Eyes wide, Jack evaded Leona’s kick, the woman tossing a feint before striking with her foot, nearly breaking Jack's nose if not for his back step.
Leona smiled, kicking off the ground rushing Jack with her stick with Jack parrying the move.
The pair clashed, training staffs shattering with the crowd of gathered soldiers gasping at the display of raw strength.
“L-leona!” Jack exclaimed, wide-eyed.
A broken weapon didn't slow Leona down however, the woman tossed away the non-res half, entering a low guard, grin on her face as she threw jab after jab at Jack now on the back foot.
“What? Wait!” Jack barked, dodging a jab that skinned the side of his tempo.
Fine then.
Jack’s face contorted, displaying a vicious smile, foot planting, his body going low before he shot forward.
No mana augmenting his body, Jack unleashed a flurry of blows, Leona tucking into herself, tanking the hits expertly with the practiced finesse of a boxer.
“Uh, should…. Should we stop them?” Yun asked, a tablet in her hands being tapped furiously by a pen.
“You want to interrupt two awakened throwing hands be my guest,” Jessica replied. “But at least put me down as your main insurance beneficiary first.”
“Aww. Silly LT, don’t you know all my money from my insurance goes to my ham ham?” Yun replied.
“Right. Your hamster. Which has no concept of money or ability to even feed itself if you're not there,” Jessica sighed, flinching from the audible sound of bones breaking.
Jack hit Leona in her ribcage, the woman’s body lifting slightly off the ground as her fist found Jack’s nose.
“LOOK OUT!”
The two were sent flying, Jack landing into a pair of bleachers with Leona hitting the crowd of soldiers.
“Oooook, so now do we break them up?” Yun asked, Jessica sighing.
Jack got out of the crush bleachers, his face dripping with blood but his injury already healed.
Leona fared worst, the red-headed woman grinning and standing in the crowd of soldier's despite the audible shifting of her broken ribs.
“That all you got?” Leona quipped, clenching her fist as blood and steam flowed from her bloody mouth.
“Leona… you're bleeding internally,” Jack said, rolling his neck and blowing a blob of blood from his nose.
“Nah, let's go. It's been ages since I've been able to let out steam!” Leona grinned, before eyeing Jessica glaring with a look of disapproval. “Respectfully sir. We can-BLeHk.”
Leona vomited blood.
“MEDIC!” Commander Houlihan snapped.
“Stand down! I got this,” Jack barked, quickly wading through the crowd of soldiers that parted ways for him.
Jack reached out, grabbing Leona, his hands glowing with mana and healing the woman.
“H-h-hes a healer?!”
“A mage healer!”
“A priest?!”
“Fucking hell.”
Jack jolted, eyeing the gazes on him, the tone and mood of the soldiers shifting drastically as they stared at him not with contempt, but awe.
“STOP GAWKING! AND GET BACK IN FORMATION!” Commander Houlihan said, standing next to Jack. “Sir, if you would, let us get you cleaned up sir.”
“Uh, right. Ok,” Jack replied, getting the sense that the Commander wanted him gone.
****
“Some show,” Jack said, showering in the barracks shower amidst the gawks and stares of soldiers. Mostly women, with whispers echoing out throughout the entire room.
“Said the one showing off,” Leona replied, looking over the stall at Jack.
“Hey. My eyes are up here lady. Plus I'm married,” Jack said, causing Leona to chuckle. “Keep this up and they'll be rumors.”
“Heh,” Leona let out under the hot water, leaning over the stall door that separated her and Jack.
“Whoa hey! Haven't you heard of privacy lady?”
“Please, your the king. You don't get privacy,” Leona said, batting her green irises to the side where Jack's security team was standing drenched in steam.
“Jack, there's so many hot girls here! And guys! SO MANY ABS! SO MANY BOOBS!!” Sahaqiel squealed. “Muscles! Lushes locks! It's like a MEAT BUFFE-”
“Right…” Jack sighed, turning the water off as his mood soured. “Well, I'm done here.”
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
“Jack! No! NO! DON'T LEAVE!”
****
“See you around King,” Mi’shka said, shaking Jack's hand. “Be cool on the flippity flip Jack.”
“Yeah, sure. Whatever that means,” Jack said before turning to his security team standing by their cars.
“Have fun sir?” Jena asked, the woman still with a sarcastic tone that he remembered fondly.
“Lots,” Jack replied, recalling the last time he spoke to the black-haired woman she had handed him a grenade to kill himself in case the monsters took him. “Been awhile Jena, Tyrah. How's it been?”
“Oh you know sir, low pay, lots of hazards, and long hours,” Jena replied before Ty cut in.
“What she means sir, is that we've been very busy serving the country honorably mi’lord,” Ty said, the medical technician smiling.
“Well, that's good. Maybe I'll see about upping your pay now that I'm your boss and all,” Jack joked, getting into the car.
“Can he do that?” Yun whispered, calling out to Jessica about to get into the driver seat.
“He's the king, he can do whatever he wants,” Jessica replied.
****
Day in and day out, Jack's days consisted of training with Selfian soldiers, dueling with Leona, and long drives home. The nights were spent with Ada and his daughter mostly, Kamila occasionally surprising Jack with her mouth after Celeste left at Ada’s request who liked to watch.
However, as days passed, Ada’s sickness seemed to progress, her vomiting continuing with Jack helping to hold her hair and clean up after her whilst Sahaqiel and Lilith spent time arguing.
Mostly mundane things, revolving around ways to use abilities and skill, but a lot of it just background insults being traded between the two ghosts.
“Tanji,” Ada said as Jack stood at the mirror fixing his uniform. “Do I look fat?”
Jack spun, raising a brow, eyeing the thicker than usual woman in her kimono up and down and causing Ada to scoff.
