I'm back~

Chapter 12: Welcoming New Friends

The air was unsettling tonight. As if there was some sinister plot created by the stars. A plan to eradicate all the life that poisoned Earth's precious land. He took another whiff of the air as it rushed past him. If he focused, he could feel the tiny crystals cutting through the air. Those crystalline structures that, while unseen, made up such a vast part of his life.

"You okay, sir?"

He absently turned his head to the right, now focusing on the young woman that broke his silence. The recruit tried to keep her eyes on the dusty road, but he watched as her focus sporadically snapped to-and-fro.

He didn't provide her a response. He instead took another long drag of his cigar. That choking scent still leaking towards her even with the open window. She took a deep breath before continuing, "Are you nervous?" He still didn't give her an answer. "Cause I'm nervous…" her voice was young, high-pitched, and filled with passion. He could hear the slight tremble in her words as she laughed off her statement. "This is my first call ya know. Well, not my first call. My first major call. I've covered lots of jobs before."

He took another long draw of his cigar as she continued rambling. "I mean, I've handled plenty of petty theft calls before but…" He heard her take a sharp inhale on that pause, the forest green tips of her hair rolling off her shoulders. His eyes drifted towards the steering wheel, her knuckles whitening as her grip tightened.

He shook his head, allowing a large billow of smoke to pass through his lips. "Shotzi."

She jumped at his voice. That gargled noise that sounded like he was choking on water as he spoke. "Yes, sir?"

As the smoke flew away with the rushing wind he slowly spoke, "Where are we going?"

"Huh?"

He lightly scratched the remaining stubble that graced his chin. "Where are we going?"

Shotzi looked back at the road. It was just compacted dirt and sand grains by the billions for miles. She took a deep breath, "Oasis, the City in the Sands."

He gave her a reassuring nod as he continued, "And why are we going?"

"To answer a public disturbance…"

He let the air grow stale as he awaited her continuation. His patience grew thin, "And?"

She gulped, "And reported shots fired."

He noticed her teeth gnawing at her bottom lip. "Getting cold feet newbie?"

"It's just, so sudden. I don't think I'm ready."

"You never will be, not on your first call." He glanced at her once again, her eyes darting back and forth as she seemed to be analyzing the simple terrain. He figured the kid would be impressive in the future, but he hated having to manage her while she was green. "Listen, kid, don't get your panties in a twist." He returned his gaze to the great expanse of sand, "You think someone's been shot?"

"Isn't that what shots fired means?"

"Not always…"

Shotzi ran her hands up and down the wheel, "So they might have just fired to cause a ruckus?"

"Sure… Or someone's been shot." Shotzi's eyes bulged at the thought. She had been trained for such situations, but training and the field were two different stories. He grew tired of seeing paranoia plastered across her face, "Listen, you're going to be fine. There's probably nothing left but the aftermath."

"Why does there have to be an aftermath?!"

He finally plucked his cigar out the window, "Do you trust me?"

Shotzi was still trying to calm her nerves, "What?"

"Do you trust me?"

"I don't… what do you- huh?"

He slowly rolled up his window, "When we get there, there is gonna be lots of officers. There may be a shoot-out, there may not. What matters is that you follow my lead and you trust me." He looked directly at her. His old battle-hardened eyes looking through her paranoid pupils. "Do you trust me?"

Shotzi frantically inspected their vehicle. The flashing lights above her pulling her attention. It was only when she looked back to her superior that she felt calm. She blew out some wind, "I trust you."

"That's all you need." He allowed his chair to lean back, relaxing as the car bounced wildly on the rugged road. Shotzi refocused on the path ahead. Her nerves relaxing and her breath steadying. Her old companion peeked at her hands. She was barely touching the wheel now as she just mindlessly drove on. "Feel better?"

"…Yeah… I feel… calm…" She turned to her elder, "Why? What'd you do?"

"Knowing someone's got your back is relaxing. That's what my old captain used to tell us. Trust your partner and you'll trust yourself."

Shotzi smiled at the old man. He was usually so cold, but when he was right, he was right. "Thanks Otto."

He grumbled out a confirmatory grunt, "I've been on the force for over thirty years. There ain't nothing I've never seen before."

"I have never seen this before." Otto stood in the middle of several seats. His cadet Shotzi was stunned at the scene that laid before them. They saw a few of the attendees conversing with several officers, their eyewitness reports amounting to stories of monstrous men and creatures hiding in the dark. Some spoke of a man with fiery red hair and a yellow skeleton that talked like it was alive.

Otto and Shotzi ignored the witnesses and decided to inspect the scene closely. Otto was the first to notice some oddities, "Why does it look like some seats are missing?"

Shotzi noticed the giant pile of folding chairs on the ground, "You mean those?"

Otto waved her to him, both inspecting the ground and noticing the bolts on one of the chairs had been ripped off. Shotzi pointed out another missing chair on the next row. "Where are these chairs?"

Shotzi looked around for a sign of an unbolted chair nearby. She quickly grabbed Otto's attention pointing into the distance, "Is that the chair?" Otto stared in awe as an officer was walking around with one of the bolted chairs over his head. He called ahead asking where he got the chair?

"It was laying on the ground near the bottom."

"Did you see its bolts down there?" The officer yelled for him to repeat himself. After a short exchange, they concluded that they had found the chair they were looking for. Otto stood back to inspect the distance, "That's nearly fifty yards from its original position."

Shotzi joined the discussion, "Why would someone carry a chair fifty yards down?"

"What if they didn't carry it?"

"Are you suggesting someone threw that chair?"

"It's not impossible, just improbable."

Shotzi was trying to rack her brain to understand this, "What were they throwing it at?"

Otto moved back to the chair's initial location, "Better question…" he crouched down to inspect the two barren spots. "Where's the other chair?"

They scoured their surroundings within fifty yards hoping to find their missing seat somewhere within the range. They met back in the clearing with no sign of the seat. Shotzi kicked around some debris laying on the floor and noticed their oversight. "Otto look." She picked up a small black rod that looked like an armrest.

Otto instantly started searching throughout the clearing. The debris proved to hold several scattered parts of the final seat.

Shotzi inspected how the parts seemed horribly mangled, "Did someone rip these apart?"

Otto gave it a closer inspection, "I don't think so, see those singe marks on the metal. Maybe it was an explosion?"

Shotzi looked at him with a dumbfounded expression, "Someone planted a bomb on the seat? So this was a planned attack?"

"We're grasping at straws. We need some hard evidence."

Shotzi decided to inspect their surroundings for clues. Her eyes ogling when she noticed a small crack on the floor. She reached down to inspect the spot and noticed a trace amount of blood lining the cement. "Uh Otto, has forensics found this yet?"

He quickly called them over to grab samples of the blood. While the brains of their operation worked the two officers tried to do their best detective work. "Why is there blood there? The explosion from the chair happened about twenty meters that way. And the other chair was found fifty meters down. So why would someone bleed here?"

Shotzi tried to reason out a response, "Maybe this was the shot that was fired?"

"Possibly… but shouldn't there be a trail if they attempted to escape."

"Maybe the wound was quickly treated."

"That is a possibility… but something tells me this scene is a bit more convoluted."

Shotzi tried to think outside the box, "Maybe someone fell over the crack and cut themselves?"

Otto gave her a doubting look, "Come on Shotz, let's be realistic."

She tried formulating an answer but swiftly gave up, "Well what do you think?" Otto looked above, her eyes following as they stared at the guard rail above. "That is not realistic!"

"Why not?"

"There is no way that someone fell from that height and walked away."

Otto turned away from the forensics, "Never said they walked."

Shotzi turned to face the ring in the middle. "This was supposed to be a children's wrestling show. The hell happened here?"

Otto reached for his cigarette box, "No idea." Just as he put the cancer stick to his lips, he noticed a man yelling at his commanding officer at the ringside. "But I think I know who does."

The duo quickly made their way down to ringside the sound of the man's berating could be heard over the crime scene's commotion. "I called for you twenty minutes ago. How is it you're just getting here now?"

"Mr. McCann you have to understand we came as soon as we got the call."

"What about that useless excuse for a police force in this town. Where were they?"

"I don't have control over them, Mr. McCann, now please tell me what's the problem?"

"The problem? What's the problem? Goddammit, you have eyes don't ya? I think the problem is pretty clear!"

Otto paused as they approached the group, he pulled Shotzi to the side. "How about I do most the talking on this one Shotz?"

"Yeah, you got this one."

As they grew closer Otto listened for an opportunity to jump in. McCann continued his mindless rant, "When are you gonna stop asking me questions and start giving me answers?"

"Sir, I can't answer your questions if you don't answer mine."

"Dammit I'm already running this damn company practically solo, now I gotta do all the work in this conversation?"

Otto saw his slot, "Ya know Wesley he's right." Both men turned with his sudden arrival, "Not fair to make a traumatized victim do so much work."

McCann grunted at his arrival, "Who's this old asshole?"

Otto smiled at the insult, "So the pot really does call the kettle black."

McCann laughed at the comeback, "I like you. What's your name, old man?"

"Otto." McCann motioned for him to continue. "Bismartin." McCann snickered at his full name, "The irony is not lost on me."

McCann slowly calmed down from the reveal, "Well look on the bright side, you'll probably outlive him." McCann practically burst into tears at his joke. He looked to Captain Wesley who just smiled awkwardly. When McCann turned to Otto, he was happy to see the older gentlemen also doubled over from the joke. The two men laughed and laughed for a few seconds before McCann spoke again, "Wanna come backstage, may get an autograph for your grandkids."

Otto looked behind him, "Only if my colleagues can join us."

McCann looked at the Captain then noticed the woman behind him, "Who's the broad?"

Shotzi flared up, "Excuse me?!"

McCann perked up at her reaction, but Otto subtly signaled for her to calm down. "Go ahead, tell him your name."

She was still enraged but complied with her superior, "Shotzi. Shotzi Blackheart."

McCann's skin shivered at the name, "Shotzi Blackheart. Shotzi… Blackheart… Now that's a Diva name." He put a finger up to his face, "Fix that face a little and slim up some, you could be a megastar!" Shotzi used all her strength to hide her rage. McCann looked the group over once more, "Alright come on."

McCann led the group behind the currently disassembling Megatron. As they walked through the curtains, they passed by many of the night's competitors. Most were the usual large, muscular men that you would expect to see inside the ring. Shotzi was surprised to see so many smaller, leaner men walking around conversating with the larger performers. A few women were huddled together, Shotzi heard them speak about 'him' and how 'he' came back after the show.

In the front of the pack, McCann and Otto absently talked about random wrestling troupes and how the business operated. Otto grew tired of their mindless conversation, "As much as I'm enjoying this McCann. We do need some information on that disturbance."

McCann paused in the middle of the hallway. "Listen, I don't know what happened. The show was going smooth, the main event was a hit just as planned. We had the big reveal of our latest superstar and then some woman collapsed."

Otto looked over his shoulder, noticing the Captain silently taking notes. He tried to get more information out of the chairman, "What about your superstars?"

"I sent them all to their locker rooms once things went haywire."

"And the gunfire?"

"No clue, cameramen ran when they saw the guns go off. Fucking cowards."

Otto scratched his head, "And no one saw any suspect fleeing."

McCann paused for a second, "Not to my knowledge."

Otto perked up, "So a superstar might know?"

McCann bit his thumb, "There may be one."

"Can we see them?"

McCann pondered his words carefully, "If (and this is a big if). IF he talks, will I have to worry about witness protection or that protective custody garbage?"

Captain Wesley spoke up, "I promise sir, he will be in safe hands with us."

"Ha!", McCann started laughing to himself. "You're misunderstanding, I'm worried about the people that will try to contain him."

McCann instructed them to follow closely. As he walked through the building, they noticed the tone shifting. It seemed more haunting with each step they took. The hallway growing darker as they went deeper. McCann made a passing comment, "Honestly, I'd be amazed if you could get the stubborn bastard to talk. After his reveal was ruined, he just ran out the arena with the rest of the crowd. Hasn't told anyone what happened to him while he was gone."

They turned the corner to a small door with an infirmary sign on the wall. As they entered, they noticed a few wrestlers getting patched up with gauze and medical tape. Though Shotzi was more focused on the giant pool of blood that led from one of the beds to the front door. McCann looked around the room, his mood getting hotter. "Where the hell is he?"

One of the attendants spoke up, "He just left out."

"And you didn't stop him?"

"To be fair, it's not like any of us could." Otto took notice of the lack of name usage. Whoever this guy was, he needed no introduction.

McCann spoke in his grumbling voice, "Dammit where is he?"

"Back at his locker. He said, 'The contract says I get my own locker room and I'm gonna use it.'"

McCann was cursing up a storm, "For the love of, someone come with us so they can patch his dumbass up."

"Actually, sir, he took one of the medics with him."

"What?! Who?"

"Marina."

"The temp?"

They softly nodded their heads, "He said, 'I want a pretty face to patch me up.'"

"Goddammit!" McCann stormed out of the room followed by the officers. When they reached outside the door, Shotzi stood in the pool of blood. Following the trail as it led deeper into the building.

"How did we not see this when we walked in?"

Otto looked back at her, "We?" He and Wesley walked forward unfazed by the growing trail of blood. Shotzi however found herself taking careful steps as they navigated the dimly lit hallways. It was as if the pool was getting thicker the closer, they got to their destination.

