Clouds hovered over the Mayer estate as its temporary residents enjoyed three days of freedom. No more teaching or sparring. No more cooking or healing. Just relaxation until they had to hunt down James.
And somehow they were all bored.
It didn't help they were in the middle of nowhere with nothing to really do. Civilization was hundreds of kilometers away. They could train, eat food, watch TV, and maybe read. But Mayer's library was more for knowledge than entertainment.
It was probably the worst thing that could happen to a handful of young adults.
It was past noon. Claudette had finished her work and was looking forward to spending her second day relaxing. It was really all she could do at the Mayer residence. But she would take it over taking care of James. As much as it felt nice helping someone become a Hunter, she would be lying if she said that she enjoyed teaching and feeding James non-stop.
They were servants. That was the job they wanted. The job they trained for. They had no problem being at the beck and call of people. Both of them had been with Evira ever since they were teenagers, and they took the job of maids to stay closer to their adopted mother. Both the maids were Tao Long and had served some of the most powerful in the world. So why did they have to serve him?
James
Claudette knew her sister Briannaisa found it aggravating that their mother was pouring so many resources and so much effort into some nobody. A weak nobody!
Worse, he wasn't even related to them, yet they gave him the honor of being adopted into the family. All the power and protection of being part of one of the eleven mafia families that ruled the underworld. And he had the gall to refuse it! Worst of all was how disrespectful he had been to their aunt. It wasn't Flole's fault his appearance changed. Not even Evira's! It was their mother's boss, Zhulong!
Claudette wasn't as annoyed as her adopted sister. Still, she could understand her sister's anger; the two had been together even before they met Evira. Evira had found them in the NGL when she was beginning her criminal empire. Before that, they were orphans used by Gyro's army.
No one outside the Tao Long Family's inner circle considered them her true children. Only a pair of orphans Evira had found in the NGL. Charity cases. They had no claims of inheritance and therefore no influence over the Mafia. The mobsters only respected them because they had to. Claudette didn't mind it though, because she knew she and Bri were Evira's children.
Family didn't need to be blood for it to be true and real. And while Claudette could empathize with James' outrage over being forced into a new family, she knew he would come around eventually.
She hoped.
Still, she did find it annoying that she had to cook so much. Not the cooking part, she loved it. It was using her Hatsu that bugged her. Claudette's Hatsu used up a lot of her aura. She would be exhausted after cooking every meal for James. If anything, this was as much training for her and Bri as it was for James.
At least it was better than using her other Hatsu.
Claudette sighed as she stepped outside the front door of the Domo house. Now that her duties were done, it felt good to not be in her maid outfit. She wore a simple white dress with a yellow sash around her waist. White socks and yellow slip-on sneakers with white bottoms finished off her outfit. Her hairstyle was no longer in a stuffy maid's bun. Long, blonde, wavy hair fell down her shoulders and back like a waterfall.
She stretched her arms out as she loosened her body. The air was cold, but the sun felt good on her smooth face. Her yellow eyes stared with joy at the world around her, her body brimming with excitement.
She couldn't wait to watch some TV! Mayer's television was enormous! She wondered if Heaven's Arena was airing any fights today? If not, she could always find out if one of the soaps were on. Her favorite one had gone on break and she was dying the see Sir Efren confess his love to princess Zeldana!
Nothing to watch on a lazy day. Truly a horror story.
"Ahhhh! Why did the season end during winter! Did they really have to end it on such a cliffhanger!" She said out loud, her body failing to contain her enthusiasm as she vibrated from sheer passion. Well, not sheer passion, it was freezing outside.
She rubbed her arms as she closed her eyes, resembling an annoyed fox, "Brr...it's cold today. Better get inside!" She spun on her heels, arms outstretched like a ballerina, and went inside.
A few minutes later and she was in Mayer's living room entrance. Her eyes lit up in excitement as she oogled the television in front of her like it were a supermodel. That excitement quickly vanished as she saw the Domo siblings monopolizing the TV. The two were still in their PJs with silly animal drawings all over the sleepwear.
They were flopped over a couch and sofa chair respectively. Kalvin was doing his best to take up as much space as humanly possible on the couch. A lazy leg over the headrest like a giraffe resting its neck on a tree. The other leg stretched straight out on the couch in a strange display of flexibility. It was a miracle his pajamas didn't rip down the seams.
Kalvin was the younger of the two, yet the more dominant of the two. This was why he flipping through the channels as fast as the poor controller could allow, searching and failing to find something on TV. An arm was behind his head while the other was stretched out, stabbing the controller at the TV with every change of the channel.
On the other hand, Clyde simply sat in a reclined sofa chair. Clyde had the chair lounged back as far as possible, seemingly trying to become the chair through pure laziness.
Clyde was the older and more laid back of the two, but today he was taking it to another level. Clyde had his chin resting on his neck and chest, his face looking look a turtle who was retreating its head back into its shell. He was eating from a bowl filled with a mixture of popcorn and potato chips that was balanced precariously on his belly. His eyes were barely viewing the TV over the bowl of snacks, one hand resting over his chest while the other was in the bowl: he was in the famous meditative pose called 'couch potato', seemingly searching for the meaning of life through laziness.
"What are you two doing?" Claudette said rhetorically, with barely restrained annoyance. She had hoped to have the TV for herself.
"We are booooooored!" said the two in unison, not even looking at the blonde. Their faces took on a ghoulish appearance of tedium as they answered the young woman. Their faces seemed to be trying to melt off and escape from absolute boredom.
"Stop speaking like that. James isn't here to be impressed."
Kalvin turned his head towards her with a flat, annoyed look, "Fine! Done with your work, little maid?!"
"Kalvin!" Clyde hissed at his younger brother.
The two pairs had a rivalry of sorts. Well, Kalvin took it upon himself to make it a rivalry, while Clyde liked the competition. It started when they first met the women six years ago. Kalvin always tried his best to posture and show off to the girls, trying to get under their skins at every moment. Clyde was more subtle and tactical in his approach, but also less abrasive than his brother. The older Domo liked having a benchmark to measure himself against instead of just verbal sparring partners.
While the Twins had raw talent on their side, the Maids had experience and skill.
Also, Clyde knew damn well it was just an excuse for his brother to cover up his crush for Claudette. And he did a poor job of it, too. The older twin knew his younger sibling wasn't stupid: they were literally twins. There was no way he would get with her, but Clyde seemed to have gotten all the maturity at birth. He understood that Kalvin was going through the strange phase of thinking he could be with a woman by being as antagonistic as possible.
That wouldn't work. To speak nothing of the age difference and difference in professions.
Claudette rolled her eyes as she walked past Kalvin and snatched the controller out of his hand. A small 'hey' came out of Kalvin as Claudette switched the channels at normal human speed. She finally found the Heaven's Arena channel before sitting in a large sofa chair to the left of the couch.
"We have checked the schedule today. None of the floor masters are fighting. As well as no one above floors two hundred," Clyde said in disappointment, as well as with all the energy of a slug.
