WOTNOPOLIS: 8

WOTNOPOLIS 8
“Did you hear the news?” the girl asked, snacking on a muffin while she did.
“No, what is it?” Amaterasu asked while shuffling some papers out of his way. “Come now, I don't have too much time to worry over small affairs.”
“Mih, always busy with work,” Sergeant Karate Keya Q whined. “You're never any fun. But the news is, um…it was something…gaw, what was it again? Well, there's the Mayor's plans. He seems to be promising a new strategy to combating crime if it gets much worse. It's actually kind of interesting.”
Amaterasu just waved his hand. “I've heard every tired political speech I want to hear. I'm not interested.”
KKQ nodded thoughtfully. “Oh, sergeant Zakku said if you came into his district again he'd kill you. And um, something else, I forgot. Um, there's a new TV show out?”
Amaterasu stared harshly at his fellow sergeant. “Get out of my office if you're only here to take up my time.”
Sergeant Karate Keya Q laughed. “Oh, back from your hospital time and now you're Mr. Workaholic again, eh? Anyway, I remembered. It was the East, that gang you were worried about? Whatever it was, yeah, they apparently destroyed a bunch of gangs last night in some duel or whatever. So in a way, you were right, and in a way, you were wrong.”
Amaterasu glared at Karate Keya Q. Ever since returning from his 'sick time' recovering from those fights he had that night he had refused thinking about anything but bringing that group to justice. “How was I wrong?”
“Well, you were right, in that they were strong and needed to be watched. But you were wrong about them being so bad. If you had taken them out the first day the East wouldn't be so crime free as it is now,” Karate Keya Q watched Amaterasu slam the papers in his hands onto the table.
“Don't give them any love! They're crooks, criminals, vagrants! The worst of society. Don't make them sound as if they've done any good for society. If they had, it was through their own selfish desires,” Amaterasu yelled.
Karate Keya Q could tell she pinched a nerve so she got up to leave. “By the way, here's a muffin,” she said as she handed Amaterasu off a muffin. “You know, it wasn't all that long ago you had worked together with a gang.” Before his response, she shut the office door quietly.
“Yes, it was,” Amaterasu grumbled to the empty office.
**
Q eyed the bar carefully. All seemed safe. He took a sip of his Cherry Coke. For some reason he had a good feeling danger was afoot. The bar was full of chatter. Clair was asking Dark Raptor tons of questions. Yoyo and Bano were in a staring contest. Jake was talking to Temari. This was Q's chance.
Q carefully sidestepped the groups and sat at the bar next to Jake. “Jake, I have something to tell you, it’s vital information,” Q said. Temari put down the glass and listened intently. Jake turned and looked Q in the eyes.
“What is it, chief?” Jake asked. Jake knew how important it would be if Q was telling him the information.
Q leaned in. “Two things are not right here. The first, don't call me chief. I prefer King. It keeps the lowly peasant people in their place, you understand.” Jake nodded. “Good, the second thing is. I can sense it. Danger's afoot.”
Jake gasped. “Not danger, how, where?” Q raised his hand in a fast motion.
“We can't be so careless as to give away the details here. I can just tell. Crime stops for no one,” Q pointed at the door of the bar. “This city, my city, I will protect her.”
Temari sighed. “What a hero.”
Q spun around. “That's right. I am a hero. But soon this city, will, something something, and the accumulation of sex and filthy sex will be at their waists and people will look up at me and save, save me. And I will say, no. Because I'm not a hero, or something.”
“Wow, Q, can I help? If we're being heroes,” Jake smiled.
“How daring!” Temari swooned. “Except I'm not sure that's the correct wording...”
“Of course you can help, Jake. We need to find you a metal suit and rebuild your heart. We'll call you Steeloman Jake. I'll assemble a group of heroes. Bano, you can be Banoman. And then, I don't know, but when crime rears its head in this city, someone will shoot me in the eye and it won't work.”
