《The Legend of Talon Man》
1: Sannon and Qiao
¡°Due to the recent intrusion of a mass murdering drunk, we urge all citizens who are in Chesnauk, Seattle to stay indoors until the police can crack down on this dangerous slayer.¡±
The sounds from the ancient television echoed throughout the desolate room, filling the man''s ears as he knelt down on both knees, his head against the ground.
¡°Lord, this¡this is Guardo again. As you have just heard, apparently there is a mass murderer, of all things, leisurely roaming the city. Lord, even if I have to pay an expense for it, I beg of you, please keep Sannon and Qiao safe as they return home. We just moved here to get away from chaos, and all I ask is that you please help us to maintain at least some peace while we sort out the complex things. And, as always, thank you for sending them into my life. In Jesus name, Amen.¡±
The man got up off of his knees and stood up while continuously taking deeper and deeper breaths, attempting to calm his nerves. However, the shaking would only cease once the pair returned to their home.
¡°Dammit, Sannon! Would you get off that machine already? Its pitch-black outside. Therefore, we sh--¡± Annoyance filled Qiao when he witnessed his best friend, Sannon, calmly dismissing his warning by turning his head back to the game. "Hello?! Earth to Sannon!"
¡°Relax, man. I need to finish this game. Then, we''ll go.¡±
¡°How can you say that so carelessly?! Guardo''s going to flip if we''re late!¡± Immediately, Sannon broke out into a cold sweat. "You should know this, even more so since he doesn''t have his meds with him."
¡°I do know that, man. It''s just, I really never get to play games that often, an--¡± However, before Sannon could finish, Qiao walked over and yanked his ponytail, bringing him to the ground and pulling him away from the accursed Pac-Man machine.
¡°Wait, no! What the hell, Qiao?! I was on the last level.¡± Sannon said in a confused voice.
¡°What the hell is the matter with you? Why do you have to be so selfish all the time?¡± Sannon, without saying a word, released himself from Qiao¡¯s grip, and brought himself to his feet. As they walked out of the store, which had dazzling red and green blinking lights around big, illuminated letters that read, ¡°CORNERSTONE¡±, Sannon threw his black hoodie over his head, concealing most of his face, and discreetly walked behind Qiao, slowing down his pace.
¡°He knows I don¡¯t like to be called selfish, so why the hell does he still say it?!¡±
¡°He knows that Guardo can easily get panic attacks, so why does he still do things that will induce that?!¡±
Street lights illuminated the sidewalk just enough so Sannon could easily follow Qiao from behind. The sidewalk beneath their feet was a little slippery due to recent snowfall the night before, and on their left, there were a number of houses lined up next to each other. Some had festive lights and inflatables, while others were empty and gave off a dark and gloomy vibe, but they were all relatively the same size. All the way on their right, the same thing was present. The night sky was clear and beautiful on that night, with billions of stars lighting up the darkness.
As they continued to walk, the sound of crazed footsteps was suddenly made audible. Sannon and Qiao halted and simultaneously swung their heads back, trying to figure out who, or what, was making its way towards them. Suddenly, a middle-aged man clothed in filthy, old rags who looked like he hadn¡¯t taken a shower in weeks gradually started to come into view.
¡°Excuse me, gentlemen. Do you happen to have $700 that I can borrow? I will pay you back with 3% interest!¡±
The once angry preteens now looked at each other, dumbfounded.
¡°Mister, you can¡¯t be serious! Do we look like we have $700 just lying around to give to strangers?¡± Qiao responded.
¡°So, is that a no?¡±
¡°Yes.¡± they both said simultaneously. The man sighed, and looked up at the sky.
¡°You know, I didn¡¯t want to have to resort to this,¡± the man said as he put his right hand in his pocket. ¡°But, you leave me no other choice.¡±
¡°Sannon,¡± Qiao whispered. ¡°This guy, he doesn''t seem right in the head. Let¡¯s try and get out of here ASAP!¡±
Sannon responded with a nod, just as the mysterious stranger spoke out again.
¡°How about 4% interest? However, be mindful, youngsters; this is the highest I¡¯ll go.¡± This time, Sannon responded.
¡°Sorry Sir, but I''m afraid that we¡¯re broke. We''re also kind of in a hurry to get home, considering how late it is, so we don''t have time for this.¡±
The look in the man¡¯s eyes at once shifted from needy to rage-filled as he pulled out a Brahma knife from his pocket. Without hesitation, the delusional tramp flung the knife right at Sannon, who was standing the closest. However, he was able to swiftly dodge it, just as the man charged at him. Immediately, Qiao ran behind the man as Sannon lowered his body and prepared for impact. Being the smallest of them, Qiao was worried that Sannon wouldn''t be able to withstand the impact, but he couldn''t let this distract him from his objective.
Sannon was prepared to charge at the man¡¯s lower torso, but to his dismay, he pulled out another Brahma knife and promptly swung it, which nearly cut Sannon in the chest. Qiao, who almost fell flat on his face because of the slush, pushed the man down with all his might, but he didn¡¯t fall so easily. Instead, he swung the knife behind him just as Qiao ducked, successfully dodging a lethal attack. Sannon saw the man with his head turned as a grand opportunity, and, in order to embrace it, he cocked his right arm back and threw it into the man¡¯s toned abdomen. He''d planned to deal a critical blow to the lunatic''s stomach, but the only thing that was dealt a critical blow to was Sannon¡¯s knuckles. It was like punching a stud in a wall, causing Sannon to nearly break his hand.
