only when they reached the front yard that Shizune suddenly spoke up. "Ai, I'm sorry. I didn't listen to your words… I realize now things are different. This world is no longer what it used to be."

"It's fine, as time goes on you will get used to the things that you have seen and done tonight. For now, you are on bed rest until your bones heal. If you feel something is wrong internally let me know and I will find a doctor for you even if I have to drag them here." Ai said smile. Her words were said as a joke but they were completely serious.

Luckily Shizune smiled at her comment. After returning home and leaving Shizune in the care of Mai's parents. Ai, Seiji, and Mai who decided to tag along went back out into the night. This time they took the hummer. This was because Ai wanted to get materials to turn the hummer into an armored vehicle.

"So we are going to the body shop down the street?" Mia asked.

"No, before that we will first go to the variety store to get as many gas containers as possible, and then we will be going to drive around a little bit. We need to assess the damage around us. See which streets are passable or not." Ai wanted to stock up on gas while she could.

As long as they had enough gas they could move around a lot easier. As long as the roads were clear enough. But her idea was shot when they reached a few streets away and saw that the roads were all blocked off. Many buildings had collapsed and were now blocking the roads. All other roads that were not blocked lead in a direction where they wouldn't find what they need.

"So much for that idea… I never actually paid attention to the roads since I spent most of my time in the back alleys in my past life. I guess we can park it here and venture deeper into the city." Ai suggested.

But before they even got out of the vehicle Seiji pointed out in front of them. "Ai what the hell is that?"

Ai looked in the direction that Seiji was pointing and her face instantly paled. "Turn around and get home now!" Ai's heart was palpitating at the sight before them. She couldn't understand. Why did they show up so early? It had not even been a month yet!

"Ai what are they!?" Mai asked, she seemed to sense Ai's fear making her also become afraid.

"Machinas, millions of them!"