Steven Universe Fanfiction
My Pearl
Chapter 10: Our Old Friends
Empire City: a city of lights and action, glamour and glitz, where dreams are built from the ground up either to rise even higher or come crashing down. It is the city where what happens in it never sleeps. The tourist might tell you it is a wonderful city and everything that they ever dreamed or heard about in brochures. The citizen that lives in the upscale finery of its heart will tell you that it is a fine city with no problems to be had. But for those who live in the sources of Empire City, who live in the cracks of the façade it's a different story.
In the Artesian District, you will find tenements so packed together that even sardines balk at the notion, laundry lines connecting them high above in a chaotic web as their charges hang, children running about the streets without even looking as they play with sticks taken from derelict trees or some hodgepodge of sports gear gathered from a dumpster from somewhere like wild things. Here are gathered people from so many countries of the world that work hours on end, where they toil and struggle to just make ends meet, and all for a small hole in the wall with the barest utilities for their families brought in from their mother lands.
And yet, here the people will tell you so much more…
"Shit, a man's gotta' do what a man's gotta' do. Got a kid to feed, bills to pay. Pay's shit too but nobody gonna' hire me or give me more money. So I take what I can."
"I wake up 4 o' clock in the morning, make my children breakfast and lunch, wake them up and get them ready for school. We then take the train to Jackson where we walk for close to a mile where I drop off my children. After that, I take a bus to Le Hotel where I work as a maid. Ay, it is tough but I pray."
"It is tough but it make you strong. Father and family came on boat. He came here and said, 'family will settle and work here!' So here family is and work; wife, seven daughters, and I. Have goat milk! Is good you!"
"You do not understand. If I had stayed, I would have died. I love my country, I will always cherish it but there is too much happening. How can I stay alive when so much is happening? So I move, I come here, and I work. Best decision I could have made; the worst I have to worry about is health inspector!"
"Back on the islands we have a saying: 'The Spirits of the Islands watches over us.' And there be plenty of islands here and the Spirits still provide. That is magic that need no explanation, mon'."
Though their circumstances may not be the best, the people make do with what they have and have some semblance of happiness. But just as there many different kinds of people, there are different means and ends to being happy.
In a room within one of the nicer motels, we find a young man asleep. A muscular giant of a man with long wild hair that reaches his butt, he snores raucously as he lays among the tangled sheets, a buxom woman beside him sleeping much more quietly. It is a wonder that she gets any sleep with the noise but she is at peace.
Click
Goes the lock as the door creaks open slowly, the two still asleep. Another man has entered the room. While the room is surprisingly clean and the only messes to be found are articles of clothing and a haphazard pile of wrappings, a sniff tells him there is a familiar heavy scent in the air. His eyes then fall on the disturbing amount of used condoms around the bed. Looking around some more, he spies a purse: purple leather, gold-plated clasps with a stylized fox as the logo. Softly opening it, he finds much in the ways of money. His fingers twitch but he sighs, pocketing a fifty before he comes across what appears to be a family photo. Cute, he thinks. With a sigh, the man rearranges everything back. He then picks up a nearby ice bucket and holds it precariously above the sleeping duo, its contents sloshing and rattling. For a moment, he almost feels bad. Not enough though as he dumps the contents all over the sleeping beast.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" the beast yowls, the woman beside him shrieking awake as she rolls off the bed in a panic.
"WHO THE FUCK DID THAT!? I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" The beast roars as his eyes search the room and his arms lash out wildly until he finally sees the man with the now empty bucket, "Oh…it's you. Goddamn it, Brother Phoenix, what the hell is it this time and can't it wait?"
"No, Brother Tiger, it fucking can't," Phoenix says plainly as he tosses the bucket over his shoulder and moodily runs a hand through shoulder length hair, "We have to meet up with Long."
"Bro, I have my own meeting, one that takes priority over everything else, isn't that right, baby?" Tiger asks, expecting to see the woman. Unfortunately, she is gone with a sudden slamming of the door. Tiger launches to his feet, gloriously naked, and gives chase.
"Wait baby, come back! We were having so much fun!" Tiger shouts at her back as she flees down the street. She does not even look back at him. He falls sorrowfully to his knees, "CINDY WITH TWO E'S~~~!"
"For the love of…put your damn clothes on," Phoenix grouses as he chucks it at the crying man as he meets him on the sidewalk.
"I thought she was the one, man," Tiger sobs into the ground, ass up.
"Seriously, put your fucking clothes on."
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO FAGGOTS DOING AND WHY IS ONE YOU NAKED WITH HIS ASS WIGGLING IN THE AIR LIKE THAT!?" A homeless man heckles from behind a cart.
"BECAUSE FUCK YOU, THAT'S WHY!" The brothers curse back, middle fingers raised angrily.
It's only after this does Tiger finally start putting his clothes back on. Once he's donned his pair of jeans, wrappings that end just above his nipples, and black leather jacket with three parallel tears on the back, do they walk off. Tiger sniffles a little.
"Ah come on, big guy. Plenty of fish in the sea and all that jazz. Look, I'll get you a falafel or something," Phoenix consoles him, patting a leather-clad shoulder.
"R-really?"
"Yeah really, with all the fixings too. On the way, you can vent like usual while I listen with half an ear."
"Alright, let's go," Tiger says, wiping his eyes and a toothy grin on his face before they walk off.
"So where did you meet this one?" Phoenix asks, sidestepping a runner.
"You know that club I work at as a bouncer?"
"Club Desiree?"
"Yeah. She just turned twenty-one and was out celebrating with her friends. I had to get in on that, bro. Plus, I made fucking bank!" He declares, digging through his pockets for mixtures of single and two dollar bills.
"…I regret having offered to buy you a falafel now. And put that away, do you want us getting mugged?"
"Hey, you cock-blocked me this morning. We totally would've gotten another session in if you didn't come by."
"Alright alright," Phoenix says, taking a brief sniff which wrinkles his face in disgust as they pass an open dumpster, "So…C-I-N-D-E-E, huh?"
"Huh?"
"Nah, I'm just thinking about how a nice girl like her has a name like that. Cindy is usually C-I-N-D-Y, ya know? You made a point of it with the two E's bit and I just can't help but wonder why her parents would give her a stripper-esque name."