¡°Damn, is this guy even human?¡±
Once in his sight, the man was ready to thrust the knife into Sannon¡¯s skull. However, thanks to his superb reflexes, Qiao grabbed the man¡¯s arm from behind and stopped him right in his tracks. Sannon, who was squatting on the ground, holding his hand, immediately sprang up and was able to deal a heavy uppercut to the lunatic. Qiao let go as Sannon landed his jab, causing the man to stumble back, nearly falling on the ground.
At once, Qiao and Sannon regrouped to the front out the man, and with fire in their eyes, they charged at him, both dealing deep slugs to his face. However, this time, the man fell to the ground. Qiao immediately ran over to retrieve the knife from the unconscious man, just as another unfamiliar voice called to them on the other side of the street.
¡°Hey, you two! Great work there!¡± The man walked over to them and immediately picked up the unconscious psychopath. ¡°You guys sure saved me a lot of trouble,¡± he said.
¡°Glad we could help,¡± they both responded. ¡°Even if it was strictly self-defense.¡±
¡°Say, where did you youngsters learn to fight like that?¡±
¡°The Japa--¡± However, before Sannon could say anymore, Qiao slapped his mouth to prevent him from finishing.
¡°J-just uhm...natural-born talent, I guess,¡± Qiao responded,causing the man to lean in real close.
¡°There¡¯s no need to lie, youngster. You and your secret are safe with me. So, let me ask again: Where did you youngsters learn to fight like that?¡±
¡°You know, we really need to be getting back home now! C¡¯mon Sannon, let¡¯s go,¡± Qiao said.
¡°It''s pretty dangerous out here. How about I walk you guys home? It shouldn¡¯t be too far from here, right? And, while we are walking there, you can tell me all about where you learned to fight.¡±
¡°Qiao.¡± Sannon looked Qiao right in the eyes. ¡°This guy isn¡¯t going to leave us alone, so let¡¯s tell him. Maybe he won¡¯t be a racist prick.¡±
¡°Oh, so you guys are from Former Korea? Splendid, so you must¡¯ve learned it from the Japanese!¡± Qiao and Sannon gasped, looking at each other in utter disbelief.
¡°How was he able to figure that out so quickly?!¡±
¡°You¡¯re probably wondering how I came to that conclusion so fast, right? Well, let¡¯s start our walk and I¡¯ll tell you,¡± the man said as he started to walk. Qiao and Sannon, though hesitantly, started as well. ¡°If I had to guess, I¡¯d say you guys aren¡¯t any older than 12 years old, right?¡±
Sannon hesitantly responded. ¡°Who is that bastard and why are you carrying him?¡±
¡°Oh, I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t ask sooner! He''s apparently wanted for the murder of countless Chesnauk residents.¡±
¡°Wait. A murderer?! Are you serious?! And you just fricking stood there while we were almost gravely injured, or even killed?!¡±
¡°The Japanese are very strong fighters. Based on your looks, I knew you were Asians, but when I saw you fight, I was confident that you two were Japanese soldiers!¡±
¡°Is he really this dumb?!¡±
¡°No, we obviously aren¡¯t soldiers. In fact, I am the Japanese one here! Qiao is Chinese,¡± Sannon impulsively said. Qiao immediately started hyperventilating, just as the man quickly halted. Sannon, who realized his grave oversight, rushed to Qiao¡¯s side and tried to calm him, while also trying to stay cool-headed himself.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
The man, his back still facing the boys, pulled out his phone and started viciously typing something. ¡°Say, you are Chinese, are you not, youngster?¡±
¡°N-n-no, Mister, I¡¯m not--¡±
¡°Therefore, why are you in America, a nation with such heavy prejudice against Chinese immigrants?¡± The man put his hand on his chin and pondered for a quick second. ¡°That¡¯s the question that came into my mind. So, in order to avoid any unnecessary trouble, I have a proposal for you two.¡± Even though Sannon was trying to stay brave for Qiao, his heart involuntarily started to pound out of his chest, just as his breathing got faster and faster.
¡°Dammit, I really screwed up this time. Well, I guess there¡¯s no going back now.¡±
¡°If you tell me why you came here, what your motives are, and, most importantly, why you are cooperating together, this meeting shall stay between us.¡±
Yalu River: 6 years ago
¡°Sannonki! Get your butt down here! Your father is about to leave for Yalu River!¡± As soon as he heard his Mom, little Sannonki immediately dropped his Nintendo 3DS and charged down the stairs.
¡°I can¡¯t believe I am actually going to spend some time with Daddy today!¡±
He made his way to the door, quickly grabbing his small, brown work boots, and, after saying goodbye to his Mother, went out to meet his beloved Father.
¡°Daddy! How¡¯d you know I wanted to go to Yalu River?!¡± His father chuckled.
¡°Mommy told me when I left for the base last time. I know how much you love fishing, so I knew you¡¯d enjoy this,¡± his father said, just as Sannonki ran over to give him a huge hug.
