Chapter 7

SNAP

SLASH

STRIKE

The ground trembled as the killing blow was administered. The monster dropped to the ground, unable to move as the air was slowly taken out of it. Tighter and tighter the vice grew, his body unyielding from the struggling beast, the power he extorted, was nothing. Snek perfected his technique, there is no escape for the monster, and all he had to do was wait it out.

He has been looking forward to this all day. The hunger was just getting to Snek as he went out for a quick stroll. When this monster appeared, he knew it would be perfect; big enough to fill his needs and yet small enough to allow him mobility.

He didn't mind when people stopped and watched him work, some were actually fascinated as Snek coil grew tighter around the beast. "Amazing power, he does this with ease!"

"I can hear the bones breaking from here! Wow, what a hero!"

Small comments like there made his smile on the inside, but for the moment, he was focused on getting his dinner ready. He was about to finish it off, when he began to feel strange movement in the ground, low vibrations of something gliding across the rough pavement.

"HEY MONSTER!"

Snek paused as he looked up; those damn Neo Heroes just got on the scene. They woke the same uniform as their leader. A white armor with neon green chest piece, green highlights in the legs and their shoes/skates. Snek sneered at them, but smirked. "Too little too late boys, this bastard is mine!" he called as the coil tightens. The people around could hear the bones start to break, the monster trying to scream out in pain but was muffled by Snek's body. It wasn't long until he felt it go limp. The pulse no longer felt and the heart gave out. Snek's body finally relaxed as he began to uncoil. A four-ton monster lay dead in the streets.

The people cheered aloud for his work, it did minimal damage and no one was harmed! The Neo Heroes however didn't appreciate the notion. "You think you have them all fooled don't you!" one proclaimed.

"Excuse me? Fooled? What do you mean?" Snek demanded.

"Oh yes, look like the great conquering hero! What happens if there are no monsters for you to feed off of huh? What then? When all the monsters are gone, how will you survive?"

Snek was confused. "You're asking me this… why? Is there a monster shortage somewhere? Have they stopped coming? What the hell is your problem?" He knew these guys were laying out a trap of some sort, but couldn't figure out as to why.

One of the Neo Heroes stepped forward. "Hold it, we're going about this all wrong. This is Biting snake Fist Snek! A great hero when he was human… we shouldn't be berating him. We ought to be helping him!"

Snek was more confused now than ever! "Huh?" he muttered.

"Snek, we have a great doctor and a renounce scientist on our squad for the Neo Heroes. I am certain without a doubt they can cure you! We can make you human again, and we can make you a Neo Hero as well! What do you say? Wanna come with us and become human again?"

A smirk spread over his face. Snek snorted out a laugh. "Oh, yeah, you think I am going to trust a bunch of you guys after hearing all the shit you're saying! When the hero association falls, the M Class are going to become your targets. I am not interest, especially since you are threatening my closest friends!"

The Neo Heroes weren't the least bit stunned to his outburst; the one who made the offer merely shrugged his shoulders. "Well, can't say I didn't try to help you."

"Whatever, if you will excuse me…" Snek turned and was about to eat his kill, yet he found one of the Neo Heroes injecting it with something. Next thing he knew, the monster body began to liquefy! They were quick to step in and suck up the oozing monster until nothing remained. "Damn it, that was my dinner!"

They merely smirked before moving along. Snek really needed that. His stomach roared aloud in hunger, as upset as he was, there was no point dwelling on it. He has to find a new meal.

#

His daylong venture came to an end. As luck would have it, he came across the Tank Top Army who just took out a monster themselves. They were celebrating the victory when Snek showed up, there was one thing he didn't like to do and it was take the kill from someone else. He has done it many times before out of hunger, yet he never felt right doing it. The monster itself wasn't even half the size of the one he had earlier, but at the moment, he needed something, anything to fill him up until tomorrow.

As the army turned, they froze at the sight of him. "Snek?" asked Black Hole.

"Yeah… I hate to ask, can I have that?" he said pointing to the fallen beast.

Black Hole snickered. "An M Class need to take our…"

Yet he suddenly stopped, Tank Top Tiger's arm blocked his brother from speaking any farther, he went as far as moving him off to the side before nudging his head towards the monster. "All yours."