"Oh, that. No, she was double E cup so two E's, yeah?"
"Oh my fucking god…" Phoenix groans again as he grinds a palm into his face as they walk along a crosswalk.
"What? It's true, you got into the room and saw her tits; they were fucking huge, bro!"
"Please…my brain can only take so much stupid."
"…Dude, you are so gay," Tiger quips.
"At this rate, I may be more asexual than anything."
"What!? No! What about you and Sarah!?"
"What about me and Sarah?"
"Look, you and Sarah get married, run the church/orphanage with Sarah when we're all old and experienced enough to run it, try to have kids even with the orphans running around, but you being you would want someone who's of your flesh and blood will get upset and cause emotional problems when Sarah doesn't get pregnant, me and Brother Dragon will swoop in and save the day with awesome relationship advice, the love between you and Sarah will be rekindled like no other, igniting passions so powerful that you have way hardcore make-up sex. This ends up with Sarah pregnant with twins and then we all live happily ever after with your son Tai and daughter Angela with me and Brother Dragon being cool Uncles who get up to crazy shenanigans with your kids while you're the angry sullen overprotective Straight-man Dad with Sarah being the kind gentle maternal mother who won't hesitate to kick all of our asses if we step out of line or if any harm comes to her babies."
Phoenix stares incredulously at the larger man as they come to a stop before an establishment called the Rad Falafel.
"…How long did you stay up to come up with that scenario?"
"All night and a couple of hours into the morning, baby!" Tiger responds proudly, thumping his chest.
"Oh my fucking god…," Phoenix groans loudly into his palm, "Ok, I'll ask this because I know he's got my back…what did Brother Dragon have to say about this crazy scheme of yours?"
"He was totally on board with it!"
"WHAT!?"
"Well, he didn't exactly say he was on board with it but you know how he gives you that long soulful stare into your eyes, blinks, and then slowly nods? Yeah, that's what he did."
"…Why the hell am I brothers with you two again?"
"Because we have good chemistry and without the three of us, we wouldn't be the Three Beasts that protect the local businesses from roving gangs of mofo's as we mete out justice with our awesomeness?"
Phoenix raises a hand and opens his mouth to respond but then he thinks about it.
"Damn it, I hate it when you're right," he grumbles, opening the door as the chimes tune happily on them entering as the mixture of hot air and steam from fryers rushes them, bathing them in the heavy scent of deep-fried ground chickpeas and fava beans.
"That's why I'm the smart one!" Tiger brags.
"No, Brother Dragon is the smart one, I'm the tough one, and you're…Heart, for lack of better word."
"Dude, Heart sucks. Tigers are strong why can't I be the Strong one?"
"Fine, you're the strong one. Get your damn falafel already. Hey Mr. Rashad, you in?"
"Ah, hello, boys! What can I get you today?" A diminutive tan-skinned man with a moustache greets them from behind the plain white lunch counter, garbed simply in a yellow polo shirt and khakis with a stained apron covering it all.
"Hey, Mr. Rashad, just getting a falafel for Brother Tiger here. He wants…"
"A falafel with everything that can be put in it!" Tiger cheers with arms raised high.
"…that," Phoenix sighs.
"Alright then, one Tiger special coming right up!" Rashad jovially replies as he moves to the kitchen, "So, how are you two today? Anything exciting?"
"Not so much. Brother Tiger could probably tell you something though."
"Life, love, philosophy, food, cock-block…that's about it really."
"You are never going to let that go, are you?"
"Bro, virgin. Come on!"
"Seriously? Damn," Phoenix comments before shaking his head, "Ok look, she may have been a good lay for a little innocent but was she really going to stick around?"
"She might have!"
"Oh really? That princess from the Beauregard district? You realize we're nothing but toys to people like her, right?"
"So what? Maybe I could've done something to change her mind…wait, how did you know where she's from? Even I don't know that!"
"Went through her things while you two slept."
"Dude, what the fuck!?"
"Getting off topic! Fine, let's say you convince her, there's no way in hell her parents are going to be ok with any of this! If she's smart, she sure as hell isn't going to be telling them because otherwise, they'll hunt you down and kill you for 'corrupting' their precious little princess!"
"First of all, fuck that shit! I'm strong enough to handle whatever the hell they can throw at me! And second of all, fuck you! Don't you fucking project your fear onto me because you can't get the fucking balls to go at it with Sarah! You like her, she likes you! Get fucking on with it!"
"DAMN IT, BROTHER TIGER! PEOPLE LIKE US DON'T FUCKING FALL IN LOVE, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO!" PHOENIX rages, crushing the collar of Hu's leather jacket.
"WHO THE FUCK SAID THAT!?" Tiger responds in kind, the two are nose to nose now as they glare into each other's eyes hatefully; scorching earth clashing with burning coal.
"Boys, if I may say something?"
The two whip around at Rashad's voice, grinding at the bit as they struggle to hold everything back. Rashad clears his throat before continuing.
"Once upon a time, there were two brothers. These two brothers were named Akram and Alim. Akram was very much like you, Tiger; a strong compassionate fellow who loved very dearly. Unfortunately, his heart was very much, how you say, worn on the sleeve. More often than not, he would be in some sort of trouble; trouble that Alim was always able to get Akram out of," Rashad says. He then turns to Phoenix.
"And Alim was like you, Phoenix; a learned man who experienced much and kept it close to his heart. Unfortunately, all of these experiences made him a very lonely and sad man for because he had experienced much, he saw no need to interact with others, and kept to his studies. All future endeavors, his actions became dictated by the past," And to this Phoenix turns away, his grip softening into nothing.
"These two brothers lived together for a very long time. Alim would temper Akram and Akram would encourage Alim; two sides of the same coin. Eventually though, they had to separate. They had their own lives to live, yes? Both brothers died though. Akram died young when he was assailed by a wily woman's husband, whom he did not know about nor bother to look into. Alim died old but a lonely recluse; there wasn't even a funeral for who would go to a funeral that no one knew about?"
A very loud sniffle interrupts Rashad. Tears are streaming down Tiger's face, mixing in with a lone flow of snot that refuses to go back up no matter how hard he sniffs.
"That's…THAT'S SO SAD!" He wails, crushing Phoenix to him in a hug.
"Oh my fucking god, calm down!"