¡°Thank you.¡±
The house, located in the tiny, formerly Korean town of Kodomo, was a beautiful sight to see under the warm sunlight of the elegant summer day. The small yet spacious one story home stood atop a hill, and in the distance, Yalu River could be seen. Its wood was new and freshly painted a soft brown color, which contrasted the bright green, freshly cut grass and the various flowers which were placed all around the house. On its left side, there was a beautiful vegetable garden, and, as Sannonki¡¯s father¡¯s big, red truck started up, a white cat, which had been sleeping on top of the house, was awoken suddenly.
¡°Since we are only a minute or two from the river, aren¡¯t we really close to the border, Daddy?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, Sannonki! But, you have to remember what I¡¯m about to tell you: Do not look at anyone who may appear across the bank, understand? They are very bad people.¡± Sannonki nodded in agreement, just as the two pulled into the lake¡¯s entrance. Once they gathered their fishing equipment, the two quickly made their way down to the bank.
¡°Daddy, how big do you think the fish are here,¡± Sannonki asked. His father smiled as he pointed into the river.
¡°I¡¯ve heard they¡¯re really big! But, that¡¯s just a rumor. We¡¯re going to have to find out on our own, now aren¡¯t we?¡± Sannonki was about to reply, but the sudden cry of anguish which flooded Sannonki''s and his father''s ears stopped him.
¡°Bangbang wo! Wo ¨¨ le,¡± the stranger cried. This caused Sannonki to almost look at the malnourished boy that appeared across the bank, but wanting to follow his father¡¯s orders, he repressed this impulse.
Who is that boy?!¡±
The two spent the whole day fishing, only taking a break once to go out and eat at a nearby diner. Of the 8 hours spent fishing that day, the two caught a total of around 6 fish, with Sannonki being able to catch the biggest one. However, although the day ended on pleasant terms, Sannonki didn¡¯t. Who was that boy? Why was his cry filled with such anguish? Why did his father not want him to acknowledge the boy? He simply could not understand, so the next day, Sannonki snuck out of the house and made his way to the lake, hoping that the boy would be there. Sure enough, the boy was there once again, but this time, Sannonki came close to the water and called to the boy.
¡°Hey! My name is Sannonki Megatte,¡± Sannonki shouted, as he started to wave at the boy. ¡°What¡¯s yours?¡± Again, like the previous day, the boy shouted at Sannonki, but this time, he was holding his stomach and crying.
¡°Bangbang wo! Wo ¨¨ le!¡±
¡°He looks like he hasn''t eaten in years! Maybe he wants some food.¡±
At once, Sannonki ran back to the lake¡¯s entrance, his new destination being his house. ¡°Wait for me!¡± he shouted. Around 20 minutes later, Sannonki returned with a Japanese dish known as ¡°Katsudon.¡± Yalu River was very big and had great width in many areas, but over to the left there was a much more shallow and narrow part, so shallow, in fact, that Sannonki could walk across to the other side, the water only up to his knees at the deepest points. As he made his way to the malnourished boy, a man suddenly grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back forcefully.
¡°What are you doing, kid? You do know where you are going, right?¡±
¡°Yeah. To give food to that boy.¡± The man was taken aback slightly, but continued to pull Sannonki back.
¡°The Japanese aren¡¯t allowed over there.¡±
¡°Are you Japanese, Sir?¡±
¡°No, I am actually a Vietnamese immigrant who transferred over here around 5 years ago in pursuit of a career for--¡± However, before the man could finish, Sannonki gave the bowl of Katsudon to him.
¡°Sir, can you please give this food to him? I don¡¯t speak his language, but I can tell that he is dying to eat.¡± After glancing at the boy and then at Sannonki, he pondered for a bit, but ultimately decided to deliver the food to the little Chinese boy. The second that the man handed the bowl to the Chinese boy, he instantly began viciously chowing down on the noodles and meat with his bare hands. As he ate, tears flooded from his eyes.
¡°Feich¨¢ng xi¨¨xie.¡±
¡°I¡¯m Guardo by the way, kid,¡± is what the guard said to Sannonki when he returned from the other side of the lake. As the days passed, the boys saw each other very often, and with Sannonki attending a new Elementary school nearby, he could easily sneak out after school, claiming he was going to play with his friends.
Life seemed great for the next 3 years, as the boys played games like Shogi, Go Fish, and many others, but what they really liked was playing fighting games. Often, the guard would allow them to see each other and they¡¯d wrestle and pursue their mutual passion for fighting daily. However, that all changed one fateful day.
¡°Hey, Sannonki! What are you up to, bud?¡±
¡°Nothing really, just waiting for my best friend to arrive!¡±
¡°Do you want me to bring you guys some Katsudon?¡±
¡°No way! You¡¯re the best, Guardo!¡± However, a little bit after Guardo left, the boy arrived, but this time, he wasn¡¯t his usual self. He was, instead, brutally beaten, blood covering a large majority of his body. There were also two mysterious people standing behind him, heads down and their hands resting in their pockets. Suddenly, the woman pulled out a gun and shot at Sannonki, but miraculously didn¡¯t hit him. Immediately, Sannonki raced out of their as quickly as possible, just as Guardo came back.