Claudette huffed. All the fights would be boring without Nen. Yeah, some of the fighters might be skilled, but most of the people under the two hundredth floor were amateurs at best. Sure, some of them had potential. But more often than not, someone would have more talent than experience. Those were the ones she felt bad about: they didn't know they were doomed. They'd reach the two-hundredth floor and be annihilated or initiated to Nen. Without Nen it was pointless.
The blonde turned her head as another person entered the room. It was her sister Briannaisa. She was wearing a green and white sports tank top with a black sports bra underneath. Grey sweat pants and black running sneakers completed her outfit. Her medium-length brown hair was done up in a single bun. A towel was draped around her neck.
The brunette walked into the far too large living room and approached the trio. She was chugging a soda with one hand as she circumnavigated around the large couch, kicking Kalvin over with her foot to make space. The teen protesting with a 'Hey!' before ultimately relenting and moving over. She flopped down on the couch, one arm over the headrest.
She burped. Loudly, "So, what's on TV?"
Kalvin and Clyde looked at her through the side of their eyes, each looking at her with comical disgust. She looked back at them with annoyance, "What?"
As always, Kalvin was the first to respond, "You have no manners! And why are you dressed like that?! Why can you not be like dear Claudette?!"
Clyde simply sighed. He knew what was going to happen next.
A mischievous smile crept along her face as she stared at the teen. He may have looked far older than he was, but still was just a kid.
She leaned over towards Kalvin and started to adjust her bra, "Oh, what's wrong with how I look. Am I showing too much skin~? Is this making you uncomfortable?"
The teen's face grew bright red as he scrunched his face and frowned, trying his hardest to look away and not give in to temptation. Kalvin leaned over the arm of the couch and fell over in his desperate attempt to escape the teasing. Briannaisa laughed as she smacked her leg.
Kalvin popped back up to his feet like a jack-in-the-box, pointing at the woman with an exaggerated flourish, "Y-You are no proper woman!" He reached up high above his head as he tapped his fingers together, before pointing both his fingers at her with a flourish, "James is right! You are too boorish to be a woman! This is why you will never find love!"
In an instant, she grabbed Kalvin's white shirt and lifted him off his feet and up to her face. Both the boys were only 167.64 cms (five feet and six inches) tall, she had three inches on Kalvin and used it to great effect, "What'd you say to me, kid?!" Her face as red and terrifying as a demon.
Kalvin began to push against her face, trying to get away from the creature, "You heard me, wench! You shall be an unwed, old hag!"
The boy expected fury and fire, the rage of a monstrous demon prepared to eat him. Instead what he saw shook him to the core...
Briannaisa's face had become a serene mask. Her eyes were half-lidded and a smirk that stretched across one side of her face. Smugness radiated off her as she stared down at the boy. Her brown eyes held victory.
She raised an eyebrow of superiority as she spoke out from the side of her mouth like an old-school gangster, "You're one to talk, kid. You're a shortie. You'll never be as tall as your father. What kind of woman will ever love a little manlet like you?"
Defying all laws of physics, Kalvin was suddenly sitting in the corner of the room as though teleported. His arms wrapped around his legs as he buried his head into his knees. Despair radiated from him as he rocked back and forth.
Clyde sat up from his chair and looked over to his brother with weariness. He would have laughed at the antics of the two if it weren't for the bad feeling he had. Something was off today.
Claudette picked up on this, "What's wrong Clydie?"
He hated that nickname, but ignored it and sighed, "Something feels wrong. I do not know why."
Claudette frowned, "You're worried about James, aren't you?"
It always annoyed Clyde how easy she could seemingly read people's minds. One could not hide anything from her. And yet, other times she lacked the common sense to understand the simplest of things. Or maybe she was picking up things beyond the surface level? Either way, to someone like Clyde who preferred to hide his thoughts, it was maddening.
"Yes. This should be a simple test. Though... I do not know why I have a bad feeling about it."
Briannaisa collapsed back onto the couch, scoffing at the teen, "Tch. Why? We trained him hard enough. If that idiot can't survive walking a few kilometers, then he really is worthless," She said with a dismissive wave of the hand.
Claudette grew annoyed at her sister's attitude as she gave her a flat face, "Oh yeah? Then why are you working out when you have a day off? You only do that when you're nervous."
The brunette crossed her arms, bared her teeth, but couldn't look her sister in the eye, "What? Can't a gal maintain her figure?"
Clyde glanced sideways at her, "Why is that? Afraid of losing your beauty? Or perhaps you are frustrated the only man your age has not the faintest concern for your attractiveness?"
A vein appeared on her head as she glared at Clyde, "Yeah shortie? Maybe he's just gay? Shouldn't you be careful he doesn't fall for you, eh?" she said, going for the age-old 'Are you gay?' accusation to a teenage boy. Classic.
The older twin looked back at the theater-sized TV, not a shred of concern on his face. Unfortunately for Briannaisa, Clyde was not as easily riled up as his younger brother, "What if he is gay? I do not care. And if he is forward with me I will politely decline him."
He glanced again from the side of his eye towards the brunette, "My, with such a childish attitude I am afraid my brother is right. It is no wonder you will never find a boyfriend," Clyde said with a finality even a court judge would find difficult to replicate.
The comment skewed through Briannaisa like a spear, her arms frozen in mid-air as she stiffened into a statue. Her gaping mouth making strange choking noises as her pupils seem to disappear.
For that comment Claudette looked at her sister with disdain, "No wonder you failed your last dates so badly," Briannaisa whipped her head towards her sister in shock, her arms trying to do their best to shield their owners from the tag-team, one-two punch of Clyde and Claudette.
The blonde turned her face up at her sister, looking down at her with complete contempt. A small, evil smile spread across her lips, "Mother is right, you'll grow up to be a lonely old cat lady," delivering the coup de grace.
Briannaisa stared up in horror as an image appeared in her mind. It was her with gray hair and an old, round body. She was surrounded by dozens upon, dozens of cats, as she doddered around in a senile daze as she gave them treats.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" She screamed as she thrusted her fists into the sky.
Followed by promptly collapsing over, steam somehow escaping the top of her head. She slowly stood up and limply walked over to where Kalvin sat like a zombie of despair. She sat down next to him, mimicking his sitting position exactly.
Sweat dripped down Clyde's head as he saw everything from the side of his eyes. 'She is truly the more dangerous of the two..."
Claudette gave a reassuring smile to Clyde, "Don't worry! I'm sure he's going to be OK! Besides, your father said that it isn't dangerous during the winter. The Belban Apes are hibernating," she said with certainty.
Clyde turned his gaze back to the TV. The teen watched as a large man smashed his fist into his opponent, sending him careening to the edge of the ring. But before he could follow up the attack, the referee ran between the combatants and called the contest off. Clyde could not help but shake his head.
"Perhaps. But my father is not infallible."
I stood in the middle of a pitch-black room. There was an old CRT TV illuminating the darkness with white light. A man in a wheelchair sat in front of it. He sat next to a familiar couch.
I walked over and sat down on the couch right next to the man. The Twilight Zone was on. I smiled. We used to watch the Twilight Zone Marathon every New Year. I had always looked forward to it ever since I remembered.