"But…but…I don't want you to die a sad lonely old man! What kind of gang of brothers are we if we do!?"
"I don't know, the normal kind!?" This is apparently the wrong answer because the weepy beast only cries harder and crushes him even more, as Phoenix taps Tiger's shoulder desperately, "Fuck…can't…breath!"
"Oh…sorry, bro," Tiger snivels as he lets his brother go, whom takes in large gasps of air.
"As I was about to say, the moral of the story is…" Rashad is about to continue
"We get it. He's Akram and I'm Alim, we should appreciate the differences of others in our lives and learn from them to lead balanced lives and all that jazz," Phoenix deadpans.
"What? No! The moral is always appreciate those who have your back! Ride together, die together, Bad Boyz for life!" Rashad exclaims.
A beat.
"Did you just…?" Phoenix begins to ask.
"What? Is that not how it is used? I thought I got it right…oh well, here is your falafel. That will be $10.50, thank you come again."
"Wait, what time is it?" Tiger asks suddenly, blowing his nose loudly with a handful of napkins.
"11:30, why?"
"Oh, uh, how many falafels will this buy us?" Tiger asks, digging through his pockets for all the money he had and presenting them with a grin, "Gotta' feed the rest of the boys, right?"
"Only four if they are normal sized falafels," Rashad says, counting the money: twenty-five dollars.
"Oh what? Come on, don't we get a discount or something, pleeeaaaasssee?" Tiger begs.
"That IS with the discount!" Rashad fires back.
"Ok, relax. Here," Phoenix intervenes, placing a fifty and whatever pocket change he has on the counter as well, "How about now?"
"Oh my…you did not kill someone, did you?" Rashad asks. Phoenix snorts at the accusation.
"Please, I'm a guy with class."
"You totally stole that from the chick I was banging," Tiger deadpans.
"Yes, yes I did," Phoenix returns.
An hour later, Hu and Feng exit Rad's Falafels carrying two steaming take-out bags as they walk the streets of Empire City. They greet other establishment owners from small grocery stores to pawnshops. A boisterous butcher even hands them a pound of sliced meat and a link of seven sausages, the butcher's wife yelling from within the shop to make sure the children eat it. They promise they will. Continuing on past towards where the shops become more scarce, they pass a couple selling fruit from the back of a truck. A thought passes through Phoenix's mind as he stops and makes an inquiry. The wife walks into the back of truck through a side door that briefly blasts out frigid air before it is shut with a snapping thud. A moment later, she comes out with a large watermelon and presents it.
He inspects the color of the striped rind as if it held the secrets of the universe. Maybe it did because he sees a spot on the watermelon, a splotchy creamy-yellow starburst. He asks if he can hold the watermelon to which the wife carefully hands it to him. With a slight whoof at the unexpected weight, Phoenix positions the watermelon in the crook of his arm and then knocks three times on the solid rind. Three deep hollow knocks back are the response. With a grin, Feng asks for the price which turns out to be what little they have left.
Money is exchanged, the watermelon placed in a three plastic bags just in case, and Phoenix and Tiger are on their way with their newest purchase. They cut into an alley where the tenements slowly space out marginally until they become abandoned warehouses overlooking the bay. The air is slightly cleaner out here and the sound of the waves lapping at the concrete docks a welcome change from the rattles of homeless carts and banging coughs of dying cars. Walking along the waters, they approach a particular warehouse. Tiger bangs on the rusting door loudly, flakes chipping off from the force.
"Hey bros, it's us! Open up!"
"WHAT'S THE PASSWORD!?" is the reply.
"Oh my fucking god, please don't do this…you change the password every single time and I don't wanna' deal with this right now, Little Zippo! And you know who we are!" Tiger complains, running a hand down his face.
"DO THE ROAR!"
"Are you serious?"
"DO THE ROAR, THOU YELLOW-BELLIED MAGGOT PIE!"
"Bro, what the fuck did he just call me?" Tiger asks.
"Hell if I know," Phoenix shrugs, "I blame that book he stole from the library. Hey, Little Zippo buddy, come on and open the door, huh? We've got food."
The gate immediately slides up with a crash, revealing a dirt-stained boy with medium-length hair veiling his eyes in clothes just a tad bit too large for him.
"That was the password! Come on in! Guys, Brother Tiger and Phoenix are back!" Little Zippo trips away, his voice echoing in the vast warehouse.
"Oh yeah, sure, when I come knocking, make me wait outside but when Phoenix comes strolling in, doors are wide open. No respect, I tell ya…" Tiger grumbles, walking after the youth. Phoenix follows with a chuckle.
The inside of the warehouse while derelict has some modicum of cleanliness. The floors are forever tarnished brown but it is clean enough as evidenced by some youths that have taken to sleeping openly on the floor whom begin to stir at the prospect of food. Some ways off by a mountain of wooden crates is a collection of ratty furniture where some of the older boys hang, lazily waving greetings as they talk and drink. A sudden roar cuts through the air, shocking the sleeping and the resting. Some have collapsed onto the floor in a heap. Hu guffaws at the sight.
"He did the roar!" Little Zippo cheers.
"Yeah yeah, you little monster," Tiger chuckles as he ruffles the boy's hair and places one of the bags of falafels down, "Come on, guys! Food's on and I'm tired from holding all this shit!"
"I thought I heard something. How are you, Brother Tiger, Brother Phoenix?" A dream-laden voice wafts from above. From a metal stairway leading up into an office, a bald man in a strange mixture of torn jeans and what's left of the top half of a jiasha drifts down on sandaled feet.
"Brother Dragon," the two greet back. Tiger bends down to hug the smaller man, accentuating it with two firm pats on the back to which Dragon returns in a much gentler manner. Phoenix and Tiger grasp forearms in salute.
"You look tired. Have you been sleeping alright?" Phoenix asks.
"Oh yes, don't you worry," Dragon smiles, "I've just gotten back from my job at the coffee shop."
"Uh, doesn't your shift end at four?" Tiger nervously asks, scratching at the back of his wild mane.
"It did," Dragon replies simply.
"Brother Dragon got fired," a faux-mohawk haired boy speaks up, hands shoved into his pockets as furrowed eyes gaze sharply at them.
"Little Rooster, I told you not to tell them," Dragon complains lightly, the barest tinge of annoyance laced in his voice.
