Chapter 8: Everybody's Got a Plan

An electric beat was filling the diner. The sound of crashing symbols and digital tones repeating over a dynamic drumline. The patrons were bouncing in a giant mob; their attention focused on the makeshift stage. An African male was standing by a flashing soundboard as he subtly enhanced the beat. Another dark-skinned man stood up front with a mic in hand.

He hyped up the crowd as a light fog rolled across the floor. Black and white flashing lights were the only forms of illumination. In a deep voice that sounded miles away from the stage, he started rapping.

"This what they all been waiting for

I guess so

They been waiting for this shit for a long time didn't they"

Behind him, the other male rolled his tongue into another mic. He pressed a few extra buttons on his keypad causing more fog to flow onto the stage.

"I guess so

They been waiting for this shit for a long time didn't they"

Another short burst of words from his hype man triggered a music change. The beat disappearing as a low melodic hum flowed from the speakers. The hype man flipped a switch, a bright light shining up into the ceiling.

A small figure rose from the fog. Two tiny animal ears poking from each side of its head. The rapper moved to the side, gesturing toward the rising body. In a soft voice, he started chanting…

"Panda… Panda."

Two lights flashed behind the body, casting a black silhouette over the crowd. Another violent tongue rolling seemed to trigger a flashing of five lights from above. The beams of black and white illuminating the girl that had taken center stage. The rapper matched the speed of the lights, calling…

"Panda! Panda! Panda! Panda! Panda!"

All the lights blasted on as Nita jumped up to the front of the stage. The tiny girl dancing along with the modern music she had never heard before. She didn't understand what her body was doing, it just felt right with the sounds flooding her eardrums. As she went wild with the music, the rapper went full throttle with his lyrics. The music picking up once again.

"I got broads in Atlanta

Twisting dope, lean, and the Fanta

Credit cards and scammers

Hitting off licks in the bando

Black X6, Phantom

White X6 looks like a panda"

Nita jumped extra high when she heard her animal's name.

"Going out like I'm Montana

Hundred killers, hundred hammers

Black X6, Phantom

White X6, panda"

Nita was getting extremely hyped. She ran up to the rapper from behind, lifting him over her head. The rapper was surprised but happily continued his song.

"Pockets swole, Danny

Selling bar, candy

Man I'm the mocho like Randy

The choppa go Oscar for Grammy

Bitch nigga pull up ya panty

Hope you killas understand me"

The song continued, the crowd jumping with the ecstatic beat. Nita hadn't heard such an exciting sound in her life. This music was like nothing she perceived at home. This crowd of people moving wildly and with erratic motions. It made her go wild.

She looked at the grasping hands of the crowd. They seemed so inviting, her body moved on its own. Without thinking, her feet launched her into the sky. She spread her arms out, believing in the people below. She could feel their hands grasping at her arms and legs. The hands at the center supporting her back as she shifted through the masses.

When they eventually placed her on the stage, the song was slowing down. From the way the people were calming down as well, she figured the song was about to end. The rapper turned to her again, saying panda twice much like he did at the beginning of his song. Nita knew what would happen next. She got ready to strike a few poses. With each chanting of the word panda, she hopped into a new position.

She ended her poses with both hands held outward. They looked like paws as she balanced on a single foot. Giving her the image of a puppy dog or baby bear.

The crowd cheered as Nita waved toward them as thanks. The rapper patted her shoulder before speaking on the mic, "Can we give a big thanks to the cutest killer in Retropolis, Nita!" The crowd chanted her name, she hadn't heard such affection from so many strange people. "Alright kiddo, go have some fun."

The rapper would have helped her off stage, but after that ridiculous stage dive, he figured she could handle herself. When Nita had both feet on the ground she instantly rushed toward the main bar. Sitting on the stools were Crow and Bibi. The adults smiling as their (unofficially) adopted child's bright eyes rushed their way.

"Mama! Did ya see?"

Bibi turned to face her, gripping the girl's tiny hands. "I did."