Shotzi found her confidence dwindling with each step. It was as if this man's locker was hidden as far away from the rest of the stars as possible. McCann finally stopped in a lone hallway. A single door sitting at the end of the hall with the trail leading inside.

Otto took another step forward but was blocked by McCann's arm, "Before you go, let me make something clear." He turned to face the group; his eyes shadowed by the lack of light. His words thick and heavy as he gave his final warning, "I have competed in that ring with countless men. Taken hits from countless steel chairs. Been put through more tables than you've put up. I've even fallen from forty-foot drops just to prove that even an old man can do it. I have a motto, 'I will never force you to do something that I wouldn't'." He looked down the hallway, "I wouldn't force someone to fight that man."

Shotzi made a visible gulping motion at the statement. McCann slowly reached for the doorknob, pulling away swiftly and inspecting his palm. They all stared in awe at the crimson colors that stained his hands. McCann steeled his nerves and pushed the door open.

The first thing that Shotzi saw was a few dim lights lining the outside of the room. A few colorful masks were hanging from hooks hauntingly. The shadows they cast on the walls were of ghostly grimaces and ghoulish smiles. As the door opened fully, her blood chilled. First, she saw the woman named Marina quietly patching up this giant mass of blood and muscles. She seemed nervous as she tried her best to stitch what looked like hundreds of open wounds shut.

But Shotzi's fear was focused on this man. Not a man, a monster. This ruby-red demon that sat calmly in the middle of the room. His hands on his knees as Marina tentatively took care of him. His body was heaving up and down as if he was forcing air into his lungs. Yet his demeanor showed no signs of fatigue. The worst part about him was the bright smile he wore on his face. The blood that rushed down his mug from under his mask perfectly wrapped around his lips and cheeks. His teeth were a dazzling, pearly white with bright white husks that she assumed were his eyes. With the dimly lit room around him, his face seemed to glow in the dark.

Shotzi and the Captain took a step away from the door. There was this deadly aura radiating off this man. Like he would snap their backs over his knee just for an adrenaline rush. Otto was a bit braver, he tapped on McCann's shoulder. "Who's the freak?"

McCann turned his head to face Otto, "His name's Primo. He's my latest-"

"El Primo."

Otto jumped at the voice's sudden proximity. When he looked back to the middle of the room all he saw was a massive wall of muscles. His eyes slowly shifted up, the massive frame of El Primo looking down at him. Otto quickly stepped away, his body colliding with Shotzi. "Did you see him move?"

"He didn't make a noise, he just… appeared in front of you."

Marina piped up from the center of the room, "Mr. El Primo. Your stitches aren't done yet. You shouldn't move so much."

Otto watched as some blood slowly rolled down his arms. The trail settling at his knuckles and dripping to the floor. Otto took a deep breath, signaling for the captain to join him in the questioning. "Umm… Mr. El Primo." The monstrous man's smile seemed to grow at the sound of his name, "Do you have information as to what happened inside the arena tonight."

Primo stared forward, observing nothing but seeing everything. He slowly turned around, taking a seat in his folding chair as Marina continued her job. "I had a match." His voice was low but they could hear the theatrics in his tone. "Then someone ruined my debut. And I helped the attendees flee the carnage."

Otto looked him over, "And the wounds?"

"As I said, I had a match."

McCann slammed a nearby locker, "BULLSHIT! You didn't compete tonight! You just walked in a beaten bloody mess with that exact same fucking smile on your mug!"

Primo locked eyes with the boss, the unstoppable force trying to shift the immovable object. Otto tried to bring some order to the growing chaos, "Mr. Primo-"

"Please, don't be so formal. Call me El Primo," he smoothly corrected.

"El Primo."

"Mr. El Primo" he sharply corrected

"Mr. El Primo. If you could just cooperate with us we can catch the people that attacked the venue and throw the bastards behind bars."

Primo snapped in Otto's direction. The sudden movement causing the officers to flinch. "I am just a simple wrestler that just finished a brutal unsanctioned match."

Captain Wesley walked forward, "Sir, please if you could just-"

The door flew open behind them. They turned to see a new officer had made his way backstage, "Captain Wesley, sir, we have a missing vehicle report."

As the room's attention shifted, the captain pondered his choices. He made a swift decision turning to Otto, "Do you think the perps made off with a stolen vehicle?"

"Makes sense."

Wesley made his way to the door, "Otto, Shotzi, ya coming?"

Shotzi quickly moved for the door, "Gladly."

As Otto walked past McCann they exchange a silent glance. The older officer clearly not content with how the interview ended. Just as he began to shut the door, Primo's voice reached out to him one final time. "Good luck, officers."

Otto opted against exchanging words with the beast. He caught back up with his allies, listening as Wesley analyzed the situation. "How long ago was the missing vehicle report?"

"Unsure sir. Estimated time is anywhere from 1 to 2 hours ago."

"Damn." Wesley dismissed the officer as they continued out to the main arena. He looked at the few officers still moving through the arena. Shotzi stood at his side with Otto approaching from behind. "What do you think Blackheart?"

Shotzi stiffened up, "My amateur opinion?" Wesley nodded for her to continue, "If there are tracks in the sand it wouldn't hurt to follow."

Wesley turned to Otto, "What about you?"

Otto casually pulled out a cigarette, "She's got a point."

"Then you'll be happy to know I've chosen you two to track the stolen vehicle."

Shotzi gave a proud smile while Otto just blew a frustrated breath, "Of course it's us."

Shotzi led the way as they found the vehicle's last known location. She brought out her flashlight, a quick sweep of the floor showed a faint set of tracks. "Looks like I was right."

"Don't get used to it." Otto looked out into the desert, a soft breeze blowing some grains into the sky. "Tracks won't stay there for long." He plucked his cigarette to the ground, "Ready to go?"

Shotzi holstered her flashlight and flashed her keys, "Ready to protect and serve." Another large breeze blew through Shotzi's long hair. Otto just shook his head and walked away, "Oh come one that one was good."

Their feet were dragging through the sand. The cool air of the night had slowly fazed away. They could feel the heat rising once again. Most had grown attune to walking through the desert. For others, "I… hate… the desert!"

"You don't hate the desert, Nix." Shelly looked over her shoulder with a smile. Her bandage shining with the sweat that was dripping from her brow, "You hate the heat."

"What?!" The group's giant trudged along from behind as his allies happily rushed ahead of him.

Sam casually walked backward, "She's saying you're built to absorb sunlight."

Nix inspected himself, "Is that a black joke?"

Sam laughed at the accusation, "No no. More a 'Big dumb gorilla' joke." Sam puffed his chest out and made some silly faces. While Nix silently seethed at the comment, the rest of the bandits laughed at Sam's antics.

Nix had heard enough, "Alright, that's it. Come here Sam!" Nix rushed at his smaller friend. The two running around in circles ahead of the group as the muscle tried to capture the team's technician. They watched as Sam slipped through Nix's massive palms several times. The larger male would try to snatch his arm, but Sam would quickly slip his hand out of the sleeve. Nix once swore that he had caught Sam in a bear hug, but when he inspected his arms all he found was air. His sides started to itch. A soft itch that made him laugh uncontrollably.

He looked down to see Sam tickling his core with a Cheshire grin. "I guess even grizzly bears are ticklish." The other bandits laughed at the duo. Nix however took advantage of Sam's proximity. He wrapped Sam's neck up in a headlock, a dangerous grin spreading his face. Sam looked up to the giant, "Alright you win, let me go."

Nix leaned down to his ear, "I think we're past negotiations." The massive man showed his giant hand. His knuckles popping audibly as he flexed his fingers. Sam shook his head, pleading for Nix to stop. The giant was relentless as he ground his knuckles into Sam's skull. His repeated taunts of "Noogie! Noogie!" flooding his ears.

Sam writhed around trying to get out of Nix's grasp but his efforts were futile. He grit his teeth and bared the pain. The crown of his skull growing warm as Nix's revenge-fueled attack persisted.

Shelly's chuckles lightened with time; her smile still bright as she approached the battling boys. "Calma chicos. I know you're having your fun, but we still got a while before we get home."

The low strums of a guitar joined them from behind. Though his clothes were covered in dust, the dark black fabric still radiated a beautiful light. "Come now, Shelly. Let's not spoil their fun." He wistfully danced past her, hovering around the boys as he played an upbeat tune. His song came out with a lively aura, "They're brothers; they're happy and they're playing, this one's colored." Poco happily pointed up to Nix, then twirled away. He played another short fanfare, then reached a hand toward the two. "Give me a hi-five~"

He expected to see Sam and Nix standing with their arms outstretched. Playful smiles on their face as they laughed with the undead musician. Instead, there was a giant figure looming over him. He followed the massive muscles that seemed to tear through his shirt until he saw Nix's ghastly face. The giant's gaze was stoic. There was neither a smile nor a frown, only an emotionless stare.

Nix's girthy form was slowly crouching down to his level. His eyes now on the same level as the smaller Poco. That's when Poco saw it; that bright and colorful grin that he had seen so rarely. The only other time he saw him smile like this was when they first entered the stadium.

Poco returned the kindness with his own permanent smile and a welcoming palm. Nix's hand rose slowly, his gigantic mitt casting a shadow over Poco's face. The tiny skeleton felt an overwhelming wave of anxiety wash over him. His boney hand trembling as he awaited the touch of Nix's rough skin.

His hi-five was reciprocated with more than necessary force. Nix's strength (whether intentional or not) pushed Poco back a little. The skeleton tried to gain some balance but quickly flopped onto his rear. He sat there both clutching at his butt while also massaging his heel.

The group returned to their laughing fit at the skeleton's blunder. Nix stood tall, merrily stating, "I didn't hit you that hard."

Poco's response was slightly defensive, "I didn't fall because of you."

"Sure." Nix slowly walked back to Sam. The weapons master currently trying to fix the part his metaphorical brother had left in his hair.

"No seriously. Look." Poco moved forward a little and pushed the sand around. His hand smacking something small and metallic. "See!"

The laughter slowly died down as all focus was directed toward this foreign object. Poco cleared away more sand, the bandits gathering around to see what he had excavated. They could see a transparent red lens emerge from the dunes first. Followed by a long gray gun-barrel. Poco asked a rhetorical question, "Is that a gun?"

Sam jumped on Nix's shoulders, "Dibs!"

Shelly chimed in, "Sammy, Poco saw it first. If he wants he can keep it."

Sam made a childish whining sound as a response. Poco raised a reassuring hand, "Don't worry Sam. I'm not a gun guy." He gripped his fingers around the intriguing scope, "You can have it."

The group watched silently as Poco struggled to move the weapon. His body clearly flexing as it tried to make some form of progress. Shelly got close to where his ears would be, "Having trouble little guy?"

Poco had a disgruntled look in his eyes, "It… won't… budge!"

Poco lost grip of the gun and fell to his bottom again. "Hahaha!" Sam walked up to the strange weapon. "It's okay, you just need a little more… meat on your bones!" He laughed wildly at his own low pun. The other bandits groaned, insisting that if he wanted to laugh at Poco he should try for himself.

"Pfft! Too easy! Watch and learn." Sam crouched down, keeping his back straight and firmly grasping the gun. He grunted and groaned but his best efforts didn't produce any results. "Jeez! How deep does this mystery go?" Sam went into another short laughing fit but swiftly refocused on the gun. "No but seriously, this is weird."

He started shoveling out dirt rapidly. His hands cupping as much as they could hold and throwing it to the side. He continued this process until he made an interesting discovery. Connected to the handle of the gun was a thick metal hand. Shelly inspected it closely, "Looks like we found what's holding our gun down."

Sam tried to pry the metal hand loose, but its vise-like grip was unbreakable. "This thing won't let go."

He felt a giant hand rest on his shoulder, pulling him away from the small hole. "Who said it has to let go." Nix clasped his fist around the metal arm. "If it won't let go…" his forearm flexed violently, "I'll just rip it's arm off."

Poco tried to stop his brash action but he was too late. Nix maliciously tore at the robotic arm; he intended to sever it and recover the gun later. However, the arm proved to be tougher than he expected. Instead of snapping the limb with ease, he accidentally plucked an entire robot.

The bandits fell backward as the robot's body erupted from the ground. Veronica noticed a single green hat floating away with the robot's resurfacing. She quickly grabbed it and returned to see Sam dusting off the bot with a brush. "Amazing! An entire droid still perfectly preserved underground."

Veronica took in the strange machine. She noticed its body didn't seem larger than Sam's though it was defiantly much broader in the shoulder department. Its chest was adorned with a green strap and golden egg-shaped artillery. The bandana worn around its neck was a deep shade of purple with a lavender design stretching the cloth.

Veronica checked the hat in her hand and noticed a similar purple and green color scheme adorning the fabric and brim respectively. She turned back to the bot and noticed a single yellow eye with a black 'x' representing its pupils.

Nix also took notice of the x-ed out pupils. "Is it… dead?"

Sam poked and prodded with a pencil he had, "I don't think so. Maybe it was an intentional design choice." He pulled out a screwdriver, "Only one way to find out."

Sam had a perverted smile on his face as he prepared to dissect the robot. "No." All heads turned to their leader. "We are not playing with a robot. We need to get home."

Sam gave her his best puppy dog eyes, "Awww, but Shelly. Please can we keep it?"

"No." Shelly looked at Nix, her brown eyes seeming to glow against her purple hair. "Nixxy, drop it."