"Hey dad."
My father turned to me with the easy smile I always remembered him having. The smile that always assured me that everything would be ok. His round face, black eyes, and black hair gave him a very plain, forgettable appearance. He looked far younger than he actually was. He looked like my older brother instead of my dad.
Or he used to until my appearance changed...
But as his smile widened upon laying his eyes on me, I remember why I loved him. Why he had a charisma that belied his ordinary appearance. It was a smile of genuine acceptance and understanding. One of hope and confidence; as though all the cynicism and doubt in the world could never touch him.
A smile that told me he recognized his own son in an instant. No matter how I looked.
"Hey, Kiddo."
He reached over and rubbed my head before pulling me into a hug. I smiled as I hugged my father for the first time in eighteen years.
As I pulled away from our hug, I wiped the tears that began welling up in my eyes. He patted me on the shoulder, "It's alright Kiddo, don't worry about crying. Let it out if ya' want."
Then he started tickling and poking my body. I felt like a child again, laughing as I swatted his arms away from me. "Man, I forgot you used to do that!"
"You remember this!" He proceeded to open his right palm in front of him, far to my side. As I stared at the distraction as he softly swatted the side of my head with his left, making a farting sound with his tongue.
"Dang it! I always fall for that! Ahhhh!" he then started to quickly swat me with his hands like a boxer, hitting me up and down my body with ease.
"Come Kiddo! 'I coulda' had class! I coulda been a contenda!'", he said in an exaggerated voice. The old army boxer said as he continued to swat me at will.
"Stop! Come on dad!" He laughed as he wrapped his huge arms around me. He rubbed my hair and kissed my head.
"Kiddo! Look how big you've grown! Oh, I'm so proud of you! Your face has changed though, guess puberty did a number on you didn' it?" he laughed as he studied my face, his hands tracing across my new features.
I swallow bitterly, "Yeah. A lot of things...happened dad. I'm sorry I lost your face."
He genuinely looked mad, "It ain't my face kiddo, it's yours. Besides, this ugly mug ain't good enough to be your face, haha."
I shook my head, "No, I still lost your face dad I-"
He placed and on my shoulder and shook his head, "Now none of that! You're the person you choose to be, not my clone. Jeez, it's like you didn't even listen to me as a kid."
I frowned, "What are you talking about? I still follow what you say, your example!"
"Naaaaaaah. See, ya' just think that. I told you to be your own man, not be me. 'I'll join the army, just like you dad! I'll be a fighter, just like you dad! I'll be a mechanic, just like you dad! Neh, neh, neh' You've always tried to be just like me, but you never let yourself just be you. You think I wanted to be in the army, or a boxer, or a mechanic?"
I came to his defense, "There's nothing wrong with being in the army, a boxer, or a mechanic! What are you saying?!"
He shook his head, "Not saying there ain't anything wrong with any of those things, but I joined the army during Desert Storm 'cause I didn't have much going for me. I'm happy to have served my country, but if I could go back I woulda' done something else. Especially 'cause these bad boys."
He rolled his wheelchair back and forth to emphasize his point. Two stumps that ended at the thighs where two legs should be. I flinched as I remembered how it happened.
Everyone thought he had lost his legs fighting, but he hated that people assumed that. In reality, his 'friend' was fooling around and accidentally dropped a humvee on his legs. He was upfront that he lost his legs from an accident, even correcting people who lied to make him sound better. He was never embarrassed or bitter by what happened. My dad chalked it up to bad luck and moved on. He refused to compare himself to his brothers who actually put their lives on the line.
My dad held no ill will to his army 'brother', even introducing the man to me. I never understood why my dad didn't hate him the way I did. I don't think I ever will.
He clicked his tongue in annoyance, "Hey, none of that. No deep thoughts bullshit. We don't get what we want in life. 'Boohoo'. So what? That just means we either have to fight for it, work for it, or make do with what we got. Like this!" My dad began spinning around on his chair and doing wheelies. I couldn't help but laugh as he pulled me out of my dark mood.
I continued to smile, letting the comfortable silence cover me like a blanket. I turned over to look at the old CRT TV that was the exact one from when I was younger. In fact, this whole thing was the memory I had saved from Zelle's memory wipe.
It was the last happy memory I had of my father before his pancreatic cancer diagnosis. I remember him dying not even a few months later.
My dark mood returned as I looked down at the floor. My father placed one massive hand on my head. I only ever saw him in a wheelchair, but from the pictures I saw before the accident, he was a gigantic man. A true heavyweight. And the years of working as a mechanic and being wheelchaired bound had made him even bigger, giving him an upper body that rivaled Mayer's.
He rubbed my hair, "You've been through a lot, Kiddo. It's fine to let yourself be sad. But you got to move past it all to truly live."
And for once I felt annoyed at my farther, before instantly feeling regret for even thinking it, "Everything has been so hard ever since you died. You can't get over it that easy. You just can't snap your fingers, walk away, and everything is fixed."
I turned to see him meet me with a comically flat look on his face. I looked at him confused.
My father smiled and spoke, "Obviously not everyone can walk away from their problems," I gave an apologetic smile at my poor choice of words as he continued, "but you've been carrying this weight all your life. You've never really lived. "
A bitter tone came through as I spoke, "Really hard to live when Mom walks out and never comes back. That 'dad leaves for cigarettes and never returns' joke is funny for everyone except me."
He laughed, "Those are funny jokes though. My favorite is, 'My dad left to get milk and the milkman came back.' " I looked at him flatly as he finger gunned in my direction the way the only a dad could, all while saying 'eh, eh?!'"
"That was your allotted one dad-joke-per death reunion. No more!" He laughed as he slapped his thigh.
He settled down before his eyes grew somber, "I-I didn't expect your mother to do that. Mary had her problems though, please don't-"
I roared, "No! No! You don't get to apologize for her! She didn't even take care of me when she was around! The age of the majority in Michigan is eighteen! I was sixteen! I waited for days for her to come back!"
My father couldn't even look at me.
I closed my eyes and felt crushing guilt, "I'm sorry dad. I didn't mean to yell, it's not your fault."
He shook his head as he turned his head back to me, "No, don't apologize when you're right. Your mother was the one who did you wrong, not me. You have every right to be angry. I have no right to beg for her forgiveness, but all I can ask for is you to not give her any more space in your heart; hate or love. Remember: do things right and live life righteously. Your anger is righteous and you're right to be angry. Remember that, son," he said with absolute conviction in his voice.
I looked at my father, his jaw set as he stared back at me. His eyes calm and confident.
I laughed.
Slowly he began to laugh.
Tears streamed down my face as I felt an immense frisson. It felt like an enormous weight was removed off of me. Or an extraordinary pressure that was threatening to explode was slowly released from inside my chest.
I wiped the tears from my eyes as I smiled, "What kind of corny shit is that, dad. Who do you think you are, jeez."
He laughed in response, a wily smile was plastered on his face as he wiggled his eyebrows, "It worked, didn't it?"
"Pshh," Was all I could say in response.
We stayed in comfortable silence as he began passing through channels. My eyebrows slowly rose in surprise as I saw what was on screen.