Another shot was fired, this time causing an anguish-filled shriek to escape Sannonki''s lips as it pierced through his skin. Sannonki¡¯s father, who had heard the first shot, drove over with his wife and swiftly swiped up his son and was about to run when suddenly, everything went black.
He fell to the ground, dropping Sannonki, just as blood started gushing out of the newly formed hole in his head. Sannonki¡¯s mother let out a blood curdling scream as she sprinted over to her husband. She grabbed the .44 that her husband always had on him, and shot 5 times at the woman, eventually causing her to fall to the ground and yell in a foreign language.
That might have seemed like a win for Sannonki¡¯s mother, but that only caused the huge Chinese man, who was also behind the boy, to sprint over and viciously slug her in the face. Guardo, not saying a word, swiped up Sannonki and was on his way to retrieve the beaten 9-year-old boy from across the lake when suddenly, Sannonki¡¯s mother uttered her last words.
¡°Young man!¡± She coughed up blood just as the man mercilessly punched her in the gut. ¡°Protect my little angel at all costs!¡± At the moment in which that last syllable was uttered by the helpless and heartbroken woman, the mammoth put his beefy hand over her face and slammed her skull into the ground with all his strength, resulting in a loud crack. Guardo, with tears flooding uncontrollably from his eyes, picked up the other boy and fled the scene as quickly as he possibly could. All the while, Sannonki was screaming and sobbing involuntarily, which hindered Guardo greatly. He didn¡¯t want to make the situation any worse than it already was, so he booked a night in an inn southeast of Kodomo.
¡°Sannon--¡±
¡°No. I... I don¡¯t want to hear it. Nothing you say can change what¡¯s in my heart.¡± Guardo went over and put his hand on Sannonki¡¯s shoulder, attempting to try and calm him down. However, that only seemed to have the opposite effect.
¡°I don¡¯t care what my mom said to you back there, or what you want me to do in the distant future.¡± Sannonki got up off of the bed. ¡°This world needs reform, and it seems like I¡¯m the only one with the passion to change it!¡±
¡°Sannonki,¡± Guardo put his head down. ¡°No matter how angry, sad or hurt you feel right now, it will pass. You just have to hang in there. Don¡¯t declare such bold statements that will have no meaning lat--¡± However, before he could finish, Sannoki slapped him in the face and pointed to the Chinese boy crying in the corner.
¡°You see that?! Is that how you want this world to progress?! Is it?!¡± Guardo didn¡¯t say a word; he only put his hand on the red imprint on his cheek gifted to him by Sannonki. ¡°People like him don¡¯t deserve that kind of treatment. People shouldn¡¯t have to deal with this. Not only has China caused it, but my nation as well, therefore they both need to be overthrown.¡±
¡°Sannonki, you can¡¯t fight a country by yourself. That¡¯s complete insanity.¡± Sannonki was about to reply, but instead they both snapped towards the Chinese boy in the corner.
¡°I too...want reform.¡±
Sannonki walked over to the Chinese boy and held out his hand. ¡°I won¡¯t say you¡¯re a coward for not understanding, Guardo. In fact, you¡¯re the only normal person in this room. But don¡¯t try to stop us.¡± Sannonki turned his head to the boy. ¡°What is your name?¡±
¡°I am... Qiao.¡±
¡°Qiao," Sannoki grabbed Qiao''s outstretched hand and lifted him to his feet. "Let¡¯s reform these nations, for the sake of all the innocent lives being destroyed because of their tensions.¡±
¡°No one is normal, Sannonki." Guardo sat back down onto the bed. "We¡¯re moving to America, ''reformers''.¡± This was it; they couldn¡¯t it back any longer. Tears instantly began to flow out of the boys as they ran over and collapsed onto Guardo.
Chesnauk, Present Time
¡°So, you two have been together for quite some time, haven¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Yes, and we will continue to be together. We won¡¯t let anything come between us and our ambitions, not even high tensions between powerful countries!¡± Qiao looked at the man as his breathing returned to normal.
¡°If we both are human, then that¡¯s all that should matter,¡± Qiao said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you tell anyone about our friendship, because we will end those great tensions with these four hands no matter what and put East Asia at peace.¡±
¡°Well, besides the fact that you two sound completely insane, you both do possess above average fighting prowess, so that¡¯s a start, at least.¡±
¡°Yeah, but haphazard copying of Japanese techniques won¡¯t get us far. The reason we were so happy to come to America was because we saw it as an opportunity to improve our skills, but we haven''t been able to find a place to do so yet.¡± In response to this, the man handed him a card that read: HAJIME SCHOOL OF MARTIAL ARTS
¡°Check downtown Seattle tomorrow, you two. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Then, just as suddenly as he had appeared, he vanished, leaving the two preteens completely dumbfounded.
¡°What the hell? Where did he go?!¡±
¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Qiao said, as he looked up at the night sky. ¡°Because we¡¯ve just taken a huge step in making our ambition a reality.¡±
¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s just hope Guardo is as agreeable as we hope he¡¯ll be.¡±
¡°Wait, that reminds me: weren¡¯t we on our way back to Guardo?!¡± Suddenly, the pair broke out into a cold sweat, remembering their previous objective. The sky had gotten noticeably darker ever since they left the store.