The monster man was going to let it go but Sam dropped to his knees. "Please. Oh please. I swear, I'll take care of it. I'll maintenance it and give him deep panel cleanings. You won't even know it's there."

"That's the issue, it'll just be a waste of space."

"But we've never had a robot before. Please oh please, Shelly." He was now on his belly begging her to accept the bot.

Shelly rolled her eyes, looking at Nix for help. The giant didn't work with her, "I think it's a good idea. Having a powerful bot on our side that is programmed to be loyal will be of great assistance." Shelly groaned out her disdain, but Nix continued, "If lugging it to base is a problem…" he threw the bot over his shoulder with ease. "It doesn't bother me."

Sam's eyes lit up, standing to continue his plea. "See, see. He gets it. And when we get it home, I can fix it up and we'll have the first-ever robot gem bandit. Won't that be awesome!"

Shelly looked at the rest of the bandits. Poco's smile was still bright, any hopes she had of reading his emotions were hopeless. She turned to Veronica hoping to see her usual lifeless face but was, unfortunately, spectating her placing the purple hat on the robot's head. Her eyes squinting as she smiled at how he looked.

She looked back down to Sam, his face pleading for her approval. "Dios mío, FINE! But on one condition." She looked towards the robot's strange attire, "It needs a makeover."

"They say the sun shines brighter after a storm. Perhaps that is why today feels so peaceful."

Colt scanned the meadow ahead of them. The field housed a trio of boys throwing a primitive ball back and forth. He looked back to the village. A group of handy workers were slowly moving throughout the campgrounds and delivering goods to other tents. Further out was a grand expanse of farmland that was currently being monitored by a single villager with a spear in-hand. He refocused on the boys ahead of them. "Yeah, I guess it's nice."

Bo hooked the sheriff's neck, "Of course it's nice. We Ardacian pride ourselves on the beauty of our village. The peace we spread across our land. The brotherhoods formed by all that enter our homes." Bo used his superior strength to shift Colt around, "Tell me friend Colton. How was your first night in Ardacia?"

Colt pried his neck from Bo's arms. Softly patting down his hair as he spoke, "Well better than I expected. Sleeping on the ground wasn't that bad."

Bo's laughter was hardy, "Yes! Our knapsacks are built for true comfort." Bo took off his eagle cap, fanning his face and revealing his long black hair. Colt analyzed his features, taking note of the unusual length that his hair usually sat at. He saw his eyes for the first time, a light hazel brown that seemed to radiate positivity while still housing an air of seriousness. Colt wanted to see this face more, but Bo quickly replaced his hat, concealing his features in that shadow of darkness. The only part he could see were two massive white husks that represented his eyes.

Bo looked to him with a giddy grin, "Tell me Colton. Do you have plans for today?"

Colt tossed his crimson locks around, "I'm guessing you have a plan for me?"

"Of course not." Bo walked past him. "In fact, I was hoping I could dodge my job and join you today." Bo laughed wildly at his own humor.

Colt was a bit more astounded by Bo's statement. He joined Bo after a few staggered coughs. They were interrupted by a woman's voice. A lady in a strange garb joined them, requesting Bo's presence. With a heavy breath, Bo followed behind her. "Colton! Perhaps you would care to join me."

Colt looked at the boys playing ball, gazed towards the workers moving around the center, and silently begged for the farmer to ask for his assistance in guarding the crops. However, he eventually turned back to Bo with a tired face, "Got nothing better to do."

"Wonderful! It will be great to have an outsider's input on some of these boring politics."

As the two disappeared deeper inside the village the boys in the field grew even louder. Their game of one on one shifting to a two on one with the smaller of the boys trying to defeat the larger.

One of the main tents had an opening with smoke billowing out in heaps and drones. Several women and children could be seen moving in and out with men helping them carry some of the heavier loads. One of these women was a fair-skinned girl with cherry-red hair. The pigtails she usually kept well-groomed and tight now visibly looser and slightly frayed.

She had a small wooden bowl of freshly cooked meat and fried vegetables. As she made her way towards another (smaller) tent she heard a high-pitched whistle pierce the commotion of the village's epicenter.

She turned her head to the call's origin. The three boys that had been so focused on their sport had thrown their attention her way. "Hey mahmee!" Another catcall followed the phrase, "You that pretty little city-dweller that just came in right?" She nodded her head as confirmation.

The smallest of the boys spoke up next, his voice higher pitched. "What was her name again?" He scratched his chin sarcastically, "Jessabelle? Jessamine?"

The middle child spoke up, "Jessica. That's it."

She rolled her eyes at their games, "It's Jessie."

The middle child snapped his fingers, "That's it! Jessie. What a cute name." The smallest of the boys snickered at his hijinx. The largest of them just smiling as he listened carefully. "You look bored, why don't ya join us for a couple of rounds."

Jessie's gaze never faltered. She just turned her nose up at their jokes. The middle child's taunts persisted, "Come on baby don't be like that. Hang with us, it'll change ya life."

Jessie didn't entertain their taunts, instead focusing on maneuvering through the crowd towards her next destination. The smallest boy spoke up, "Come on. If ya not gonna play, the least you could do is watch. Who knows… ya might just fall in love~" He ended that sentence with the sound of his hands kissing his lips.

The other two boys laughed hysterically as Jessie disappeared inside her tent. Their howls drew the attention of many passersby, but it was a fourth voice that caught their attention.

The three looked toward this new voice, finding a boy sitting atop a barrel he must have been rolling just a few seconds prior. He was laughing so hard that he was sliding off his cylindrical seat. He fell to his back, his golden hair covering his eyes. He quickly jumped to his feet, the dark clothing he wore radiating an intense heat. He pushed the golden hair away from his face, his maniacal laughter causing tears to roll down his eyes.

When he could see clearly, the three boys took a moment to gaze into his light blue eyes. They were like pearls they would find inside a clam. And his voice was similar to Rosa, "Geez! And I thought I sucked at talking to her." He had a small coughing fit before continuing, "But were you guys even trying?"

Of the three boys, the two smaller ones were the most frustrated by his taunts. The largest just staring off into the distance as he let the younger boys clash with him. "So, you think you could do better?"

Tyler relaxed for a second, "Let me put it this way…" He pointed a powerful finger at himself, "At least she'll talk to me."

The smallest boy stepped up, "So what, you think your little girlfriend is too good to talk to us?"

Tyler looked up at the clouds. They were looked so soft and fluffy, his childlike mind getting distracted for a second, "Trust me… I wish I could call her my girlfriend."

The two boys laughed frivolously, "Oh I get it. We heard stories about you. White knights trying to protect a girl they can't even have."

The middle child went next, "Oh yeah. The boy in love with the princess, but she doesn't even notice him." Tyler's eyes sharpened at the taunts. "Look at him, I don't think he even protects her. He's just there to tell her how pretty she is!"

Tyler focused on the group, his body standing tall to intimidate the group. "I'm not her white knight and I'm not a gas can either." The boys were confused by his lingo. Tyler bit his lip, choosing his words carefully. "I'm… just a good friend."

The three boys stood still for a while. Just processing what they heard. Then they broke into a peal of feverish laughter once again. The largest boy cracking a small smile. The middle child was able to speak in between his snorts, "That's even worse! You're not even a man, you're a lovesick puppy."

Tyler wade in his embarrassment, trying to think up a response to their taunts. Their merriment was malicious. "Fine!" the boys looked toward him with interest. "How about I take you all on in a competition." He pointed an accusatory finger toward them, "I'll show you how much of a man I am!"

"Sure. Name the game."

Tyler gave them a crooked smile, "Your choice. I wanna beat you at your own sport."

The smallest boy was next, "Big talk from such a tiny boy." He turned to the middle child, "Should we do it to 'em, bro?"

The middle child gave a wild smile, "Do the honors."

"BRAWL BALL!"

Tyler's heart froze at the name. He heard of the sport before, a brutal game of soccer where the only rule was to score. He hadn't expected such a modern game to be played in this village.

The mention of the sport enticed many of the workers moving around them. Some even placed their items away so they could spectate the match. In a short amount of time, there was a small crowd of fifteen villagers standing around the meadow, awaiting the match to begin.

Tyler looked around and made a shocking realization. The middle child stated it for him, "I'm guessing you know that Brawl Ball is a three on three game." He looked around the crowd, "And I don't see you with any teammates."

Tyler cursed beneath his breath. He didn't have a plan to win a three on one.

"I'll help him!"

Tyler's focus snapped behind him. Pushing through the crowd was an older boy. He mustn't have been much shorter than Colt. His skin a deep dark brown like freshly watered dirt. His hair was short and scraggly, but his face showed how mature he was for his age.

The boys groaned at his arrival, one speaking up to say, "If it isn't the city lover! What's wrong Smokey? Got tired of sitting on your butt? You need us to kick it for you?"

Smokey clenched his fist, "Unlike you, I don't take pride in picking on weaker opponents. I don't dream of taking advantage of the numbers game. I want to see a fair fight. And if I have to help an outsider to see it then so be it."

Tyler wanted to take offense to the weaker comments, but he had to admit he was outclassed in this fight. The two fighters faced their three opponents. Tyler leaned into him, "Umm… thanks Smokey. Though you don't have to do this."

"Please. These three have been a thorn in my side for years. You're helping me, uh?"

"Tyler. Tyler Florence. Is Smokey your nickname or…?"

"No, my name's Smokey. Smokey Chambers." Tyler cracked a smile at the name.

"Well Smokey, gonna be a pleasure competing with you."

The middle child grew tired of their talking, "If you're done! You might have your little friend, but you don't have a full team. So what, ya gonna take us on two versus three?"

Tyler hissed at the truth behind his heckling, "He's right, how we gonna beat 'em if they have us outnumbered?"

Smokey scoffed at the fact, "Oh trust me… we are far from outnumbered."

The smallest boy cupped his hand to his ear, "Oh? Really? Please, tell us how you're gonna win?"

Smokey snickered, "With what I'm bringing, this match might as well be five vs three."

A tiny hand appeared on his shoulder. The crowd getting excited when they saw Nita's bear cap pop up from behind his back. The two leading boys took a step back at her arrival. "Why did we pick a fight with the city boy." The largest of the boys finally gave the scene his full attention. His large hands pushing them back to the frontline.

Nita looked at the trio, "If we're fighting these three, it might as well be three vs none! I'll water the plants with their tears." Tyler brightened up at the extra artillery. From what he saw last night, Nita was a powerful kid. Several of the other children refused to go near Jessie as long as she was watching over her. If she commanded that much authority with the kids, who knew what she was capable of on the battlefield.

The middle child was apprehensive now. Trying to think up a way out of this mess. He felt his oldest brother place a powerful hand on his shoulder. When he looked up, the large boy had his eyes locked on Nita. His expression seemed uneasy. "Hey bro. You sure we can win this."

The eldest boy never looked away from the girl, but he gave a sharp nod as a response. The middle child smacked the youngest's shoulder to calm him down. "Alright, let's play ball!"

After years of being stuck in the dark, she had grown accustomed to the lack of light. Her eyes were able to see the tiniest inkling of light refracting off the most minuscule of gemstones. Even now, as her headlamp washed across the rocky wall ahead of her, she noticed a small twinkle hidden between the stone crevices.

She snapped a mischievous smile, reaching for a jackhammer that was resting beside her. The power exploding from the equipment tore into the wall, throwing chunks of dirt and stone around her. Though her equipment was a modern-day barbaric tool, she utilized it with surgical precision. Each destructive jab from the tool's large spade was carefully aimed so that the gem would survive the excavation.

She ended her digging when the crystal was most visible. She reached for the diamond but found that it was still embedded into the wall. "Yeah, my ripper ain't gonna get that out clean." She looked over her shoulder, her headlamp illuminating the dark cave system. "Ey Carl! Gonna need a hand over here!"

From the darkness, two bright circles popped up. A nerdy robotic voice cutting through the darkness, "Certainly Jacky." The smaller robot made his way down the cave, the sound of his cart's tiny wheels squeaking the entire trip.

Jacky pointed out the diamond she was requesting the retrieval of. He cheerfully began mining away at the stone surrounding the gem, careful not to crack the precious jewel. Jacky palmed the crystal, ripping it off the tiny piece of stone that remained. She let out a sharp whistle at the site, "Look at that. Beautiful ain't she."

"Indeed." Whenever Carl blinked, the light from his eyes would disappear as well. This flashing light allowed the diamond to sparkle in the darkness. "A splendid specimen of a hyper rare llb diamond. A truly extraordinary find." Carl's programmed lisp accented every word, giving him that geekish charm.

Jacky patted the bot on his yellow hat, "You're cute when you're talking geek talk." Carl's facial plates warmed up again, his florescent eyes looking away from the larger woman. "Welp… let's get this back to the cart."

The two walked through the dark caves, silently following a softly illuminated path. As they grew closer to their destination the light from the many torches burned brighter. Leading to a large minecart that sat in the middle of a clearing. Inside the cart were hundreds of crystals and gems they had found throughout their shift. There was an array of varying minerals such as diorite, copper, and malachite sitting with the fine jewels they had found. Jacky tossed the diamond in haphazardly, to Carl's dismay. "Jacky, perhaps we should be more organized in our mineral retrieval."

"Ah organize shmorganize, who cares. That's what the grunts we deliver this stuff to are for."