“Yes, it will,” Bano sighed. “I kinda wish they'd go for it, too.”
“Yes! I can be made of iron!” Jake hoorayed.
“What a daring ideal for the future!” Temari swooned.
“Of course. And then we'll have a theme song, 'When there's trouble you know who to call, Team Eagle. Something japanese, something japanese again, Team Eagle! We got the bad guys on the run, we never stop-” Q yelled as the metal pounded through his head. Yoyo glared at the group.
“Honestly, Q? Super heroes. It's definitely one of the dumbest things you've tried to turn the gang into,” Yoyo grumbled. Bano just laughed and Jake made poses.
“But Yoyo, with suche power comes great-”
Clair turned away from the group and shook her head as she heard Q's screams of terror. Clair softly pushed the drink closer to Dark Raptor who sat in the corner of the bar. The gang had spent the day sleeping to recover from the previous day’s fights, and for some reason Dark Raptor had slept through it all, too.
“Come on, you must know something, please?” Clair smiled. Dark Raptor looked between Clair and the delicate fizz of the Dr. Pepper.
“Well, the thing is there's not much to tell about Bano. I'm a lot more exciting than Bano,” Dark Raptor smiled and made a thumbs up motion.
Clair's smile faded a little. “Um, yeah, I'm sure that's true. But you've known Bano for years, right? What's his life like before he came to WOTNopolis? He and Q never really talk about that stuff. I want to know.”
“Um, I don't really remember. If I recall he used to be my lackey, but he was so scared by my awesome he ran away to join the circus. Or was that another guy named Naruto12337? It's hard keeping track,” Dark Raptor rambled.
Clair sunk into her seat. “Geez, he's as bad as his brother,” she muttered and motioned Dark Raptor to the Dr. Pepper.
Q's hand quickly nabbed it off the table. “Aha, this foul stuff. I should of known. Didn't I tell you danger was afoot, Jake?” He shook the drink, as if wagging his finger, and the fizzy drink spilled onto the floor.
“Aye yes ye did, cap'n Boss Sparrow,” Jake nodded.
“Jake, we're super heroes, not pirates. You're getting demoted to butler status soon if you don't knock off the antics. Being a super hero is serious stuff,” Q reprimanded his sidekick. Temari quietly did dishes in the back. Q shot a glance to the door. A yell was heard.
“Aha, that's what you get pig-head! I am the victor in this staring contest—” Dead silence made Yoyo stop her victory cheer. She slowly turned around in her seat.
“Well, well. Aren't we all having a good time?” the suited figure in the doorway said. “And here I was worried I might be intruding on some serious matters.”
Bano's eyes stayed fixated on Punkfilter. The atmosphere of the bar instantly became a cold sense of dread. Was another fight impending?
Punkfilter walked slowly through the middle of the bar. The seconds passed by slowly. Everyone waited for the angle he'd attack from. His hand, gently in his pocket reached out and pulled a stool away from the bar. “What do you have to drink?” Punkfilter asked.
Yoyo's legs kicked off from behind and her shoulders pulled her swords through the figure. She felt her swords make contact as Bano's Kama cut through. Punkfilter didn't move an inch as his crystal wall formed between them.
“What? Do you think we're a joke? You can just walk in here and make any kind of declaration or say anything you want? Taunt us? That we're not just as serious a gang as any other one out there? You think we won't kill you!” Bano shouted.
“Now, now, who said anything about killing, hm?” Punkfilter gazed at Yoyo and smiled. Yoyo gripped her swords tighter and swung again. Punkfilter's eyes widened as the wall cracked. The blades clattered noisily against a brown object.
“Yes, very good show,” Punkfilter smiled.
“Is that a muffin?” Temari asked, confused.
A figure in a dark black coat had appeared between Punkfilter and Yoyo. The young woman's eyes glared into Yoyo's. Shifting her momentum forward Yoyo was able to swing her swords from behind her following with a kick. The figure slid to the side of the blows and whipped her knife in Yoyo's direction when a hand firmly grabbed her on each side and lifted her off the ground.