¡°Aw, dammit! He¡¯s probably in fetal position worried sick! Let¡¯s go! Hurry!!¡±
At the turn of the year 2020, the Japanese took advantage of the world¡¯s fear of nuclear warfare, and converted back into an imperialist nation. During this new era, which is presently named the Ashita period, Japan conquered Taiwan, Korea and Australia, putting Japan and China, once again, on horrible terms. Ep Man''s immense influence swept all across East Asia, inspiring the majority to look down on guns and settle disputes with their fists. Asian prejudice spread worldwide, especially in America, where the Chinese were looked at as ¡°weak¡± and ¡°cowardice¡± for not standing up for Taiwan or Korea. Two nations which are on the brink of a nuclear war to end all wars, and all life, on Earth. However, there are two young men who have devoted their lives to ending these tensions and restoring peace at all costs.
2: Hajime School of Martial Arts
Hey guys! Last time on, "The Legend of Talon Man," me and Qiao battled against this really weird guy, who was apparently the, "Chesnauk Murderer", or something. In addition to that, we also met this strange man who recommended us to the Hajime School of Martial Arts! Now, we just have to convince Guardo to let us attend.
Once the clock struck twelve, Guardo grabbed his .44 and, after putting on his big, green winter coat, stepped out onto the street, preparing for the worst.
¡°This is too much for me to handle. If another hour goes by without them being here, I¡¯m going to have a heart attack.¡±
He, without delay, began to walk across the street and onto the sidewalk, his eyes set on Cornerstone Convenience, but his apprehension caused him to miss the pair of preteens who¡¯d just passed him on the sidewalk opposite of his, heading towards their house.
¡°Dammit. How are we going to break it to Guardo that the reason we¡¯re late was because we took down the wanted Chesnauk murderer?!¡±
¡°Easy: we don¡¯t.¡±
¡°It¡¯s going to be on the news, Sannon.¡±
¡°Then let him find out that way. He¡¯ll be even-tempered tomorrow, anyway.¡± Before Qiao could reply, his eyes locked onto the house that was to the right of them, and instantly recognized it as their destination. Prior to entering the two-story house, they braced themselves for their punishment and, thereafter, discreetly crept up to the wooden door and gently cracked it open, but to their relief, no one greeted them. Consequently, they both proceeded to silently sneak up to their room via the stairs and, once there, slowly shut the door and crashed onto their respective beds.
¡°Thank god he didn¡¯t tackle us when we came in,¡± Sannon sighed.
¡°You could say that again.¡± They were both about to fall asleep when suddenly, a familiar voice from outside reached their ears, hollering: Sannon! Qiao! Where the hell are you two?! Before Sannon could stop him, Qiao, notwithstanding his anxiety, opened his window and shouted down at the man.
¡°Guardo! We¡¯re over here!¡± A fighter jet couldn¡¯t have moved faster than Guardo¡¯s head when he heard that voice. Without wasting a second more, he sprinted back to his house as quickly as physically possible.
¡°Qiao!¡± Sannon hissed as he put his hands over his face. ¡°Wh-are you stupid or something? Why did you--¡± However, before Sannon could finish, Guardo came running through their door, with tears flooding from his eyes.
¡°Welcome home, you two!¡± he said with a misleading smile on his face, as he held up a slipper.
¡°Dammit.¡±
Unlike the previous day, which was full of clouds that hid the sun, this day was clear, making the beautiful, blue sky visible, with only a few small clouds sprinkled about.
¡°Guys! Come and get it!¡± A voice yelled from downstairs. Instantly, the two boys leaped out of bed, their stomachs yearning for the delicious food that Guardo always prepared. They each started to stretch beside their beds, which were parallel to each other, facing the door, with a big window in between, as well as a small window above each of the boys¡¯ beds. They both put on their slippers as to not freeze their feet on the tile wood floor. Sannon started to open the door, but Qiao stopped him.
¡°Wait, Sannon,¡± Sannon shot Qiao a weird face as he noticed him slipping the Brahma knife into his pocket.
¡°We have to.¡± Only after that did they both rush down for their morning meal. They ran through the narrow hallway to the stairs, which were located at the end of it, and flew down to the first floor. They nearly fell trying to get to their plates, but when they finally arrived, Sannon decided it would be funny to snatch a piece of Qiao''s bacon.
"Woah, woah, Sannon. Don''t forget what I have in here." Qiao cracked a smile, knowing that, because of his possession, he would be able to persuade that bacon back onto his plate. He glanced at his right pocket, but when his eyes returned to Sannon, utter helplessness rushed through him. His eyes widened. His mouth, excessively dry in an instant. He felt as if he was drowning inside the ocean of sweat pouring from his pores. It-it couldn''t be! The bacon had been neutralized, along with Qiao''s heart, which was instantly shattered like glass on concrete.
"Why are you being so dramatic, you dimwit?" Sannon, still chewing on the bacon, pointed over to the stove-top, where countless pieces of delicious bacon lay atop it. "There''s plenty over there."
¡°Oh, yeah. Guardo, we have some exciting news.¡± Qiao said as he nonchalantly started to crunch the crisp, greasy bacon strips. "Take a look at this." Qiao pulled out the Brahma knife.