"Stop calling me that! Why am I called Little Rooster!? Why couldn't it be something cool!?" Little Rooster complains vehemently, red in the face.
"Because you turn a lovely shade of red when you get angry, the same kind of red that roosters are. Your hair is also a reminder of the refined creature," Dragon answers. The boy is not appeased as he moodily stalks off.
"Hey, food," Tiger calls out, tossing a packaged falafel at the back of the boy's head. Little Rooster catches it without even looking and tears into the wrapping, "Holy crap, kid's got skills. So what did you get fired for this time? Not bright-eyed and bushy-tailed enough? Make the manager's coffee taste like shit? Fell asleep on the job?"
"Um…"
"He got caught red-dicked by the manager having sex with his wife in the bathroom!" Little Zippo cheered, causing Tiger to choke on his falafel with laughter.
"And how the hell do you and Little Rooster know all of this? Also, Brother Dragon, what the fuck really?" Phoenix asks in disbelief.
"One does not simply turn away a lady in need," Dragon replies before turning sheepish, "Also…they might have been there visiting when I got caught…"
"Oh my fucking god, seriously? Get her a dildo then; don't put yourself out there just because she wants to get her rocks off. We can't afford this kind of shit, man," Phoenix moans as he covers his face with his hands, still carrying the other bag of falafels and the watermelon.
"Brother Phoenix, is that a watermelon I spy?" Dragon asks.
"Yeah, but we just got that bag for the gang. Everything else is for the kids at the church. Speaking of, we have to leave soon or else we're going to be late."
"Whatever for?" Dragon asks with a tilt of his head.
"Ah, he just wants to follow my advice and rock Sarah's world with the passion of ten suns," Tiger snarks, which is met with slap upside his head, "OW! What the fuck!?"
"Keep me and Sarah out of your fantasies because if their God doesn't, I sure as hell will smite you and make it look like an accident."
"Oh, he told you about that. I do hope you hold the wedding at the church," Dragon says with a soft smile.
"Are you…Brother Dragon, seriously, what?" Phoenix asks incredulously. Dragon only stares deep into his eyes, chocolate brown gently meeting earth, blinks just once, and nods with the same smile. Around them, the rest of the gang cheers with food-muffled mouths.
"Imbeciles," Phoenix deplores, leaning dramatically against the tower of crates, "I'm surrounded by fantasy-ridden imbeciles."
"Drama queen," Tiger mocks, bits of falafel spilling out.
"Oh, let him be, Brother Tiger. You know how he gets whenever we tease him," Dragon admonishes as he nibbles at his falafel.
"Yeah yeah whatever," Tiger then devours the rest of his falafels vigorously, patting his stomach, "Ah, that hit the spot. Now, time for our favorite tradition! Fortunes!"
"Not until everyone's done eating, ya freak. Pace yourself or something," Phoenix scolds but he looks around, "Wait, where is Little Fortune?"
"He went out to meet up with Little Artist at the church. Something about a new masterpiece or something," Little Rooster answers.
Phoenix mulls this over, his eyes sweeping over the gang.
"Everyone is here though…except for Little Fortune…"
"Yeah?"
"Who went with Little Fortune to the church?" Phoenix asks with a low voice.
Everyone hisses at the mistake.
"Come on, you guys, you know the rules," Tiger berates, "None of the Little guys are supposed to walk out alone. Otherwise, Brother Phoenix will…"
He doesn't even get to finish the sentence when Phoenix dashes out with the other bag of food and the watermelon in tow, furiously kicking the gate up with a crash and runs out cursing all the way.
"…freak the fuck out. Goddamn it, 'ey, wait up!" Tiger runs after Phoenix. Dragon follows silently but pauses at the opening.
"You boys behave yourself now, we'll be back soon," Dragon says, gently closing the gate before resuming the chase.
Saint Martin's Church is an old darkened red-stone building with one bell tower reaching towards the heavens as it holds silent vigil; a relic of a by-gone age when the area was a thriving parish now turned into a ghost district. While the surrounding inhabitants have gone with the tides of time, those within maintain their worship and dedicated devotion to God. As Phoenix charges up the darkening streets of sunset, he can even hear the calming hymns as they resonate in the air. What is not calming is the shining Blues Royale car surrounded by four muscled tuxedo men; Phoenix skids to a stop as the one wearing sunglasses raises a hand for him to stop.
"Church is closed. Come back another time."
"Bullshit. Where's the Mother Superior?"
"She's in a meeting."
"With who?"
"Look, it doesn't matter. Just come back another time."
"Like fucking hell it doesn't. Either you get out of my way so I can see her and handle my business or I make you regret it," Phoenix growls, "I'm not afraid to spill blood on God's doorstep; fucking bastard was all about it in the Old Testament if I learned anything from my time here."
"You watch your mouth, punk!" One of them threatens, a small golden cross dangling from around his neck. The seeming leader of the four holds him back, eying the bags Phoenix is carrying.
"Is that food for the church?"
"Dinner for the kids…what of it?" Phoenix tightens his grip.
"Look, if that's all you wanted to handle, I'm more than willing to drop it off for you. No need for violence, right?" He raises both hands in a placating manner, "Our boss really doesn't like to be interrupted during a meeting so why don't we settle this all peaceful like, huh?"
"Tch, you think I'm going to trust you fuckers with anything?" Phoenix grinds out, hackles rising, "No one drives a car like that around here. Hell, no one drives around here at all anymore. Only people that can afford it are fucking gangbangers and we drove them out a long time ago. You're also doing a pretty damn good job of keeping me out for something I'm being told not to worry about. What the hell does your boss want?"
"Jesus fucking Christ," the bodyguard curses exasperatedly as he runs a hand down his face, "Look, we're not gangbangers and nothing shady is going on; our boss is just a big-time real estate developer, that's it! Are you happy now!?"
"Bro! Wait up!" Tiger yells, skidding to a stop beside Phoenix, "Who the fuck are these guys?"
"Oh my god, how many of you are there!?" The bodyguard bemoans.
"Just one more, really," Dragon answers as he steps in from behind Tiger, "Well, actually, that might not be entirely accurate because really there are…I don't know, I'd say about forty of us, three of which stand before you. I wonder should we count the Mother Superior, the nuns, and the children?"