The figure stopped moving after having been subdued by Clair and Bano each. Bano's grip on the person's left arm tightened as he stared at the cold, unsurprised eyes of Punkfilter. “Your service sure is slow,” Punkfilter yawned. “I asked for a drink.”
Temari held her hands out firmed. “We, we won't, serve someone like you, here. You can, just, take your business and leave.”
Punkfilter smiled. “You guys sure are riled up. But relax already. I'm not here to fight. That girl you're holding wouldn't of even come out had you not attacked me so viciously. She's an expert, too. One of the top terrorists you'll find in this country. Regardless, I even came here to congratulate you guys. Good show on surpassing the Boss's expectations. No one had expected you to survive this long, let alone conquer the entire East. It’s quite a feat for low rankers like yourselves.”
“Shut up!” Yoyo seethed. “We don't need congratulations from you. I'll kill a disgusting man like you where you stand.”
“Please. I'm here authorized to use all my power if I wish. Even if you all combined your powers you couldn't hope to defeat me one handed. And I have back up,” Punkfilter nodded at the black figure. A bandanna covered most of her face but the grey eyes moved to her right. In an instant Clair and Bano had let go and jumped into tables.
“My hands,” Clair growled as she stared at them. They had turned a crimson red.
“It looks like ice cream,” Jake spoke up.
“Its acid ice cream,” the woman spoke. Bano moved between her and Clair.
Punkfilter stared happily at Yoyo. Her hands gripped the swords tighter. “Oh, come on. You really must let the past, die.”
Before Yoyo's swords could reach him two bodies had moved between Yoyo and Punkfilter. With his back to Punkfilter Dark Raptor's talon stopped her swords. Q stood in front of Yoyo and Dark Raptor. “You,” Q pointed at Punkfilter. “Leave my men alone. We're a gang of WOTNopolis, we're not somewhere you just go to get your kicks and giggles out. Thank you kindly for your congratulations. Tell your master we don't care a thing about them. And get out. If you don't. You will die.”
Punkfilter stared at Q for a moment, contemplative. “Very well, suit yourself.” Punkfilter got up and moved towards the door. The girl followed quickly behind him. “Before I leave I think I should warn you,” Punkfilter turned and glared at the group, “Up until this point I have directly been reporting your progress to the Master, and he's been giving me orders on how to deal with you. But, now that you've gained this much fame, well, the other two under my Master will take notice. Those two, well, he's not a bit sane. To say the least, you better watch yourselves. I can't protect you forever.”
Q stared at the empty doorway and sat back down. “You know, Jake. I predicted this whole thing. I did say danger was afoot.”
“Woah, you did Boss!” Jake said in amazement.
“You're amazing!” Temari gaped.
“Don't I know it, it's the work of a super hero,” Q smiled.
“Psh, who wants to be a super hero?” Dark Raptor. “I'm a villain!”
“You okay?” Bano asked Clair while looking at her hands.
“I'm fine, really,” Clair smiled. Their hands held for a second when she turned to Yoyo. “Yoyo, how are you?”
Yoyo sighed. “Yeah, I'm fine. Men, huh?”
“Psh, women shouldn't even be out of the kitchen anyway,” Bano whined and felt Clair and Yoyo's punch into his gut.
“So who was that guy?” Dark Raptor asked Q.
“He was Punkfilter. A real pain in the neck. Thanks for the help, brother,” Q smiled. Dark Raptor just rolled his eyes.
“Having trouble in the big city, huh?” Dark Raptor smiled.
The door opened. Yoyo's swords flung fast and Bano's Kama moved towards their mark. The girl in the doorway jumped back quickly and screamed. “What the heck!?” she hollered.
“Oh, I know you, its Flabby! No, that's not right, Abby!” Q corrected, proud of himself. Abby stood in the doorway, arms raised as a sword and kama sat inches from her throat and stomach. However, they were slowly lowered.
