The unlikely crew made it way to the spacious parking lot of the Café Au Ladies, different variety of colorful cars were laid out before them. Gary look all around, he couldn't help but feel on edge, he was next to Shelly who at least felt a little safer with a group than by herself. A cold wind blew through them, only Gary found it as a temporary relief.
"My car is just over here." Shelly pointed to the small red BMW next to the orange and black Oldsmobile. They walked over to it. They were all cautious as they look around the general area of the lot.
"Don't worry Shelly, we're all here for you." Gary told Shelly who smiled in appreciation at his attempt to make her feel better.
"Trust me girl, I'll never let someone sexy die, that my morals." Trevor told the troubled woman, causing her to crack up with laughter.
"Is that why you saved Gary?" Shelly suddenly asked, causing Trevor to drop his mouth in shock, Gary was also surprised and a little embarrassed. Ron raised his eyebrow at Trevor who look away. Shelly turn to Trevor with a smirk on her face.
"He isn't sexy, he more...cute." Trevor explained, causing Shelly to almost burst out laughing. Ron playfully nudges Gary on his shoulder.
"Oh...that something." Gary said awkwardly but smiles at the compliment.
Just as they were about to reach her car, the sound of an engine roared, piercing through the tense silence.
The Oldsmobile came to life and drove out of it spot. The speakers were on full blast, playing “Tricky" by Run DMC. The Oldsmobile attempted to ram into the group. Gary tackled Shelly out of the way as Ron and Trevor barely dodge the car. The Oldsmobile swerve violently, hitting another car in the lot before turning around and slowly drive at a moderate pace to the center. It stopped, a window rolls down and out hops the masked man from earlier.
He stood in front of the rag-tag group.
"I don't think i introduce myself earlier, that was rude of me and i apologize." The masked man said respectfully as he bow to them.
Gary ran in front, in an effort to protect them. Ron look at Trevor who was gearing up for another fight.
"Take care of her, she will show you the way to her house." Ron told Trevor as he gave him the keys, Trevor didn't know if this was a good idea but fuck it. What other choice did he have? He could join in but that motherfucker was too slippery, at the very least he can make sure this cutie doesn't get her head cut off or whatever it is these gangbangers do nowadays. He took Shelly who understood and they both got into the car and sped off. DaoDen look at the speeding car and just let them get away. He was in no rush to kill that woman and take in that man that Vivian spectacularly failed at capturing. He still finds himself giggling with pure amusement at the state Vivian arrived in that night.
So many knives thrown in his direction, all of them missed.
"My name is Dao-Den, pleased to meet you all. After our first fight, i was intrigued so i had to come back." The masked man told the two men politely.
"Ron, you don't have to be here, run and call the police." Gary Chenglai said to the man, he chuckled.
"Police? Do you really think they could help in a situation like this? At best? They get themselves killed." Ron said as he put his fists up. Gary didn't understand, or better yet he could see the reasoning but couldn't understand the motivation behind it. Ron didn't know him, why was he standing side by side with him?
Dao-Den within the blink of an eye pulled out two Uzis, and fired at the duo. Gary felt his life flashed before eyes. As the shots aimed for him never connected.
Dao-Den stopped firing, now he was genuinely surprised, but you couldn't tell because of the mask he wore.
Ron stood in front of Gary, He blocked every shot. Not even a drop of blood, the bullets laid on the ground, still smoking.
"I really like this shirt." He sighed and took it off. Gary couldn't believe this, was he a super-hero as well?
DaoDen dropped his empty Uzis and clapped, delighted by this turn of events.
"Well! Well! Wishing Well! Two ordinary humans with extraordinary abilities!" DaoDen said as he rush them.
"Come on feet, turn to fire. Flame on!" Gary thought to himself frantically as he and Ron prepared to fight Daoden. The masked man jumped over them with surprising " Well to Ron at least" agility and toss another bomb at them.
"Ron look out!" Gary said as he dodges out of the way. Ron just grabbed the grenade, unimpressed. He threw it back at the Masked man who has landed on the roof of a red sedan. Daoden caught it, lifted his mask slightly and proceeded to eat it, much to the shock of the two men that stood against him.
"Ok, now that just some freaky shit." Ron said, clearly disturbed. It was clearly a grenade, it was dense like a grenade, at least he thinks that because he never had a grenade in his hands before this moment but still.
