Sorry for delay. I've been eh about writing, but now I'm back on the train.
Right now, the outlook says Imma finish this fic by ch 70. Sometimes I need to adjust chapter length etc... because I need to add stuff. So 80 is safe.
haha... (so long wtf)
chaps are short though. Judge me by word count, not by chapters. lmao
Iori Yagami kept beef jerky in his car.
Rock had found it while turning the car inside out, looking for something to gnaw on. The military rations Kain was providing might be enough for the mercenary crew - especially since they were allowed to leave the compound and supplement their diets at nearby restaurants, but Rock wasn't allowed that privilege, even after proving his loyalty to the cause.
Dad… is this really gonna work?
Last night, Terry Bogard had arrived at Kain's compound and shook it. Rock had never recalled ever being that terrified of his own father before. All his life, Terry was a gentle papa-bear. Always smiling. Always kind. He loved everyone, and everyone loved him. Rock had seen his father's tournament reruns, and even in the ring, he had always been cordial to his opponents.
So the Legend of the Hungry Wolf was all but lost on Rock. He could never envision his father as somebody who people actually feared. He had just naively assumed that the reason Terry had few enemies, was because he was so nice and well respected.
But it wasn't so.
Terry Bogard was strong.
So strong, that nobody dared to pit themselves against him. Nobody wanted to be called an enemy of SouthTown's Wolf. Even Iori - who, according to Whip, was one of IKARI's most powerful assets on the battlefield - had displayed an uncharacteristic fear of Terry Bogard. Iori had even tolerated Terry breaking his arm, and refused any meaningful retaliation (outside of empty threats). Initially, Rock thought his employer's softball behavior toward Terry was simply because Iori didn't want to piss Rock off… but it was only now - six months after the fact - Rock saw the real reason behind things.
Holy crap Dad… you almost blew the entire compound...
Because evidently, monsters didn't tussle with bigger monsters. The stakes were just too high. Rock had always thought Iori was the scariest person he knew, but it turns out - he'd been raised by the biggest fish in SouthTown.
And right now, it was the Number One against the Number Two; Terry Bogard against Geese Howard. Dad had a bone to pick with Geese, but he made it expressly clear he was only participating to make sure Rock came home safe. Nevertheless, Rock felt a lot better with Dad on the roster. With his help, Kain's vigilante operation would certainly be a success. Things were already looking bad for Howard Connection, but with Terry Bogard in the mix? No chance they'd survive this.
… Geese… sorry, but you need to die...
Because not only were the police aggressively pursuing Howard Connection - something Terry communicated to their group (he was participating in the police force) but, in addition, federal law enforcement was also on scene. They had helicopters zooming around Geese Tower for the past day and a half, and they were certainly there to provide air-support for tomorrow's big operation.
Kain had aligned his own attack alongside the police's. He had gone through great pains to procure police SWAT gear in order to disguise his own troops. The plan was to sneak in alongside the police, and while the 'real' police were there to arrest SouthTown's Kingpin, the mercenaries - or Terry, or Kain- would be there to kill him.
Kain… is a good planner. As much as I hate him...
And Kain was also prepping. The mercenary crew had swelled from thirty dangerously armed men to forty dangerously armed men. The veritable army was scattered about the compound, muttering battle plans and polishing their equipment.
The only other thing that could possibly make this a more one sided battle, was if Iori flew back from wherever the hell he ran off to, and decided to lend a hand. Honestly, Rock was still exceedingly confused as to where his employer had gone. It wasn't like him to run. It wasn't like him to leave Rock hang out to dry (with the funds) either...
I'm gonna yell at him next time I see him… well whatever, we're already going to win.
And by win, Rock meant 'murder Geese Howard'.
Murder… dammit Rock… ugh…
Rock sighed and stared at the ceiling of the Volkswagen. He had seated himself in the driver's seat and was fiddling with one of the many beef-jerky packages he'd found in the trunk. He had cracked open the side-window and was enjoying the morning breeze as well as he could, while he still could.
Everything's gonna change tomorrow… I know it… I don't know why, but I know it.
Because although it seemed that all the cards were stacked on their side, that their victory was all but assured... something just didn't sit right with Rock. Something felt off. Something felt wrong.
He felt danger.
And he felt fear.
Because tomorrow, he was fighting.
Fighting to kill.
Eat… you need to eat.
Rock sighed, then hardened his gaze and viciously tore open the pack of Beef Jerky. The smell threatened to make him retch, but he knew he needed his strength. He took out a piece and stared at it. This was it. The quintessential Rule of Nature. The rules that monsters lived by. The rule Shermie taught to him.
Kill or be killed.
And tomorrow, Rock Howard was going to kill.
I'll be killing...
Lmao.
Terry's #1, Geese #2, Iori is prolly #3 in ST.
So Kain Coalition thinks the police are on his side.
thanks to Devilmom, that's no longer the case.
Also yag is fighting againt them. so GG Rock.
Dad is pretty much your only hope.
TLDR