"I jumped into the crowd and they carried me all over the place."

"I know."

"Was it cool?"

Crow answered faster, "The coolest."

As the girl continued to gush about how much fun she was having, Bull burst through the kitchen door with an urgent look on his face. His demeanor changed when he saw Nita gushing about the party. "Hey kiddo, you having fun?"

"This is awesome! This is the best party ever, Uncle Bull."

Bull ruffled her Panda head, "Perfect."

She eventually ran back into the party, the two adults returning to their drinks as Bull grabbed himself a mug and took a seat beside them. Bibi nudged her little cousin, "My little Buru is turning into a big softy."

"What you talkin' bout?"

Her arms stretched out, motioning to the room. "This party. All these people. The rapper. How'd you even get all this in a day?"

"I can do anything I want, whenever I want." He took a long swig of his beer, "Besides, it's for the kid."

Bibi pinched his cheeks, "Somebody loves his new niece." She said in a cutesy voice.

"I'll dock your pay," he playfully threatened.

Bibi laughed wildly, wrapping her arm around Bull as she drank merrily. She slammed her mug on the table, her eyes slightly glazed over. With a shaky breath, she spoke from her heart, "Umm… thanks." Bull and Crow both raised a brow, "Don't look at me like that. It's just, thanks for agreeing to keep her."

Her finger circled a few water droplets. Bull spoke up, "Don't mention it. Besides… she's good for business."

"Oh no, you can't do that. You love her. Admit it." Bibi poked and prodded at Bull's face.

Bull grumbled something under his breath as a staff member burst through the kitchen door. "Mr. Bull!" He pushed Bibi off him, "We still need those orders finished."

"Oh right. Bibi! Get to work."

She groaned her disagreement, "But it's my baby's special party."

"Don't care, get to work."

She swayed her drink in the air, "But I've been drinking."

"Don't care if you're drunk or tipsy, get busy." He took Bibi by her arm, dragging her inside the kitchen. Crow chuckled softly, taking another sip of his water as he searched the crowd for his daughter.

Inside the sea of people, Nita pushed and shoved with the massive mosh pit. The heat radiating off their bodies making her sweat as she kept pace. A few girls passed her some colorful bead-necklaces. They shined like diamonds in her eyes, she couldn't help but spin wildly around the room. Her body colliding with someone's small frame.

"Oops, sorry, did I hurt you?" Her vision was blurred from all the spinning, a green blob standing in front of her.

A familiar voice responded, "I'll survive."

She paused at the sound, her eyes slowing adjusting to the room. The first thing she could see was a lime green hoodie. Their short stature catching her eye as she noticed his sly smirk. The white stick between his lips was the last piece of the puzzle. "Leon!"

She jumped into her brother's arm, the boy holding her close amongst the swarm of bodies. Nita took in his scent, a sweet smell she hadn't experienced in days. Leon affectionately rubbed her back as the party continued around them. A few of the partiers snickering as they watched the two embrace.

Nita pulled away from her brother, "What took you so long?"

Leon scratched the back of his head, "I had to wait for the right time."

"Well, this is the best time! Isn't this awesome?!" She spun around once again, some of the people hollering their agreement.

"It's… different." Leon wasn't a stranger to civilization. He had seen his fair share of city parties over the years. The city was a key inspiration for his chameleon hoodie. But this diner was not his kind of party.

Leon focused on Nita, his little sister dancing with one of the older girls on the floor. She seemed to be enjoying herself. He wished he could have as much fun.

Nita ran up to him, "Look at this cool necklace." She pushed her bead-necklaces in his face. Leon finally inspected his sister's clothing. She had ditched her usual teal green dress for a bloody red gown. Her maroon bear pelt was replaced with a strange black and white bear he'd never seen before. Then he noticed her wrist accessories.

"Are those… handcuffs?"

"Yeah, cool right? Uncle Bull put them on me when I first got here, then I broke them." She struck a pose, "I look pretty badass right?"