Gary look on in terror. He wishes this was a nightmare but that seem too hopeful at this point.
“Thanks for that, i skipped breakfast this morning, didn’t have any time for lunch. I shouldn’t be doing that but oh well!” The masked man stated, patting his stomach. He rushed at them. Both Gary and Ron stood at the ready.
He was a complete tornado as he utilizes Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that combine acrobatics and dancing. Ron could barely land a hit in as Daoden was in a constant motion, one of the key defenses of Capoeira was the principle of non-resistance, using evasive moves to dodge attacks and making your opponent lose their energy.
Gary tried his best with a straight punch which Dao completely dodges and foot sweeps Gary causing him to fall to the concrete ground, Ron managed to grab hold of Daoden and before he could slip out, threw him against the fender of a SUV that was parked next to them.
DaoDen didn't let the blinding pain he felt faze him and bounced right back up. Gary got up as well, now angry which the masked assassin wanted to exploit as he avoided a straight punch by Ron.
Gary charges Daoden and swung his foot at the masked assassin. The trail of flame appearing in front of the masked assassin. The heat damn near singed his mask. But the fire went out in Gary’s foot, much to his panic.
"Sloppy sloppy." Daoden commented with disappointment in his voice as he grabbed hold of Gary's foot and in a blink and you miss it moment flipped Gary onto the hood of a 75’s cream colored Cadillac, he cried out in pain. Ron began to swing wildly on Daoden while he was distracted with the store worker.
The Masked Assassin was caught off guard when the first punch that connected fractured his jaw, but he quickly was back on track as he dodges the consecutive attacks by this random bouncer.
"And who might you be? You clearly don't belong in the background with your bulletproof skin so..." Daoden flips over the straight punch and stands on Ron's arm and kicked him in the face. Ron stumbled back as he felt another kick to the side of his face.
Gary got up back and saw Daoden kicking the crap of Ron while dodging all Ron's attacks. Gary got angry, his feet became ablaze again as he charged Daoden and in a desperate attempt tried to superkick him like he was a wrestler.
DaoDen's shoulder caught the brunt of it as he backflipped away from the two, his shirt now on fire which he took out a water bottle from his pants and doused the fire with it.
"Jeez well this was interesting but i have to depart, see you two around. I had a lot of fun with you all." Daoden said politely as Gary rushed him with a haymaker, Daoden dodged under it and threw two small bombs on the ground that went off instantly. Filling the whole area with colorful fireworks and equally colorful smoke.
“I wonder where he gets these.” Ron thought to himself, having a great for 4th of July.
The Masked Assassin was gone.
"Damnit!" Gary cursed, his feet illuminating the area the around the two.
"Hey man you gonna be alright?" Ron asked of Gary as he sat on the concrete ground.
"I was going to ask you that, thank you for helping me back there."
"Nah don't worry about it, i got my own score to settle with those sons of bitches." Ron said seriously as he cracked his knuckles.
Gary turn his head toward Ron, the bouncer saw the shadow that the fire casted on his face and almost took a step back.
"Guess it the same for you too huh?"
Ron raised his eyebrow at this.
“You also have history with them?”
“Yeah…you could say that.” Gary solemnly said as he looks up to the skies.
"Ron i see you around." He told him with no hint of emotion.
"Wait you're just leaving? Do you at least need a drive home or something?" Ron asked of him, a little worried.
"No thank you...i rather walk." Gary said with a flat tone. His body and emotions numb to everything.
Gary knock on the door of Trevor's, who opened it and kick Gary in the shin hard.
"AAAH DAMNIT!" Gary yelled out in pain as Trevor smiled brightly.
"Seem my blood is making you stronger. That kick of mine can usually break a leg." Trevor noted, very pleased at this development.
Gary stop paying attention to his pain and thought about what Trevor said. When DaoDen kicked him in the face that should've broken his jaw. Which brought Gary to an even better question.
"What are you?" Gary found himself asking, Trevor laughed at this.
"Come on in, we still have a little more to discuss. The answer to that and so much more will be revealed." Trevor told as he opened the door to his apartment, the smell was the first thing that came to Gary's attention. It smelt of a cheap incense mixed with a hint of rotten eggs. Gary's eyes begin to watered and he coughed a little.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
"Yeah you get used to the smell." Trevor said sympathetically.
Gary nodded and look around Trevor humble abode. There was a very ornate and decorate screen covering his window that was completely out of place,
"Have you been walking bare footed this whole time?"