“Oh, sorry ‘bout that,” Bano laughed uneasily.
“Thought you were someone else, fellow female!” Yoyo smiled awkwardly.
“I, well I hope so!” Abby gawked. She moved uncomfortably over to a table in the back. “They're so not getting tips,” she noted to herself.
“Guys, gather around,” Q said to his group. Clair moved to join the group but Temari snatched her away.
“What's up, Temari?” Clair asked. She was much more interested in what Q was saying, and Bano.
“Um, well, you see, could you be my waitress for that girl?” Temari fidgeted.
“Why?” Clair asked unhappily.
“Well, you see, um. I've never, well, had a customer before,” Temari laughed. “Um, so, I kind of, don't really know what to do.”
Clair stared at Temari. “All these years you've never had a…?”
“No, so help me out?” Temari pleaded.
“Well, alright then,” Clair said she moved towards Abby's table.
Q looked at the group that had gathered around. Yoyo had ignored the group but Q dragged her over. “I need all the guys,” he said.
“That was just unforgiveable,” Yoyo said but was too curious to argue much.
“Guys, I need help. That over there. That's my girl. I need to win her heart,” Q pointed and shook nervously.
Everyone just stared, their mouths hanging open.
“Q likes girls? That's kind of a relief,” Bano laughed.
“Why would I help in such an endeavor?” Yoyo groaned. “I'm sure this topic will be full of intelligence.”
“Boss, I'm just the guy you need on this. I'm a true ladies man. A stud, if you will. I am the true master of love. And I will help you win your lady's heart. Believe me,” Jake smiled and winked at Q.
“Wow, really? Good! That's just what I need!” Q smiled.
“Oh geez, I'm out,” Yoyo walked away.
“This oughtta be good,” Bano laughed.
“Hurry guys! Hurry! She's right there!” Q pointed and spasmed.
“Boss, relax. I can help you out. A woman's heart is like a golden flower. You must gently caress, and then pluck ever so softly that you don't lose a single petal,” Jake smiled.
“Woah, that was deep,” Q said.
“Poetry,” Dark Raptor nodded.
Bano laughed and Yoyo made choking and gagging motions.
“Poetry, that's what I'll do!” Q said.
“Boss, just go in there and be what a girl wants. Girls have very simple desires. You have to be smooth, but a bit dorky doesn't hurt. Be sensitive, but don't be afraid to be tough. Be funny, but be a listener. Be able to carry the conversation, but also don't be afraid to lead it. Or be submissive. Be emotionally there, yet be physically chivalrous. You must be able to bend to her needs, but don't make her feel like you think she's needy either because that's offensive. Treat her like anyone else, but also treat her special. Make her feel like you're after her, but also make her feel like you aren't the kind of person who'd go after someone,” Jake nodded his head.
“Hm, I think I got it,” Q agreed.
“Girls are simple,” Dark Raptor stated. Yoyo silently banged her head on a table in the back.
Q walked towards the table. Abby looked up but as Q made it to the table he sat at the one next to hers. Abby looked away. Then looked back, “Hey, don't I know you? You're R, S? Something like that, right?”
“Yes, I'm R,” Q smiled.
“You're Q, idiot,” Bano yelled from the back.
“Right, I'm Q!” Q smiled awkwardly.
Abby just laughed, “That's a very weird name. Do you know what's good to eat here, Q? I usually go to my smoothie store, but it’s closed for some reason.”
Q was silent. Abby frowned and Q just stared.
“He's clearly sinking like a rock,” Dark Raptor moaned. Bano nodded.
“Just use what I told you, boss!” Jake tried whispering across the bar. Abby heard the whisper and looked at the gang.
“Your friends seem interesting,” Abby smiled. Q nodded.
“Um, yeah,” he stuttered. The conversation started to die and Q felt himself going into panic mode. “Your eyes, are, um, pretty. And, they're not, gritty?”