It was me. Well, not me now. Me before I turned into a red/purple-headed, green-eyed, superhuman failure of a prospective Hunter. I saw my black hair, black eyes, round emaciate- oh god. Man, I was skinny, pale, and emaciated as shit. Jesus Christ! Like stick-bug that took humanoid form.
"I look like shit, my god. What the fuck?"
"Yeah, you do look like shit. I'm surprised you even got one girlfriend."
"Fuck you dad. I'm gonna' blame you and Mom's relationship for it."
"You can't blame me for having no game, " he switched the channel to a time I used the worst pick-up line in history at a bar. I looked away and plugged my ears in horror. I refused to relive that moment.
"You have no skill! You couldn't pick up a quarter, let alone a woman. You stink!" my father said as he waved at the TV with disgust.
"I inherited your looks, so at least fifty percent of it is your fault!" I said in protest.
He reached over and smooshed my face with his colossal hand, smearing my head to the couch with ease as I flailed uselessly.
"One percent is what separates the normal people from the CHAMPIONS! You suuuuuck!" he continued to smush my head as he blew a raspberry.
"Uncle, uncle!" I said as he began giving me a noogie.
He laughed as he let me go. I rubbed the top of my head in pain, but I couldn't hold back the smile on my face.
My father then pointed to the TV and began changing channels. My head moved back in confusion as I stared at the screen.
There were different versions of me on the screen. Me as a businessman, me with a family, me in the army, me with my dad, me with my mom, me with boxing gloves on, me with a jetpack...
"What is this?" I said dumbly.
"It's you. Well, you in different universes."
"Pssh, guess I was right about not meaning anything in the grand scheme of things. Guess I don't need to feel bad about not becoming a Hunter... I mean, another me would be one, right?" I said without any feeling.
"Man, I wouldn't shot my load in your mother if I thought you'd grow up to be so stupid and pathetic as to think something like that."
I turned to my father in shock. He was staring at the TV, hard. His face a mask of barely restrained anger.
I looked at him, confused, "What are you talking about? It's right there! It doesn't matter if I do anything if there an infinite different version of me! None of us are special. None of us are unique."
He slowly turned his head as he locked eyes with mine. My breath stopped at how powerful his eyes were, "You really think they think that? From what I see, every single one of them is special. Every different version of you is unique."
I scrunched my face up in disbelief. My father's face never changed.
He continued, "Everyone of them is living a different experience. Every single one as unique and special as the next one. Even if you took two people that were exactly the same in every way they'd still think differently. If you brought them together they'd both still have two different points of view. Even if it's just from the different directions their heads are pointing at. Ya' know?"
I stayed quiet as I looked him over.
I was starting to think the same thing that people said of me applied to him. He was smarter than he thought himself to be.
He continued, "Look kiddo, we give life purpose. That sounds corny, but its the fuckin' truth. Don't think that nihilist bullshit, that's quitter talk. Every experience we take in, every new person we meet, every new event that happens to us. That's what makes every life special. Not once have I thought about my life was pointless. Not once had I ever regretted my life. Even after losing my legs."
He stared at the TV with a smile. "Hell, I watched some of the me's on TV. Most of them have legs. Guess it was just me with the shitty luck. But that just makes me 'special' and 'unique', right?" he said with a laugh, "But I don't look at the other me's with jealousy or envy. It makes me happy. "
My father turned his enormous smile towards me, "There was only one thing I regretted, and that was on my deathbed. It was that I wouldn't get to see you grow up to be the man you would one day be. To see all the little moments that added up to you, being you. But now I got to see that, and not only are there versions of me that got to experience that, but there are countless versions me, period! More than every star in the sky!"
He pointed at the TV like a large, excited child, "I've done everything known to man! I've traveled the world and seen the seas! I've flown to the moon and all stars beyond! My greatness lives on! It stretches on forever, as it should!" he laughed in triumph.
My father, the greatest man I ever knew, smiled that big bright smile of his as I stared at him in awe, "But best of all, I get to know that infinitely, you and me are together forever."
At that moment I felt alive.
I felt like a damaged, eroded shell that was blown away and a new me was there.
He turned his head around and looked at someone behind him. I followed his gaze.
There stood Zhulong.
And she was crying like a baby.
"G-g-gaaaaaah!" So much water sprouted from her eyes it defied all logic. It killed all the emotional good feelings I had. All I could do was stare at her, annoyed.
"Looks like our times up Kiddo."
I nodded and got up, "Alright, let's go."
My father frowned as he looked at me with exaggerated dismissiveness, "We ain't going anywhere. I'm going on to the great pearly gates, yeeehaw!"
"Wait what? Where am I going? I'm dead too!" I said in disbelief.
"You aren't dead Kiddo, though you did your damn best to get yourself killed. Jeez."
I frowned in annoyance, "I'd like to see you do better, fuckin' Mr. Wheels."
He waved me off like I wasn't worth his time, "I don't need legs to kick their ass. All I need are my dukes, " my father moved his hands like an old-time bare-knuckle brawler.
I shook my head and stood up, "So what then? I go back? I'm pretty sure I'm dead though, I was being attacked by a bunch of apes."
"Yup. You really let Charlton Heston down," he said with a wry smile
He turned off the TV. Right as my limp body was getting up from being knocked out by a giant white ape, seemingly by sheer instinct...
My father turned his chair towards me and smiled, "One last thing before I go Kiddo. This is a one-time thing, from now on you'll have to do things yourself. So you're not dead, but you already figured out James Hartford is dead. If anything, this is something like a spiritual death and rebirth."
I rolled my eyes, "What, this whole thing was a therapy session?"
The former army mechanic nodded his head vigorously, "Yes, yes it was! It'd take years to get over your problems. You don't have the luxury to go meandering through your psychological issues while in the Hunter Exam. So this was a push, that's all. You'll still need to work through some stuff, but you're on the right path now."
I rubbed my head sheepishly, "Fair enough. I did drop the ball during my fight with Caesar."
My father laughed, "I'd have called him Magilla Gorilla if I were you."
I chuckled, "That's because you have horrible taste."
"That makes two of us you, little shit." He smiled wide as I started to fade away. My vision slowly turning black.
But my father left me with some words.
"Be your own person! Live your life the way you want to Kiddo! Don't let anyone tell you how to live it! Not any person, not any god, not even fate or destiny! Ya' hear me! And find yourself a good woman! I want grandchildren! No self-respecting child of mine is gonna' die alone!"
Ronald Hartford smiled as his son faded away into thin air. He sat there with pride. He knew his son would do amazing things. He better, or Ronnie would roll out of heaven and kick his son's ass!
The elder Hartford felt a hand on his shoulder break him away from his musing. He turned his chair to face the Asian woman.
"So, you're the one who brought my son back to life."
She nodded, "Yes. Thank you for helping him."
He shrugged, "He's my son, what I'm gonna' do, not help him?"
She laughed, "Very true."
Ronnie laid his hands on his lap as he scrutinized the woman, "So what now?"
The woman tapped her chin, pretending to think, "I believe you are right, you will be seeing the 'pearly gates'. Maybe..." she said, hanging an unsaid proposition over him like a toy.