"No, we are not counting them," Phoenix replies as he gently places the bags on the ground, "The only things we're going to count are the bastards we're going to drop if they don't get out of the way. COME ON!"
Phoenix charges forward suddenly. The bodyguard with the shades adopts a boxing stance ready to strike back. Imagine his surprise when Phoenix flies past him and dropkicks the one that called him a punk right in the chest.
"SURPRISE, MOTHERFUCKER!"
The bodyguard turns too late to receive Tiger's lariat right at the neck. With one temporarily down, Tiger continues roaring into another one. This leaves the remaining bodyguard with Dragon, who frowns just a little.
"My, this escalated rather quickly, wouldn't you say?" He asks the one.
The only reply Dragon receives is a wild punch towards his head.
"How rude," Dragon says as he ducks and unties his robe, revealing a lithe build underneath. Quickly, he ties the robe between his two hands like make-shift shackles.
Another punch comes his way but he catches it and quickly manipulates the limb as he entangles it, forcing the bodyguard's arm in an awkward arm lock. Though he manages to muscle his way out, Dragon is quick to adjust and locks another limb again in the swathe of his robe turned weapon. Having had enough, Dragon then wraps it around the other's head and forces him back to back. Dragon then bends forward and grounds himself, forcing the man onto his back. Pulling viciously down on his robe, it strangles the bodyguard as his legs kick about uselessly in the air. Dragon then relaxes, now that his enemy is dealt with.
Tiger is having a rip-roaring time, feral grin marred by a steam of blood from his nose but he laughs with gusto as he fights one-on-two. Under one arm, he has a bodyguard under headlock as he struggles to get out of Tiger's grip. The bodyguard with the shades is trying his best to free his comrade with jabs and straights but even with one arm Tiger is a force to be reckoned with. Sometimes he punches an offending limb off course, sometimes he punches head-on as fist cracks against fist. Either way, Tiger fights on because he is what tigers are born as: Strong.
Phoenix's assault is relentless. After the dropkick downed, he descended on the fallen bodyguard with all of his anger, fear, and desperation. Fists, claws, elbows, head, feet; any possible shape of attack was taken to the bodyguard and it was all that one could do to defend himself. Desperately, the bodyguard head-butts Phoenix in the face and forces the madman off. The pain only fuels Phoenix's rage as he restarts his assault anew, something the bodyguard regrets. On the ground, he only had to worry about everything above the waist. Now though, Phoenix attacks everything there is. Body blows, foot stomps, swift finger strikes to vitals, low and high kicks; all of them find their target with meaty thuds, sickening cracks, and dripping blood. Managing to grab at the bodyguard's ankle, he pulls mightily as the bodyguard's head meets the ground with a resounding crack. Phoenix is ready to smash the man into the nearby car, his muscles straining at the tension as the body lifts slightly into the air.
"ENOUGH!" A voice thunders.
Everyone freezes, then turns towards the source. A tall slender woman in a nun's habit stands at the now open oaken doors to the cathedral, looking imperiously down on the rabble-rousers frozen in action through bespectacled pale green eyes that flash with chilled wrath. From behind her steps out a likewise bespectacled man in a suit, who looks down at the scene with barely hidden disgust as he fishes out a handkerchief from his breast pocket and holds it to his nose.
"Really? You couldn't handle three street rats? What exactly do I pay you for?"
"Well, fuck you too, princess," Tiger growls out as his headlock on the one bodyguard tightens, making him gurgle, "Why don't you come down here and take a turn, huh?"
"Language, Thomas! And don't you provoke them, nephew!" The woman scolds sharply, "And there'll be no more fighting! All of you, release them at once and go to confession!"
The three boys start to protest but they are silenced with a wince when she loudly slaps the oaken door, producing a boom.
"EDWARD FENG, THOMAS HU, JOHNATHAN LONG, YOU WILL GO TO CONFESSION IMMEDIATELY OR SO HELP ME I'LL PUNISH YOU ALL SO SEVERELY THAT EVEN THE DEVIL WILL COWER!"
With sighs and groans, they all obey. Johnathan lets the man down from his back and lets the man free from his robes, donning it once again with a flourish. As he goes inside, he bows with a "Reverend Mother" before disappearing from sight. Thomas releases the one he has in a headlock, grumbling how "It's not fair…didn't even start this one…" as he drags his feet. A sharp glare his way is all it takes to have him scampering inside. Edward is the last as he sends a baleful glare at his own opponent before going to retrieve the bag of food and watermelon.
"Mother Anna, do you mind if I stop by the kitchens first? We brought stuff for the kids and…"
The Mother Superior's severe eyes stare at the bags for a moment. They soften as she sighs tiredly, her eyes slowly shutting and nods.
"But it's straight to confession afterwards, understood?"
"Yes, Mother," Edward replies as he enters the cathedral. Walking past, he channels his ire towards the man she called nephew. The man returns it with disdain and disgust but says nothing. Once inside, the Mother Superior soundly shuts the door; the heavy klunk echoing into the wide chamber of the nave.
The nave is a dark room that is kept alight by a myriad of candles, one wrought-iron candelabra for each aisle of mahogany benches. The floor is a simple square-tiled room of alternating black and white with just one worn red carpet leading from the entrance to the foot of the bema; the bema is not especially tall as it's merely a step above the ground. This area is particularly illuminated as a line of golden-plated candelabras make their home there, the line being broken only by the simple wooden podium, the altar, and the cathedra.
Edward respectfully signs the cross before taking a side door into a dark hallway, the only thing visible being the outline of light shaped like a door at the end. Slowly, he makes his way down and opens the smooth metal door with a creak. Inside is a simple kitchen, the center being dominated by a wooden countertop as it's surrounded by another marble countertop that spans the perimeter of the room. To his left, he sees an arrangement of shiny-clean kitchenware and aprons set neatly along the wall and counter. To his right, he observes the gas stove from which the divine aroma of sweetly baked goods flows from. To the back, there is a wide metal basin sink from which water flows with a loud thrumming. A nun bustles to and fro happily, her generously-sized butt wiggling to a tune she's humming with gusto and a water-laden wash cloth in hand set to a lazy whirl.
"Sister Tina?"