“Um, what?” Abby asked.
“Poetry!” Q smiled awkwardly. “And, your ears are, cool. Like, that stool.” Dark Raptor hit Q with a piece of paper. Q looked at it and read in bold letters: RIP Q. Just RIP.
“Oh shoot!” Jake yelled. “I gotta go! Now! Mom's gonna kill me.”
“We're a gang,” Q smiled.
“Wow, really? That's so cool! Gangs are scary, though,” Abby said.
“Why is your mom going to kill you?” Dark Raptor asked.
“Thanksgiving Dinner, I'm totally late!” Jake yelled as he rushed towards the door.
“Wasn't Thanksgiving…?” Bano asked.
“Yes, but my mom celebrates it a month after Thanksgiving because turkeys are really cheap then,” Jake hollered.
“Yum, food!” Dark Raptor said and followed behind Jake. “Bano, you in?”
“Heck yeah,” Bano said hopping out of his chair and heading towards the door.
“Oh, me too!” Clair said following behind Bano. Yoyo just looked around, shrugged and followed the group.
“Um, wanna come with, Abby?” Q asked, not sure what to do as his gang just left.
“That sounds fun!” Abby smiled. The two walked out the door.
“Aw, man,” Temari said to the empty bar. “My first customer.”
**
“You understand your mission?” Punkfilter asked.
“Yeah, it'll be easy. You can trust me. I have an excellent reputation,” the girl nodded. “I'll kill them one at a time and they'll fall like flies.”
“I don't really care how,” Punkfilter said as he walked away from the alleyway they had stood in. “Personally I could do it myself, but the Master wants to test your abilities and theirs. His games really don't interest me much. You'll get your money.”
The figure stood by herself in the alleyway. “You had just better pay me.”
**
“Hey, mom, I brought home, um, company?” Jake greeted as he pointed at the group.
“Oh my! My oh my! Did my Jake make friends? This is a truly glorious day! Come in, come in! I can't believe my eyes,” the older woman said in shock. Everyone in the group felt a little bit of pity slide out for Jake.
“Yeah, guys, just um, sit wherever you want to,” Jake pointed at the house. Decorations ranging from Christmas to Easter were strung up everywhere. A small bowl labeled ‘Halloween Candy’ sat in the corner.
“Dude, what gives with your mom?” Bano asked Jake quietly so the chipper woman couldn’t hear.
“She, well, she celebrates every holiday all on one day. She says it saves time…” Jake shook his head with embarrassment.
Yoyo patted Jake on the back. “Wow, you're much more normal than you should be.”
Jake just nodded solemnly and sat down at the table. Abby sat down next to Jake and smiled at the small apartment he lived in. “I think your house is very quaint, Jake! And these decorations are very appropriate,” Abby beamed.
Yoyo sat next to Abby and whispered to Bano, who sat next to her, “Q's girl is a bit, odd.”
Suddenly, Yoyo was on the floor with Q towering over her, her chair in his hands. “My seat,” he stated firmly.
Yoyo turned her wrath on Q, but before she could begin, Bano piped in.
“Besides, a woman's place is in the kitchen.”
Yoyo grouchily pulled up a on Bano’s other side. Dark Raptor got comfortable next to Abby and gave her a hug. Abby just looked around uncomfortably and Q melted with jealousy. Bano pulled the seat out for Clair and sat next to her. Jake smiled and did a thumbs up that was clearly too obvious.
Bano leaned over and whispered into Jake's ear, “Boy just cause I haven't killed you yet doesn't mean I won't.”
Jake slunk into his chair in fear. “Wow, seems like we're all cozy and happy!” Jake's mom smiled as she placed a plate of potatoes on the table. “There, we have potatoes and meat for our dinner.”
The table looked around. Clair raised her hand. “No vegetables?”
“Oh, thanks for reminding me! I forgot I had dinner rolls in the oven,” Jake's mom hopped off to the back.