He raised an eyebrow, "I was joking to help my son feel better. There ain't nothing after, is there?"
Zhulong's smile faltered for a moment. She knew what he was thinking. She activated her geas, only for the man to start hissing, "Stop, whatever you're doing. I hate your type, the kind of person that tries to pretty up problems or ignore things instead of accepting them."
She sighed and stopped. She would still find a way to use him...
Yet he wheeled his seat around the couch into the blackness.
Zhulong frowned. She was at a loss as to what to do. The goddess only had a limited amount of time and she knew Ronald wouldn't accept her proposal.
She tried anyway.
"And if I gave you your life back. Your legs, power, your wi-"
Ronnie cut her off, "Don't bother. I already lived my life. If I'm going to fade away into nothing, that's fine."
He lifted at his hands as pieces of them slowly drifted away like dead leaves in the wind.
The goddess struggled, at a loss for the first time in eons, "Fine! I did wrong by your son, at least I can make up for that and send you to an afterlife. You'll be comf-"
"I already said don't bother! You never answered my question, but you answered it anyways. There ain't no afterlife from where I come from, is there? Or if it was, I didn't deserve to be there. So don't bother. I ain't no saint, but I refuse to go up there if no one else is. I don't get or want preferential treatment. That's final."
Zhulong frowned in anger, her eyes glaring at James' father, "I can see where your son gained his perceptiveness. And his obstinance."
"I'm pretty sure he isn't a virgi-"
"Not abstinence, obstinance you idiot!" She spit out, bewildered by his stupidity.
The man laughed. It boiled the goddess' blood.
How dare he.
"You are a fool Mr. Hartford," the goddess smiled victoriously, "Now you have no choice in the matter."
"Oh? You gonna' knock on heaven's door and ask them to let me in?" he laughed dismissively.
"I already have."
The sound of a massive horn rang through the void as a giant white portal opened up behind the elder Hartford.
Ronald spun his chair around in a rage. His body shook in fury. His fingers gripped the armrests of his chair with unrestrained wrath.
He then spun his chair halfway around to face the goddess.
Ronnie was smiling.
The man grabbed his face in mock horror, "Oh no! No, you can't! What have you done! You have gone against my wishes! You have foiled me!" Ronnie said melodramatically. He draped an arm over his face as the other one waved towards the light theatrically, "I am not worthy of this reward. Woe is me! Woe is me!" He acted out as horribly as possible.
'What'. That was all the goddess could think.
"Y-you wanted to go to heaven?" Zhulong said dumbly.
Ronnie spun his chair completely around with a flourish, a large shit-eating grin plastered on his face, "Of course I do! Who wouldn't? Just wanted to mess with a pretty little lady one last time is all!" he gave out a booming laugh.
Zhulong glared at the man. How could she have not seen this? She read his mind, nothing could be hidden from her! How?!
She thoroughly disliked the trickster, "I take it all back. You're nothing like your son."
"Oh, I wouldn't say that."
Her eyes widened as Ronald Hartford stared back at her with conviction. She felt two emotions she hadn't felt in a long time: admiration and fear.
"Just a warning. Don't mess with my son. You'll regret it."
A smile spread across her face as she raised an eyebrow in amusement. It did little to bury the trepidation in her heart, "Oh? Will you 'roll out of heaven and kick my ass'" She said in a mocking tone.
To her surprise, he gave a hearty laugh, "Nope. But read my mind now."
She rolled her eyes and did.
'I won't have to.'
An image of Zhulong in her own blood. James standing over her with the same look his father had.
She laughed at the absurdity of it. It was quickly cut short as Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song started playing at full blast through her mind. She cut off the connection before the headache it gave her could grow worse.
Her face turned into a Lovecraftian nightmare. He didn't care as he rolled backwards into the light, continuing to laugh the entire time.
Before the portal of light closed, he left her with some words, "I'm sure it won't come to that. As messed up as you are, I can tell you are a good person. You got issues. But we all do, don't we? He might not be as understanding of crazy people as I am. Just hope my son has my bad habit: a soft heart!"
And with that, he was gone.
Zhulong looked on in the darkness, her face shifting back to her normal human form.
"I wonder what would have happened had I chosen you, Ronald Hartford."
A female voice behind the goddess answered, "Knowing what my sister said of him. You'd have ripped your hair out from sheer aggravation."
"I won't die, dad," I whispered as I slowly woke up.
The first thing I remembered upon waking up was the pain. Everything hurt. The worst was my head. It felt like I got hit by a bomb.
I sat up.
...Only to immediately lay back down from all my injuries.
I opened my eyes to find I was in a cave. A carved-out hole in the cave wall was serving as my bed. Fur was acting as futon cushioning against the rocky slab that reminded me of a concrete prison bed. It felt like a concrete prison bed; my fucking back hurt like hell.
There was another nook carved into the wall that was acting as a fireplace. The nook had a hole at the top that allowed the smoke to vent... somewhere. A pot that reminded me of a witch's cauldron was set on the fire. What looked and smelled like boiling soup was in it.
It was too dim to see anything with detail, the shadows and lights dancing across the cave walls were doing their best to obscure. There were spears and knives made out of bones and wood-lined up on the wall, as well as several large primate skulls. Jeez, whoever killed those must be some kind of monstrous hunter.
"Yer' awake! Good! You've been out 'fer a while," said a deep, gravely voice.
My eyes widened in fear. They turned in every which way to find the source of the sound. I expected a giant, hulked-out hunter in furs.
What I got was a small, hunched over man in furs come into view from the side; enter, stage right.
He walked across the cave floor to the pot and began scooping soup into a bowl made from bone. Not a hard guess what body part the bowl came from. After scooping in generous portion he hobbled over to me; doing his best with his hunched body to not spill the soup. He pulled a spoon from somewhere on his body. I hope the spoon came from a sanitary place.
He then started shoving the hot liquid into my mouth without any warning or hesitation.
"BLuragh- W-glubglug-STOP!" I moved my head as far away from the man as he kept trying to shovel scalding soup between my sealed lips. I pushed him away with my right arm and instantly regretted it.
Searing pain exploded from my chest and back. I guess the bed wasn't the only reason why it hurt so much to lay down. For the first time in my life, I rolled my eyes back into my head from sheer pain. I roared in agony through clenched teeth.
"Take it easy their, kid! Ya' barely survived that beating. If I hadn't stepped in ta' scare 'em off you'd be monkey chow!" He laid a hand on my right shoulder to stop me from moving.
I settled down and slowly the pain went away. Not all of it, but enough of it to stop me from shattering my teeth with my jaw muscles. It was hot in the room, sweat dripping down my face as I started pulling away the fur sheets that covered me. Only to find I was naked and quickly covered myself up again.
"Where are my clothes?"
He snorted before spitting on the ground, "I took 'em off. Yer' jacket and undergarments were ruined. They was torn apart and soaked in blood. Only thing worth a damn is yer' boots and pants."
