~~000~~
Tales of the Multiverse Bit 149
I see! So, that's how this place goes.
Upon arriving in the training area of the Training Camp, Batsu Ichimonji, Hinata Wakaba, Mail, Maximo the Brave Knight and Tyris Flare came across Aty and the Engineer, whom began to explain things to them about the Training Camp.
~~000~~
The story open in a city called Roanapur which is located somewhere in True-Thailand in Neo-Earth and is considered by many, including its inhabitants, to be a den of crime and corruption.
Thirty-five years ago, Roanapur was a dying port town and during World War II, the Japanese dredged the harbor to use it as a naval base. Afterwards it became a transit port for smugglers, and undesirables continued to flock to it.
After the Vietnam War, Roanapur became a city where deserting soldiers and prostitutes ran wild, and became a criminal hub, built by criminals cooperating for single common interest.
Roanapur became a place where the deserters and the losers of the Vietnam War took refuge and were joined by the worst villains and criminals of the planet. Prostitutes, drug-addicts, mercenaries, killers and psychopaths of any nationalities compose the population of Roanapur.
In one dock somewhere in the city, we see a navy boat positioned at one corner with four individuals hanging out on the deck.
The first individual is a female Chinese-American with a slightly tan complexion and a slim frame, she had a plum-colored hair is tied in a loose ponytail and she had amber-brown eyes. She wears a black crop top with brown gun holsters strapped on her back, she wears a short cut-off jeans with a black belt and she wears black combat boots. She has a tribal tattoo on her upper arm which reaches all the way up to her neck and wears black fingerless gloves. This is Rebecca Lee, also known as Revy.
Gunslinger
Rebecca "Revy" Lee
The second individual is a male African-American with a muscular physique and is very tall. His had a clear bald head and black facial hair, and his eyes are concealed by a pair of sunglasses. He wears a green flak-jacket over a gray shirt, he wears dark-green military pants and Vietnam War-era US military jungle boots. This is Dutch Redman.
Navy P.T. Boat Captain
Dutch Redman
The third individual is a male Caucasian-American with a fair skin tone and an average physique. He had a neck-length blonde hair tied in a low ponytail and he had a shaved facial hair, he had green-colored eyes and wears rectangular-shaped glasses. He wears an orange polo shirt with green-maple leaf designs, light-brown pants and a white rubber shoes. This is Benedict "Benny" Drummond.
Navigator
Benedict "Benny" Drummond
The fourth individual is male Japanese with a fair-skinned tone and rather lanky frame. He had a black hair with fringe on the right side and he had brown-colored eyes. He wears a short-sleeved dress shirt with a teal necktie, gray-colored slacks and brown shoes. This is Rokurou Okajima, also known as Rock.
Businessman
Rokurou "Rock" Okajima
These four are known as the Lagoon Company.
"I heard that the Yellowflag Bar got thrashed again." Benny shared with a grin.
Revy scoffed in response, "What's new?" she uttered in an uncaring tone.
Rock lits up a cigarette in his mouth, "Who got gunned down this time around?" he asked.
"No one was gunned down." Dutch answered while reading a magazine, "While the bar is completely damaged, there are no signs of bullet holes or shells." he pointed out, "Whoever thrashed the bar did it with their bare hands." he assumed.
"A street fighter perhaps?" Rock guessed.
Benny chuckled in response, "That'll be the day." he mused.
"Excuse me?" a voice called out.
Benny, Dutch, Revy and Rock turns around to see a young man walking towards the boat and this is none other than Grand.
Grand is currently wearing a blue business jacket over a white shirt with a sharp collar and a red necktie, blue pants and black leather shoes. He is also sporting black-colored sunglasses.
Revy gave him a stink eye, "Huh? Who the fuck are you?" she snarled.
Grand raised a single hand in defense, "My name is not important." he replied, "I'm here to ask a question." he shared, "Do you know a man named Shane Caxton?" he inquired.
"We know that person but we haven't seen him for quite some time now." Rock answered.
"I'm pretty sure that guy is dead by now." Revy assumed.
"Actually..." Benny spoke, "... Major Caxton is still alive and is living with his family." he revealed, "Though from what I heard, he is currently in this city for some unknown reason." he shared.