“This meal is perfect!” Q smiled and Jake did a thumbs up. “Abby, do you, maybe, how bout, potatoes!?”
“I'd like some potatoes, too, Q!” Dark Raptor piped.
“Die.”
Abby smiled and took them. “Q's trying too hard,” Bano shook his head. “This is embarrassing.”
Bano's fork vibrated and landed on his chair. Bano glared, “Man that came close to killing me or even worse.”
“Watch yourself, Bano,” Q glared.
“How about this food!” Abby smiled obliviously. She munched on the potatoes Q handed her and everyone else started eating.
Jake's mom sat next to Yoyo and told her stories of Jake as a little kid. Little Jayjay was apparently very much a momma's boy. “Q,” whispered Jake.
“Yeah buddy?” Q said.
“Nice move on the potatoes, but you need to get her talking. Try a joke,” Jake said.
“Well I do know one joke, that's, yeah, it's good,” Q smiled. “Hey, Abby, wanna hear a joke?”
Abby nodded. “Sure!”
“Well, um, what. Um. Well, there was a Vacuum cleaner, and, the carpet. There was a carpet and it said, um, well, You suck!” Q smiled nervously.
Abby laughed. “Good one.”
“Q, I don't really get the joke,” Dark Raptor said. Q replied by drawing signs in the air.
Bano just stared. “Too weird for me, thanks misses Jake's mom for the food.”
“Sure, call me Moonlightnights!” Moon nodded. “If you guys need anything else, well, that's fine. We don't have any trick or treaters again this year, so there's plenty of candy over there. It's yum.”
Bano started to mention the fact that it wasn't Halloween, but just gave up. The meal was finishing up anyway. At that moment the idea of Jake dressed up on the wrong day of the year begging for candy popped up in his head and he laughed.
“Whatcha thinking about, Bano?” Clair asked worriedly. Bano told her and the two shared a laugh at Jake's expense.
**
“Thanks for the lovely, erm, something Miss Moonlightnights,” Bano said courteously.
“I'm just happy Jayjay has finally brought home some friends,” Moon smiled and Jake just smiled and winked at Q.
“Win her heart, man. I'm counting on you,” Jake whispered.
“Of course, I must definitely do it. By the way, if you run into any potential villains call the secret number that leads to the bar, sidekick. I'll be here in the blink of an eye,” Q nodded.
“Amazing instincts Boss,” Jake said in awe.
Clair just shook her head and chatted with Abby. “So will you be coming back to the bar more often?”
“Um, a bar? I don't know, it sounds kind of too old for me. But, yeah, I had fun, I'll probably show up later,” Abby smiled. “Anyway, I gotta go! Nice meeting you all, brando, Bear, Mark Captor, cake, toto, and Q!”
Everyone fell. Really?Abby skipped down the street and away from view.
Q's eyes morphed into stars. “She remembered my name!”
“I'm leaving too, Q,” Dark Raptor spoke up.
“No one cares, bro,” Q nodded.
“No, I'm outta here. I didn't come to just rejoin your gang or to screw around, no matter how fun it is. I came to WOTNopolis to prove I was strong, stronger than you. I came here to find a gang of my own and reach the top of WOTNopolis. I'll stop at nothing less. The next time we meet, we're gonna fight it out to the death and I will win. I'm no longer your brother you can count on or look to for help. I'm your opponent and I am strong,” Dark Raptor pointed at Q. “So make sure you guys survive and reach the top. My generation is going to come and we're gonna change everything about this city. And I want you to be the one to try and stop me.”
Dark Raptor turned and started walking down the other side of the street. “Little brother,” Q called after him.
“Hm?” Dark Raptor looked back but kept walking.
“Whatever happened to the Crunchyroll gang I asked you to look after?” Q asked.
“Oh, that,” Dark Raptor shrugged. “It kinda broke down after a week.”
Dark Raptor raced down the street and Bano just laughed. “He made it a week, I guess I lost that bet.”