Robert stepped towards the battered and beaten children, glancing down at his handiwork. He held his arms out in front of him, inspecting them. He was pleasantly surprised at the immense strength shown by a boy so young. "This kid's got potential.." he muttered to himself, picking the boy up and slinging him over his shoulder. "The great matron can surely find a use for a vessel like this." Figuring that there was no way that Hank could have been home at the moment, having not come out to respond to the noise, the giant decided to make a temporary withdrawal to his lair.. Having sustained notable damage from the child of his target, he knew that he needed to recover from this battle before he challenged Hank. Robert had not known an opponent who could lay a single scratch upon him, let alone make him bleed, besides the mighty warrior that sealed him away so very long ago. If Robert was a man who loved fighting, this would have been elating for him. But, in truth, he was a lover of peace. It was only due to his obligations to his brother and the matron that he fought at all. He was bound to the matron- her dark ki consumed his heart when he refused to join them willingly. Now, he only had the illusion of free-will. But in reality, the only thing left for Robert in this world is to obey, and to be second to Raymond. Perhaps then, it is for the best he thinks his choices are his own. Surely any man in his position would never be satisfied with such a lot in life, otherwise. As he approached the hole from which he had emerged, a large red truck came into view from down the road. "Look Peggy, all I'm sayin' is, we need to toughen that boy up." Said the man driving the truck. He was a middle aged man with short brown hair, and a strong, defined face. He had a large but round chin, and noticeable cheekbones. His forehead and his eyes were wrinkled, but even though he was 44, his skin was still mostly smooth and clear. He wore a white t-shirt and blue jeans, which were held up by a black belt. Sitting next to him was his wife. Although she was 45 years old, she was far more youthful in appearance than Hank. Her skin was free of all wrinkles, and she wore a sleeveless green shirt with blue jeans-shorts. The only thing suggesting her age was her choice of glasses, and the way she wore her short brown hair. The only makeup she wore was pale-red lipstick. "I know Hank, but our little Bobby is just a kid! I'm just not sure he's ready to train with your boss." She replied to her husband, firm on her position to keep Bobby from honing his skills. She wanted him to be able to enjoy his childhood longer before worrying about his strength. "Now, I hear what you're sayin', peg. But- H'what the hell?"
Looking on the road ahead of him, he saw the humongous man walking into the middle of the road, and the completely destroyed fence between his yard and the Gribble's. "'H'What the hell are you doing?!" He shouted angrily from inside his truck. As far as Hank could tell, this man had just finished vandalizing property, and he caught him in the act of fleeing. He got out of his truck, slamming the door before stomping angrily towards Robert, who turned right towards Hank to face him. As he did, Hank could now clearly see the boy that was held by the man. "BWAAAAAAH!" Hank's eyes widened in surprise as he looked over his son. His shirt was tattered, and his face badly burned. He looked over to the yard, and even saw Young Joseph laying face down in the wreckage of his yard. Even Hank's prized lawn was completely annihilated. After years of keeping his grass the neatest and best looking in the neighborhood, and years of everyone complimenting it, telling him it was the best, it was just gone. Just like that. It filled hank with a horrible wrath. But that was nothing compared to the anger he felt upon seeing his own son and his best friend being attacked by a grown man. His face was a bright red, and he was gritting his teeth before saying "Mister, you better put my boy down right now. 'Cause I'm gonna KICK YOUR ASS!"
Robert couldn't believe the timing of it all. Right as he was about to get away with his crime, his true target showed up to take care of him after he was already injured. "I don't know about that, mister Hill. Ya see, I'm about to scram on outta here. And the boy is coming with me." As he spoke, he threw the overweight son of the hill family down the hole from which Robert came. "BOBBY!" Peggy screamed from the truck, now forcing the door wide open as she ran to confront her son's assailant. Tears welled up in her eyes as let her latent energy swell up, causing loose rocks and gravel to fly across the ground and through the air. She was ready to lunge in for the first blow, when Hank's arm stretched over her torso. "Peggy, this here is my fight. You need to get Joseph inside his house, and call the Gribbles." He told her sternly, not breaking eye contact with Robert."But Hank-" "No buts, Peggy. I'll get our boy back. I can promise ya that." He told his spouse. Finally accepting what Hank asked her to do, she sprinted to Joseph as Hank prepared for the confrontation. "Look I really don't got time for this." Robert said, attempting to jump down the hole himself. Unfortunately for him, he was prevented from doing so, as hank slammed his fist straight into his face with blinding speed, sending him flying far away from the pit he desperately wanted to climb inside.
Bobby's body descended miles and miles down into the burial chamber of the two brothers who sought to destroy the Hills. If he had been conscious for this fall, it surely would have felt like hours until finally he was almost to the ground. Waiting at the bottom to catch the boy was Raymond, having sensed the faint ki signature the young man was still giving off even when he was passed out from overuse and abuse of his body. Despite the alarmingly high velocity of the child, he was somehow safe in Ray's arms. The catch had barely even phased him. "I'd know this ki anywhere. This here is a Hill boy. He's no where near as strong as his old man, but the great matron will be dying for a new servant after all these years. The only one she has left is Robert, the poor son of a gun." He carried Bobby to the back of the room, temporarily placing him in the tomb that once held Raymond himself. Pressing in a brick with the initials "DB", a door began open slowly, the whole room rumbling as it did. "Hey, looky here what I got." He tossed the boy deep into the chamber, only a limp arm hanging out of the shadows that stretched from the edges of the room. A chill was sent down Ray's spine, knowing what came next. The matron would fill his body with her powerful and dangerous ki. It would cover every inch, and enter from places such as his mouth and his ears so that it can completely convert him to her control. Soon, the one arm that was visible seemed to have a shadow cast over it as well. Then, his body surged with life as he shot straight up, walking over to Raymond. "The great matron says that I'm to serve you, mister." He said, ready to adhere to the will of his new masters without question. "Alright, boy. Just standby while we wait for our man Robert."
To be continued...