A shriek, a wet splat, and then Edward's world becomes obscured by white with the heavy scent of dirty dishwater.
"Good to see you too, Sister Tina," Edward says as he peels the cloth from his face, using his shirt to wipe it of excess water.
"Good Heavens, Edward, you naughty child! What did we say about sneaking up on us? You're lucky I didn't have a pot or a pan in hand!" The frightened nun exclaims, a pudgy hand to her heart.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to sneak up on you. I'll try to be louder next time," Edward chuckles as he sets his burdens on the wooden countertop, "I just wanted to drop this off for the kids for when they eat: falafels, meat, sausages, and a watermelon."
"Oh, you do spoil them so."
"You're one to talk. I'm not the one baking something that smells like," he pauses to sniff and to look into oven through its small window, "Cinnamon and butterscotch pie?"
"But that's the point of sugar, child! And really, it's one of the things the children look so forward to," Sister Tina sighs a bit, "But nothing will ever compare to when their big brothers show up for a visit. How are you and your brothers, Edward?"
"I've been alright, same goes for Brother Tiger and Dragon," Edward replies as he takes up a spot next to the nun at the wash basin to wash his hands.
"Thomas and Johnathan, you mean. I'll never understand why you all insist on these complicated names but I suppose that's just youth. I see you've been in another scuffle," Sister Tina observes the blood flowing down the drain, "Is that what the Reverend Mother was yelling about?"
"It's not my blood. See?" Edward raises his hands, rough and clean if not slightly red from their earlier use. He then makes his way to one of the aprons and ties one on as he looks at the kitchen knives, "And yeah, me and the guys got into a fight with some suits at the front. What's the story there anyway? Bodyguards to her nephew, really?"
"He started coming by recently, talking of renovating the area," Sister Tina answers, taking out a wooden cutting board and placing it under the watermelon.
At this Edward pauses, a hand over a very large knife.
"Is that so?"
"Don't be thinking what I think you're thinking. You boys have enough on your plates already without adding violent crimes to your sins. I'd like to keep on hearing that you're better than that. The Reverend Mother especially."
"Everyone else is," Edward loftily replies as he grabs the knife and turns toward the watermelon, trying to find an avenue to cut through.
"What is it that you exactly do, we've always wondered," Sister Tina sighs, "We know Johnathan bounces between service jobs that he somehow manages to get fired from…"
"Not his fault. The bosses and managers are assholes."
"…Language. And Thomas has his jobs in construction and what was it…bouncing at a night club? Well, whenever those become available. Oh, I hope he does get a steadier and safer job…"
"Normal people are afraid of him because of his size so fat chance of that," Edward says as he finally decides its simpler to just cut the watermelon in half and go from there, the knife going through the watermelon with a hissing sshhhhkkk until it meets the wooden cutting board.
"And then there's you. Thomas and Johnathan have no idea where you get off to. All anyone knows is that you disappear off into the night and come back with either several bags of food or money. Care to explain?" Sister Tina asks, her eyebrows arched sharply.
"Alms."
"Alms…"
"Alms."
"Edward," Sister Tina warns.
"I'm serious. Every night, I make rounds at restaurants that are closing up and ask for food they're throwing away or can't sell. Some of them make me pay for it, others are generous enough to give me them for free. There's this one bakery though; by the way, the guy that owns it is really nice but anyways, he's got so much that he gives me A LOT. Not all of it because he gives some of it to the homeless but hey, where do you think all that bread is coming from?"
"Oh. Well, that explains that…except for…"
But before Sister Tina can complete the question, the kitchen door slams open. A boy rushes in wearing a raggedy brown robe, an artifact from when friars used to worship at Saint Martin's all those years ago. He is chased by a copper-red haired girl in worn overalls, who laughs joyously as they run around the room.
"YOU!" Edward rages, knife viciously pointing at the boy. The children screech to a halt, standing at attention as the boy whimpers, his black beady eyes widening, "Penny, you're free to go. Little Fortune on the other hand, get over here! We need to talk about you walking here alone and going out with Little Artist without anyone watching you two!"
"Edward, don't you point that at him! He's just a child," Sister Tina scolds.
Regardless, the boy shuffles forward, downcast eyes on the verge of tears as Sister Tina gently embraces him. He sniffles, hastily trying to wipe his eyes. Edward doesn't even look at him, focused on making the cuts into the watermelon. With each thunk of metal meeting wood, Little Fortune winces. His eyes widen when a hand holding a slice of watermelon is thrust into his vision.
"Eat," Edward orders, pauses, then grabs another slice and holds it out to the girl whom has chosen to remain, "Penny, you too."
Both of them hesitantly take it and begin to nibble on it, savoring the watery-sweet taste.
"You know the rules," Edward begins, "If you need to go anywhere, take me, Tiger, or Dragon with you. If you can't find any of us, get one of the guys to go with you. Either way, I don't want you walking the streets alone, you hear me? Same goes for you too, Penny."
Little Fortune quickly nods, juice flailing a bit. Sister Tina is quick to take a napkin to his face and wipe it clean. Edward sighs, placing the knife down as he surveys the cut fruit.
"Look, I just…don't want any of you getting hurt, alright? World isn't safe right now, ya know?"
Little Fortune shuffles forward and just hugs Edward. The act causes his eyes to water, something he tries to cover up by patting Little Fortune's head affectionately. This fails though when Little Fortune's shining innocent eyes look up at him through his fingers. Little Fortune briefly releases him, his small hands digging through his robes before producing a fortune cookie. With practiced ease, Little Fortune opens the wrapping and splits the cookie in half. Taking out the fortune within, he eats the cookie as he hands Edward the slip of paper.
"Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet," Edward reads. Realizing what he read, Edward laughs loudly as he ruffles Little Fortune's head, "Yeah yeah, you little troublemaker. Get out of here, you two, go play with the other kids."
Little Fortune nods and shuffles off through the kitchen door. It gets briefly caught on the tail of his robes but it disappears soon enough. Penny though approaches Edward and lightly taps his shoulder, a cheeky smile on her face. He leans down asking "What?" when she gives him a sloppy watermelon-stained kiss on the cheek before shrieking off. Chuckling, he raises a hand towards the spot but then shakes his head sighing.
"Thank you for looking after them. I'm sorry if they cause too much trouble."