Leon's stumbled over his words, "How do you know that word? Wait… did you say, Uncle?!"

"Mama Bibi taught me it." Her eyes lit up as she snatched up Leon's arms, glossing over his follow-up question. "You have to meet her. She's the coolest." She tried to pull Leon forward, but his body wouldn't budge. She used a bit more force, causing Leon's body to shift forward. He slammed a foot down to brace himself, his wide base making his body unmovable.

At least, it would be unmovable for most people. To Nita, he was like a stubborn child. She pulled harder, Leon's core falling towards her. He slipped his hands out of her grip. His fingers clamping down on her wrists as he pulled her his way.

Nita was much harder to move. When it came to unnatural powers, Nita was gifted with all the strength. She easily stood against her brother's attempts to move her. Leon knew force was useless, he would have to use his words. "Nita, we're leaving."

"What?" The girl was honestly confused by the statement.

"It's time to go home."

"But you just got here."

"I know. And now we're leaving." Leon tried to pull her again, her body was solid as a rock.

"But I'm having fun." She pulled her brother forward. The boy looking down at her. She could see a bit of his left eye under his hoodie. He seemed frustrated, "Why are you ruining my fun?"

"Nita," Leon got close to her ear. A shouting whisper leaving his throat, "You're being held hostage."

She stamped her feet on the ground, "I don't know what that word means but I don't like it."

"Oh my Xudo. What part of 'You were kidnapped' don't you understand?"

"I haven't taken a nap today."

Leon raked his palms across his eyes. "I'm not doing this right now." He picked Nita up by her armpits. The tiny child kicking and screaming against his grip, "We're going home."

"Hey!" Leon stopped for a moment, his head turning to meet the voice. He saw a man with a colorful hat glaring at him. "What you doing with our Panda?"

"Panda?"

The man cracked his knuckles, "That's right, our little panda bear." Two more men heard him call out Leon. They stood by his side as they slowly encircled Leon. The first man spoke again, "Hey Panda, this asshole hurting you."

Nita smiled up at them, "Nothing hurts me."

The music started to pick up. Anyone not within the direct vicinity of the action continued to party like the night would never end. Leon stood in the middle of the three men, his hands still holding Nita up.

One of the newcomers spoke up, his voice scratchy and shrill. "Let's see how much pain this punk can take?"

The three men slowly moved towards him. Leon lazily looked to his little sister. His face was lifeless while she was pleading. Normally he would think about Bo's teachings. Not to harm those weaker than yourself, but tonight he felt disobedient.

The rapper's voice filled Leon's ears, "Alright, who's ready to get wild." The crowd went wild. "Who's ready to get crazy?" They went ballistic. The music fell silent, "Who's ready to break something?" The lights turned off, plunging the room into darkness.

The crowd screeched from the lack of vision. The sound of their cheering deafening all other noises in the room. When the light flashed back on, Leon was still holding onto his sister. The three men were standing still around him.

Then as the beat dropped, so did their bodies. As they fell to the floor a pool of blood leaked from beneath them. A woman's blood-curdling screech was the wake-up call for everyone else. The music wound down as all eyes turned to Leon.

The boy had a few small droplets of blood staining the edges of his jacket sleeves. Though he stood still in the middle of the carnage, holding onto his frustrated sister. "We're going home."

Nita kicked and squirmed under her brother's grip. She hated it when he used his height like this. There was nothing she could do to get out of his hold without hurting him. She whined and screeched even more until three daggers fell at Leon's feet.

He turned to where they flew from, the crowd parting as a new body walked forward. A shorter man creeped out of the shadows. Leon squinted his eyes, trying to comprehend what he was seeing.

An unholy creature, with the body of a man and the face of a Crow. He raised his feathered fingers in the air. A deep voice seeming to smooth over Leon's enraged state. "I don't want to kill in front of the kid." He flicked his wrists, three daggers appearing in each hand. "But that was your only warning. Put her down… or I put you down." Leon took a deep breath, slowly placing his sister's feet on the floor. Crow watched as the boy's hands entered his pockets. "Glad to see I don't have to work tonight. Now leave."