"Let's hope that he doesn't come across Roberta." Rock expressed.
Revy scoffed, "Like I care what happens to that guy." she grumbled.
"So, he's still in this city?" Grand assumed.
Benny shrugged his shoulders in response, "Pretty much." he answered.
"I see..." Grand uttered, "Thank you for your time." he said in gratitude.
Grand turns around before walking off when Dutch spoke, "What business do you have with that soldier?" the boat captain inquired.
Grand paused while slightly turning his head to them, "It seems like he had some information about an enemy of mine." he answered before walking off before anyone could utter a reply.
The Lagoon Company watches Grand walk away when Rock spoke, "Isn't he TOO young to get involve in the life of crime?" the businessman questioned.
Benny chuckled in response, "Teenagers these days do the most craziest shits." he mused.
Revy looks at them in surprise, "Wait?! That guy is a teenager?!" she squawked in disbelief, "He doesn't look like one." she commented.
"He's probably a young adult instead of a teenager." Dutch commented.
"I wonder what he is going to do if he ever met up with Major Caxton?" Rock thought out loud.
"No clue." Dutch replied, "But I'm pretty sure that the end results won't be pretty." he assumed.
Revy scoffed, "It always does." she replied.
Later that afternoon somewhere in town, we see Grand walking around while asking people around about Shane Caxton's whereabouts.
Why is he doing this?
It turns out that this Shane Caxton encountered Antonio Cueto and Matanza Cueto and it's unknown if he fought them or not but there's a possibility that he had information that can be useful on his search for the dastardly father and son.
Fortunately, Grand is taking things slowly this time around as he doesn't want to repeat the same mistake by overworking himself while being blinded by anger. Information gathering is his main priority at the moment and once he heard that a person had a close encounter with the Cuetos, he wasted no time and began to work.
Grand approaches a homeless man at an alley, "Excuse me?" the Chikara Master called out, "Have you seen this man right here?" he asked while showing an image of Shane Caxton on his phone.
The homeless man chuckled in response, "I ain't shit for several years now." he replied before taking off his sunglasses and revealing his burnt eyes, "Hahahaha!" he laughed out loud.
Grand cringed in response, "Oops..." he uttered, "Thanks." he grumbled.
Grand then walks around town asking various which includes a fruit vendor, a thrift shop owner, a flower shop worker and a group of kids about the whereabouts of Shane Caxton but unfortunately, they all shook their head and answered no.
Grand sighed in annoyance, "I hate this town." he uttered.
Meanwhile inside a bar called the Yellow Flag which is located somewhere in the city, we see Kyouhei Doujima sitting by the counter while having a conversation with the owner of the bar.
The owner of the bar is a middle-aged man with a lanky appearance and a brown skin tone, he had short brown hair and a thin mustache, and he had brown-colored eyes. He wears a brown-buttoned vest over a white-collared shirt, brown slacks and brown leather shoes. This is Bao Willows.
Yellow Flag Owner
Bao Willows
"He beat them all up." Bao uttered, "With just his bare hands." he pointed out, "I ain't never seen something like that." he admitted, "And there were some sort of crazy flashing lights and when I look up they're gone alongside the guys they beaten up." he said, "It's like they were never here in the first place." he described with a shudder.
Kyouhei looks around the messy bar while letting out a groan, "Son of a bitch..." he cursed before turning back to Bao, "Anything else?" the delinquent beckoned while placing a money on the counter.
Bao gladly accepted the money before leaning closer, "Before they beat up those guys, I heard the old man mentioning their next target." he whispered.
"Who is their next target?" Kyouhei inquired.
"A woman named Lady Nishizawa." Bao answered.
The scene then changes in a front of a diner somewhere in town where we see three old men playing a game of poker while having a drink at the same time.
The first old man had a dark-skin tone, he had a neck-length black hair worn in dreadlocks with a matching color bushy mustache and he had brown-colored eyes. He wears a beige-colored fedora on his head, he wears an olive-colored jacket over a white-collared shirt, olive-colored slacks and brown leather shoes. This is Carlos Mhlanga.