"Oh, they're not so bad. They actually help out with looking after the younger children and even have a little art club going on for them. Besides, you should really be thanking Sister Sarah," Sister Tina replies, not missing Edward's flinch as he digs around the cupboards for a plate, "She spent the entire afternoon watching over Daniel, Randall, and Penny when they went out."
"Is that so? Nowhere too dangerous, I hope?" Edward asks.
Little Artist may have been the same age as the other two but he was far more bold and reckless by leaps and bounds. Not a few weeks ago, he and his brothers had to retrieve Little Artist from the Empire City Police Department's holding cells because he was caught vandalizing their patrol cars…while they were in the parking lot…with the cops still in them.
"I believe Daniel learned his lesson from last time," Sister Tina giggles, "He says he's been making interesting changes to manhole covers and other such sewer entrances. Unfortunately for him, he's been forced to clean himself more often as a result; it wouldn't do to have him stinking up the place with that awful sewer stench."
"I suppose it wouldn't," Edward says, placing the watermelon slices onto a large plate, "Well, I've stalled for long enough I think. I have to go to confession before Mother Superior wonders where I've escaped to. Can you…?"
"Don't worry. It'll soon be in the children's little stomachs before you know it."
"Thank you, Sister Tina. It's good seeing you again," Edward bows.
"And God willing, we'll be seeing all three of you more often around here. The world could do with more young men like you and your brothers."
"We try," Edward says as he cleans his hands once more.
"And Edward?" Sister Tina calls out, catching him at the door, "The Reverend Mother…she worries about you. It would do her heart good if you maybe would talk to her from time to time?"
"I…I'll try, Sister Tina. I owe that much to her, I guess," Edward reasons, eyes downcast.
With a final bow, he leaves the kitchens back into the dark hallway and into the nave. With a deep sigh, he walks down the candle-lit path towards the bema before veering to the left. There he sees the confessional, an elaborate wideset mahogany piece. The doors to booths on either side are open. Picking one, he enters and closes the door shut with a click before settling on the bench within. He signs the cross once and leans forward, hands clasped together as they were always taught to do.
"Forgive me for I in the name of the Heavenly Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have sinned."
"What else is new?" A voice giggles, shocking him.
"S-Sister Sarah."
A little sliding door that separates the two at face height slides open. Her nun's habit only emphasizes her fair beauty as Edward takes in her sapphire blue eyes set in a soft white mask that smiles at him gently, a golden blonde tendril framing the left side of her face. Her eyes shine akin to holding something secret that he'll never know.
"So, tell me: are you sinning a little, a lot, all the time, or right now?" She asks as her face turns into a grin.
"Hey, what? I'm not that bad," He sputters.
"Guess we'll go with right now then. Other than that little lie, what other bad things have you been up to these days?" Sarah asks, her hands steepling in front of her face in mock seriousness.
"Ugh, didn't Brother Tiger or Dragon tell you? They were sent to confession too," Edward complains, slouching.
"That was their day. While interesting, I want to hear about it from your perspective."
"I don't know…normal, I guess."
"Oh, come on! You can do better than that! Please?" Sarah begs, pursing her lips comically.
"Fine, woman! Geez, what do you want to hear?" Edward finally relents.
And so, the two talk. Edward starts off by recounting today as Sarah listens, comments, and asks questions. She laughs at the morning, smiles at the afternoon, becomes concerned at the brothers' fight at the church doors at the evening and Edward's recent reprimanding of Little Fortune, going as far as to reach in and flick Edward on the nose.
"You cad! How could you point a knife at a child like that!?"
"Ok, so maybe that wasn't the safest thing to do but Little Fortune isn't that soft. Plus, he knows I wouldn't hurt him like that. Everyone knows about our number one rule," Edward defends.
"No women, no children, right. Even so, he looks up to you. I mean, how would you feel if someone did that to you?"
"How the hell would I know? I've never had anyone like that. Closest thing I've had is Mother Anna and she'd rather just beat me over the head with the Bible more than anything."
"Right…sorry," Sarah relents.
"Don't be. You didn't have anyone either so I think that's fair."
"That doesn't mean I like to remind people, however carelessly," Sarah says as she disappears from the small window, slouching in her seat, "And to be fair, I have the Reverend Mother to look up to. But you guys…"
"Yeah, whatever," Edward sighs.
The silence is uncomfortable but the two let it remain for a bit.
"How was your day with Little Artist, Fortune, and Penny? Sister Tina said that you went out with them."
"Mmm, nothing too exciting. Little Artist just took some spray paint to some manhole covers and made faces out of them. He is talented though and some of his pieces are amazing."
"Oh? Tell me about them."
So she does. While she may have not seemed to enthusiastic initially, very soon she starts going into detail about Little Artist's work and the process. She told him how he would always "scope out the scene," tilting his head this way and that as if looking for that one angle that pulls it all together, running his hand gently along the surface to "get a feel for it," even going as far to sniff the air and see how it influenced him and what thoughts came up which he would mutter to himself.
She even remembers the pieces themselves: a sorrowful green-faced man who cried tears of dark blue that streamed into his mouth in a never ending cycle, a cackling yellow monster whose fiery tongue waggled in unusual ways as it ran the rim, a scorn-ridden blue-faced woman whose onyx teeth snarled at you as if raging to get out. All manner of grotesque and exaggerated things until he surprisingly painted one cover with various shades of pink brambles with sharp thorns bleeding blood and yet they seemed to cradle something in the middle.
"Interesting…" Edward comments.
"Isn't it? I feel as though he's going to make something of himself one day and when that day comes, we'll be there to support him. We'll clip out any and all articles that mention him, record every television and radio appearance, send him a text every day…"
Edward can't help but laugh.
"Dear lord, why don't you just set up the paperwork and adopt him already? The way you're going, you might as well be his mother."
"Only if you sign the papers with me and we get to adopt Little Fortune and Penny too."
"Wait, what?" Edward blushes.
"They might not be Tai or Angela and it might be one more than originally planned but they are so adorable together and…oh, I shouldn't have said that…"
"Oh my fucking god, Tiger told you his little fantasy?" Edward groans.
"He did," Sarah giggles but turns serious as she looks straight into Edward's eyes, "Why? Is there something wrong with us marrying and having children?"