Leon stood still.

"I said leave."

Crow took a step forward, the sound of his foot touching the floor seeming to echo throughout the room. Leon's body snapped violently in place. His hand flying from his pocket and sending four blades in Crow's direction. Without batting an eye, he leaned to the side, allowing Leon's attack to lodge itself into a group of bystanders.

Crow looked back, noticing the blades had barely pierced the unfortunate person's flesh. He turned back to the boy, watching as he pulled out four more blades that he fanned in Crow's direction. He easily ducked this volley as well, the bystanders ducking low to avoid getting hurt.

Leon bit his cheek, sending volley after volley at the unholy bird. He easily dodged the attacks, swaying side to side like he was still listening to the background music. The daggers in his hands were used defensively to deflect any odd blades that almost snagged him. Leon was feeling agitated, this bird-person was barely trying. The bird looked at him coldly, his dead eyes unblinking as he raised his hand.

His fingers made a 'Bring It' motion, enraging Leon even more. Just as he prepared to rush forward a hand fell on his shoulder. The green glove pulling him back as they walked forward. Several men cooed at the sight of her. An extra tall, dark-skinned queen with her natural hair standing high above her head. She lightly shook her head, a few leaves falling to the ground beneath her.

On her back, a pink plant made an aggressive face in Crow's direction. The bird was unfazed by the oddity, his focus directed at the cut physique of the woman that had taken center stage. She cracked her knuckles, her British accent smooth like butter on a hot pan. "Leon, get her out of here."

"I can't just leave you here."

She turned back to him with a smile, "I'll be right behind ya love."

Leon stared daggers at Crow. When he turned to Nita, she was rushing off into the crowd. "Get back here!" The two youths disappeared in the masses.

Crow threw his hands in his jacket pockets, "Ma'am."

"Sir."

The air was getting thick; dangerous energy flowing between the two. Crow took the lead, "Listen, lady, today was supposed to be a good day. We were supposed to have a party and just relax. Not many things make me smile, don't ruin this for me."

She smiled back at him, "Wouldn't dream of ruining your day."

"Then you'll leave quietly?"

"Of course, we just need to take our girl back home."

Crow groaned through his beak, "That's a problem. You see, I'm not giving up my daughter."

She cocked her head to the side, "Pardon me?"

Crow cracked a stiff joint in his neck, "I don't feel like working tonight so I'll make this easy. Leave… now. Leave my little girl, leave the diner, and I'll let you leave with your lives."

She smiled fondly at him. Her hand patted the sentient plant on her back, the creature's limbs extending to wrap around her arms and legs. The thorns that the creature was sporting didn't faze the large woman as they naturally sunk into her skin. She brought her fists up to her face, standing like a boxer preparing for a match. "Ya'know, I always preferred plants over animals."

Crow smiled at the one-liner. He dashed forward at a blinding speed, the woman's eyes following his movements. His body seemed to disappear in a flash, appearing suddenly behind her. In the short talk they had, he knew who she was, another member of Nita's home village. He couldn't bear to imagine what his panda bear would think if he killed one of them. A swift chop to the vagus nerve would end this scuffle before it could start.

As his hand met her flesh, he was surprised to feel her jawline colliding with his fingers. The world seemed to slow down for them, his body shifting in mid-air as he saw her face. She was smiling at him like she meant for him to miss his mark. With surprising speed, she landed two stiff uppercuts to his stomach. The power of the blows keeping him airborne momentarily. Then with a little extra force, she rocked his chest with a soul-shattering straight right.

Though he was a bird he wasn't prepared to fly away just yet. But his body was launched into the bystanders. Forming a giant pile of humanity with him sitting on top. The woman clapped her gloved hands together, "Well I might have ruined your day, but now you can have a good night's sleep."

