"Here we are, man. "

"Yeah, thanks for the ride. "

The pilot nodded as Rig, exited the chopper who just landed at destination. Which was the oil-rig platform. The place where the hood boy grew up and was respected by his fellows in his work. After being rejected in helping his new 'friends', the ninjas, in dealing with their threat, Rig had only one wish. And that one, was to reunite with his best friend, the wrestling legend, Bass Armstrong.

"Rig, dude! You're back! " A worker said.

"We missed you buddy! " Another one joined.

Rig formed a smile between his lips as he gladly went to greet his fellows.

"Damn, it has been a while, hasn't it? Where's Bass? Is he here with you? " He asked.

The workers sadly had to shake their head.

"Sorry, man. Bass hasn't shown his face since the last two weeks. From what I understood, he returned to wrestle in the ring, along with his daughter. " One of the workers said.

Rig was surprised. He didn't expect for his friend to return to wrestling, immediately after he watched that clip of his daughter making an announcement about becoming a governor... so he whistled in amazement and shrugged.

"Well, ain't surprised... whenever something comes up, that comes with the term 'daughter', he is outta here..." He said before laughing in attempt to try to lighten up the mood. "Who cares, he is sure to come back, once he hears these news of me having returned, alive and new."

He then went to do fist-bumps with the other workers before promising to resume what he lost in the work...after he took a beer in the good ol' bar he constantly spent time with Bass during breaks. Once he was inside, he noticed the people that were there enjoying themselves, some playing with their phones, playing pool and so on. This brought a smile to the Canadian.

"Oh yeah, it's good to be back home."

He approached the stool before waving the bartender who waved back.

"Good to see you again, boy." The bartender said.

Rig simply showed a smug before ordering a beer. While doing this, he put on the TV to the music channel to listen to the music. The song that started to play was "Where did the angels go" by Papa Roach.

"Hmph, not bad." Rig said.

When his beer arrived, he immediately popped it open and took a long sip from it, before groaning in pleasure from the refreshing taste.

"Oh yeah, this is the stuff, man... there is no place like home."

The bartender chuckled before telling him to enjoy it. Rig began to drink his beer and everything for him felt just like the first times he started to work in the platform. Lots of memories of when he first met Bass, how the two became friends and how the two sometimes got into fights due to Rig's behaviour. The latter had to chuckle upon remembering that last thing. He turned around, still on his seat, to look at the people talking to eachother. He grinned at all this before drinking the beer. Suddenly at unexpectedly, a voice interrupted his moment.

"Hey."

Rig stopped drinking before looking confused and then looking at the figure that was standing right in front of him. It was none other than one of the ninjas, or better yet, the leader of the Mugen Tenshin Clan, Hayate. Rig expected the worst with this guy, once he showed his mug around anywhere, but this time... it felt more like, he came by himself with nobody else, so this concluded for Rig one thing... he wanted some company. So he raised his beer bottle and yelled out to Hayate in a relaxed tone.

"Heeey, what brings you here? Care for a little drink with me, under four eyes?"

Hayate had to grin a little before raising his hands and shaking his head.

"No, thanks."

Rig's reaction was simply to shrug before resume to drink.

"Whatever. Have a sit."

Hayate did so as he sat down in the stool next to him. While he looked at the people around them, Rig began to talk.

"So, what can I do for ya?" He asked with a wink.

Hayate knew that Rig would probably laugh at him if he told him the reason why he came back to him, but he didn't mind.

"Well, let's say that while my allies are busy in try to locate Donovan...I've been entrusted to watch over you."

That made Rig raise his eye-brows, as he didn't expect this.

"Don't tell me... that brunette ninja, told you to do that...?" He said.

Hayate had to show an awkward grin.

"In my defense, it was also partly MY decision, alright? Don't get the wrong idea."

Rig chuckled as he wasn't in a bad mood anymore, now that he was back home.

"Yeah, right. I totally believe you. Hm-hm."

Hayate remained in silence before becoming serious about the situation.

"You know that Donovan might still be looking for you and will try to capture you the same way you decribed to me and to the others back in the ship. I'm here to make sure it doesn't happen again." The ninja said.

Rig scoffed a little before closing his eyes and looking relaxed as if nothing feared him.

"He, along with his bitch haired woman, doesn't scare me. I mean, they could literally have a butter-knife close to my nuts and they STILL wouldn't scare me at all." He told him.

"This is not something to joke about. " Hayate countered.

Rig simply looked at him in seriousness before putting the now empty bottle away.

"Listen, man... do I look like a helpless little infant to you? Wasn't our first fight enough to prove to you and your lovely fellows, that I am capable of defending myself?"