Old Man
Carlos Mhlanga
The second old man had a tan-skin tone, he had curly dark brown hair and a goatee, and he had hazel-colored eyes. He wears a brown jacket over a light brown shirt with dots, brown pants and black leather shoes. This is Jobim Halbhubner.
Old Man
Jobim Halbhubner
The third old man had a pale-skin tone, he had a shaggy white hair and a beard, and he had gray-colored eyes. He wears a light-colored beige jacket over a gray-collared pinstripe shirt, brown pants and white rubber shoes. He wears a red & white hat with a V in the center on his head. This is Antonio Ranford.
Old Man
Antonio Ranford
These three are collectively known as the Three Old Men.
"That's not what we're here for." Carlos uttered as Jobim took a sip from his mug while Antonio checks the cards in hands, "We can't compromise anymore." he stated.
Grand then walked towards their table, "Excuse me, fellas." he greeted which got the trio of old men's attention, "Have you, by any chance, seen this man?" he inquired while presenting them an image of Shane Caxton on his phone.
The three old men shook their heads before going back on their game, "I saw him." Jobim answered.
"He came to us asking for a weapons store." Antonio shared.
"Must be for a mission." Jobim assumed.
"Really?" Grand uttered in surprise, "Do you know if there's a weapons store nearby?" he asked.
Three old men responded by casually pointing their fingers and thumbs at a weapon store next to the diner, much to Grand's surprise.
Meanwhile inside the weapons store, we see a man talking to the store owner by the counter with various items presented in front of them.
The man is tall with a muscular physique and a pale skin tone, he had blonde crew-cut hair and he had blue-colored eyes. He wears a white t-shirt, light-brown khaki pants with a black belt and brown leather shoes. This is Major Shane Caxton.
US Army Major
Shane Caxton
"Here it is." the store owner presented, "Three day supply of K-rations, chocolate bars, charms candy, powdered coffee, sugar, matches, compass, bayonet, entrenching tool, ammunition, gas mask, musette bag with ammo, a .45, a canteen, two cartons of smokes, Hawkins mine, two grenades, smoke grenade, Gammon grenade, TNT, THIS bullshit and a pair of nasty skivvies!" he listed off.
"What's your point?" Shane asked.
"This stuff weighs as much as you do!" the store owner pointed out, "You still got a 'chute, a reserve 'chute, a Mae West and a M1." he added.
"Why you packed up some brass knuckles?" Shane questioned.
"I could use some brass knuckles." the store owner reasoned.
"Excuse me?" a voice called out as Shane and the store owner turns around to see Grand standing at the entrance door, "Are you Shane Caxton?" the Chikara Master inquired.
Shane narrowed his eyes, "Yes, I am." he confirmed, "What business do you have with me, son?" he asked.
Grand looks around for a bit before walking towards the army vet, "I've heard that you've encountered a pair of men known as Antonio Cueto and Matanza Cueto." he stated.
Shane frowned in response before turning to the store owner, "Do you had any backroom where the kid and I can talk privately?" he asked.
The store owner jabbed a thumb on his left, "Just don't start shooting." he advised.
"No promises." Shane replied.
Upon entering the backroom, Grand closed the door while Shane turns to him with a serious expression.
"So, what do you want to know about the Cuetos?" Shane questioned.
"I've heard of your encounter of those two." Grand replied, "I don't know if you fought them or not, but since you've survived their encounter, which a lot failed to do so, I want to ask you for some useful bits regarding the father and son." he explained.
"Unfortunately, I didn't fought them but I did witnessed what they've done to their foes." Shane shared, "I was hidden at that time but I had a feeling that they're aware of my presence and believing that they'll go after me next, I decided to leave my family for a while, so they won't get involved in this problem." he explained.
"I see..." Grand uttered, "That's understandable." he acknowledged.
"May I ask what will you do with the information that I'll share to you?" Shane inquired.
"I want myself to be ready just in case encounter those two in the future." Grand answered.
Shane nodded in response, "I see." he acknowledged, "Have a seat..." he beckoned, "... we're going to have a long discussion." he said.
A/N: Inspired from someonestupED, damnlastwords, Jamesdean5842, Hope the Victor and Ace Neptune. All OCs and concepts not created by moi were given permission for me to use by it's respected creators.