She turned away from her handy work, looking around the diner for any sign of Leon and Nita. Her search was halted by a sharp pain running through the small of her back. Three spots that ignited like a flame slinking through her core. She reached back, her fingers wrapping around a small blade. Her plant helped to remove the other two weapons, a little blood escaping from the newly opened wounds. Her plant quickly patched up the marks with its stems.

She followed the eyes of the crowd, the bird-man standing atop the mass of bodies. There was a little blood on the edge of his beak, "Not bad. Think you chipped a rib." She noticed something off about him. When she first approached him, his eyes seemed colorless. Like any light he had within was expelled years ago. Now he was smiling, his eyes vibrating as he looked at her. "What's your name?"

Rosa stood tall, cracking her back as she cleared her throat. "Rosa's my name, botany's my game."

Crow's smile grew wider, "Cute. Name's Crow, Carrion Crow."

"How unoriginal."

A strange sound followed her insult. A guttural noise that chilled her bones. Crow was laughing as if he had never done it before in his life. A noise that sounded forced from a human, but natural for a beast. Crow's eyes focused on her, "Keep that same energy and commit that name to memory. When you die, tell 'em who killed you." Six more daggers launched in her direction, her arms blocking them from landing into her chest. Crow laughed manically, "The Devil's keeping track of my kill count."

Crow launched into the air. His mind clouded as he forgot to hold back. He assaulted Rosa with a mixture of close up melees and distanced dagger throws. Rosa's hands flew like the wind as she tried to keep up with his speed, but he was moving like lightning.

A particular interaction that got the crowd jumping was a failed attack from Crow. He had ran close once again, his daggers just missing their marks as he cut and scraped her skin. Several punches from Rosa just barely missed their target. If she aimed for his chest, he twisted so she grazed his ribs. If she aimed for his head, he ducked so she would blow a breeze over his skull.

A particular punch went in Crow's favor, the woman's right jab came so slowly he decided to jump instead of ducking. When he was airborne, she threw a jab with her left hand, but his mobility was incomprehensible. His hands seeming to ride her arm's momentum to flip himself in mid-air.

His legs landed on each of her shoulders. He was practically sitting on her face with two daggers in prime position to skewer her head. But with quick thinking and plenty of inspiration from her favorite weekly episodic television broadcast, she power-bombed him into the wooden floor. The back-breaking thud turning the bystanders' stomach upside down.

His beak was wide open with his tongue sticking out, gasping for air. His body had recoiled upward from the monstrous force of the blow. Rosa prepared to deal the finishing blow, an overhead punch that would drive him through the foundation. His body contorted grotesquely, twisting again to give his arms the torque needed to skewer Rosa's stomach. The three blades that lodged into her abs felt like needles puncturing her guts.

In another clash, he tried to land a kick to her head, but she punched the leg mid-attack. As he spun from the counterattack she spun in the opposite direction, using her momentum to rock his body with a deadly lariat. Though once again Crow was able to put a limb in the way, using his legs to leap off her arm.

He soared into the rafters and dove like an eagle. Both arms crossed as he fell like a meteor aimed at Rosa's head. Just before he made contact, she caught his hands forcing him to land in front of her. He tried to leap off her stomach but her grip on his arms was crushing. He looked up, finally noticing how much larger she was than him. Her muscular arms, her broad shoulders. He might be an assassin, but she was a fighter.

Her head leaned back, then crashed down into his skull. The sickening sound made several bystanders cringe while Crow stumbled backward. His legs felt like spaghetti and his body went numb.

Rosa saw her opportunity, she lunged forward. Her fist reaching far behind her body to deliver the kill-shot. As she swung for his head, her body went limp. She fell forward, her limbs growing unresponsive. She was still able to move her body, but she could barely support her weight. Her eyes eventually fell on Crow a sickening smile across his beak as her world grew dim.

She caught herself just before she crashed to the ground. Resting on all four as her body's strength seemed to waste away. "You never noticed." His voice was cold and heartless. "You couldn't even feel it, the truth." He cracked his feathered knuckles as he slowly turned to her, "This fight was over before it began."

