Afternoon. The part of the day where things begin to slow down. Most people have fully gotten into their routine and at some point relatively soon, will finish their daily routine and call it in. For some this is a job to earn a living, for others a task that needs doing, and for some… well for some it's as simple as hanging out with some friends at a local pub.
Men, woman, patrons of all sorts were clinking mugs and glasses of various sizes and alcoholic refreshments taking in the atmosphere that came with them. Blushing faces and alcohol fuelled smiles lit up the room, providing a… unique environment.
"Hey, how about another round?" One extremely tall man with a small scruffy black beard, raised his mug out.
"Sure, just give me a minute." A nearby waitress responded.
All seemed happy and well, at least from an observer view. The patrons quite content in the social bubble that they made for themselves. A bubble which was unfortunately for them, about to pop.
The doors to the pub creaked open, followed immediately by the sound of thudding on the wooden floor. The abrupt sound made the majority of those inside the pub look towards the entrance, seeing the new arrival; a teenager.
He had dark skin and red eyes that were serious but showed his youth, around his late teens. His hair was wild, red and spiky that was spiked over his fringe and at the back, leading to a long rough ponytail that went nearly all the way down his back. The spikes at the front were also white starting at the tips and ending at the forehead. He wore a red kimono that had white edging around the neck and the bottom, which he wore this over a white hakama, and on his feet he wore a simple pair of brown sandals.
He may seem rough around the edges but deep down he was one of the few people in the world who always paid you back, whatever that entailed. He was; Tai Way.
Tai walked through the establishment looking straight ahead, ignoring everyone else around him. The doors closed behind him and the bar continued going about its merry business, as if he had never showed up at all. A few drinkers however looked at Tai's back, and while they couldn't be certain due to the alcohol dulling their senses and their judgement, some could swear that behind his back was a katana's sheath, with a katana handle poking out the end. Tai just kept walking, unaware or at least uncaring about people recognising his presence, until he made it to the front of the bar, face to face with the bartender.
"Do you have any tables, where I can sit down and buy something to eat?" Tai asked.
The bartender just looked down at Tai, staring at his youthful face. "I'm sorry but we don't serve minors. That's just the law."
"Look, I'm not here for your booze. All I want is a decent, well…" Tai looked around, seeing beer-soaked tables and laughing drunkards. "…an edible meal for a cheap price. That's all."
The bartender looked back at Tai before darting his eyes left and right. He pointed toward a corner that was shrouded by the many other occupied tables in the joint. "There should be a table over there, just keep your head down and don't draw attention to yourself."
Tai nodded, turning around and walking to the corner. Tai passed the various tables and patrons, keeping his gaze away from them, minding his own business. Finally making it to the table Tai reached his arm out towards a chair to sit down.
The loud sound of glass smashing broke through the relaxed atmosphere making Tai turn his head to its source.
"What the hell was that for you floozy?!"
Tai along with the rest of the pub turned to see the source of the commotion. The tall man with the scruffy beard from before stood up, yelling at the waitress. In her hands was a beer drenched tray, and on the table and floor was spilt beer and shards of glass.
"I-I'm so sorry sir. I'll fetch you another drink right away." The waitress went back to the bar, only for the man to grab her tightly by the arm. "S-Sir?!"
"Do you really think you can get away with that?! Not only did you spill my drink, but you spilt it over me as well!" The man gestured at his attire with his free hand which seemed to consist of a white dinner shirt under a fancy patterned waistcoat, all of which was covered in cheap booze. "These cost more than you make in a year!"
"I… I didn't know-"
"You didn't know! Like that changes anything you damn bitch!" The man pulled his hand back, swinging it forward with a ferocious force. The waitress braced herself for the oncoming assault only for the seconds to pass and for nothing to happen. She looked back at the man and gasped, seeing Tai tightly holding the man's hand.
"What the hell are you doing?! Get your filthy hands off me!" The man roared.
"How do you think she feels?!" Tai looked at the waitresses' arm, still in the man's grasp. "Then again maybe the reason you treat people like crap is because you're just a piece of crap yourself!"
"What did you just call me?!" The man bellowed, making the pub's patron's go silent.
Around the table the people who the man sat with got up, shooting Tai threatening looks. He stared at all of them, their reflections visible in his eyes, then back at the woman who quietly shook her head. Reluctantly Tai let go, looking away and heading back to his table.
"Just what I thought! You're nothing but a coward!" The man mocked.
Tai stopped, making the pub go deathly quiet. "…You sure you're not the coward here?" Tai turned around facing the man. "Leave the goons and the waitress and let's take this outside. See who's the coward then." The man's goons stood in front of him raising guns filled with magic bullets at Tai. In response he quickly put his right hand behind his back, unsheathing his katana, bringing it out in front of him and holding it so that its edge made it appear he was perfectly cut in half. "Go ahead… try me."
All around the room everyone cautiously stayed silent, some cautiously stepped backwards a few steps, and behind the bar, the bartender gulped as he started to regret pointing Tai to the table instead of telling him to leave.
The tall man sloppily stared at Tai in a drunken gaze, forming a frown. "What am I paying you for?! He drew a weapon! Shoot him!"
At his command the men all shot their weapons simultaneously, making a row of magic bullets shoot at Tai all at once. The world seemed to slow down right before they hit, the light of the ammunition reflecting off Tai's sword as if it were a mirror. This sword quickly began to shimmer, its surface becoming shinier and more polished making a faint light glow off it. Angling the blade and twisting it so the flat side faced forward, Tai swung his katana horizontally in front of him, hitting all of the bullets at once. The Ethernano bullets ricocheted off the surface, spinning 180° in place, aimed right back at their original shooters. The world's speed returned to normal when Tai pulled back his sword right when the bullets were shot into the guns they came from, making them explode and shatter, knocking the man's goons to the alcohol-soaked floor.
The tall man looked around, his dulled alertness making him take time to realise what just happened. "H-Huh?! Why are you all on the ground?!" He gritted his teeth taking a step forward. "If you want something down right, guess you have to do it yourself!"
"First time for everything." Tai finished taking a step forward.
The man took another step forward. As did Tai. For every step forward the man took, Tai did with the opposite foot. "Quit copying me!"
The man took into a sprint which Tai copied, making the two quickly close in on each other. Their steps creaking the floorboards and making puddles of spilled liquor splash. The man roared pulling back his fist, throwing it forward. Tai responded by thrusting the palm of his hand against the floor, creating a flash. The man's fist followed through, punching through thin air and making him wobble in place. He gasped making a realisation, Tai had vanished. The man looked left and right in a confused panic unaware of where Tai really hid. Under his feet in the liquid puddles the man's reflection showed him panicking just as he was in reality, with one small difference; an extra person was in wait looking at the confused man with a smirk across his lips. Inside the reflection Tai leaped forward with his sword in tow charging straight to the surface making the puddle flash. The sudden light made the man look down only for Tai to jump out passing him with a shining slash of his sword, shredding his clothes and knocking him to the ground defeated.
Tai landed on his feet, sheathing his sword. He looked around seeing the defeated men all around him. "Next time you think you're better than someone else, maybe you should take a real good look in the mirror to remind yourselves just what pieces of crap you are."
Tai turned to see the waitress, frightened and huddled against the wall. Then at the bartender who was still cowering behind the bar. And finally, at everyone else, whose faces said it all. He could see the reflection in their eyes, he could see what they saw him as.
Tai turned away and slowly began walking out of the pub, putting his hand on the door. Taking one last look inside he stared back at the bar. "Sorry about the mess. But that jerk had it coming."
Those were his last words, before leaving the bar and heading out. Hoping to find a cheap meal elsewhere.