"I can't even begin to explain what's wrong with that."

Another voice chimed in from the side, "And I don't care." The two miners turned to their boss. The small elderly man prancing towards them. "All I know is that this is another great haul!"

Jacky perked up at his joyful tone, "Okay Mike I'll bite. What's got you so excited?"

Mike tugged at his scraggly white beard. His snickers revealing his giddy mood, "Well let's just say I got a few new toys to play with." Mike couldn't help but giggle to himself, leaving the two workers in the dark. He reflexively curled in on himself, laughing wildly. From beneath his hard hat, a tiny set of yellow feathers tipped the protective gear a bit. Peeking out from beneath the hat was a tiny yellow canary. It's wings gesturing to a position behind them.

Jacky and Carl turned to a darker corner of the mine. Their bodies trembling at the sight hidden in the shadows. Laying against the wall was a giant barrel of Mike's finest explosives. This keg of building leveling powder was currently positioned inside a small plot within the wall. Carl gave a shaky smile, "Dynamike, sir. What do you plan to do with that?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Carl and Jacky looked at their boss. A trigger in his hand with a wire rolling down to the ground beneath him. Jacky followed the length of the fuse, noticing that it was linked to the bottom of the mound of gunpowder.

"Holey *drill*," she cried as she accidentally pulled the trigger of her jackhammer. She snatched Carl up in her arms, the two running behind the insane old man.

Dynamike gave a wild smile, "FIRE IN THE HOLE!"

The soft click of the switch was a stark contrast to the massive explosion that followed. The entire mineshaft rattling as the rocks around the epicenter were obliterated and hurled through the cave. Dynamike didn't flinch as several chunks of debris flew past his face. His smile just as bright as when he first entered the shaft.

As the dust settled, Jacky and Carl popped out of their hiding place. The former was frustrated with her boss's constant mayhem and destruction. The latter was just happy he didn't collapse the mineshaft this time. Digging out that night was painful.

Dynamike took a second to inhale the dust and brimstone, "I love my job."

Carl tentatively requested raised a hand, "Sir… maybe that isn't the most optimal way to find mineral deposits."

"Hogwash! Has it ever failed before?"

Jacky was more aggressive with her response, "You almost trapped us and a whole kilo of emeralds underground last month!"

"Almost." Jacky was growling at Mike's insane thought process. Carl was luckily there to calm her down. "Now let's see what we found?"

The trio took their time moving through the crater. Dynamike placing torches on the walls to ensure that they wouldn't miss anything. For the most part, the only thing they could find was the loose remains of the many minerals that were housed within the stone walls.

Carl was able to dig a little deeper and find a small deposit of iron next to a spot of gold. Jacky followed suit, taking a few chunks out of the walls with her jackhammer. She wasn't paying the most attention to what she was mining, just carefully cutting away at the stone till something popped out at her.

That something came in the form of a bright green rock within the wall. "Ay look at that, emerald!"

Carl joined her to take chunks out the wall and expose the rare gemstone. As he continued to mine, Dynamike took note of the strange coloring. "That is the brightest emerald I've ever seen. At least naturally without any polish."

"Yo, imagine the price we could get for this puppy." Jacky pet Carl's head, "Come on buddy, don't scratch it now."

Carl took special care not to scar this rare find. As they revealed more of the stone, Jacky noticed a strange discoloration within the gem's core. A yellow blemish in what seemed to be a perfect lime-green stone. "Ah, fuzz! Stinkin thing's got some yellow in it."

"Nothing wrong with that." Dynamike's experience shined bright, "The yellow in the stone could be seen as a rare commodity for some buyers.

"No kiddin?"

"Affirmative, for some people, gems with such a specific impurity are actually more valuable than pure gems." As Carl rambled about the price of different gems on the market his pick broke a supporting chunk of the stone causing the gem to fall to the floor.

They all stared in awe at the jewel. It seemed to be giving off a faint light. The yellow splotch in the middle had a strange lightning bolt shape. Jacky reached down to inspect the strange gem. She could feel an odd aura radiating off it, "Ya know what you guys were right…"

She turned so that the stone was on display to both of them. "This thing's pretty neat!"

Within her hand, a jolt of electricity jumped across the stone's surface. They all stared at the gem with wonder. That wonder shifted to fear as a blinding bright light erupted from the jewel. Jacky's scream was the last thing that could be heard as the cave around them turned into a giant flashbang.

"Okay luv, tell me can ya fell this?" The botanist took a small stick with a triangular rock attached to it. A light tap to the patient's tiny leg gave zero results. He looked up at her with a simple smile and a telling nod. "So, you don't have the typical nervous system, do you?" Now the response was a small shoulder shrug.

As the British villager tried to find an answer to her new patient's strange body another body entered her tent. She turned to see the long red pigtails of Jessie entering, a bowl of meat and vegetables in-hand. "Mrs. Rosa, I have the food you requested."

"Just leave it on that table luv." Rosa was focused on examining the oddity that was Pac. This strange cactus that had wandered into their village alongside Jessie and her friends raised more questions than answers.

"So, what did you find out Mrs. Rosa?"

She looked over her shoulder to see Jessie hyper-focused on the examination. "Nuthin much. Just that he doesn't have any blood, just water. No nervous system or internal organs. He's just a sentient cactus."

Jessie scratched her cheek, "Well I'd say that's strange… but." Jessie pointed to the tiny plant on Rosa's back, "Aren't you used to this?"

Rosa reached her hand back to comfort her pet, "Not exactly. My plant was scientifically engineered to gain sentience by fusing the cells in its body with animal cells. Think of its xylem veins as a nervous system and its phloem veins as a blood system. With that, I was able to cause the xylem veins to cluster into a makeshift form of brain matter. And with time I was able to train it to understand human speech and comprehend basic emotions."

Jessie's head was spinning with the influx of plant science. She was a mechanic, not a botanist. Rosa (noticing Jessie's state) tried her best to move on and explain Pac's situation. She pulled out a small flashlight, "Now look at this. Pac, open wide."

The cactus gladly complied and allowed the girls full view of the inside of his body. Rosa shined her light allowing Jessie to see inside Pac's skull. "What do you see darlin?"

Jessie squinted her eyes, "Nothing."

"Exactly, it's empty. Not a sign of any brain, lungs, stomach, blood vessels, nothing. Nothing. He's empty. Yet…" She had Pac close his mouth. "Pac, what do you call a barren wasteland with little to no plant life yet and an array of deadly creatures out to consume you?"

The cactus gave a thinking motion as it tried to understand her question. He gestured for her to continue. With her gloved hands, she patted the plant's skull, "Your home."

Then on cue, Pac began to clap merrily at the realization of what she was describing. Rosa applauded as well and cooed at the plant's joyful tune. She turned back to Jessie, "See. He has full awareness of what's going on around him. A complete understanding of who he is and what he's doing with his life. Though he lacks a nervous system." She began tickling the cactus' stomach. Though he lacked a voice, his mouth curled upward, and he writhed under her grip. "He's able to feel others touch and giggle at the sensation of tickling. But he also doesn't have any reactionary nerves in his body. So I can't tell if he can or can't feel pain." Rosa put down her light and walked toward the bowl Jessie brought in. "He's a mystery wrapped in an opaque foil of magic and I just can't find the lip to unwrap it with."

Jessie was carefully playing with Pac when she heard Rosa's statements. "Magic?"

Rosa swallowed the veggies she had frustratedly stuffed into her mouth, "I believe it to be magic. I'm not sure. I don't understand it at all. That's why I came to this village, to study the magical properties I was told are housed on this soil." Rosa ran her hands through the giant bush she called her hair. Her tiny plant seeming to pat her lightly to comfort her frustrations. "But with every new discovery, I question the sciences I've studied for so long."

Jessie rose from her seat beside Pac. She wasn't believing what she was hearing, "Magic is… real?"

Rosa could see the confusion in Jessie's eyes. The apprehension in her voice hitting very close to home. It was the same way she felt when she first discovered this village and the people that lived inside it. She quickly ran for a nearby blanket, "Here watch this. Pac lay down please." The short cactus happily obliged, knowing what would happen next. Rosa placed the cloth over Pac's spiny chest.

She gave a gesture signaling for Jessie to lay her head against the towel. As she rested her head on Pac's chest, she noticed a strange humming escaping where his heart should be. "What is that?"

"Bloomin 'eck if I know. I've tried everything I can here, but I lack the equipment necessary for safe testing. If only I was back at my lab."

Jessie jumped at that information, "You have a lab?"

"Why yes… deep inside the Ardacian Jungle I have a greenhouse where I conduct most of my experiments."

"If you have a lab, that must mean you have electricity and technology. How? How did you gain access to a station this far from civilization?"

Rosa put a finger to her chin, "Hmm… The internet." Jessie's eye twitched at the insulting answer. Rosa couldn't help but chuckle at her disgruntled face, "I'm tugging ya leg luv. Though I am licensed by Niagra's elites to research the vegetation and wildlife hidden deep within the forest. Some of the creatures housed within those trees are truly splendid."

Jessie was getting frustrated, "If you have that kind of access to the outside world, why didn't you allow us to go to your greenhouse and call for help."

The room fell silent. Rosa was silently thinking up a response to Jessie's valid question. What could she possibly say, "It's not safe."

"Not SAFE?!"

"You have to understand. The Ardacian Jungles are a horror show of vicious wildlife and flora that will consume you without a second thought. Even I don't feel comfortable walking through those trees without Bo and his warriors by my side." She looked to Jessie, hoping the girl would accept this explanation. She was glad to see Jessie's mood less hostile and more understanding.

Her heart hurt at the explanation; she wasn't lying about not feeling comfortable alone in the woods. But she withheld some information about her travels through those trees.

Jessie tugged at her graphic tee. It was a little smudged up after the rough day she had yesterday. She looked up to Rosa with pleading eyes, "Can I come with you the next time you visit your lab?"

Rosa gave a small smile, "Of course."

Jessie bit her lip, "And can Colt and Tyler come too?"

Rosa paused for a second, "I'll… think about it." Jessie couldn't make eye contact, trying to accept the information she had been given. "Chin up kiddo. I'll be happy to have more assistants to help me out at the lab."

"More?"

"Well of course. A girl can get lonely stuck inside a glass home in the middle of a dangerous forest."

Jessie's excitement was piqued. Her prior frustrations with Rosa's formerly secret greenhouse now evaporating, "How many assistants do you have? How old are they?"

"Well, I only have one. And she's twenty-two, though…" Rosa took a second to observe Jessie. The younger girl feeling awkward as they stood in silence. "She might not be much taller than you." Rosa readied herself for further questioning, but divine intervention came in the form of an elderly woman entering the tent. She was currently choking on her own voice as she laughed uncontrollably. "Well, you look as spry as a spring chicken. What's got you riled up old-timer?"

She tried her best to talk between exasperated breaths, "The Cal Boys. They've decided to challenge some poor kid to a match."

Rosa perked up, "Ooooh, interesting. Who's the unlucky bairn?"

"The poor boy that just came in from the outside."

Jessie stiffened up, "Tyler!" She pushed past the two adults, running outside to inspect the scene. 'What the heck did you do now?'

She couldn't see anything past the massive crowd of people idling around. Their hoots and hollers drowning out all other sounds in the village. Jessie grew increasingly nervous, what could he be doing that would draw such a crowd? She abused her small stature, brushing through the forest of legs and shoving any bodies that stood in her way.

When she broke through the wall of bodies, she watched as a larger village boy ran up to Tyler. The two colliding in mid-air chest first with ecstatic laughter, her friend's shirt was removed exposing his slim build in contrast to the wider frame of the village boy. As the boys' feet reached the floor another body leaped onto the larger one's back. Jessie smiled softly at the sight of Nita's giddy gaze and playful personality.

She shook these positive vibes quickly. Tyler, Nita, and their new friend could have their little celebration. She needed to analyze the situation. Her stare drifted to the other side of the meadow. A group of boys could be seen loitering with a ball in hand. Their grimaces were full of rage and hatred for the merry troupe of allies across the grass. Jessie assumed that these must have been the Cal Boys in question.

Jessie heard Rosa's voice behind her, "Phew. I thought the tiny bloke was a goner! But they're just playing Brawl Ball."

Jessie shook her head, "That might be worse…"

Rosa's lips curled at her passing comment, "Aww, what's wrong? Scared your little boyfriend's gonna get hurt?"

"He's not my boyfriend," she said with pursed lips. She fixed her eyes on the field, "I'm worried what he'll do to them."

"READY!" a young referee stood with the crude ball in hand.

Rosa sat on the dirt at the front of the crowd. She patted the soil, "Take a seat. Next round's starting soon." With a reluctant smile, Jessie took a seat beside the Brit. As she got comfortable, she felt another presence join them. To her right sat the jolly green grin of Pac. That silent cactus giving a vacant stare as his hollow eyes followed the movements ahead.

"SET!?"

The players got into position. The bystanders cheering for their chosen teams to win. Jessie and Rosa tried their best to scream over the crowd. Pac just happily clapped with the atmosphere.

"BRAWL!"

The ref tossed the ball into the middle of the meadow. Before the ball could bounce twice Nita was already atop it. Her mouth watering as her fingers reached for the orb. Then just as she could feel the tiny hairs on her fingertips brush against the ball's leather wrapping, it disappeared in a flash.