Rosa tried to stand up, her body straining just to move. "How… It can't be… you had…?"

"Poison." He dropped one of his daggers by her face, she could see a light green liquid on the tip. "But not any poison. A few days ago I figured I could make my jobs easier if I didn't have to worry about wannabe heroes fighting back." He crouched down low, pulling Rosa's head up by her hair. "So, I went to the lab and developed my very own neuro-toxin." He put her arm around his neck, standing her up slowly. "Your body's nervous system has been put to sleep. Your mind is unable to send the electric signals necessary to produce movements. Even when you could move, your attacks were greatly reduced in strength. The only reason you kept going was from your adrenaline rush."

He released his grip on Rosa, the woman managing to hold herself up without assistance. Crow walked ahead of her, the bird inspecting his newly made weapons of mass destruction. "Honestly, I'm ashamed. I needed chemical weaponry to defeat a botanist." He flipped the blades mindlessly, "Or maybe you should be proud, you took a trained killer to his limit. For a botanist, you're a great fighter."

"Well… you're half right."

Crow slowly turned to her; he didn't expect her to still be talking. Though he should have been preparing for something far worse. His vision was filled with green and white. A gloved fist colliding with his beak head-on. His vision turned blurry and his mind went blank as he swayed back and forth from the attack.

He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, he thought he saw the vines on Rosa's plant grow wider. They seemed to wrap her body in a protective shell of flora and foliage. The cherry on top was the strange image of the plant opening its mouth. The creature seeming to swallow Rosa's head, now looking like a pink helmet.

Rosa's face sprung back to life, her eyes locking onto Crow's dazed form. "I'm not just any botanist." She threw her fists up, "I'm the boxing botanist."

She unleashed a machine gun combo of punches. The attacks were like a continuous stream of pink and green. Even after ten seconds of punching, she didn't let up. It was clear that she was no longer fighting out of necessity, she was fighting with her emotions. Another volley of punches and the bystanders started to beg for her to stop. She only finished the onslaught because her arms were getting tired.

As she held Crow up, she couldn't help but wince. His left eye was swollen shut and his cheek had a giant bump on it. She touched his chest, the bird wincing from her contact. She swore she could see the imprint of her knuckles against his heart. "Word of advice love." She allowed him to stand up, "Everyone's got a plan…" She rocked his jaw with a left hook, "until they get punched in the face." Crow's body laid lifeless on the floor. "Thank you, Mike Tyson."

The crowd was silent for a moment. Everyone trying to process the spectacle they just witnessed. A single sound broke the silence, "BOO!"

More people joined in the heckling. The deafening sound of discourse was driving her mad. She covered her ears as the crowd verbally attacked her.

Thankfully she wasn't here to entertain them, she had a job to do. Her head scanned the crowd, searching for any sign of Nita's strange new color pallet or Leon's classic green hoodie.

A sharp whistle pierced the crowd's boos. Rosa turned to face the noise. Her mind going blank as an object collided with the side of her head. She fell to the ground like a cinderblock, her vision fading out slowly. The last thing she processed was a strange pair of techno-black sneakers and the sound of a jingling key-chain.

A/N: It has begun. If you have been reading and you're excited for a multi-chapter epic battle against our two main teams then leave a review telling me who you think is gonna win. Will Leon finally return Nita to her home or will Mama Bibi keep her new child? Favorite and follow to stay updated about all future additions both on this story and on my end.

Quick Response to comment:
Queenbookerly: Oh I don't think he did that much damage... yet. To coin a phrase, "When it's time to fight, you fight like you're the third monkey on the ramp to Noah's Ark… and brother, it's startin' to rain."

Okay so I think that's all I have to say... oh and I'm working on a little project. Just gotta talk to my co-worker about how it's looking we might have ourselves a 'Conflict of Interests'.

See ya next week with another one of...
Sammy's Silly Scripts