I looked over the man. He sounded and looked exactly like a gold rush prospector: grizzled face, fat pickle nose, grey and white beard with wild hair that was balding. Everything except his clothing: he wore the white fur of the creatures that beat me up.
I raised my eyebrow in amusement, only for my face to hurt. My hand reached up to my nose, where I found a stick and bandages covering it. In fact, my whole face was covered in bandages like a mummy; my eyes peering through giant holes in the strips of cloth.
My eyes examined the man. It was hard to tell since the cave had a low ceiling, but he couldn't have been taller than five feet hunched over. Yet, he commanded attention.
"Yer' lucky ta' be alive, hehe. Yer' nose is broke, but yer' noggin' is fine and dandy. Can't say 'fer yer' brain, count of I can't open 'er up, hehehe!" He said through barely understandable English.
I sighed explosively. If I survived Planet of the Apes only to die to Yosemite Sam, I swear I'll come back from the dead for a second time from sheer exasperation.
"What happened then? No offense, but I can't see someone like you scaring all those things away." It was obvious he did it, but I still couldn't imagine it. I don't think anything but a Hunter could take those apes down.
"Oh yeah? Shows how much a feller' like you knows!" he said with the wave of a finger.
He placed down the bowl and waddled over to the fireplace. The man grabbed a burning stick with one hand and a wooden chair with the other and brought them both next to my 'bed'. He waved the flaming piece of wood about a half foot from my face, the heat licking my face as I turned away.
"What the fuck! Get that away from me!" I said as I waved my right arm at the torch. The man laughed.
"I ain't gonna' burn ya' kid!" He sat down on the chair and looked at the fire with understanding.
"This is what I used. Man's greatest discovery! After findin' out how to poop, piss, and eat, of course! Hehehe!" his laughing face slowly faded into one of contemplation.
"It's a simple thing, fire. It's what separates us from all the rest o' the animals. Foundation of everythin' civilized. All ya' got to do is rub two sticks together, but only humans ever really mastered it."
I nodded, "Yeah. But that's what you used, not how you scared them off."
He scrunched up his eyes and pursed his lips, "Well...That's not what ya' asked! Ya' asked what happened! I used fire, that's what happened! Yeheheheee!"
I pressed my thumb and index pressed firmly on my eyelids as I did my best not to lose my patience, "Alright, fine. Can you tell me everything that happened?"
"Why should I?!"
"Huh?" I said dumbly.
"I said, 'WHY SHOULD I?!' Yer' a pretty rude feller'. Refuse mah' food, mah' hospitality! Don't even ask the man who saved yer' life his name, in his own home!"
Breath. Count to 10 James, count...1...2...3...
"Fine, sorry. I'll eat the soup when it cools. In the meantime, what's your name?"
"Ragfragnin' kids these days...Name's Quixote Panza, at yer' service. Call me Panza. What's yers' kid?"
"Names James...Just James."
The man that was formerly known as Yosemite Sam, but yet still sounded like the cartoon character, stared at me. His eyes reminded me of Zhulong. Not the color, they were a dull grey. Cataracts-filled, dead-looking things. No, it the way he looked at me. He had mad eyes.
Maybe it was from the isolation, maybe from just being born batshit, but his eyes had a wide-open look that was unnerving. It was as if he was staring right through me.
"No last name, James?" He said with a leading question.
I closed my eye, "No. Not anymore. Well, I have the option to take a new one. Just don't like the one offered to me."
"Hehehe. Ya' went through a spiritual rebirth, yehehehe!" I leaned my head back as he started cackling like the madman he was.
He still had the fire. Oh god.
"These parts ain't 'fer a little hike, feller! This here is called the White Death fer' a reason! Probably 'cause it's inhospitable as it comes, but don't mind that! Legend says people who survive this place are born again! They see visions and..." he smacked his hands together, loudly, "they're brand new people! Yehehehe!"
I raised my eyebrows in dull surprise as I responded to him, as monotone as possible, "You don't say."
He barreled through my comment without even noticing my sarcasm, "Yessiree! I've lost my mind in this place, so I know its true! Yahahaha!" I wish I could rub my face in aggravation.
"Panza, can you tell me what-, I mean everything that happened before I woke up?"
He stroked his beard thoughtfully, chewing over his words," It all started before I was born. My father was a farmer, and my mother-"
"NOOOOOPE! START LATER! VERY LATER!"
He started smacking his leg as he hooted.
"Hehehe. Fine, fine. I saw most of yer' fight. Even before that, I heard ya'. Ya' stomped through the woods with the grace o' an elephant, ya' know that?"
I grumbled, "Yeah well, I was having trouble moving my body. Besides, I didn't know there were a million apes around here."
"Hrm...normally their ain't that many around this time o' year. They go to sleep durin' the winter. But the clan ya' mets' been warrin' with another apes over the mountains yonder. Big ol' black things that don't sleep durin' the winter," he waved over to his left, I'm guessing east.
I sighed, "So it was bad luck then?"
"Yup. Any other winter they'd be in the caves, snoozin'. But they can' afford to sleep durin' a war! Since they can't sleep, they're extra cranky this year. Ya' picked the worst year too."
"What do you mean?"
"They're hungrier than usual. Didin' get much food 'fer the winter, on accounta' a crazy woman ina' fancy suit. Fer past couple months she'd kept beaten' 'em off at the edge of the eastern pines. That their's where they hunt 'fer food. Matter o' fact, probably why they're warrin' with the black apes."
That could be three people, but I had I feeling who it was, "Did you get a look at who it was? What did she look like?"
He frowned as he closed his eyes to remember, "Yeah, yeah. My memory's still sharp 'fer all this here time, not gonna' lose it now! Let's see. Hrm, first thing that comes ta' me was her hair. Looked dark red-brown or purply. Like a beet. Hair was short too, like a boy's. Almost thought she was one on accounta' o' the suit and all, 'till I got a good look at her face."
He tapped his head as he squeezed his eyes harder, a tongue poking out of a hole of from a missing tooth before continuing, "Very pretty, but not mah type. Too small and skinny, not enough meat on them their bones. Looked shyer than a rabbit, 'til she started fightin'. Strong as all hell, Yeeeeeeehaw!"
"She was, 'pow!', 'smack!', 'smash!'" Panza started waving 'the greatest discovery ever' as he reenacted Flole's fights. He waved the burning stick with reckless abandon, reaching far too close to me for my liking.
"Stop! Put that down! You're going to light me on fire! I'm covered in furs!" He started laughing and did as told, but put it down on the ground like it wasn't fire. Next to a fur rug no less, "No! In the fireplace!"
"What? Ain't like this place is made outta' wood. Its rock!" He tapped the stone wall above my bed to emphasize his point.
I didn't care if this place was made out of pure asbestos, the furniture catches on fire this place becomes an oven, "Just do me the favor and put it in the fireplace."
He grumbled and flung the stick with a flick of his wrist into the fireplace. Not caring at all about all the very flammable furniture and decorations that he barely missed.
Panza turned back to me, wide-eyed and unfocused, "Where was I? Oh yeah! The woman was a hellcat, just beatin' 'em senseless! She even made the leader turn tail and run! What a walloping!" He finished with a swing of his fist.