Though she lacked the speed to stop him, her eyes followed the smallest Cal boy's movement. He gave her a vulgar gesture as he disappeared into a bush with the ball. With a low growl, she gave chase only to be interrupted by a blow to the back of the head. She easily shook off the shot, turning to see the middle child grinning with pride. She took a deep breath, cracked her neck, then raised his smile with a ghastly grin.

The youngest Cal brother disappeared into a bush with the ball. His snickering smile watching the battlefield closely. The bystanders were trying to balance their focus between Nita's fight with the middle child and gathering info as to what the youngest was doing inside his bush.

The youngest boy noticed the eldest brother standing near their start, acting as a goalie. He saw the city boy slowly making his way forward. His laughter only grew at the clear path he had to their goal. After catching his breath, he moved for the ball again. But he was unable to find it in the brush.

He rummaged around for a sign of the beaten ball. Finally finding it sitting against the large dirt mound he was using as cover. After gathering himself he gave one final inspection of the scene outside. He still saw the city boy standing on their side of the field. "Alright…" he said in that annoying voice. "Ready."

A large hand clasped onto his shoulder. A high-pitched squeal leaving his throat at the sudden contact. He couldn't bring up any of his limbs in defense. He turned to see Smokey's haunting smirk, "Set."

On the sidelines, Jessie was getting impatient. She jumped to her feet, "COME ON! FIGHT ALREADY!"

"Wow, luv. Weren't you just worried about his safety?"

"I'm tired of waiting for something to happen. Why is he just standing there?"

Rosa looked at the two boys, "He's probably waiting for some help with the oldest brother." She examined the differences between the two. While Tyler was surprisingly built for a boy of his size, the eldest of the Cal's was a behemoth by many standards. Even the men of the village knew better than to blindly raise the boy's ire. "I mean, don't get me wrong. Tyler is a right impressive bloke, but. What he's looking at is a man."

She scoffed at the outrageous remark, "Please I've seen Tyler take on guys twice as large and win." As Jessie finished her unintentional praising of Tyler, they saw the youngest Cal brother's body roll out the grass. "Oh, I forgot about him."

Smokey followed soon after, casually dribbling the ball forward. With his arrival, Tyler sprinted into action, joining Smokey at his side. The villager inspected his pale ally, "Where is Nita?"

He pointed a finger behind him. Smokey took notice of Nita's grappling contest with the middle child. The girl had the larger boy in a rear-naked-choke, the boy tapping out desperately. Tyler sneered, "In a tussle with Russel."

"Who is this, Russel, you speak of?"

"It's… It's no one." Tyler blushed.

"Your city words amuse me." The two shared a soft laugh until an object collided with Smokey's head. Tyler stopped in his tracks; he saw a small round stone on the floor beside Smokey's skull. There was a tiny drop of blood running down his head as he laid prone.

He looked for the thrower, finding the largest Cal brother standing with a handful of stones. An evil smirk across his face as he absently tossed one of the stones in the air. Tyler's anger grew, "You coward! How can you be that big and refuse to fight us head on?!"

Tyler awaited a response, but only got silence.

"GAH! Is that even legal?! Using foreign objects?" He looked to the ref for an answer.

"Anything is legal in Brawl Ball."

After an unapologetic shrug, Tyler relaxed. He took a deep breath, steeling his nerves, and rationalizing the situation. He could hear the crowd growing anxious at the lack of action. The entertainer in him wanted to show-off, but this match was less of a show and more of a battle for respect.

"We're up by one point." He rested his foot on the ball, "All I have to do is score this one goal and we- GAH!" He ducked an incoming rock. "Hey, I was talking!"

His opponent frowned as a response.

Smokey tried to grumble something out, "I don't know the custom of city combat. But we don't wait for speeches here."

"Fine…" he blew an exasperated breath. "Then I'll monologue while I beat him." He kicked off, dashing forward straight for the chest of the boy. The oldest Cal brother released a volley of rocks in his direction. With a bird's grace Tyler dodged the hailstorm. Ducking and weaving around them easily as he continued to push forward.

His movements required him to jump sporadically from his left to his right. During these moments of strafing, he would spurt out another line. "You see while I might not be as strong." He shifted so fast it was like he was disappearing, "But I'm defiantly ten times as fast as anyone you've ever seen." He dodged another stone, now standing a few feet away from the large boy. "Now watch this drive."

He kicked the ball up then sprinted full tilt. He saw the boy moving forward to grab the ball but with his superior speed, he easily knocked it between his legs and slid through them like a penguin on ice. The Cal boy took a swing at him, missing wildly and allowing Tyler to make a clean getaway.

The city boy stuck his tongue out playfully as he rushed for their goal. It was so clear, so open. The few flowers that peppered the ground were glistening with morning dew. He could hear the crowd's raucous screams. Some were excited to see him land the finishing blow, others were booing at the sight of a city dweller beating the Cals. Even if he had some help from the village's gold standard.

As he listened to the sounds of mayhem, he heard one voice pierce through the crowd. A girl screeching his name at the top of her lungs. He looked for a sign of one of the village girls. They had grown very fond of him; it wasn't unlikely for one of them to be calling for his attention. But when he looked for the voice, the group of girls he saw didn't seem to be saying his name.

His dribbling slowed down as he searched the crowd closely. His heart stopping when he finally saw her. Standing up, her bright-red pigtails bobbing in the air, was Jessie. The girl he had fallen for long ago was now jumping for joy at the sight of him. He saw her vibrant smile, that adorable look that he had grown addicted to. He lived for the chance to see her look at him like that. And now he was drunk on it.

His movements got sloppy, his feet stumbling about as he continued to lumber forward. His facial features were goofy, his smile slack-jawed and a deep shade of crimson spreading across his cheeks. He raised his hands slowly, giving an embarrassing wave back to her. When he fully opened his eyes to observe her beauty, he was surprised to see her face more frantic. Her hands pointing to something behind him.

He didn't have time to look back. The attack hit like a bottle rocket colliding with his chest, his spirit hitting the floor before his body. The crowd groaned from the force of the projectile-like attack. The smallest Cal brother swooped up the ball and rushed back to his eldest sibling. The biggest boy hi-fiving him as they ran together.

Smokey rose again, trying to use his body as a wall to defend against the two. However, the oldest brother easily knocked him to the side. They scored with ease, the referee calling out the point. "Cal Boys point. Score one to one. Next point wins."

This call snapped Nita back into focus. She released the middle brother from the lazy kneebar she had him in. She looked at the scene, the Cal Boys were snickering as they passed the ball back to the ref. She looked at Smokey and Tyler, the village resident had a small bruise on his face. There was a thin trail of blood rolling down his cheek.

She looked to Tyler, he seemed fine. It looked like he had just been resting on the ground. Seeing him casually relaxing made her angry.

Tyler rubbed his aching chest, "Little bastard hit me outta nowhere." He took a few deep breaths, then looked back at the crowd. He saw Jessie frowning on the sideline. His heart broke at the face she was making. It was disappointment at the events that had transpired before her. And he was the main cause. His body sunk inward, silently scolding himself for getting distracted so easily.

He would have continued his scolding had it not been for a small force knocking him onto his stomach. He tried to push up but was smushed back down by a tiny hand. He turned his cheek to see his attacker, his face going white at Nita's terrifying grimace. He tried to say something, but she quickly pushed her palm against his cheek. "What happened?!"

He gave a muffled response, "I got distracted."

"By what?!"

Tyler was too embarrassed to say.

She didn't need a response, she heard all she needed. She sat up on his back, picking at her fanged teeth with her thumb. Tyler's eyes bugged out, "No. Wait. Please." Without remorse, Nita bit down on Tyler's head. Careful to not sink her teeth past his skull. Tyler however, screamed bloody murder at the interaction. He writhed around under the girl's grip trying to break from his impromptu punishment.

As the two squirmed around on the grass, Smokey took his time approaching them. His hands gripping Nita by her waist and prying the child off violently. Tyler sat up slowly, watching as Nita gnashed and clawed at the air to get to him. "How did you let them score?!"

"I-I told you, I got distracted!"

A cute yet threatening growl escaped her throat. Smokey held her a little closer to his chest, "Nita, you can't blame Tyler solely for that loss." He turned her around in his hands. The tiny tot's eyes sharp with anger. Smokey's eyes were much calmer, "We are a team. We score as a team; we get scored on as a team. If you truly wish to win, you must help the team."

Their eyes danced silently. An intense conversation happening without another person to interrupt. A harsh sigh was the first sound they made, Nita seeming to concede abruptly. He placed the girl down softly; she shot a crooked glare at Tyler. A tap on the shoulder was the push she needed, "I'm sorry."

Tyler was surprised, "Oh it's-it's okay." His giddy nature was back, trying his best to cool off the growing heat. "Honestly I should have been paying attention." He peeked at the golden girl, her tiny mouth still frowning as she tried her best to hide her anger. Tyler couldn't help but laugh at how cute she was, even though he knew how dangerous she might be.

"READY!"

The call of the ref ended their team huddle. "We must prepare for the final round," Smokey commanded. The teams stood on their respective sides of the field. Nita took center stage, showing that she wouldn't allow them to lose again.

"SET!"

"GRH! COME ON TYLER! SHOW 'EM HOW WE DO IT IN THE CITY!"

Rosa snorted with laughter, "I think you're more pumped than the players."

Jessie disregarded the comment, "DON'T LET 'EM PUSH YOU AROUND TYLER!" He gave a thumbs-up as a response.

The ref listened to the crowd, they seemed to be growing impatient. He shot a look towards Nita's team, they seemed hyper-focused on the group ahead. He turned to inspect the Cal Boys. The oldest brother sent a subtle nod his way, the ref quietly returning the gesture.

On the edge of the village, hidden between two of the largest tents, sat two figures. They watched on silently as the match begun anew.

"BRAWL!"

The ref tossed the ball inward. But this time it did not land in the middle of the field. The ball instead bounced directly into the lap of the oldest Cal. Nita gawked at the action, Tyler and Smokey also voicing their disdain with the sleazy play.

She turned to the official, raising a tightly clenched fist at him. Just as she moved to attack the traitor a rock collided with her skull. The girl didn't move an inch, she merely allowed her head to rock back with the impact.

The crowd fell silent, the two boys on her team stepping back slowly. They could feel the air growing thin around them. An intense heat was radiating off her body. A few of the watchers made snickering comments, trying to pop the cap on the overflowing rage that Nita was keeping bottled up.

They watched as she slowly stood straight. Her eyes softly shut; her breaths calm and collected. Smokey was hesitant, but he had to try and reach her. "Ni-"

Her eyes opened suddenly, causing Smokey to catch his tongue. Inside those white husks, he saw a year's worth of pent-up frustrations bubbling up. He said a soft prayer then allowed her to do as she pleased.

The girl didn't say anything, she just lazily looked at each of the brothers. To the far right was the middle boy, his annoying smile made her stomach churn. But he didn't seem like the culprit. She took a gander at the largest brother. He stood between the two with the ball at his feet. His face was emotionless, just vaguely staring directly at her.

They fought a silent battle with their stares. The world around them faded away, the only thing that persisted was their spirits. A clash of personalities that dreamed of one day finally meeting physically. But not yet, it was too soon.

Instead, a new voice pierced the veil they had created. The smarmy snickers of the youngest boy sneaking their way into Nita's ears. She allowed her gaze to shift from the eldest brother, now taking in the small frame of the youngling. He was currently sticking his tongue out at her, using one hand to toss a stone passively while the other pulled on his eyelid. This mocking gesture only fed to Nita's rage, though she kept her anger hidden under a thin veil.

She faced this new opponent, her fists clenching shut as she bared her fangs. Her feet mushed the ground beneath her, her stance widening as her body lowered. Then from deep within her stomach, a harrowing screech escaped her body. This unsettling sound rang through the village like a siren signaling the end of the world. The spectators could be seen throwing their hands up to somehow block the wave of energy she was producing. The Cal Boys were also getting into a defensive stance, the oldest boy simply smiling at the power she was outputting. Tyler and Smokey had fallen to their rears from the sheer force of her wail.

Nita's scream slowly faded away. With its departure came a new wave of fear. The youngest brother could see a horrifying look in her pupil-less eyes. One that showed his impending doom. Nita's muscles retracted, a low, constant heaving causing her body to expand and contract. As her wild state wistfully washed away, a new more controlled Nita entered the scene. A soft smile across her lips with a peaceful glint in her eyes. That glint was directed at the brother that threw a rock at her. And to him, he saw no peace.

Without warning, the boy dashed away from the mid-field. Matching his pace, Nita rushed after him. He saw a crack in the crowd that he could run to, but the people quickly shut off this path. He ran away from the village's prized daughter, hoping to disappear into a nearby bush and lose her within. Nita plunged in as well, leaving the arena in a stagnant silence. For a split second, the pain and anguish of the boy could be heard, followed by an abrupt ending to his suffering. It was as if Nita had silenced his screams.

The middle child turned to rush after his brother, but the eldest quickly stopped him. Pointing towards their opponents ahead. Tyler and Smokey had regained their vertical bases and seemed ready to battle. Smokey had a serious scowl across his mug, showing that he would not give up just because Nita disappeared again. Tyler, however, had a shit-eating grin across his face. A cocky smirk that screamed he was excited to fight. And a fight he was going to get.

"Smokey is all yours. The city prick's mine!" The towering frame of the older brother simply nodded his response. The middle child dashed ahead; his eyes locked on Tyler.