Gary look down in surprise to see he was in fact bare-footed.
"Yeah...i didn't even notice it too. Is this another effect of your blood?" Gary asked.
"Nah that just your mind being in complete disarray due to the events of the past two weeks. It amazing that you made it this far. Any sane person would've moved far away after being stabbed by some bitch with a knife fetish." Trevor commented as he pulled a beer out from the freezer and sat down on the recliner he fished out of the dumpster behind Ole Sally beer and burgers: BUY TWO GET ONE AT A LESSER THAN AVERAGE PRICE. He loves that place.
"Here, sit over there." Trevor pointed at a spot the young lad can sit.
Gary's eyes follow Trevor's finger to the lone crate that sat on the floor.
"You don't get many guests do you?" Gary asked of him in a deadpanned matter.
"The guests i usually bring over only need the bed." Trevor replied with a crooked smile.
Gary sighed and sat down on the uncomfortable crate. Trevor sat up straight and stared at his friend. His smoky yellow eyes glaring into Gary's tired brown eyes. The tv wasn't on, only leaving the sounds of sirens blazing across the streets and the many muffled conversations of tenants that mixed itself into a meaningless cacophony of noise.
"So, you want to know who i am huh?" Trevor asked of his friend.
Gary nodded.
"As you probably already guess i'm not human, i know you may be thinking that sound like complete bullshit because i'm sitting before you now in my human form but the truth is i was way sexier back in the other world."
Gary didn't react and kept on listening.
"You see i'm...and don't freak out, a dragon. I was one of the fiercest dragons back in my world before three freaking kids sent by a bitch Goddess defeated me. There was this dark figure that employed me to keep them from reaching their goal of.... i forgot what it was but it was something dramatic. My dark and brooding employer took a exception to my failure and Next thing i know after one painful trip i ended up here."
"I feel like there some key parts missing in your story."
"Don't worry about it, not that relevant to what going on with you." Trevor responded.
"Then why tell me this?"
Trevor paused for a moment, looking confused himself why he would confide this part of his story.
"I guess I just needed to say that to someone..."
Gary felt extremely glad now.
"Alright, thank you for trusting me with this."
Trevor smiled. Jeez he hasn’t felt this sense of companionship since…..
The former dragon felt himself getting choked up and that won’t do.
"Normally i would think you was just drunk, but after what happen well...I’m willing to be more open-minded." Gary told him honestly as he adjusted himself on the crate.
"Like i said your body is going to change somewhat, nothing too drastic. You already well acquainted with the fire. Although it strange that it went to your feet. You might want to start investing in kickboxing lessons for that to be more effective because while kicks to the crotch is a valid strategy they're not guaranteed to work all the time you know? Especially when someone pulls out the 9s and 38s and the 47s on you."
Gary nodded, he will have to look into that.
"Wait hold on 9s, 38s, and 47s?" Gary said confused as he been for the past week now, it was starting to get annoying to him.
"Oh, those are shorthand terms for guns. Damn how did you survive this long?" Trevor asked with a raised eyebrow.
"By keeping my head down."
"How that been working for you?"
"Shut up."
"To be fair it was Andrea's fault you got caught up in this and a little bit of my fault as well. I can be a big person and own up to my mistakes too you know?" Trevor boasted.
Gary thought about Andrea, they had barely spoken since that day in the hospital. He hoped that she wasn't too hard on herself. He didn't have the heart in him to be mad at her decision as dumb as that decision was.
"Now as you are very painfully aware, Pansazu is no joke. They're basically a family of assassins with different gimmicks, you met two of them and barely survive if it wasn't for luck being on your side. By the way when you are free come with me to the casinos sometimes." Trevor joked.
"As long we can spilt the money, sure." Gary said with a smile, it was good to smile again.
Gary shifted the topic back to Pansazu.
"How many are in this family?" He asked.
"In terms of people that actually matter? There are five people you need to worry about. You already know about Vivian and Daoden. There also two more you haven't met yet, Grimaldo the one and only and Heidi."
"Anything special about those two?" Gary asked.
"Grimaldo is a luchador who was one the greatest wrestler in history, but that all changed when his family was killed after refusing to throw a match. He went on a rampage and killed the C.E.O right there in the ring, some of the other wrestlers tried to stop him-"
"Wait hold on, the C.E.O was the one who killed his family? You kinda glossed over that part."