"And if you are so strong... how come, you STILL landed down there regardless?"

That question that Hayate just asked made Rig narrow his eyes before looking down. He still remembered how he got knocked down and so he sighed in an annoyed away.

"Damn...sometimes, you're right."

But then the Canadian smiled as the only thing he wanted right now was to forget everything since he knew that most likely Donovan wouldn't immediately try to capture him again. He began to stand up.

"Tell you what: The least I can do is having fun...and since you're here when the only task to watch over me...about we have some fun? Like playing some pocket billiards?" Rig asked.

Hayate jumped off of his stool, before shrugging in a somewhat bored way.

"Is there anything speaking against this idea?"

"Nope. You're in, buddy."

And before the two knew it, they were already busy trying to get each of their own work down, quicker than the other... but then Rig had to smirk a little, as he reminisced of Hayate's relative, Kasumi, just as he prepared the 8-ball on the table before taking the two cue sticks.

"You know... for someone, who worries way too much... I actually kinda find her hot... what was her name again, Kasumi...?" Rig asked.

Hayate raised one eyebrow at the way Rig just viewed her sister. However, he isn't the type of overprotective guy and so he just chuckled a little.

"Well...she may be quite easy on the eyes, but she isn't someone you could just take lightly you know...even if she shows kindness and worries too much." Hayate said.

Rig approached the ninja and gives him one of the two cue sticks.

"Yeah...she already proved that to me. So, shall we begin?" The Canadian asked.

Hayate slowly took the cue stick before looking at it and then with a confused look as he knew that what he was about to ask was a little bit embarrassing...at least for him.

"Umm...forgive my ignorance...but can you explain to me how this 'game' works?"

Rig's eyes shot wide open, when he heard that and he had to laugh a little.

"You're kidding me? You don't know how to play billiard? OK then, Asian Hill-Billy, then let me give you a hand. Watch."

And with that, Rig started explaining the rules of billiard... and he then showed Hayate on how to grab hold of the stick properly, before giving the white ball a strong push.

"And just so you know... the white ball is only for letting the other balls get into these holes on each corner of the table. The longer it takes you to bring all eight balls down there, the lower your chance for victory becomes, but I think, you can already imagine it, can you?"

Hayate folded his arms, while holding his cue stick on his right hand. He showed a slightly confused look but at the same time nodded, giving the impression that he kinda understood.

"I see..."

Rig had to grin at Hayate's almost confused look, and so he decided to start first as he placed the white ball.

"How about I start first, so that you can have a look in how we must push this little baby here?"

Rig ducked forward and pointed his stick directly at the front of the white ball... and then after three feints, he hit the ball right into the 8-ball in the middle, causing them to spread all across the board... which surprised Hayate and made him even more confused.

"The balls didn't even get close to all these holes..." The ninja said.

"Uhhhh... you do know, that I said, you can try as much as many turns you need, until all of them are sacked in... but in-between, we have to exchange positions..." Rig responded.

Then Hayate reflected in what Rig told him when he explained the rules before coming to one conclusion.

"So in order to win, we must push the colored balls into the holes by using the white one. And the one who will finish it first, wins. And since now none of them went to the holes...I guess it's my turn?" Hayate asked.

However, his concentration was completely interrupted by a loud voice coming from the other end of the bar. And the voice wasn't by itself, at it seemed to have an entire gang with it. A gang full of drunken workmen... and when Rig heard them, he immediately turned around, feeling very displeased about this.

"Howdy, holy-molys! Where is the parteh?!" one of the drunk men yelled.

"Not good..." Rig whispered to himself.

Hayate immediately ignored the game he and Rig were playing and soon focused on the situation since he could see the Canadian feeling alerted.

"You know these people?"

"Well, not exactly. Only that sometimes people like those come to this place and immediately start harassing people, thus causing trouble. Last time, me and Bass decided to ignore it...but this time...I guess I shall do something. I think, it's better you leave the talk to me..." Rig responded.

Suddenly, one of the drunk men threw a bottle in Hayate's direction, but Rig was fast to react, as he jumped over to the other side of billiard table, only to then smash the bottle, before it could reach the ninja.

"...or should I say, rather leave the kicking to me."

Hayate felt this impressed after this sudden save from the Canadian that it already gave him a chance to trust him even more. Before he knew, Rig was already fighting off the drunk men who were responding to the attacks, even if their acknowledge in combat is limited. Hayate noticed that as he quickly went to aid Rig.

"Isn't there another way to cool off these people without fighting them?" Hayate asked.

"Dude, they're drunk. They do not know what they are doing. This is the only way to cool them off." Rig told him.

Hayate sighed as he blocked a lame punch from one of the drunks and took him down with ease, but without hurting him too much.

