Having made his way back into the heart of the city, Viper wheels his motorcycle to the side of the road, finding a place to park. He pulls his phone from the pocket of his leather vest, looking down at the screen. A notification for a text telling him to meet in an alleyway nearby flashes.
“Man, you better have my shit this time, or you’re gonna regret it.”
Viper kicks out the stand for the motorcycle, leaning it over as he gets off, and begins heading towards the alley. As he steps out of the relative safety of the streetlights into the alleyway, he hears a soft flapping above him. He makes his way further down the alley, soft footsteps following behind him.
“’Zat you, man? Get your ass over h-” Viper says, as he turns to the figure walking in behind him. Not seeing the person he was looking for, his voice turns gruffer, menacing. “Who the fuck are you?”
Jun steps closer, his hands spreading in front of him.
“Me? I’m just the piper.”
“I don’t know any Pipers.” Viper snorts back.
“Good for you. I guess that means you don’t have to pay.”
Viper steps over to Jun, getting in his face, the liquor on his breath heavy. “Look, you little faggot...”
The venom of the last word stung Jun, a flash of his death appearing, the same voice uttering that word. Jun reaches forward, pushing Viper back out of his face.
“Perhaps you need to pay the piper after all.”
Viper grabs Jun by the wrist, pulling him closer and wrapping an arm around his neck from behind. He leans close, snarling in Jun’s ear, “Is that what it is? Are you a little faggot, come looking for a good time?”
Jun struggles against the grip on his neck, trying to free himself, as Viper continues in his ear.
“Yeah, why don’t I take you and fuck you in your ass right here? You wouldn’t be the first. First, I’ll fuck you...” Viper reaches to his back pocket, pulling out a switchblade. “And then I’ll kill you.”
Jun slams his head back, feeling the back of his skull collide with Viper’s nose, and finally pulls himself free. Whirling around and bringing up his fists, Jun sees blood begin to trickle from Viper’s nose.
“Guess who’s gonna pay now, you little bitch.” Viper snarls at Jun.
A sudden flash in Jun’s eyes. He’s standing in the front row of the arena, the boxing ring taking center stage. He watches as Johnny casually strolls over, giving him a quick kiss for luck before entering the ring. The cornerman removes Johnny’s robe as the ring announcer does his part, hyping up the crowd before the big fight. The bell rings, the audience explodes as the two fighters make their way to the center, touch gloves, and then the fight begins. Jun watches as Johnny steps forward, feeling out his opponent, a hook thrown at his opponent’s body, followed by a quick jab.
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In the present, Jun steps forward, following the motions of his vision, throwing a hook at Viper’s body, connecting solidly, the jab that follows rocking against Viper’s chin. Jun steps back, preparing his next swing as he watches Viper’s body motions.
Viper brings his hand to his face, wiping the blood flowing from his nose away with the back of his wrist, chuckling to himself.
“Oh, you are a dead man.”
Viper lunges forward, swiping the switchblade at Jun, the blade slicing along his midsection, gashing him open. Jun instantly clutches at his stomach, feeling the blood pour free from his wound.
“That hurt?” Viper taunts. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure it doesn’t hurt much longer.”
Viper lunges towards Jun again, though this time Jun manages to sidestep the swing. Seeing Viper go slightly off balance, Jun pushes him forward, toppling him towards the ground. As Jun turns to look down at Viper, he feels a slight tingling sensation across his midsection. Viper looks up at Jun, mumbling to himself.
“Dead man, dead man...” Viper mutters, before finally noticing that the gash along Jun’s midsection has somehow healed itself, now appearing as if it were never there. “What in the f-”
Jun steps over, stomping his foot down hard on the wrist of the hand of Viper’s that holds the knife.
“I’m already a dead man.” Jun declares, as Jun lifts his other foot stomping down on Viper’s face. The blow knocks Viper’s head back onto the concrete below, dazing him. Jun kneels down, pulling the knife from Viper’s hand. “Now, you are, too.” Jun slams the knife down into Viper’s chest, striking him in the heart. Viper reaches for the knife, blood gurgling from his mouth as he slumps down, taking his last breaths.
Jun stands, looking down upon one of the men who killed him and his lover, feeling....nothing. He reaches out his mind to the bird perched on one of the fire escapes above.
“I feel nothing. I thought I would feel something, some sense of justice, of redemption, of remorse. Why do I feel nothing?”
“He is only one. You are not even remotely through. There are still three others.”
“Yeah, IF I can even find them.”
“We. WHEN we find them.”
“We don’t even know where to start.”
A noise from one of the fire escapes. Jun looks up, seeing a small, dark figure above him. Watching.
“Hello?”
Through the eyes of the crow, Jun looks towards the small figure. A little girl, no more than six. She looks down at Jun, a mix of fear and wonder on her face.
“Little girl, are you okay?”
The little girl continues looking down at Jun, not responding.
“Is...is it okay if I come up there?”
The little girl slowly nods her head, and Jun makes his way to the bottom of the fire escape. He climbs up, one story after the next, finally reaching the little girl. He kneels down beside her, making himself small and unthreatening.
“Hey, are you okay?” Jun asks again, his face showing concern for the girl.
The girl shakes her head no, backing away from Jun just a bit.
“Hey, it’s okay, sweetheart. I’m not going to hurt you. My name is Jun. What’s your name?”
The girl looks at Jun warily, finally whispering back to him, “River.”
“Your name is River?”
The little girl nods her head, just slightly.
“That’s a pretty name, River. What are you doing out here, sweetheart?”
The little girl quietly replies back, “I had to get away. My daddy...” River looks down towards the alleyway, pointing towards Viper below. “Is that man okay?”
Jun looks down at the man he killed minutes before. “No, sweetheart. He’s not going to wake up again.”
The little girl looks back at Jun, tears filling her eyes. “Can you....can you do that to my daddy?”
Jun hears the voice of the crow in his head. “We don’t have time for this. You only have 24 hours before...”
Jun whispers softly to the little girl. Why would you want someone to do that to your daddy, sweetheart?”
“Daddy hurts us. Daddy....touches us.”
“Us? Who is us, sweetheart.”
“Me and my sister, Ashlynn. We don’t like it.”
Jun reaches towards the little girl, and she pulls away. Jun hears the voice of the crow inside his head again, louder this time.
“WE DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!!!”
Jun reaches back to the crows' mind, responding. “I can’t just leave her like this. If what she’s saying is true...I have to help her.”
“No, you have to reap vengeance on those you were sent back for. Anything else is arbitrary.”
Jun looks back to the little girl. “Where is your daddy now, sweetheart?”
“He’s in the bedroom. With sissy.”
“Show me the way.” Jun responds back, letting River lead him forward.