“YOU BITCH!” Ada exclaimed, catching Jack off guard and storming out the room, brushing off Leona in the process who was there to collect Jack.
“Uh oh. Trouble in paradise?” Leona asked, brow raised.
“No? I-i don't know what I did! She just snapped at me,” Jack replied, confused as Sahaqiel facepalmed and shook her head.
“What happened?” Leona asked, fixing Jack's collar.
“She asked if she was fat.”
“And you said?”
“Nothing! I just looked her up and down and- why are you looking at me like that?”
“The answer is no, Jack. It's always no. Immediate. Fast. You idiot.”
“What? I just-”
“No. Answer is always no Jack.”
Jack sighed.
“Alright. Collar fixed. You really should learn how to pin these pins yourself,” Leona said, the pair walking towards the exit of the manor.
“I'm trying. My fingers are too damn big and the pins are so damn small,” Jack groaned. “Plus, I've already crushed like two of these medallions trying to get them in.”
“Ya know sir, I don't recall you being such a muscle head.”
“You know I could have you tied up and thrown into the brig right?” Jack joked, causing Leona to giggle.
“Don't threaten me with a good time sir,” Leona replied, the pair exiting the manor with Jessica there to great them.
““Morning sir!!”” Yun and Jessica barked, saluting.
“At ease,” Jack replied, getting into the car.
“Chicken Two this is Chicken One. Big Rooster is on board, lead us out,” Jessica said, putting the car in drive.
“We really need to come up with a better call sign other than big cock,” Jack whispered to Leona who shrugged.
“The code phrase was chosen at random. Through a generator!” Yun said, picking up on the conversation. “At least that's what the queen told us.”
“Yeah. I'm really sure it was chosen at random,” Jack said sarcastically, eyeing the surroundings they were driving through, a different route today like the others.
Eyeing the scenery, Jack's attention was caught by a taco shop, a certain robotic man standing out front and hammering a sign that read EL GATO NEGRO!
“JACK!!!!”
“Hey. Hey! Hey stop the car!” Jack ordered, Jessica turning her head and slowing down the vehicle but not stopping.
“Sorry sir, we're on a schedule. OPSEC demands we maintain mobility.”
“Ok, well, stop the car. I'm overriding the OPSEC.”
Jessica raised a brow, Yun looking at her.
“Sorry, but this comes from the Queen sir.” Jessica replied carefully.
Jack sighed.
“Alright. Fine. Suit yourself,” Jack opened the door and leapt out, tucking into a roll and hitting the road as a car nearly struck him.
The convoy came to a screeching halt, every car door opening as Jack took off.
“SIR!” Jessica barked.
“Huh?” A certain Cyborg said, the dark-skinned man going wide-eyed at the man running towards him being chased by black suits. “HUH?!”
“Hey! Five tacos please! Carne uh something. Actually! No, give me some tostadas! Six! No! Twelve! And throw in some tacos!” Jack exclaimed, skidding to a stop in front of the Taco truck.
The man stumbled back, taking a moment before breaking out into a wide grin.
“HOLA! AMIGO JACKIE!” The cyborg said, reaching over the counter and embracing Jack in a hug. “AH! ITS BEEN SO-”
The man froze, eyes wide at the copious guns suddenly shoved into his face.
“Release The Queen Consort. Now, or we'll turn your brain matter into a smear across the pavement,” Jessica hissed.
“Uh… yeah,” The man said, releasing Jack immediately who signaled for the others to stand down.
“It's fine. This is a good friend of mine. Leona, Jessica, Yun, Tyrah, Jena. Meet…” Jack froze, smile on his face. “Right… I'm realizing that I don't actually know your name haha.”
“Carlos Ruiz amigas. Ah, you've got some feisty chicas now eh amigo?” Carlos said, nudging Jack much to the ire of Jessica and the others.
“Mind your tongue when addressing the king,” Jena spat, brow furrowed.
“King?” Carlos said, the sound of a shotgun being racked sounding out.
“OUI! YOU BITCHES BETTER POINT YOUR GUNS AWAY FROM MY MAN!” An Asian woman yelled, pointing a gun out of the window of the shop.
Ah crap.
****
After settling everyone down, Jack sat at on a stool, mouth full as Sahaqiel moaned in ecstasy nearby.
“Gross,” Lilith said.
“See, this is why you suck,” Sahaqiel said. “You can't appreciate the food.”
“So. King of the empire huh?” Carlos said, passing a burrito to Yun who took a bite before waiting two minutes and handing it to Jack.
“Are you going to do that with every burrito?” Jack asked, taking the burrito with a generous bite mark.
“We have to test everything you eat sir,” Yun said, chewing loudly.
"Its standard protocol," Tyrah said, standing behind Jack as Jessica and Yun ran crowd control to disperse the pedestrians getting nosy.
“Right. But that doesn't explain why half my burrito is missing,” Jack said, shaking his head.
“Weird,” Yun said.
“Yeah. Weird.”
“Uhm. Sorry about the whole aiming a gun at you all,” The Korean woman said, Carlos’s wife whose name was Clara.
“Don't worry about it,” Jack smiled, putting on his most reassuring smile. “I guarantee you won't be executed haha.”
“Hahaha,” Clara replied, laughing nervously as her face drained of all color.
“Sir, we're exposed out here and on a timetable,” Jessica said, a burrito suddenly shoved into her mouth.
“Here, hold this for me,” Jack said, eyeing the crowd lingering. “Carlos.”
“Yes sir ami-ah, King Jack.”
“How fast can you whip up thirty burritos?” Jack grinned, handing the man his credit chip that had been storing money since he first got it four years ago.
“For you my friend? No time at all,” Carlos said, the cyborg flashing a smile.