"That part not important as the fact he may come after you if you managed to beat Vivian and DaoDen. As for Heidi, i don't know too much about her."
Gary put his head down and sighed.
"You think if i can make a run for it, i can get far?"
"Probably not, you most likely being monitored right now." Trevor said as he flipped off seemingly no-one.
Trevor didn't like seeing his boy so down and out.
"There a woman that could help you. She probably one of the strongest in this city. Have you ever heard of the Azure Dragon?"
Gary put a hand to his chin and thought. It hit him a moment later.
"The famous wrestler?! Wait how do you know her?" Gary asked suddenly, he wasn't the biggest sports fan but he did enjoy some wrestling.
Trevor chuckled to himself as he opened another beer.
"Oh it a real funny story, you see i met her around last year, do you remember when her rival Big Man Larson tried to have her wacked using his mafia connections?"
Gary nodded, how could he not? It was all in the news for weeks, it ended in bloodshed as Big Man Larson blew himself up in a desperate attempt to kill her.
"Well i was at one of the shows where Big Man Larson tried to kill her with some gunman he paid to shoot her in the head during her match with him. I ended up knocking his jaw clean off his body. They had to put that PPV in the archives i heard."
The young man found himself more disturbed at the fact that Trevor brutally knocking someone's jaw off wasn't disturbing him all that much.
"Wow small world." Gary simply said.
"No really small world, but these coincidences are nothing compared to the coincidences back where i lived. I swear it was like everybody lives were interconnected in one convoluted way or another. It was really annoying." Trevor complained.
"I take your word for it, where can i find her?"
"Don't worry i already called her in advance and wrote down the address for you, just do me a favor?" Trevor ask Gary as he handed him a folded and surprisingly neat paper with the Azure Dragon's address written on it.
"Anything, Trevor?"
Trevor resisted the crack he could have made about that.
"Don't die on me, it would really suck dick if you did." Trevor said as Gary was shocked by the amount of sincerity he could hear in his friend's voice.
"I can't make any promises but i try my best."
"All i can really ask of you given the situation you're in."
With that Gary left back to his apartment, open the door and close it.
then flopped on the couch.
A day later...
Gary knock on the door of the person who supposed to help him train. The house itself was big and impressive just like Asuka. Which make sense considering all her merchandising deals and she even have her own cereal along with a pillow shaped like her biceps. There was the sound of something heavy hitting the floor before the door opened to reveal a beautiful woman. She was also Chinese like Gary himself. Another thing was clearly apparent was her well-defined muscles. Her thighs look they could crack cinder blocks.
"Ah, you must be Gary Chenglai? Trevor told me a lot about you. We have a lot of work to do today so i hope you ready! Because when i done with you, you going to tear down anyone in your way with ease! Come in!" She said happily as she made for Gary. He didn't know what to think, he clearly in over his head but considering it was either this or leave the state entirely, something he didn't have the funds for currently, he walked in. He was impressed as soon he walked in.
Her living room was like a elite gym. Dumbbells laid on a shelf, a black mat on the floor was spread out. Plenty of exercise equipment that she probably hauled in herself.
"My name is Asuka, also known across the wrestling world as The Azure Demon, BEST IN THE WORLD, NUMBER ONE SUPLEXER, NUMBER ONE STEAL YOUR MAN-ER!” She exclaimed, her loud voice reaching outside and alerting the cats and the raccoons who were engaged in a turf war.
Gary couldn’t help but get swept away by the wrestler’s charisma.
Gary made note of the fire extinguisher on the wall, the replica championships belts she won hanged in display cases. Pictures of her hanging out with the prime minister of japan at a bar and breaking a brick with only her finger were not too far behind on this wall of glory. The Trophies she won for best weightlifter and best core also were on display.
"So how much do you lift?" Asuka asked suddenly as she did some light stretches. Gary was so preoccupied with what happened last night at Cafe Au Ladies that he didn't hear the question.
"Uh? Wait what?" Gary asked, a little confused and glad to be focusing on something else.
"How much do you lift? You look to me like you can lift maybe 150 pounds?" She asked curiously. She then further elaborates.
" I know that you work at the Dollar Paradise as a stocker so you have to be used to carrying some heavy items. Do you know how much you lift on the average?"
Gary nodded, smiling just a little.