¡°What the... Wait! Is that what I think it is?!¡± Guardo¡¯s happy expression at once shifted into pure terror. ¡°That''s the damned weapon of the Chesnauk murderer!¡±
¡°Look, I know you¡¯re mad, but aren¡¯t you happy we were able to defend ourselves?¡± Qiao glanced at Sannon.
¡°Y-yeah, we actually did take him down, Guardo! And, we also met this other guy who gave us this card that--¡±
¡°Enough! What the hell is the matter with you two?! You guys could''ve died!¡±
¡°But we survived, didn¡¯t we? Aren¡¯t you proud of us?¡± Sannon gave the card he received the previous night to Guardo.
¡°That guy that I mentioned before recommended us to this martial arts school in downtown Seattle. We¡¯ll have to take the bus, but we¡¯re fine with that.¡± Sannon said.
¡°The only thing holding us back is your approval.¡± Qiao added. Guardo sighed as he pulled the card away from his eyes.
¡°Well, of course I want you two to attend! I¡¯ll even get a loan from the bank to pay for the classes. I just want you two to be careful, that¡¯s all.¡± Relief immediately spread throughout both of their bodies, and as soon as they finished eating, they alerted Guardo that they were heading out to visit the school, but he stopped them. ¡°No way am I letting you two go out alone after what happened last night! You can go check out the school today, but until you two get the basics of your desired martial art down like second nature, I will escort you to and from your classes. Understood?¡± The two boys shook their heads in approval, and then started to prepare for the trip.
Even though the sun revealed her face today, Sannon and Qiao both threw on their navy-blue winter coats and brown work boots. By the time they reached downstairs again, Guardo was already prepared to leave.
He locked up the house, and after checking the windows and doors thoroughly a couple more times, they headed off to downtown Seattle.
¡°Guardo! Why do we have to walk?! Why can¡¯t we take the car?¡± Sannon said, scrunching his face.
¡°The bus-stop is pretty close, so why would I want to waste gas when we are within walking distance? Besides, you guys should get used to this." The bus-stop gradually started to come into view as they continued down the street. "If this school is as good as you''re making it out to be, they''re going to have you do way more exhausting things." As they made their way onto the bus, Qiao remembered something that he was planning on discussing with Sannon.
¡°Hey, Sannon. Remember that guy from yesterday?¡± he asked as Sannon nodded his head. ¡°Well, I just remembered that the last thing he said yesterday was that he would be waiting for us in downtown Seattle.¡±
¡°Well, he said that, but how in the world are we going to find him? Seattle is huge!¡± Sannon replied.
¡°Yeah. My thoughts exactly.¡±
¡°You may not know exactly where he is," Guardo added. ¡°But a start would be to head to the address listed on the card, right?¡±
¡°That''d be ideal, I guess. Let¡¯s just hope he¡¯s there, though.¡± Qiao said. When they got off the bus, Guardo pulled out his phone and put the address into the built-in GPS.
¡°Woah. It¡¯s actually not too far from the Christmas Tree, guys! I¡¯d say it''s, more or less, around 20 minutes from here.¡± Guardo said. They walked through the city, admiring the beautiful Christmas lights and decorations spewed all across the buildings, as well as the immense Christmas Tree that stood in the center of the city, but Qiao remained silent the whole time, his head down.
¡°Isn¡¯t it amazing, Qiao?!¡± Sannon exclaimed. Qiao shrugged his shoulders. As they continued to walk through, Sannon couldn¡¯t keep his eyes off the red and green flashing lights on the Christmas Tree, which almost made him walk into some plump man eating a cheeseburger. Only by Guardo¡¯s swift yank did Sannon manage to dodge the guy. Qiao put his sweaty hands into his pockets.
"You don''t know him. You do not know him." Qiao apprehensively thought.
¡°Watch where you¡¯re going next time, Sannon!¡± Guardo whispered, just as the trio arrived at their apparent destination. ¡°Hey guys, we¡¯re here.¡± Guardo said. ¡°Apparently.¡± However, what they were in front of was simply an ordinary coffee shop. Built mostly out of bricks, this coffee shop was somewhat secluded from the rest of the city, though there was still an abundance of customers, especially in the morning. Scattered around the entrance were tables and chairs with umbrellas, so that people could sit outside and drink their coffee, and one of the chairs farthest from the entrance was occupied by a familiar man dressed in an elegant suit with a Santa hat on. Sannon was the first to spot him, but only after the man slowly raised his head up and made eye contact did Sannon recognize him. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
¡°Hey, it¡¯s him! The guy from yesterday!¡± Immediately, Qiao and Guardo glanced in the direction that Sannon was pointing in, just as the man arose and started to walk over to Guardo, his hand outstretched.
"Don''t point, Sannon." Guardo said as he quickly forced the boy''s hand down.
¡°Top of the morning! You must be these kids¡¯ guardian. I hope that you will trust me enough to take them to Hajime from here.¡± he said as they shook hands.
¡°Well, first, I¡¯d like to know where this ¡®Hajime¡¯ is, Mister¡¡±
¡°Why, it¡¯s right,¡± The man pointed behind him, into the store. ¡°In there.¡±
¡°Now, what the hell are you on, buddy?! That¡¯s a coffee shop.¡± Guardo responded.
