Izai received a letter from the Folkling, suggesting they meet in Polassa Bay. He was apprehensive about going down there, recalling the night he had leapt off the Laracassa Hotel and into the cold waters. From where he stood at the bus station, he could see the hotel’s silhouette, its lights glowing through the fog.
The Edo Kin Edo was a Folkling restaurant nestled in the same district. Inside, all the furniture was low to the ground, just right for Tai but too low for Izai and Katalia, the Akila girl he had fought the other night. They eventually asked for different chairs, and the waitress brought out two cushions instead. It was a comfortable alternative.
In front of Izai was traditional Libri food, as Katalia pointed out after he had called it Folkling food. It came in small bowls throughout the night, all different types of seafood. Izai was sure that Libri food was nice – after all, every popular seafood restaurant was owned by Folklings – but something about the food here was different. It tasted terrible in an amateurish way: too much salt in one dish, another dish too hot, whilst another too cold.
Tai snapped his fingers, and out came a Taur. “It’s rather salty tonight. What’s happening back there?” he asked.
The Taur shrugged. “I’ll ask them, bro. Hang on a minute.”
Tai gulped down the rest of his drink, burped, and wiped his mouth. “Picture this,” he said, spreading his hands wide and framing a bright smile on his blue face. “It’s the year 160. At the Netai Stadium. It’s the KY Finals…”
He then made a speech about his plan to assemble a Tatu team composed of a Folk, Taur, and an Akila. He planned on calling them, “Original Kin.”
“Original Kin?” Katalia cocked her head to the side.
“It’s a placeholder,” Tai smiled. “The name’s meant to evoke…”
“I know my puns.” Katalia interrupted. “And my history too I guess.” She sipped on her drink and winced before continuing,
“Do you?” the Folkling now turned his gaze on Izai.
“I know basic history,” Izai was confused by the question.
“Then both of you should understand the gravity of this team. It will show all of Aradahi that, despite a history of wars and hatred, all Kin can put aside their differences and achieve something great together.” At this, Tai flashed another big smile. He wore a simple white tracksuit tonight. It was made of polyester, adorned with the silhouette of a ship chopping through violent waters on his right chest. Izai was surprised there were Polassa Pirates fans willing to show themselves in public.
“Are you telling me there’s never been a team made up of a Folk, Taur, and an Akila?” Katalia asked.
“There has never been a successful one.”
“Also, I don’t see a Taur with us,” Katalia glanced around sarcastically.
“I’m still in the market for one,” Tai snapped his fingers for another drink.
“I don’t know anything about Kai-Yo,” Izai felt that it had to be known. “I mean, I have watched matches. But I don’t know much besides the whole dumping someone outside of the ring.”
“Don’t worry you’ll get all the training you need,” smiled Tai.
“From you?” Katalia craned her head slightly to the side.
“Yes. Just to get the basics,” he took a slow purposeful sip of his drink, then smiled. “Of course, after I find our missing Taur, Osarok Taiga will take the reins from then on.”
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Izai felt Katalia’s grip tighten on his arm. She looked at him wide-eyed, her beak open in excitement. Izai knew of Osarok, of course. In the same way that even those who didn’t follow Kai-Yo religiously knew her. She was one of the best. She had a Kai-Yo move named after her. And as far as he recalled, she also held the most successful defences of the GKYA World Oja Championship.
“I thought she retired,” Katalia loosened her grip.
“She did?”
“Yes. The last fighter she trained…”
“Minos,” interrupted Tai. “Ah, that short-tempered bullhead. Yes, it’s been a while since she’s trained new fighters. But I think she was waiting for the right inspiration.”
“Hmmm…” Katalia leaned back slightly, her wings spreading a bit to support her weight.
“Truth is,” Tai’s face suddenly became serious, “sooner or later the GKYA is going to fold. She wants to coach one last great GKYA generation before that happens.”
Katalia sat upright again. “My father…”
“I’m well aware,” Tai interrupted. “But again, it’s your career.”
“And it’s my father too.” She got lost in thought again.
Tai looked at Izai. He jerked his clubbed blue thumb in her direction and whispered, “Osarok humbled her father into an early retirement.”
“He hates her,” Katalia sighed. “I don’t think I should do this…”
Tai had attempted another bite of his food. He was now transfixed on his fork, chewing a piece of fish slowly before his eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared. He snapped his fingers, and the Taur waiter returned. "Are you fucking with me?” A nasty smile rose across his face. “Because this is not what this normally tastes like.”
Izai noticed the Taur quickly suppress a smile that was forming. The Taur further feigned surprise upon tasting the dish before apologizing and saying he’d pass the message on to the chefs.
“It’s usually good in here,” Tai said, pushing the bowl away from him. He glanced around the room, observing that all Kin, whether Folkling or Folk, were happily enjoying their meals. A look of confusion crossed his face before he quickly shook it off. “Yes, yes, yes. Your father hates Osarok. Osarok cut your father’s career short. I’m well aware of the Merulato family’s grudge against Osarok. It’s not your grudge, kid. It’s theirs.”
Katalia leaned back once more, lost in thought.
“Of course, then there’s you,” Tai addressed Izai. “I’m guessing you don’t even know what your V-Cores are?”
Izai knew they regulated the health of his cells that produced the Pulse. But when Tai asked him to name them separately, he couldn’t.
“And what about your Duration Cycle?”
Izai knew it had something to do with the speed at which he could do something.
“I basically have to teach you everything like a newborn baby,” added Tai. “I wonder what kind of Pulser you are?”
“He’s an Outside Pulser,” Katalia broke out of her haze and sat upright.
“Really?”
Katalia nodded. “I noticed when we were fighting.”
“Then we have to do a purge.”
“A purge?” Izai responded.
“Erases all your progress and puts you back in the position of a baby Talentborn with the whole of Aradahi ahead of him.”
“I need my Talents.”
“For what?” scoffed Katalia, “mugging randoms in alleys?”
“I need them for my survival.”
“Don’t worry,” Tai waved his hand dismissively. “You’ll regain all your progress quickly. All KY fighters do this, kid.”
“Sometimes you have to tweak your numbers to face specific Kin, you know,” Katalia added.
Izai did not know. Even a week without his Talents would put him in a precarious position.
“The bright side is that even if the KY stuff doesn’t stick, you’ll still come out of it a better fighter.”
“You think you can teach Kai-Yo to someone in about a year and a half?” Katalia cocked her head at Tai.
“I can teach him how to turn his already proven fighting skills into proven Kai-Yo skills.”
“Others have had a lifetime of practice, you know?”
“And yet those others still struggled to put him down in a simple alley fight.”
She stared at him rather angrily before scoffing it off.
“This is going good,” Tai clapped his hands together. “Now all I need is a Taur. A PureBorn Taur who hasn’t already been tainted by the military, police, or IronBlitz propaganda. I need a Taur who has managed to evade the prying touch of those shameless managers who carry with them a list of all potential TalentBorns.”
“Like you?” Katalia asked.
“That’s not my game. Too pervasive. I like to discover talent the old school way,” smiled Tai. He began to talk to himself in a whisper, “I could settle for a PeakBorn Pulser. Go for the Gaios Hekta route.” He sipped on his drink and gazed away into the distance.
Izai took a sip from his. While the MegaFolk drinks were always too sweet, he could understand why someone would get accustomed to them over time. It all had to do with developing the right stomach for it. But the Folkling drinks before him that night were too bitter. He had to look around before discreetly spitting back the contents back into his cup.
Tai continued speaking to himself, “where the fuck am I going to find a Mythic TalentBorn Taur in Polassa?”.