"Yeah. I know the woman. She's a Hunter. I'm related to her..." I said begrudgingly, "I'm not surprised she could take down a seven-foot monkey."
Panza looked at me strangely, "Seven feet? Nah! See, them is Belban Apes. They're nicknamed Elder Apes or White Mimics, and fer' good reason!"
I narrowed my eyes quirked my lower lip up in curiosity, "Ok, I'll bite. Why the nicknames?"
The old man frowned as memories came to him, plain on his face, "The trees are Elder Weiss on accounta' them trees never stop growin'."
My eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Are you saying the apes never stop growing?
He nodded severely. Panza lifted a finger and continued, "That's exactly it. They can keep growin' 'ferever. The one in charge ain't even the biggest one I've seen. That honor belonged ta' the old leader of the clan that kicked yer' behind. Ol' King of the Mountain. He was twenty-five feet tall..." He rubbed his lower back, and from what I can tell, instinctively.
Jesus Christ, "Twenty-five feet?! I'm guessing it's the one who hurt your back?"
He nodded, his face set in a frown, "Yessiree. I came to these parts over fifty years ago. That bastard ruined my chances ta' be a Hunter, so I started ta' hunt it..."
He sighed, "Only 'fer his son to kill the big bastard when he slept a few years ago," He chuckled humorlessly
"They're vicious. Clever. Ruthless and underhanded. Yer lucky the three older ones killed that first fella' ya' fought before it grabbed yer' hand."
My face must have turned into something dangerous, as the old ape hunter put his hands up to appease me, "Whoa, whoa there kid. I know you went through a lot durin' that fight, but believe me, them there pack leaders stompin' its head was 'fer the best."
I sighed as I remembered the ape speaking to me, begging for its life, "It was remorseful. It said it didn't want to fight me."
Panza shot out of his chair as it fell to the floor with a clatter, his face right up to my own, "That was a lie, ya' hear! A lie! It'da' sunk its teeth inter' yer' neck the moment it had the chance!" he roared with fury as spittle covered my face.
I clenched my jaw and used all my willpower to keep my temper, "Alright. Get out of my face. Tell me why you believe that," I said as diplomatically, or as much as I could muster through my indignation.
He studied my face with his deranged eyes, before closing them. The old man gave a tired sigh. Panza turned around, fixed his seat, and sat down. He slumped forward, defeated, not meeting my eyes, "I know that 'cause I nearly beat the big bastard when I first came here."
"The one who ruined your back, the 'biggest one'?" I asked.
"Yup. He wasn't nearly as big as twenty-five, but still huge. Fifteen feet of muscle, fur, and rage. We beat the piss, blood, and vinegar outta' each other. It didn't ask 'fer mercy, real older ones cant talk, but it begged all the same. I turned around and..." he violently swung his arm in a move I was intimately familiar with: the backfist, "it didn't kill me. They're sadistic creatures. It found it funny that I let it live..."
I nodded. It was starting to make sense, "Ah. White Mimics. I'm guessing that's what the smaller ones are called. Use their voices to mimic sounds to lure prey?"
He sniffed and nodded, "Yup. Older ones don't need the skill. Why would they when they're as big as trees? So they get lazy and stupid, boss the smaller ones around. 'Til one gets sick 'em and kills 'em. Vicious, infighting bastards; the lot o' 'em! But they youngins' can only take the older ones when their guard is down. That take's cunnin'. An' they got it by the truck full."
Anger was starting to bubble up. Fuck this world, those primates. But that anger disappeared as I accepted I might have been fooled, "Alright...Damn it! You're probably right... Even if I showed mercy, I shouldn't have dropped my guard."
He chuckled humorously, "Ain't no sense in getting wound up about it. Ya' was faced with somethin' very few people ain't get ta' face: the choice to take the life of somethin' human-ish. Ain't like the radio dramas when they gunning people left an' right, ain't it?!" There was a deep understanding in his voice.
Panza looked at me seriously, "It was yer' first time making that kind of decision. Takin' a life ain't no easy task, 'specially with somethin' almost as smart as us. Once ya' crossed that line, it's a line that can never be uncrossed. Ya' carry it 'fer the rest of yer' life."
"Thinkin' it like this: I'd been more worried if ya' killed it as easily as steppin' on a fly. That's a person who ain't got no soul," the old man said as he got up to get himself some soup.
I sighed, my anger fading away completely, "Still, I did a shit ton of stupid things during that fight. The monkeys were right, I was weak. Damn it..."
He pointed a dirt-caked finger in my direction, "Listen here kid, ain't no use in dwellin' on yer' mistakes. Gotta' fix them is all. Ya' had the skill, strength, and brains to get outta' there: but ya' didn't use them. Worse, when ya' did use 'em, it were at the wrong times!"
I turned my head and glared at him, half annoyed by his comment... but he was right, "I was scared, I'll admit it. But I was also contending with a body that wasn't working with me."
His eyebrows peaked as he sipped his soup over to his chair, "Whatcha' mean?"
I moved my right hand quickly, lashing it out in a blur before groaning in pain, "Jesus, my whole body is fucked up...But yeah, I was strapped with weights for fourteen weeks to increase my strength and endurance. I suddenly lost all muscle control when I woke up without them."
He leaned back, his face confused, "Why'd ya' do something as stupid as that? Might as well lift some good ol' fashion weights instead of wearin' 'em."
I shrugged, "I did both. It made me a lot stronger than either by itself. Anyway, we didn't have a lot of time to do things right... That reminds me, how long have I been out?" Referring to my impromptu nap.
"'Bout a day. You've been snoozin' somethin' fierce."
Damnit. I started to get up before being pushed down by the old man, "Hey, you crazy! How many time's I gotta' tell ya'! Ya' nearly died, ya' can't just walk off like that. Yer' shoulder's broke, knuckles bruised, fingers' swollen like a stuffed pig. Ya' got cut a cut on yer' chest that went to the muscle, but nothin' permanent. Well, the scar'll be permanent. Yer' back's one giant black bruise too. All in all, I'm surprised yer' awake, let alone can even move."
I growled, "I don't have any time. I have to get back to Mayer Mountain, and I only have two days left before I'm hunted down."
Panza' eyes opened wide, "Did ya' say Mayer? Why is that giant hunting ya'? Ya' break the law or somethin'?" he said while narrowing his eyes.
I clicked my tongue in annoyance, "No, I'm not a criminal if that's what you're implying. He's training me for the Hunter Exam. "
The old man's eyes shined with understanding, "Ah, no wonder ya' around these parts. That fool boy sending someone as green as the likes ya' ta' these woods... That's only somethin' he would do. Looks like ya' only been trainin' two o' three years, from the looks of it."
I laughed with barely hidden pride as I shook my head, "I wish. Its' only been about fourteen weeks. This is supposed to be my last week. I have to get back to his fuck-huge home by the end of the week," I sighed. That meant I only had two more days to reach his home before the hounds were unleashed.
Old man Panza tapped his chin as one of his eyes examined me with knowing look, "An' what day does he consider the end of the week?" I looked at him with confusion.