¡°Watch closely. Come, all three of you,¡± the man said as he turned to walk into the shop, the other three awkwardly following behind him. ¡°Hey Barry! Can I get an espresso?¡± the man asked as he walked in. Barry, who was a plump man working the cash register, looked over at him with a very serious face.
¡°How many shots?¡±
¡°Eight.¡±
¡°Eight damn shots? This guy¡¯s a nutjob!¡±
¡°Right this way, sir. We have the extra espresso in the back.¡± The four followed Barry into the backroom, but instead of being greeted with extra espresso boxes, they instead were led into an elevator. ¡°Hajime?¡± Barry asked. As soon as the man nodded back in agreement, Barry shut the door and pushed a button, causing them to immediately start to descend.
¡°Why eight shots, Mister?¡± Sannon asked.
¡°It may sound weird, but the Japanese word for eight is ¡®Hachi¡¯, which starts with the same letters as ¡®Hajime¡¯.¡±
¡°Woah, really?!¡± Barry exclaimed. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know that, and I¡¯ve been working here for 2 years!¡±
¡°Oh, yeah. You two, I had neglected to ask you this during our last encount--¡± Just then, the man¡¯s phone began to ring, but after quickly glancing at the number, he put it on silent. It seemed as though, after that call, he checked his phone much more frequently, getting a glimpse in every 5 minutes. He tried to resume, but Sannon stopped him.
¡°Hold up, buddy. I have a question that I neglected to ask you at our last encounter: How in the hell did you figure out that I was from Former Korea?!¡± Sannon exclaimed.
¡°Well, you see, it¡¯s actually quite simple: The people from Former Korea and China are prejudiced the most here in America, and given that your name is ¡®Sannon¡¯, I assumed you were Japanese, therefore residing in Former Korea. You wouldn¡¯t have mentioned racism if that weren¡¯t true, Sannon. Now, for my quest--" However, before the man could finish, he was, once again, interrupted, this time by the opening of the elevator doors. Once the doors fully opened, a lobby was revealed.
Straight ahead, on the furthest wall facing them, were the H¨¤n for ¡°Martial Arts¡±. On the right, an average sized, young Chinese woman, with her jet-black hair tied in a bun, greeted them from behind her counter.
¡°Behold!¡± the man said, lifting his hands into the air. ¡°Hajime School of Martial Arts!¡±
¡°Good morning, Mr.Falony. Are you doing well today?¡± the woman behind the counter asked.
¡°Aren¡¯t I always, Gabriella? But today, even more so!¡± He pointed to Sannon and Qiao. ¡°We have two new students today!¡± A smile came over Gabriella¡¯s face as she waved the two boys over. As boys started to walk over, Sannon¡¯s chest began to pound forcefully, so much so that it could be seen through his shirt, and his pupils started to dilate.
¡°W-what is this feeling? I have a strong urge to look at and be close to that woman!¡±
Sannon remained quiet until his friend joined him at the front of the counter, which reached Qiao¡¯s chest, but only the bottom of Sannon¡¯s neck.
"Falony," Barry said. "What was it that you were going to ask them about?"
"I want to know how they will go about achieving such an odd ambition." Mr. Falony glanced at his phone. "I will certainly find it interesting when they learn how nonsensical the whole thing is."
"I literally have no idea what you''re talking about. No matter the ambition, how would they even come to that conclusion?"
"Oh, don¡¯t worry; you will know soon enough."
¡°Hi! My name is Qiao.¡± Sannon, whose tongue was caught by Carbonel, kept his head down. As to not make things awkward, Qiao introduced his friend as well.
¡°Oh, well, it¡¯s very nice to meet you, Qiao and Sannon!¡± Gabriella said, which caused Sannon to start blushing.
¡°N-no! I can¡¯t let her see me like this!¡±
Immediately, Sannon quickly walked over to Mr. Falony and asked him where the bathroom was.
¡°Heavens, your face is as red as a tomato, Sannon! Here, right this way.¡± Mr. Falony led Sannon down the hallway in front of the main desk. While Sannon was busy doing his business, Qiao submitted his and Sannon¡¯s information so that Gabriella could put them in the system. ¡°Sannon? What in the world has gotten into you?¡± Mr. Falony asked as he opened the bathroom door for him.
¡°I-I think I have to pee. I have been holding it ever since we left, and I guess it just hit me now,¡± Sannon fibbed as he entered the bathroom, but not after sneaking one last glance at Gabriella.
¡°Alright, now just one more thing.¡± Gabriella said as she pulled out a little device with a circle in the middle that caved into the machine. ¡°We need your fingerprints, as to make it easier to identify you guys when you come to class,¡± she explained as she grabbed Qiao¡¯s hand and held his right index finger in the circle.
After a few seconds, she lifted his finger up and reassured him that the procedure had been completed. ¡°Now, I just need your friend¡¯s, and then it looks like we''ll be good to go! Would you please go get him for me?¡± Qiao nodded in agreement as he turned to head down the hallway in order to retrieve his friend, but he instantly spotted Sannon at the end of the hallway, staring at Gabriella.