"Lucky you, you get the big one."

"I'm truly blessed."

Tyler got his hands up to guard against the first blow. The middle child pushing him back slightly as the two went toe-to-toe. Their punches weren't breaking records, but they most certainly were breaking barriers. Tyler was mainly defensive in this fight, electing to smile and weave the blows smoothly rather than rush him down. His opponent was rabid like the primitive man he was. Though his attacks weren't claw-like slashes, just wild closed-fist pounds and smacks. Like a monkey in a brawl.

While Tyler played with his food, Smokey tried to get something cooking. As he ran up to the large boy, his intimidating size became more apparent. It was as if the ogres of myth had given birth to a son with a dwarven father. His body was as broad as a barn was wide. And his face was ugly to boot. It looked like he was constantly consuming lemons with even if he smiled.

Though now was not the time to observe his opponent's features, now he had to fight. As he got within range of his opponent different choices ran through his mind. He could try for an uppercut to his jaw, or perhaps a blow to his legs would slow him down. But in the heat of the moment, an option he didn't consider came to mind. He ran up to the large boy and punched him in his gut.

For a second, he thought he was able to push past his muscles. Sinking a blow deep between the liver and stomach. He came to his senses when he felt the boy's hand grip his arm. Upon closer inspection, his fist hadn't dived deeper than a pair of abs on the giant's core. He gazed up and saw darkness in his eyes. This behemoth wasn't even fazed. But he couldn't quit. With his free hand, he began assaulting his abdomen with lightning-fast jabs. But as his offensive continued, he noticed it still had little to no effect.

With little effort the eldest brother tossed Smokey to the side, his body rolling through the grass until he quickly hopped to his feet. He stood there, ready for the next attack, but it never came. He inspected the monster, expecting some sign of retaliation. But he was just standing there, menacingly. His eyes seemed to be focused on something far away. Smokey grew impatient, calling to the eldest boy for him to fight.

A lazy stare came his way as if to give him attention but not recognition. This painful gaze only added to Smokey's growing frustrations, but he didn't seem to care. His stare refocused on something off in the distance. Or perhaps he was staring at nothing at all. The one guarantee was that he had no interest in Smokey. He took a step forward, placing his toe against the ball and pushing it forward. In a slow and melancholy stride, he moved forward. Growing increasingly closer to his victory with every step.

Smokey was almost driven to rage, but a short breathing exercise calmed him down. In a calm voice, he called out. "Cal!"

The giant boy didn't stop moving.

"I will not allow you to win with such ease. You will have to immobilize me to score the winning point." In a valiant effort, Smokey ran forward. Ready to fight a battle he wasn't sure he could win.

As Smokey rushed headfirst into doom, Tyler was having fun toying with the middle child. His movements were clunky as expected but he didn't expect him to be so slow. No wonder Nita was pushing him around with ease. Another wild punch gave him a cool breeze, knocking some sweat off with it. Tyler couldn't help but laugh as he tapped the boy's head then danced away from him.

"Your city fighting is for cowards! Fight like a man!"

Tyler scoffed at his claims. Brushing past another sloppy offensive, "Defensive fighting isn't cowardly, it's strategic. Though your thick skull wouldn't be able to comprehend that."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" He dived for Tyler's legs, an attack easily avoided like a football player hurdling a tackle. As the boy laid on the ground, he felt Tyler flick his nose playfully. A child-like grin on his face as he toyed with his prey.

He gave a comedic yawn, "Listen I'm getting bored, so let's spice things up. I'm gonna beat you in one minute and…" He put his left arm behind his back, "I'll only use one hand."

The crowd cooed at his proposal. A few of the younger girls swooning at his confidence. Some of the men in the village roared both in anger and fascination. To think this city kid was pulling off such feats of speed and endurance. Who knew his true power?

The answer would be the redhead that rolled her eyes at the scene. "Show-off."

"Though you must admit, he is rather entertaining."

"Don't encourage him."

As the crowd went wild, Tyler did a few taunting stretches. Arm across the body, leg lifts, he tried to pull his arm behind his head for a chicken wing stretch but he couldn't use his other arm. So he just laughed and smiled at him. After a few more seconds of fun, Tyler finally got into a combative stance. One hand stretched out with a clawing gesture and a wide base for support. "Time starts in 3… 2…"

The middle Cal brother ran full tilt, foam spewing from his mouth as if he were fighting for survival. Tyler sidestepped another grab and chopped his throat. As he fell, the blonde quickly used his legal hand and opposing knee to pincer the villager's stomach. Once again he was left holding this new pain giving Tyler time to get creative. His best idea was a stiff kick to the boy's chest, forcing him upright. While one hand held his stomach the other clenched his aching chest. Leaving his face wide open for a whirlwind elbow to the jaw. He was out before he hit the ground.

"1… K.O."

Tyler dusted his palm on his leg, looking down proudly at his handy work. The bystanders erupted at his match. Some people booed, others cheered, but everyone screamed, and the village shook at the intensity. Tyler waved happily to everyone, bowing at some and blowing kisses to others. When he eventually turned to Jessie, he was ecstatic to see her clapping as well. Though she was also silently pointing to something away from her.

He followed her finger and noticed the giant frame of the eldest brother slowly walking toward their goal. On his back, trying to throw off his balance was Smokey. And try as he might, his efforts were fruitless.

He quickly ran to his new friend's aid. As he got closer, he noticed how slow he was moving. 'Oh, this is gonna look so cool.' He ran a bit ahead of them, sliding through the front and taking the ball with him. He snickered to himself as he imagined himself scoring the game-winning point. The crowd's mixed reaction, the girls of the village swooning over him. But most importantly, he'd be able to get another compliment from Jessie. He couldn't help but blush as he imagined her patting his head softly, allowing him to rest in her lap as she treated his bruises from the game.

It was pure bliss. Now all he had to do was score the goal. Though he was confused to find his legs feeling zero weight from his body. He looked down to see why he felt so light and saw his feet dangling above the ground. He looked to his left and saw the cold stare of the giant boy. His unsettling grimace staring directly at Tyler. He returned the hostile look with an apologetic smile, "A rather fast bloke aren't ya?"

He looked past him to see Smokey desperately trying to choke him out. "Do not worry my friend. We shall defeat this beast together." Tyler sent an open palm strike at his nose, expecting him to recoil from the sudden blow. But the boy just snorted and tossed Tyler to the side. Slowly walking toward the ball and resuming on his path for their goal. "I don't believe that worked." Smokey tried his best to shift the monster off course. "Do you have any other ideas?"

Tyler rolled his shoulders, "Yeah I got a few." The crowd roared as they watched the giant boy slowly walk through the duo of defenders. Tyler tried chopping his legs but hitting them was like striking a brick wall. He contemplated using some of his more underhanded tactics but thought against it with the setting they were in.

He decided (since his attacks proved futile) that perhaps the mental fight would be his saving grace. "Hey, fugly!" The boy continued walking, "Hey I'm talking to you!"

Smokey had shifted to straddling his shoulders and trying to pull him to the side. He looked at the boy's face, "I don't think it's working."

Tyler ran up to his face, planting his feet and trying to slow him down. "What's wrong, scared of looking like a weakling in front of the village?" He didn't even sniff at the taunts. Tyler was frustrated, "Stop ignoring me!" He leaped up and slapped the boy square in the cheek. The sound of the smack like a single firecracker exploding in an empty warehouse.

He took a few steps back and blew on his hand. It was like a fire was spreading across his palm, "Geez. Question, is your father a huge black guy that likes to rob cities with his buddies? Cause you defiantly have his cheekbones." He looked back to the giant and his heart stopped. He was staring at him. Not looking past, not looking away, not stealing a glance for strategic advantages, he was staring at Tyler. And he looked mad. "Oh, I have become error." he nervously said.

Smokey looked closely at his face, then gave Tyler a good bit of advice. "RUN!"

The boy took several small steps back, while that monster made each stride count. Now leaving the ball alone to focus on Tyler. He kept trying to gain distance, but he seemed to be speeding up with each step. The crowd begged for him to finally catch Tyler and punish him for his disrespect.

Tyler listened to the crowd's calls. Some of his personal fans could be heard screeching for him to fight back. Not being one to disappoint, he stood tall. Bouncing on the balls of his feet and loosening his joints. "Alright then. You got my back Smokey?"

He tried to tug on the monster's shoulders, "I believe I am currently attacking his. But I will assist you the best I can."

Tyler gave an excited smirk, "Okay big boy. Hit me with your best-"

A deafening blow connected with his head faster than any punch he had seen before. His body rag-dolling as he flew to the edge of the field. The crowd fell silent, just staring at him as he laid on the floor. Smokey was stunned, he hadn't expected him to attack so swiftly. The eldest brother wasn't one to fight, so his fighting style was an enigma. Now he understood why he didn't fight often. He would probably kill anyone he challenged. Much like how he just killed Tyler.

Rosa was on her feet now, trying to rationalize what she just saw. There was no sound, no time to process it, just an abrupt end. Then she remembered Jessie. The poor girl might not admit it, but she knew she had feelings for the little outsider. Now he was gone before she even had a chance to accept her feelings. How would she react? Tears? Rage?

When she looked at her, her face was unchanged. She almost looked bored at the scene. Rosa was confused, but after connecting some dots she assumed the girl was in shock. She was stunned beyond comprehension, as the younglings would say it. She was shook.

Rosa raised a tentative hand, "Jessie… I'm… I'm so sorry."

Jessie cocked her eye at Rosa, "Hm? For what?"

She looked back to his body, "Your… Your boyfriend?"

"Not my boyfriend."

"Either way, aren't you upset?"

"Psh… watch this." She cupped her hands around her mouth, "Tyler! The Bandits are here!"

His eyes violently shot open. His cornea dashing back and forth across his sclera searching for the people in question. The pain settled in as he readjusted to his surroundings, realizing what had happened. He clutched his skull, a fuzzy feeling running deep within his head. It seemed to coarse through his body and throw off his balance, but he pushed through the pain. He slowly stood to his feet, gripping his temple and turning back to the action.

The crowd's pop for his return from the dead was deafening. Rosa was awestruck at the durability of this kid. She didn't think humans outside of the village could be this strong, at least not at such a young age.

With a shaky stance, Tyler prepared for another fight. His signature smirk stretching across his face as he prepared for another fight. He opened his mouth, ready to deliver another one-liner. Instead, "I don't have any one-liners, no funny quips just… That hurt like hell."

The giant boy stared deep into Tyler's eyes. It was clear that he had accepted Tyler's ability. What wasn't expected, was for him to smile. He seemed to be amused by the durability of the boy. From Smokey's perspective, it looked as though he was excited to break him.

He looked around the field, searching for a sign of their tiny tank that could save them from this foe. Though she was nowhere to be found. He noticed the opponent that Tyler had defeated was still laying on the ground, snoring softly. He looked at his position on the giant's back, he was perfectly positioned on his shoulders. With a crackpot final idea, he wrapped his entire body around the giant's head.

The behemoth reached up to remove him, but his grip was surprisingly tight. From his new position, Smokey called to him, "Tyler! Go!"

The monster shifted and tried to get him off but continued to fail. Tyler saw the opportunity to run but refused. "No, I won't abandon my teammates. I'm not scared of him." He ran forward, "We'll beat him together!"

"YOU IDIOT!" All heads turned to the girl in the audience. Her bright red hair acting as a beacon for her position. "THE BALL!"

Tyler looked to where he last saw the ball, it was sitting peacefully in the middle of the field. Unguarded, unprotected, untouched. Now he understood and quickly dashed for the objective. He ducked a wild hand that swatted the air hoping to stop him from reaching his goal. His legs felt numb, but he refused to stop now.

Once the ball was within his grasp, he dribbled it as fast as he could. Rushing down the field for the goal line. He didn't want to look back; he didn't want to see what was happening behind him. But he could hear the gargantuan footsteps of that monster trying to follow him. With each step he took it sounded like that demon grew closer, so with his last burst of energy her ran as fast he could forward. The sound of his opponent disappearing into the distance.

The crowd went insane, victory was in sight. It was so simple all he had to do was kick the ball. Then he could finally rest. He would have won the game.

So why did his body feel so heavy? Why was the world turning into a blurry soup? Why was he on his knees?

Jessie was watching from the distance and showed her first sign of concern. She stood on the edge of the field and called for him, but the boy couldn't hear her. All he could do was breathe, and that was getting difficult.

He put his hand on the ball, hoping to roll it into the goal. That's all he needed, for it to pass the goal line. Then it would be over.

"Look out!"

He turned just in time to see Smokey's body flying toward him. Just in time for his chest to get caved in by the limp body of the city lover. The sick thud of their flesh and bone breaking against one another made a man in the crowd puke.

From the shadows, one of the two bodies reached out to enter the fray but was quickly stopped by the other. The reserved shadow seemed to say something to the other. As if it were explaining some rules that the other did not agree with. The nodding between the two showed they had come to an agreement and chose to silently watch.

Jessie wasn't as silent. "TYLER!" She lurched forward but was quickly grabbed by Rosa's larger hands.

"Don't! You can't go out there."

"He's hurt! TYLER! Get up! You can't die out here!" She looked to the others, "Why are we just watching this. We have to help."