I thought it over...remembering Mayer considered Sunday the beginning of the week...ah shit, "Sunday. The end of the week for him is Saturday. He knocked me out Sunday night and it was morning when I woke up. Ah shit..."
The old man nodded his head in annoyance, "I might have ta' take back the brains complement. Good example of what I'm talkin' 'bout though. Ya' didn' think things through enough. What was the exact test?'
I closed my eyes and recalled the piece of paper left on my face, verbatim, "He said: 'This will be your last training exercise. You will need to find your way back to my estate by the end of the week. You will have three days to travel uninterrupted before my children and the maids hunt you. If you fail to come back by the end of the week, or are defeated and captured, you will fail the exercise and be unable to take the Hunter Exam.'
He appraised me with his eyes before shaking his head, "Ya' don't have two days, ya' gots one day till they come after ya' kid. I know how he thinks, he considers yesterday one day. Ya' got all of tomorrow before they hunts ya' like fox."
I sighed in annoyance and frustration, "Ok... So that really means I got to go!" This time I sat up, clenching my teeth as I pushed off the bed with my right hand. My left arm was bandaged up in a sling, the limb doing its best to swing and hit the walls of the tiny nook I was in. My chest and back protesting in pain while my abs straining to get me to sitting position. Everything told me to stay down. I ignored it.
Once again the old man tried to stop me, but I was stronger than he was as I sat up. I hunched over in the small space before pushing myself too my feet. I squeezed my eyes as the pain throughout my body did its best to knock me down. I stood up anyway.
Fuck the police. I don't know why I thought that.
The old man backed up, annoyance and disbelief on his face, "Yer damned fool! Ya' ain't gonna' survive out there! Them apes will tear ya' apart! Yer not ready 'fer them apes, this test, or the Hunter Exam! They don't test ya' on just brute strength, they test yer' mind! And yer' sorely lacking sense! There'll be next year, this ain't worth yer' life boy."
I stared down at the old man through the holes of the bandages. He was right, this whole thing wasn't worth dying for. After seeing Zhulong the second time, I had the suspicion I wouldn't die if I failed. A Goddess, a Mafia Queen, and an elite Hunter were putting way too much time, resources, and effort to just have me offed. I just had to stay in this cave for a week and they'd find me and bring me back. That's the logical thing to do.
The silence stretched on as we stared at each other. Old man Panza smiled and nodded. He walked up to me and patted my god arm, "Don't worry kid, ain't no shame in quittin'. Sometimes it's what's needed ta' grow: time. There's always next year."
I nodded as I located at him, before a wicked smile worked its way on to my face, "Nah. I'm going to be a Hunter. I'm going to walk through those woods and pass through Mayer's gates."
The old man's eyes shot out his skull, "Yer a damned fool! An idiot! A ge-nu-ine moron! Ya' lost yer' god damned mind! Didn't ya' hear me?! Ya' ain't ready 'fer this forest and ya' ain't ready 'fer the Hunter Exam!"
I laughed at his reaction. He was right. I'm an idiot for choosing to go out there. I probably did lose my mind after having that Joe Rogan, DMT vision-quest. And maybe I wasn't ready for the Hunter Exam.
But I didn't care. I've gotten this far and I wanted to see it through. I'd follow my own path, even if I crashed and burned.
"Yup. But that's still my choice to make. Can I take some clothing to go? I'm kinda naked and stuff." I looked around to see if there was something I could wear that could fit me...
I heard a growl as I turned to old man Panza. He was shaking in anger, his fists balled up. He looked as though he wanted to punch me in the head.
"Yer a damned idiot, just like yer' master... Fine! If yer' gonna' go out there to commit suicide, ya' might as well learn something kid. I ain't gonna let some fool kid's death be on my conscience," he said, brokering no arguments.
His eyes were no longer mad. They contained authority, experience, and wisdom. I turned away and looked at the giant ape skulls hanging against the wall. I turned back to him with an eyebrow raised, "I thought you said I 'wasn't ready.'" I said sarcastically.
He grimaced before turning around, his hands clasped together against his lower back, "Ya' ain't...but yer' close. Ya' ain't got nothin' outstanding...but ya' ain't lackin' in anythin' in particular: ya's well-rounded."
"'Jack-of-all-trades; Master of none?'" I answered facetiously.
"The sayin' is: 'Jack-of-all-trades, master of none, often better than a master of one.' Some darn insecure fool probably coined the one everyone knows. "
I frowned and rolled my eyes, "That still doesn't stop it from being-"
"Fer' christ sake, can't ya' shut up 'fer a second! Christ almighty, know-it-all brat...Listen, us humans rule the world even though things are stronger and faster than us. That's 'cause we can adapt and we use this," he pointed to his head.
Panza continued, "Ya got no flaws that someone could exploit, even if ya' don't excel at anythin'; thats good, ya'll be able to adapt to whatever the Hunter Exam'll throws at ya'. The only thing stoppin' ya' is yer' mind. I'd have said courage after I saw yer' fight, but something must of crawled up yer' butthole when ya' slept ta' make ya' so foolhardy."
He turned to a crate nearby and started to grab some stuff from it, "But now, I can tell its yer' smarts. It ain't from a lack of it, but lack of usin' it. Book smarts ain't gonna be no use ta' ya' in this forest, fer' this test, or fer' the Hunter Exam."
I started to grow frustrated at the lecture, "I don't have time for a lecture, I have to get go-"
He slammed the crate with one hand as he carried some supplies in the other, "Calm yer' horses! Ya' ain't leavin' any time soon, even if ya' wanted to."
He walked over and put the down glasses bottles, medicines, and a bundle of rope on the table next to the fireplace, "There's a blizzard out there. It'll die down in two days, these old bones can tell. The people huntin' ya' ain't gonna' come into the forest 'til then. You'll be fine ta' leave then. But yer' gonna learn a few things before ya' go."
I sighed and rubbed my eyes with my finger. I knew he was a strong hunter. Lower case 'h'. But this seemed more of a hassle than anything. I appreciated him saving me from the monkeys, but... what could he teach me that Mayer and the rest hadn't?
"Yeah, and what's that?"
There was a fire in his eyes, "The three things all 'hunters' need: cunning, patience, and decisiveness."
Author's Notes:
Hey all. Hope everything is going well for you and continues to go well!
Thank for the review guest. Sorry for the way I left the last chapter, but I had to sell it. Hehehe.
Though James Hartford as we know him is dead. Hope you like how he ends up. The next chapter will the conclusion of the Training Arc. Also, I will be start a One Piece story set in the same over-arching verse, so anticipate that next week.
Lastly, do you guys want me to continue writing chapters with around 10k words or stick to 5k? The next chapter will a big one too, but I still want to read what you guys think.
Btw. The apes in these three chapters were based on Goreinu's Nen ability. That is to say that, in this 'verse, Goreinu based his Nen apes on the Belban Apes and the Black Beri Beri Apes (I made those names up in two seconds. Just the way Togashi would want it.) The strongest primates in the world. Of course, Goreinu's Nen apes are smarter and way less savage, as well as having different skin color.
Until next time dear readers!