"Uh i think the most i ever lifted was 240 pounds and that was a serious strain on me. If i had to guess, i think..." Gary thought to himself as he watched Asuka casually picked up a 500 pound dumbbell and starting working out with it. She was holding like it was light as a feather.
"I wouldn't know for sure, so let say 200 pounds?" Gary told her, feeling like he needed to impress this Goddess of Fitness that stood before him.
"That good, we can start off there and improve on that. Also, i can teach you some techniques. Just in case you get into another fight. I mean you are best friends with Trevor, after all." Asuka told him. That threw Gary for a loop, did Trevor think of him as his best friend? That actually made him happy.
She led him to her impressive training area, it was like a miniature gym.
He saw Asuka charging at him with the speed of a cheetah, he quickly moved to the side but tripped and damn near brained himself on a dumbbell if it wasn't for Asuka grabbing the hem of his shirt.
"All right! Good reflexes! Then again you did almost die like three times in the past week so you have to be used to the unexpected by now." She said, a big smile on her face as Gary stared at her, dumbfounded and flattered that she complimented him.
She lifted him over her with ease and set him on his feet.
"Ok, first step. I want you to do ten push-ups. And then after that we increase the number from there."
Gary did as he was told. Truth was, he hasn't done pushups since he was in St. Florman High School. There was a overweight gym teacher that always smelled of beer but he was really nice.
"Hmm..." Asuka hummed as she watched Gary do his seventh push up.
"I know that compared to her, i'm just a twig." Gary thought as he was on his eighth.
"Huh? I'm not doing so ba-" His thoughts was interrupted as Asuka placed her foot on Gary's back, almost causing him to collapse to the ground. But he held on, his nose just inches from hitting that blue mat. Asuka was impressed.
"You doing pretty good. Now try to do a pushup while i do my best to knock you to the ground." Asuka instructed as Gary struggled to lift his body. It was like a cinder block was placed on his spine. But he persisted, he had to.
"Hnng!" Gary grunted as he raised himself an inch with all his might, Asuka smiled at this development. She usually brings most opponents down to the mat with just her foot. He surely was something else.
Gary rose a few more inches, struggling to do so.
"THAT IT GARY! FIGHT THROUGH THE PAIN AND COME OUT A DRAGON!!!" Asuka cheered as she stepped on his back with all her weight causing him to collapse to the ground.
"CRAP I'M SO SORRY!!!" Asuka apologized frantically as she applied the icepack to his back.
"N-no problem, compared to everything else that had happened to me over the past few weeks. This isn't so bad." Gary told her honestly as he enjoying the cooling sensation on his bruised back.
"Ok i think we can call it quits for today." Asuka told him as she continued applying the icepack.
Gary shook his head.
"No i need to keep training. I can handle the pain no prob-AGH!" Gary was interrupted mid-sentence as he tried to get up only for a shooting pain to go through his back. It was like someone took a hammer to his spinal core. Asuka gently grabbed him and laid him down on the couch.
"Don't push yourself too hard. It important to pace yourself." She said soothingly, Gary calmed down. But he still feels like he needed to take care of this PanSazu problem before they hurt anyone else.
"Yeah you're right. It just that i know that the people who tried to kill me and Trevor are still out there, hurting innocent people." Gary attempt to rise by pulling himself up.
"I know, i know and you feel like you need to take care of this before it gets worse right?" Asuka asked of him, he nodded.
"But how are you going to do that if you're not at one hundred percent?" Asuka then asked.
Gary didn't respond.
"Therefore, rest for now. You're doing great, don't rush it because then you blow it. Like my partner The Great Bon Bon did when he crashed his car into a drive thru at a burger joint." Asuka advised.
He took the advice to heart, he then remembered something and thought of a good idea.
"Asuka do you have any of your wrestling tapes?"
"Oh yeah! Want to borrow them?"
"I need to study them, maybe i could get some inspiration."
"And that all you plan to do? just study?" She said with a flirty tone.
Gary blushed.
"Yes just study, nothing else!" He said quickly.
"Hmm how suspic-nah i'm kidding, go ahead!" Asuka said with a laugh.
Gary let her house with a bag full of vhs tapes from various matches and PPVs, feeling very sore and yet hopeful all the same. He look back to see Asuka waving happily back at him before flexing her muscles. Gary flex his too but winced at the shooting pain in his back. Asuka laughs and wishes Gary a good night and he did the same.
He went back to his apartment and this time made it to his bed before passing out. Good on him, he getting stronger.