"Jessie. Look at me." The girl fought her grip but stood no chance, "There are rules here. Rules you have to learn to follow. You can't interfere with a match, ever. If you do, they will destroy you."

"What. That's- That's ridiculous!"

"The rules might be fickle, but you have to follow them. You're guests here."

Jessie turned a pain eyed back to the meadow, "Tyler…"

"He'll be fine, we just have to wait."

While the crowd's intensity grew with the bout's conclusion, the largest boy took his time retrieving the orb. He casually kicked it along toward his side of the field. The smile he had for fighting Tyler was now gone, that stale look of boredom had returned to his face.

Much like before, there was a large group of voices that basked in the behemoth's glory. However, the deafening boos of the city supporters and Cal Boys haters easily tuned out their approval. But it seemed as though their disapproval with the results didn't even phase him. He had made it halfway through the field when he heard the booing increase. The bystanders looked to Tyler and Smokey, hoping one of them would jump up to confront this beast. But they were still groaning in pain, Smokey trying his best to prop up Tyler's wrecked form.

But it was too late, he was practically at the goal now. One kick is all it would take. A simple punt kick and the victory would be secure.

"Hey!"

A high pitch squeal stopped him in his tracks. This noise was like a strange form of kryptonite to stall his advance. The ball rolled a few inches further as his feet seemed to dig into the dirt. A small object crashed against his back, moving him forward another inch. He peaked over his shoulder, a small hand clutching to his shins for life.

With a shaky voice, the smallest brother called for help. His final call falling on deaf ears as the elder Cal was focused on something else. Standing stalwart in the middle of the field was Nita. Her tiny form oozing a dangerous aura. This terrifying look across her shadowed face as she slowly approached the Cal Boys' ringleader.

The crowd hit a fever pitch as she approached her final opponent. This battle was the most highly anticipated bout since Rosa first introduced herself to the village. To think that they were going to get to see these two goliaths go toe-to-toe for the first time live.

Well to call them goliaths was a half-truth. While the largest of the boys was standing at six feet easily, Nita was barely at his stomach. He was a demon in comparison to the tiny girl. Jessie took notice of this differential, but something seemed off. "What's… going on?"

"I'll tell you what's going on. We are about to witness the greatest fight the village has ever seen."

"But… Why do I feel… Like this?"

"Probably because you saw your little boy-toy get clobbered by that nightmare. But don't worry. Nita isn't as weak as she looks."

Jessie took a second to examine the scene. She felt this otherworldly terror running through her body. Her hands were shaking, her heart beating out of her chest. It was like their energy was trying to enter her. "No-No I'm not…" she looked at her hands. They wouldn't stay still, "Why do I feel like-" she looked to the giant. He seemed so calm standing before her. Looking down upon her like an adult looks at a child. But Jessie knew better, "He's going to die."

The two stood off silently. Their bodies fighting each other without throwing a single punch. Their spirits clashing in a battle that would blind the stars in the sky. But it became ever-present that one of these stars shined far brighter than the other.

Then something chilling happened. A feat that many thought wasn't possible. For the first time since they had known him, the giant gave a genuine smile. "Finally," his voice was soft. Like a young boy just growing accustomed to adolescence. Far different than the body the voice was housed within, "Finally, I've waited so long."

The crowd silenced themselves, waiting for their next words. But Nita did not speak up, she just continued to stare at him. He seemed excited to finally have this moment, "A chance to fight The Mighty Nita. Somebody pinch me."

A soft breeze passed over the opening. The loose grass and a few particles of sand flowing past them. The two fighters didn't even blink. With a sinister smile, the boy continued. "Don't you see Nita," he stretched his arms out. His massive wingspan seemed to stretch as far as Nita was tall, "We've been destined to fight since you were born. Before you came along, I was the most powerful person in this village. I could have been Chieftain Bo's right-hand man. On top of the world. But then you were born." He clenched his fist, "When you first set foot on Ardacian soil it was like the ground was shifting under us. We could all feel it. Your glorious being, your amazing capabilities." He let out a soft chortle, "But me… I didn't believe it. Because you see, I had my attention on someone else. The closest thing to a rival I had ever had. I believe you know him… your brother."

Nita visibly flinched at his mention. A few of the villagers also cooing at his reference. Jessie was a bit flabbergasted by the scene, there was so much context she seemed to be missing. She turned to the only woman she knew that might have answers, "Nita has a brother?"

She froze when she saw her face. Rosa usually was so calm and merry, but right now there was this scary tension across her face. The tip of her thumb in her mouth as she silently watched on. She must not have heard the question, but she didn't want to break this concentration Rosa had. Besides, the monster in the middle started talking again.

"You see, when I felt that strange power enter our world, I assumed that he had finally found the ability he was always searching for. That extra step that would finally help him surpass me. Hehe, but I think we both know how that disappointment turned out." He allowed himself some unrestrained joy at his mocking of her family. "To think, a girl five years younger than me was capable of such power. You made me train so much harder. And look at me now, I'm the beast from the east!" His veins on his biceps threatened to burst through his skin. His laughter was wild and desperate, "Don't you see Nita. You created me. Had it not been for your birth, I would have never reached this level. We are connected. Our relationship is deeper than blood or water. We are connected by our spirits and their mutual belief that they must challenge one another.

A few soft murmurs could be heard after his statements. That, and the animalistic growling coming from Nita. She bared her fangs then spoke up, "Who are you?" The giant was the one that flinched now.

That smile he wore with such pride was now replaced by a disturbing scowl. "What?"

"Who are you? You know so much about me, but I don't know your name."

A few of the villagers snickered at her words. "W-Why I" he grit his teeth trying to keep from giving in to his rage. "Ahem. I guess it's only reasonable. I have never approached you directly." He took a deep breath, "My name… is Rol. Rol Call."

Jessie snickered, "I'm sorry, did he just say roll call?"

"Their grasp of the language is a bit patchy."

"Well, Rol Cal. You really wanted to fight me, right? How come you never asked?"

"I don't ask," he snarled.

"Yeah. I wouldn't ask for a beating either."

Rol had heard enough, he quickly threw a jab with his right fist. Nita saw the punch coming and put up her left palm. The sound of his knuckles slapping against her palm was like a frying pan had been hit with a hammer. And the gust of wind from the attack clashing pushed loose fabrics into the air.

Jessie was amazed at the power these two were displaying. It was like something you would see on an action-packed children's cartoon. She looked at Nita and saw a serious frown, her body seemed very calm as she easily held back the punch. When she looked at Rol, she noticed a wild smile and gritted teeth. "Come now Nita, a relationship is a two-way agreement. You can't make me do all the work."

His haunting chuckles were quickly silenced by a lightning-fast punch. His reflexes alone the only thing stopping it from connecting deep within his core. If Rol's punch was a hammer against a pan, Nita's blow was like a gun had been fired in a valley. The echo of the attack blew enough wind to knock the pants off several of the villagers.

All the spectators in the front row were knocked down from the shockwave alone. However, three bodies were left standing. A bright smile could be seen on the ecstatic face of Rosa. Jessie could be seen with a hand up to shield from whatever the force was these two were exerting. And finally, with an empty look on his face stood Pac. The cactus almost numb to the action going on before him.

When she felt more acclimated to the power, Jessie took a second to observe the two once again. She saw Nita still as calm as ever as she attempted to drive her fist through Rol's hand. Then she saw the veins popping out of his arm. It was like he was straining himself just holding her back. But the most unsettling sight was his face. It had this horrific look of joy and disbelief. His eyes vibrating as he seemed to process a lifetime worth of unanswered questions.

"Hehe… Hehehe… HaHAHA! Yes! Yes! This is what I dreamed of." Rol's body seemed to be convulsing as he spoke. One hand was focused on driving his fist through her skull, the other was trying to keep her from rupturing his spleen. "This moment, this one opportunity. Now everyone will know…" He pulled back his offensive hand, raising it in the air for a sledgehammer blow. "Who is the strongest in the village!"

His fist smashed into the cold ground like a bowling ball from the sky. A small tuft of dust kicking up from his failed strike. All eyes stared in awe at the feats of strength and speed the two were performing. Rol looked down at the impact zone, not surprised by the lack of smashed Nita before him. He looked around for a sign of her but couldn't place her position. That was until there was a small pair of hands wrapping around his neck. He just barely got his hand up to block the rear-naked choke.

A man in the crowd was astonished, "I couldn't even see her movements!"

Rosa just nodded her head softly. The girl was exceptionally gifted but most of the bystanders were just too weak to keep up. Jessie took another step forward, her body shivering as she observed the spectacle. Rosa gave her a crooked grin, "What's wrong Jessie? Having trouble keeping up?"

"No…" Rosa noticed how sharp her eyes were. The way her body seemed to sway as she held herself up, "I followed it all."

Rosa ogled her, a small chuckle escaping her lips. She refocused on the battle ahead, 'He was right.'

Rol was currently fighting the palm-top tiger's iron-clad grip. He could feel himself losing strength with every second. But from what he saw, Nita was still calm, cool, and collected. "Yes… this is what I've wanted. This interaction, this proximity, this intimacy. We were destined to clash, and you're better than expected."

Jessie leaned into Rosa, "Didn't he say she was four years younger than him?"

"Five. And I don't think he hears how he sounds."

"Now! Let us dance!" His arm bulged, using all his strength to rip Nita off him. In one swift motion, he smashed her down into the dirt. Her body landing with a deep thud, though her face seemed unchanged. Rol's foot aimed to cave her chest in with malicious intent. Though once again she disappeared before his eyes.

Rol's smile grew wider at her abilities. He looked to the crowd, listening to them scream at their intense contest. He noticed the village's herbal expert Rosa staring on with a smile. He dreamed of fighting her one day as well. He had heard stories of her inhuman abilities; Nita would be the stepping stone on the path to challenging her.

He gazed further to her right, noticing two peculiar bodies watching along. His eyes were caught by the sentient plant of legend. The fact that the myth was not only true but now residing in their village was exhilarating. But the real eye-catcher was the girl that stood between them.

With her hair seeming to ignite the sky around her, the newest girl (whose name he heard to be Jessie) was following the action rather well. His younger brothers had grown fond of her, but he didn't see the appeal. He figured they planned to impress her with this little show, looking at their bodies across the field, they more than likely failed.

Though he didn't have time to drawl on about personal matters. He needed to focus on his current point of interest. He scanned the surroundings for a sign of her. Once again unable to pick up on her location. He hoped the crowd would be able to give him some insight into her location. Maybe a few of them had seen her disappear.

Though this idea was useless. Looking at their eyes showed that they were just as lost as he was. Perhaps even more so as they all just stared at him. He looked back at the redhead, her bright colors drawing his attention. He took note of how her eyes seemed to move in a more controlled path. It was like she was tracking something unseen.

He took careful steps in different directions and observed how her eyes moved. He turned his head wildly while keeping his eyes on her. He noticed that she kept looking somewhere behind him. That's when he connected the dots.

All the spectators were looking at him because she was staying behind his field of view. Once again, his joy seemed to rise, this girl was showing so many similarities to her puny brother. The only issue, he was used to those speedy tricks.

He looked directly ahead of him, taking a second to prepare himself. She must have assumed that he wouldn't expect her to have this hidden speed. But if his eyes were useless, then his body would find her.

He sent a blind kick backward, reeling his foot high-up so that he could perform as powerful a donkey kick as possible. He was satisfied when he heard his foot connect with her small body. He turned his head to see how far he had launched her, then gawked when she stood there unfazed. His foot had nailed her in the chest, or so he had thought. Upon closer inspection, he saw that she had once again grabbed his attack before it could connect. Just standing there with her tiny fingers wrapped around his sole.

Then in one swift motion, she pulled his leg further, his body now balancing unevenly. She shifted forward, aiming a sharp elbow at the back of his pivot knee. There was no time to block, no chance at defense, he had to eat the shot. But this was a hard pill to swallow. And he eventually started choking as Nita seemed to shatter his knee.

As he slowly fell like a skyscraper, Nita slipped between his legs. His mouth agape at the display of skill she showed with her attacks. He wondered if this was the fruit of training under Bo. Though that thought was instantly silenced by Nita's small palm clamping his mouth shut. This rising palm strike smacking him with enough force to shatter a lesser man's jaw.

His vision had shifted from clear colors to an array of jagged lines. Like pixels were replacing the texture of anything within one hundred feet. A particular set of pixels were shaded in maroon and brown, and currently leaping to his left flank. His instincts allowed him to place a hand in the general direction, hoping to push back this object.

Though his hand met what felt like a rocket-propelled projectile. It was as if a cannon had launched fourteen pounds of iron directly at his face. This crushing blow to his skull made his brain roll around his head like a ball in a bowl.

Those pixels that fogged his vision were slowly fading away. Now darkness was what remained. His consciousness was fading in and out, the world going by in short bursts ahead of him. Though he could see her maroon colors, she didn't seem to be heading towards him. He could see her meandering off into the distance. A closer inspection of her direction gave sight of the ball that was ahead.

What little sense that was left in Rol's mind spurred his next action. "Yes…" he reached out to her. "You are…." he clutched his aching head. "Even better than I expected…"

The crowd was in an uproar. Watching that oak tree of a man get cut down to size was very enriching. Now they were content with watching Nita take her well-earned victory. And the smile on Rol's face seemed to say the same, "Now I get it. Now I understand. Why they love you…"

He tried to stand up but his knees gave out under him. And another smile crept across his face, "And why I love you." He looked at her distant form, his mind asking so many questions and his mouth allowing them to be heard. "But why? How? How could you be this strong?" Rol watched as she lazily kicked the ball forward. "Was it your training? Were you born with it? What makes you so powerful?" His vision started to return, but his senses were still shot. He grumbled, "I need to know…" With a vengeful fist he brought himself to a knee, "This isn't over until I understand your power!"