Edward freezes.
"N-no, there's nothing wrong with that, nothing at all. It's just…I…I-I mean, I've thought about it too but uh…"
"People like you aren't supposed to fall in love?"
Edward's eyes widen but he lets his surprise go with a heavy sigh.
"He told you everything, huh?"
"He did," this time, it is Sarah's turn to sigh though hers is filled with exasperation more than sadness, "Where did you get the idea that you aren't allowed to fall in love?"
"Life," Edward simply replies.
"Really?" Sarah asks with eyebrows raised, "I like life too but I hardly think it told you, 'Thou shalt not fall in love.' That's God's domain and I don't think God wants you to be alone."
"Bullshit."
"Really! Everyone in the district knows about you and Brother Tiger and Dragon. Sure, they wish that you would lighten up more, Tiger would be less clumsy, and Dragon would be more focused but they love you guys and what you stand for, what you do for the community. Granted it's not exactly within the secular laws of the land because let's face it, I don't think starting fights with other gangs to assert your so-called territory is legal in any sense but the police can't be everywhere so we have to make do with what we have and if we need to have our own people defending ourselves then so be it," Sarah tumbles on, "And what about us at the church? The children? You've done so much for all of us with your compassion and generosity despite what little you have. The children look up to you and though we always hoped that maybe you would join the church officially one day; we understand and appreciate all of your hard work."
"The money used to buy the falafels and watermelon was stolen from a girl Tiger was having sex with," Edward blurts out.
"That's why we have prayer and confession. Do you feel bad about it?"
"Kind of but not really?" Edward shrugs awkwardly.
"Points for honesty but we'll count that as another sin for you to absolve later. Edward, the point I'm trying to make is: you are not alone, not anymore. Everyone is here for you…I am here for you…" Sarah finishes with a whisper.
"Sarah…"
Watery sapphires meet soft earth as they stare into the other's eyes, their breaths hitching. They look away blushingly brief before they're facing each other again.
"But…what about your vows?"
"I've never taken them."
"Sarah…are you…really alright with someone like me?" Edward asks tentatively.
"Yes," She replies, her eyes never leaving his.
Nothing more can be said. There can only be action. The two lean in slowly, eyes fluttering closed. They can feel their breaths intermingling, caressing them slowly.
"Hey, are you two done yet? Come on, kids can't eat until everyone is present at the table and I really don't want to deal with a little riot!" Thomas complains as he knocks on the confessional door.
"OH MY GOD, THOMAS!" Sarah screams as she kicks her own door open and launches out.
Edward can hear the dull thuds of her fists making contact but he's sure Tiger is fine, he's tough like that. With a sigh, he opens his door and walks out to an interesting sight.
"I WAS THIS CLOSE TO KISSING HIM WHEN YOU INTERRUPTED US! HOW COULD YOU!?" Sarah shrieks as she beats her fists uselessly right above Thomas's stomach.
"WAIT, WHAT!? OH MY GOD, WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO!? GET BACK IN THERE AND GET IT, GIRL, BEFORE HE ESCAPES!" Thomas responds in kind, lifting her and seems prepared to throw her back in headfirst.
"Brother Tiger, I don't think that's necessary. Please put her down," Johnathan panics slightly.
"Wow, seriously?" Edward deadpans, catching the others' attention. All of them at least look sheepish as they stare back; Edward sighs again, "Mind putting her down?"
Thomas quickly obliges, setting her in front of Edward. She doesn't remain on her feet long though before she is swept up once again to be pulled into a searing kiss by Edward, grabbing a handful of her soft derriere as he holds her tightly against him for good measure. Sarah squeaks in surprise before she moans and kisses him back, her tongue gently pressing for entry. Edward obliges as he tastes her too.
It is a brief one though as he ends the kiss and sets Sarah back on her feet in a daze, glaring at Thomas and Johnathan. However, they are positively too giddy to even look abashed. Thomas has taken to running around the room screaming "OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH!" while Johnathan merely applauds with tears in his eyes. Edward blushes as he realizes what he just did but he does not regret it. Not when there's a warmth within that he can't quite describe and doesn't want to dismiss.
"Brother Phoenix, is that smile I see?"
"No," Edward responds too quickly, his face frowning again.
"Liar," Sarah joins in. When Edward turns to reply, she interrupts with a quick peck on the lips, "That's another sin to absolve later."
The door to the nave swings open as the Reverend Mother marches in.
"What in Heaven's name is all that racket!? Thomas, you…" She begins but shrieks in surprise when Thomas lifts her up by her waist.
"IT FINALLY HAPPENED! PRAISE BE TO JEBUS!"
"DON'T YOU SAY THE LORD'S NAME IN VAIN AND HOW DARE YOU MISPRONOUNCE IT! PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT! THOMAS!"
Thomas is far too gone to even listen as he whirls around with the Reverend Mother in his arms, laughing all the while. It is an infectious feeling apparently as even the Reverend Mother's stern façade begins to crack and she laughs along, still indignantly asking what all the fuss is about. As they look on, Edward no longer tries to hide his smile. He relishes in this feeling that he's never felt before and gone without for the longest time, hoping that it will never end.
Author's Note: First of all, really, I apologize for how far apart updates are. My work has been taking me farther and farther away from my computer and it's just...ugh. Anyways, lo and behold, Edward's own little flashback. Really, I'm sorry. I intended on this chapter being shorter but it didn't feel right and I just kept on writing/typing until I came to a point where I could comfortably say, "This is good."
I'm hoping I haven't overwhelmed people with all of these new people and the names they were given. If they did, it's something for me to work on. And as always, I'm interested in hearing everyone's opinions on the characters' interactions and dialogue, especially that last bit between Sarah and Edward. I didn't want it to be too sappy but if it was, oh well.
As a heads-up, updates will be slow (slower than usual, I guess) because of this recent project at work so again, I apologize. In the mean time, the next chapter will be kind of a bonus chapter with little humorous vignettes and some deleted scenes from this fanfiction as a sort of breather. I'll also be going through previous chapters fixing spelling and grammatical errors and cleaning up scenes so it goes more smoothly.
As always, thank you to those who have read, reviewed, favorite'd, and followed this story. I hope to see you and maybe more next chapter and hope you continue enjoying this fanfiction and what's to come.