"Very well... if you say so..."

Then both began beating the ever-living daylights out of these drunks and before long, all drunks were floored and Rig stretched his right arm and had to show a little smirk to the ninja.

"Looks like, you still seemed to have done your homework..." The Canadian said.

Hayate raised his eyebrows while grinning a little. The two did not break out a sweat since this felt like a warm-up for the two. However, the leader of the Mugen Tenshin Clan could see how hard Rig was going on the drunk people.

"You went all out. There was no need, you know."

All Rig could do after that, was simply putting his palm on Hayate's shoulder.

"I bet, you have never fought against drunk people, have you? Piece of advice: They are relentless. Don't give them ANY opportunities, otherwise, holding back is going to bite you back in the ass, trust me." He said.

Just as the bartender watched this in disapproval since he hated to see fight being started in his bar...a sudden male voice interrupted.

"Incredibile."

Rig and Hayate felt confused at this voice since they could hear it clearly. The person was right near them. Once they turned to him, the person revealed to be almost obese and had a long beard and had a business suit.

"You two are just what I was looking for!"

Both fighters were puzzled at what this man just said.

"Uhhh... do we know you?"

"Who are you?"

The almost fat-man chuckled before wrapping one arm around Rig's shoulders.

"Of course not. My name is Riccardo, I come from Italy. But simply call me 'Rick'." The man said.

Rig and Hayate could only look at eachother confused before resuming to gaze at this man.

"And why are you saying that-"

"Wait wait, let me get to that part. I am here for one job only. I'm here to clean the trash in the streets as well as elsewhere like here for example. But I need people who can fight, that know how to defend themselves. And just after I saw the way you just knocked down these idiots...it appears that luck has found me!" The Italian said.

Hayate and Rig, again looked at eachother in a confuse way again. Riccardo then put his other arm around Hayate's shoulders before Rig tried to get to the point.

"So...you're asking us if we would like to collaborate with you in fighting crime or something like that? What are you, a vigilante?"

Riccardo nodded.

"What if we decline?" Hayate said.

Riccardo then had a disappointed expression before releasing his arms from the two fighters shoulders.

"Then I'm afraid, the streets as well as other places will know fear. You do not want this to happen don't you? You know that the police sometimes is not enough to stop this. I can pay you if you cooperate with me."

Rig raised one eyebrow.

"Payment, huh...? Well, being financially broke is the very least I need right now, so... what are your thoughts?"

His troubled gaze fell upon his new ninja partner and the response was a little surprising to him.

"YOU can do that, if you feel like it, I am not holding you back... as for myself, I have no interest in joining your arms. I already have a job, that involves judgement, so..." Hayate said.

Rig smiled before turning to Riccardo.

"Oh well, I would probably get bored since Bass is not gonna return anytime soon...fine I guess I-"

Before he could finish, the Italian tapped Rig's shoulder and smiles giving him a paper with his phone-number.

"That's what I like to hear, kid! Here's my number. Give me yours and I'll call you when I have a task for you! "

Rig sighed before having no choice but to show his own phone number. Riccardo immediately took note before smiling once more.

"See you soon my new trash-cleaners! Let's bring some justice!"

And with that, the Italian walked away from the bar, leaving a confused Rig who gazed at the number on the paper and then to Hayate.

"I don't know about you, but this guy kinda gives the impression of a fraud."

Hayate shrugged and looked serious at the same time.

"Hm. Possibly... I mean, judging by the way, how penetrating he was with his own request of us becoming part of his own group of "trash-cleaners" and how he started nagging us about it, completely out of the blue like that... maybe it's best, if we keep an eye on him." The ninja said.

"You sure? 'Cause he looked like the kind of guy, that only has the best interests for all of us in mind, at least to me... thinking back from my perspective... guys like these were like a literal gold-mine..." Rig responded before thinking of what they should do. He wandered around a little before stopping and looking at his new companion.

"How about this: Let us, at first, try to ignore it...but if this person really calls me...then we'll do what you suggested. Keep an eye on him."

"Roger that..." Hayate said.

Rig then went to take the two cue sticks and again he offered one to Hayate.

"You still feel like continuing with our billiard match?" He asked.

Hayate had to chuckle at this before finally show a full light smile before Rig and nodding.

"I haven't even tried it yet...so why not?"

"That's what I'm talking about. C'mon."

Afterwards, the two resumed playing the billiard match...after witnessing the drunk people awkwardly walking away as well as throwing fishy comments. The two fighters could only stare at them in a strange way.

"This isn't the first time that in this bar, strange things happen?" Hayate asked.

Rig had to facepalm.

"Dude, you have no idea."