Nita didn't give him any attention. She knew that she had won. There was no point in beating him any further, she accomplished what she wanted.

Rol was seething, "Opti!"

Jessie was confused by the strange outburst, then she saw someone rush past him. "Oh no."

"You see it too?"

"Yeah…" Jessie closed her eyes, "Another dead man."

Nita's walk forward was interrupted by a fist trying to scramble her head. She leaned forward a bit as the boy dropped to the floor behind her. She slowly turned around, a dark aura radiating off her body as she glared at him.

With a nervous chuckle, he retreated to his older brother's side. "Rol, you okay?"

Rol slowly got to his feet, nursing a growing bruise on his cheek. "I'm better than fine." His eyes were sparkling with a perverted grin slinking from cheek to cheek, "I'm in love."

Opti cringed at his words, warning him to stop while he's still ahead. He scanned the surrounding area, noticing the youngest brother laying on the floor. "What happened to Medi?"

"He clashed with my queen." Another short scolding from his brother alongside some uncomfortable groans from the crowd finally silenced him.

Nita took slow methodical steps forward. The look on her face put terror in the hearts of the competitors. Her sharp white eyes trying to slice the two in half. With each step, their heartbeats raced a little faster, though for different reasons. The sounds of her steps like the clock ticking down to the finale.

And the crowd could sense the same thing. But rather than fear flooding their emotions, they were overjoyed. To think this girl had more power hidden deep inside. They screeched in hopes of egging her on, and from the way, her bear's fur stood on end, it was working.

She bared her teeth as she got closer, a low growl escaping her lips. Opti took another step away, unsure of the approaching threat. His brother took a step forward, dreaming of another clash with her. Though they could both sense something sinister about her stance.

Nita couldn't see either of them, all she saw were objects in her way. The growing cheers and jeers of the crowd just added to the fire in her eyes. She could hear many people calling her or the Cal Boys' names. But one voice pierced the crowd. With an enraged glare, she turned to the three viewers that stood at the front of it all.

In the middle with her hands to her mouth was her new friend Jessie. A desperate look on her face, "Nita! Go easy on them!"

She shot her eyes to Jessie's left, her breath catching at what she saw. Standing with her arms folded and a stern expression on her face was Rosa. The botanist didn't say anything, at least not verbally. Instead she just slowly shook her head, the message all too clear for Nita.

She returned that enraged glare to the two boys. Her growl slowly subsiding as she closed her eyes. After a few short deep breathing exercises, her rage seemed to subside. That nasty snarl morphing into a placid smile with time. The audience fell silent as they watched her sudden transformation. What was a volatile bomb had quickly shifted to a calm storm. Silently brewing somewhere deep within the golden girl.

Then the storm blew away, replaced by a content grin. The Cal Boys were stunned by the sudden change, along with the audience. Then with a plucky voice, she spoke up. "Well, I had fun." The audience's surprise was palpable. Nita took a few seconds to stretch a little, "But my friends are getting worried. So, I gotta finish."

Rol leaned forward, the growing bump on his cheek adding to his grotesque look. "Yes… Yes, you're right, Nita. We have to finish this now. In one final attack!"

As the words left his mouth, Nita dashed forward. Rol's excitement grew, dropping low to prepare for a counter. He saw it coming, a low rising punch more than likely aimed for his abdomen. Perhaps she planned to shift his stomach between his lungs. No matter, he would gladly accept the damage, just for the opportunity to return the favor.

His eyes followed her movements carefully. Waiting until the very second she appeared before him. His arms were widespread, ready to take hold of her and never let go. That would give Opti time to score and win the game.

Then she appeared, like a flash of red and brown. Directly under him just as he predicted. He waited patiently for the blow to land but was shocked to see her sidestep him in an instant. He followed her the best he could, but the sound of a deafening blow sounded off behind him. His head slowly turning to see Nita with her arm elbow deep into Opti's stomach. The boy's eyes were white as snow and his mouth agape as he lost consciousness.

He slowly turned to face her and was stunned to see the girl smiling up at him. "That's right…" She extended her arm and obliterated the boy, sending his body flying back into her goal. She stood up straight and turned to Rol, "One attack."

Rol was losing his mind, "YES!" He raised a fist high above his head. This shot would be the end of the match. A giddy smile clear on his face as he prepared to deliver the finishing blow. His fist came down like a guillotine, he knew he would need no less force to stop her. But the blade never fell, instead, it was stopped in the middle of its decent. His body locking up as his mind shut down. All the oxygen that was in his body flew out in one swift motion. His eyes staggered down, noticing himself in the same position as Opti. That tiny girl he had dreamed of fighting was currently rearranging his guts just as he had assumed. That same dainty smile on her face.

Unlike his younger brother, Rol was able to stand his ground. His body stumbling back until he fell to the floor. With a pleased smile, Nita walked back to her ball, merrily kicking it forward as she approached her victory.

But once again Rol refused to quit. "Nita~" He rose onto wobbly feet, "Nita~ We aren't finished, Nita. We aren't done… until I say so!" He smashed the ground with both fists. A small shockwave rocking the floor beneath them. Many of the bystanders fell from the sudden forces shifting their feet, but Rosa, Jessie, and Pac seemed unfazed. This tiny tremor just shifting their center of gravity a bit.

Nita was surprised, stopping in her tracks to observe the boy. Their eyes met, Nita's calm and collected, Rol's agitated and infatuated. "Nita~. Did ya see that? That's my shockwave. That's how powerful I've gotten. What do ya think?"

"Pretty cool." She kicked the ball to the side, "Mine's better."

The villagers were speechless. Nita lifted her hands high above her head, a mischievous smile plastered on her lips. Then like a strongman with a mallet, they crashed down, rupturing the soil beneath her. This wave of energy coursed from her knuckles and flowed through the earth. Causing a crackling explosion of energy to rip across the ground.

Jessie watched on with mouth agape at the amazing abilities she was witnessing. It was as if the girl she met yesterday had turned into a superheroine. An untouchable being of pure power. That wave of energy continued to rush toward Rol, the former beast of the east reduced to a frightened child at the sheer force of nature that was, Nita the Mighty.

He couldn't' even run away, he was caught in the attack's range. He could feel his body give out beneath him as the force of the blast threw him through the air.

When he crashed to the floor, the arena was speechless. All the fans staring on silently as they tried to process what they had seen. Jessie was still trying to wrap her head around how that girl had decided to befriend her. Rosa took off her glasses to pinch her nose brim, blowing a frustrated breath of air at Nita's reckless actions.

As the dust settled from his fall, Nita turned to the ground bowing at the audience. They finally began to cheer once more, astonished at her abilities. She indulged herself in the rampaging roars that her audience provided. A few swift sweeps of the arena with her eyes and she stopped on Rosa once again. The botanist now pointing to something on the field.

Nita turned to see Rol trying to stand once again. The giant boy on his knees as he snickered to himself. Nita huffed with exasperation, slowly meandering towards him. When he noticed her he couldn't help but laugh. "Nita~ You are more than I could have dreamed of. You're so much better than that pathetic brother of yours." Nita's smile slowly faded. "Your speed, your strength… GOD YOUR STRENGTH. Hahaha…" He looked up to see her face-to-face with him. Her face was unapologetic for what she did to him and his family. And he loved it, "Nita~ You are so much better than Le-"

Nita clamped her hand around Rol's mouth. The boy's eyes softly shutting as he allowed her to pull him closer. She whispered into his ear, "Never say his name."

A light nudge back and Rol was completely defenseless, his arms at his sides and his eyes glazed over. Nita didn't hold back, rocking his jaw with a horrible hook. When he hit the ground, he didn't move again.

Nita took her time finally scoring the goal she had been fighting so long to earn. When the ball hit the net, the referee stuttered out, "C-Cal Boys 1, Team Nita… 2. Team Nita wins."

The villagers rushed the field at the game's insane conclusion. While most rushed to Nita, hoping to get an exclusive chance to talk to the golden girl, some decided to inspect The Cal Boys and the remaining members of Team Nita.

The two figures that hid in the shadows finally stepped out into the light. Colt was the first to enter the light, his face stunned by what he saw. "That's… That's amazing."

"Tell me…" Bo took his time joining him at his side, "What amazes you?"

"So many strange things have been happening one after the other." Bo requested he continue, "First a man with skin so thick it can absorb bullets. Next a sentient cactus, and now a superhuman child." He raked his hands through his hair, "What is happening?"

Bo pondered the question, taking his time to answer. "Have you ever heard of synchrony?"

"What?"

"The idea of synchrony."

"I know what synchrony means."

Bo closed his eyes, a large gust of wind flowing past as he talked. "Nothing happens without a reason. If all these events are transpiring around you, then your world must be changing."

"What are you talking about?"

Bo didn't give him a clear response, "You have three choices, Sheriff Colton. You may change yourself to adapt to the new world, fight the change to bring back the world you knew, or just walk away from it all."

"Walk… away?"

"It is your choice," Bo took Colt's shoulder. "Let us join in the celebration."

They join just as Nita is helping Smokey up, the city lover chuckling at the difference in size and contrast of strength. "I knew you could win." He threw a coughing fit, waving her off as he finally managed to stand up. "But you could have finished that half an hour ago. You played with your food and got hurt."

"But I'm fine."

Smokey pointed to Tyler's body, "I didn't mean you."

Jessie broke through the crowd, "TYLER!" As she approached him, she saw a crowd of village girls surrounding him. "Move it ya hussies." She easily pushed them out the way and rested beside Tyler. Using her lap as a pillow for his head, "Tyler…" She softly patted his head, "Good job." She continued to rake her fingers through his beautiful blonde locks, admiring that boyish charm he always showed. She just wished he didn't have that warrior's spirit that always got him hurt.

Nita and Smokey joined her followed by Rosa, Pac, Colt, and Bo. The team of fighters all sat back and waited for him to wake up. Jessie shook his head in hopes of stirring him a bit. She laughed a little at his unresponsive nature. Colt knew what she was thinking and said it for her, "Alright Tyler we get it. You wanna stay in her lap a little longer."

Jessie rubbed her thumb across his forehead, "Time to get up."

Tyler didn't respond.

Nita joined in the fun, "If you don't get up, I'll bite you again!" she snickered out her playful threat.

Tyler didn't respond.

Jessie was a little nervous, "Tyler… if you don't wake up. I'll drop your head."

Tyler didn't respond.

With a shaky hand, Jessie lifted him and dropped his head on the ground. There was a dirty thud and unfortunately…

Tyler didn't respond.

She looked to her brother, "Colt… I don't think he's faking."

"Bo!"

"We must get him to the medical tent."

Jessie didn't say a word, she just wrapped his arm around her neck. She stood up ready to walk with him to the tent, willing to drag his dead weight along with her. A pair of hands scooped her up with ease.

She looked up to see Smokey holding both of them in his arms. "Don't worry I will take you both there."

Just as Smokey tried to move, a small set of palms lifted him above her head. "No, I'm the fastest and strongest. I'll carry all of you." With a deep breath, she screeched, "NITA!"

The crowd ahead heard her call and made way for the rushing ruffian. The rest of their group followed along in a heated sprint. Meanwhile, the crowd continued their celebration as if nothing was amiss.

A/N: 11855. 12558. 22278.

No that's not the sauce (there are only 5 numbers, not 6). That is the word count for the three largest chapters of Fighter's Story. In order: Chapter 9 Let's Get Ready to Rumble, Chapter 11 Breaking Point, and Chapter 12 Welcoming New Friends. THAT'S RIGHT! The grand return of Fighter's Story kicked off with a whopping 22,278 words (not including the notes or title). This took... quite some time to write. But I'm proud of the return, and I hope you enjoyed it as well. Though if you didn't please do tell me why. I love critiques.

You probably saw my return coming if you read my good friend Queenbookerly's latest chapter from Hey Now, You're A Brawl Star. (Don't worry she's okay... just wouldn't let me in for a scoop of salt.)

Now for the legalities. This story will not have regular updates. Like it may go another month before the next chapter drops. That's just how hard it is for me to write this story and handle my personal life. I don't have much else to say besides this. If you enjoy then you should make an account so that you can be notified of every update. Seriously, this won't be consistent and it's easy to forget about a story if it hasn't been updated in a month. I have lost track of countless stories just because they went on hiatus for a while. Thankfully I was able to find most of them. So make a fodder account, drop a favorite and a follow, and whether you're a guest/user/older-reader please leave a review. Love to see them and respond in the next update...

Speaking of responses:

AmrutaV: Avid reader, constant reviewer, and a loyal fan. Thank you for always reading my works and reviewing them. Your feedback is always appreciated. Not much backstory in this chapter but I think we have some interesting plot developments that were made.
Aloof Spirit: Happy to see you enjoyed the first chapter... though you never reviewed any of the others. I hope I did better with this chapter, tried to be more descriptive with facial features and such. Hope to see you in the next chapter.

That's all folks. Time to send ya off. And thanks for reading another one of...
Sammy's Silly Scripts.