Snek froze. "Really?"

"Yeah, go ahead, we already called it in. We ain't gonna eat it. You take it. Besides. I read earlier what happened to your kill, that ain't fair. Go on Snek."

He was gracious to the offer. Snek was quick to eat in case the Neo Heroes returned to take it away again, although small, it was enough to satisfy him for the moment. Snek turned and saw the look of disgust on the Tank Top Army, the only one who wasn't happened to be Tiger. "Look man, it ain't much, but… if that happens again, you let us know!" Tiger announced. "These Neo Heroes ain't going to push you or us around… I get it now that's what I was doing before I went nuts!"

Snek nodded. "Thanks, I'll be on my way then." As he slithered off, he heard some of the Tank Top speak behind his back.

"That was a lot creepier than I thought it would be."

"How the hell can he live like that…"

"Shut it!"

Snek didn't know if he should be flattered or concerned. Tank Top Tiger was acting more mature than usual. However he wasn't going to complain, Snek had to get home before the sunset. He had to get the house ready for Drax's return tomorrow night.

#

He couldn't avoid them.

Even on the way home, Snek found himself being followed by the Neo Heroes. They were on their skates and kept a respectable distance at first, but then, they moved in and started to circle him like vultures waiting for an animal to die. Snek paused as they continued to tease and toy with him.

"Won't be long now."

"Can't wait for this."

"Gonna get a good pair of boots out of you!"

Despite their circling, Snek was in no mood for their teasing. "Can you hurry this up, I want to go home" he said.

The Neo Heroes paused. "Oh? Really? Are you challenging us? Are you going to make the first move? You do that, it's self defense when we fight back!"

Snek sighed to it all. He tried to move along, but they kept shadowing him. It was getting to a point that the people on the street stopped and took notice. "What's going on?"

"Are they bothering him?"

"They have to be, it's Snek, and he's not doing anything."

"You are not helping your own cause here, leave me alone!" Snek demanded.

But the Neo Heroes refused. "Come on, Snek. Show us what you can do. Let's see what the former A Class hero is capable of without legs!"

He gave off a defiant hiss. "Don't… tempt me." He warned.

Snek felt himself puff up with anger. "You know, I don't care if you guys are around. As long as you are helping people, I'm fine with that. But… the moment you come at me for nothing besides being what I am. You threaten my friends who I consider family… You TAKE food out of my mouth… we got a problem…"

They began to move in closer. "Oh? What are you going to do about it?" asked the Neo Hero.

Snek gave of a warning hiss as he felt his body tense up. He was about to do something when a voice made him freeze. "Nothing"

Snek turned and saw every day people come up beside him fearlessly. "He won't do a thing, but we will!"

More and more people began to gather around him, women, children, teenagers they all stood at his side. "Come on, you appeared to be looking for a fight. One's in front of you, you going to battle every day people you are suppose to be protecting? Now, what are you going to do about it? Snek here is a hero to us, we don't let our heroes get treated like shit!"

More and more people got vocal, as the teenagers took out their phones and recorded the whole thing. Snek was touched that so many were coming to his defense. The Neo Heroes sneered at the sight. "Come on guys, looks like we're not needed here…" with that, they took off.

Snek sighed with relief. "Thanks, everyone, truly, I appreciate all you have done."

"Least we can do. After all, you defend every day people like us. We read on the Heroes Association page all the time that the rich snobs living in City A keep asking for an M Class dragon to live and protect them there. You all refuse to do it! That means something to us. You value our lives!"

"Damn straight!" said Snek. "Besides, I don't care for those assholes, they are more than well protected, and you are the people that need it most. We got your backs, why do you think we work so hard?"

It was a nice change of pace for Snek. Most of the time he gets hassled by people because of what he is, but moments like these make it worth being an M Class Dragon. He soaked in the gratitude for a moment longer before starting to feel a little sleepy. He thanked the people once more for standing up for him as he made his way back home.

Despite the lack of a proper meal, it wasn't that bad of a day. "I can't wait to go to bed… oh… right…" he paused as he made it to Bang's mountain. "Yeah… stairs…" he muttered. "I got to get Alley to make an elevator or something…"