¡°That hair. Those eyes. Her chest. Those lips. She¡¯s so perf--¡±
¡°Sannon! C¡¯mon man, Gabriella¡¯s waiting for you.¡± Qiao said, a huge smirk forming.
¡°Sh-she¡¯s waiting for me to come over by her?!¡±
Immediately, Sannon made his way over to the sweet Asian lady, ready to be greeted by her captivating voice.
¡°S-sorry I kept you waiting, Miss,¡± he shyly said.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it! And you can just call me Gabriella, or Gabby for short. Now, I just need your hand for a second,¡± she said as she reached for Sannon¡¯s hand.
¡°S-she called me over here so she could touch my hand?! That¡¯s it, now I know she¡¯s crazy for me!¡±
As she started to place his right index finger onto the fingerprint scanner, his face quickly turned bright red again.
¡°Okay, you¡¯re done, Sannon,¡± she said as she looked over at her computer screen. ¡°Alright guys, now for the most important question.¡±
¡°Will you marry me?¡±
¡°What Martial Art are you interested in taking classes in?¡± Gabriella asked just as Mr. Falony¡¯s phone, once again, began to ring crazily, which caused Sannon to jump. Mr. Falony glanced at his phone before swiftly entering the bathroom himself, locking the door behind him.
¡°Well, what kinds of Martial Art styles do you have available? Maybe you could show us around.¡± Qiao said as he winked at Sannon, causing Gabriella to stand up and walk around the desk, coming into full view. She was dressed in a black blouse with a white tank top under it, and her legs were covered with black office pants. With a smile on her face, she pointed down the hallway and said, ¡°Right this way, boys.¡±
As she started to walk down the hallway, her heels slapping against the floor each time her foot made contact with the ground, Sannon, who was right behind her, began to shake, his heart pounding more than ever. At the end of the hallway, on the right wall was the bathroom door, and on the left, various pictures of famous Martial Artists were hung up, each with a name written in H¨¤n below them.
As Gabriella pushed open the door in front of her, a huge gymnasium was revealed, as well as various other students practicing their desired Martial Art. The whitewashed brick walls and the mats on the lower half of said walls and on the floor provided an ideal environment for Martial Art training. From the looks of it, it seemed as though everyone worked in the same gym, but were separated based on their Martial Art.
¡°Hey, Gabby!¡± Suddenly, out of seemingly nowhere, a muscular man with long hair appeared. ¡°Who¡¯re these squirts?¡± he questioned.
¡°They¡¯re our new fighters who will be joining us in a few days. For today, however, I¡¯m just showing them around so they can discover what they want to study here at Hajime.¡±
¡°Ah, I see,¡± he said as he inspected the two boys. ¡°Intriguing. Do you need any help with that?¡±
¡°Sure. I need to get back to my desk anyway, so if you could just run them through each of the classes, that¡¯d be wonderful!¡±
¡°You got it.¡± the man said as Gabby waved at the boys and disappeared through the door. However, as soon as she closed the door behind her, his demeanor changed instantaneously. ¡°Alright, scum! Follow me!¡± he roared. With his chest puffed out, he began to run through the basic procedures and classes of Hajime. ¡°Class starts at 4:00am every morning, but students are required to come here 30 minutes early to take their daily morning assessments!"
¡°A test every day?!¡± the boys thought.
¡°We model our school system after the great Shugan academy, therefore, students are required to run home at a consistent pace of 5mph after class.¡± The man continued to blabber on and on about the school, but something in the distance caught Qiao''s attention.
¡°Hey, Mister,¡± he said. The man quickly swung his head around to meet Qiao¡¯s stare.
¡°That''s Iwanari-sensei to you, scum! And what is it?!¡± he roared back as Qiao pointed to the group he was interested in.
¡°What are they practicing?¡± he asked. Immediately, the man changed course and made his way towards the group.
¡°These scums are practicing the art of Wing Chun!" As expected, Iwanari began to explain the fundamentals and basic mechanics of Wing Chun
However, while this was happening, Sannon studied two specific groups of students, his intrigue growing by the second.
It took a while, but once Qiao got his fill of information on Wing Chun, the boys made their way back to Gabriella.
¡°Oh, did you choose already?¡± Once Sannon arrived at the desk, Qiao explained that he was interested in taking Wing Chun lessons. However, Sannon remained silent. His mind was a tornado. He knew what he wanted, but his cowardice was winning the fight.
"What about you, Sannon?" Gabriella asked.
"W-well..." Sannon looked down at the ground. "I... I''d like to take two, if that isn¡¯t too much trouble for you."
"Although rare, we do allow that, but it''ll be exceptionally harder, for obvious reasons. What two were you interested in?" Gabriella turned towards her computer, fingers on her keyboard, awaiting a response.
"Kung Fu and Jujitsu. I... I want to be prepared for any situation, and I think these two will fit my needs well." Without hesitation, Gabriella began rapidly pushing keys, and, after a moment, assured Sannon that he was all set.
¡°Hey,¡± a voice said from the door leading to the gymnasium, which was recognized as Mr. Iwanari as soon as he was seen by the boys. ¡°How about I take you guys out for pizza later on tonight? My treat,¡± he said with a tender smile as Qiao and Sannon cheered in excitement.
"I hope she doesn¡¯t think I''m weird for choosing two." Sannon thought.