City Convenience Store. A store born from the trust of its customers. A store known to keep a high standard of service all across the country. This particular one, however, was cursed. Cursed with litter taking up the streets in front. Cursed with the Skull Kidd's trio using it as their hangout spot.
"What are we going to do now?" Buum asked, sitting against the wall.
"You mean him." Biim corrected, pointing his thumb at Boom as he rested on the store's window ledge.
"Shut it!" Boom yelled with a scowl. Annoyance grew on his face from hitting a vending machine. "Big bro Cy isn't going to do anything." he said, lowering his tone, almost unsure of what he was saying.
Biim couldn't stop himself from smiling. An unnerving, uncontrolled smile. "You really believe." he pointed. "No no no no, you really believe, you, Trevor J. Smith, really believe he isn't going to do anything?" Trevor hit the machine harder and faster with every word which left Biim's mouth. "I know you have nothing in your head but this is just a level beyond!"
Trevor smashed his fist into the side of the machine, leaving a minor dent. "Another word for your goddamn mouth and I swear god you're going to die, bitch." he roared.
"I can't understand you through all that babbling, speak properly."
"Stop…"
"Says the asshole who ditched his friend to side with people who insinuated me!"
"Insulted... But please stop."
"You thought you could handle a guild leader and the 7th strongest person in the game, a former world number one, and a gunner who escaped the level reduction area?" Biim counted each name on his finger. "You really are just stupid aren't you."
"Guys please."
"Don't call me stupid! I'm not stupid! You're stupid."
"Guys."
"I'm stupid? I'm stupid!? Have you lost your mind! This is why Cyanide, your "brother", is going to fry you tomorrow."
"Alright that's it get your bitch ass over here!" Trevor stomped his way towards Biim.
"Guys!" Buum tried to get in the way.
"Get outta 'ere ya shitty kids!" An old man waving a cane and dressed in the City Convenience Store's designated apron scolded. "Ruinin' the gahdamn business. Get out 'fore I call the police!" he shooed.
"What the hell did you just say to_"
"Sorry about that, haha." Biim held Trevor back; it took all his strength. "We will be leaving now, goodbye."
Biim dragged Trevor and Buum away, Trevor still cursing. Buum unable to speak. Metres counted from 1 to 100 to 200 to 300. They walked down broken streets holding buildings with broken windows and cars with no tires. The lampshades blinked a dull white, making Trevor sick.
"Enough! What the hell are you doing? Trevor pushed Biim off of him.
"Saving our ass!" Biim yelled. "Did you just want him to call the cops on us? Huh?" he asked with venom. "We've just had that happen. Haven't you had enough?"
"I've had-" Trevor bit his lip. "I've had- I-" he couldn't find the words, his patience dwindling. Anger, annoyance, embarrassment, all building up. "I don't wanna be- ermfg-" Trevor dug his nails into his thigh. "Disrespected anymore! I- I don't want that anymore." he gnashed his teeth.
Biim couldn't respond. His eyes landed on Buum, a boy with his head in his arms, unable to control his breathing.
"I know, Trevor. I know." Biim said, remorseful. "For now, let's just head home. I'm sure our parents are worried."
"Fine. Let's go." Trevor walked on ahead.
"Juno," Biim called out to Buum. "Let's head home." he lifted Juno to his feet, letting him lean his head on his shoulder. Even if Biim's skinny body could barely hold the bigger boy, he didn't let go. He didn't let go.
***
The interior of the cave's walls were unnaturally jagged, made with intention. The roof above disappeared into darkness- a fact Johnny couldn't comprehend.
The further down they climbed, the more anxious Zein grew. He didn't like how dark it was getting, how narrow it was getting, how he could feel the gazes of... Something on him. Were they real? Were they not. Zein knew the answer in his head, a bit of venom painted to glare- but he couldn't stop himself from scratching his thumb.
The silence, accompanied by the blindness, had Johnny cling to Zein's scarf. Wu cowered within it. Zein knew he had to comfort. But how was one to talk if one's head tied their throat in knots. Words unpassing, air barely escaping.
Their path narrowed, constricting their movement further as the venom-laced edges of the walls cut them. Johnny, downing his last health potion, knew Father Time was counting, waiting to embrace him for 5 minutes.
Thankfully, salvation had found them. The cave led to a wide open tavern shaped like a dome and lit by glowing limestone. Mini cave entrances lined the diameter of the tavern. They were equidistant and stacked on top of each other. Each entrance, apart from the ones gracing the ground, had a little ledge.
Sitting atop his coiled tail, hands folded, was a being who simply stared at the intruders. His large reptilian eyes were a deep yellow. His scarred scales were a lovely leaf green interrupted by the occasional brown spot.
"Ssssseems we have guessstssss."
The being said, adjusting his black vest. Eyes began to glow from the darkness of the smaller caves as some began to make their appearance. Neither Zein nor Johnny nor Wu could tell just how many were watching, or how many existed at all.
"Cowboyssss, how did you know our ssssaying?"
"A cowboy don't tell." Zein put on a brave face. "Instead, how would you like to cut a deal, Mr. Rojo Serpent?"
"I sssssee, a deal with two cowboyssss." Rojo's eyes narrowed.
Before Zein could speak, Rojo swung his tail at the cat. Zein drew his sword and barely blocked the strike.
"Come on, Mr. Rojo, we can talk this out!" Zein gritted his teeth.
"We ssssshall be doing no sssssssuch thing." Rojo pushed harder on the blade.
"Wu!"
"Oogie!" Wu jumped from Zein's scarf and ran to Johnny. He buffed Zein on his way to his friend.
Utilising Wu's buff, Zein pushed the serpent back. A chance to go on the offence, a chance Zein did not take.
"Get back, Johnny. Do not do anything alright. Trust me."
Johnny ran to the cave's mouth and sat down, hugging his knees, eyes barely watching the action as Wu sat beside him.
Rojo didn't like Zein's pacifism. He didn't counter, he didn't strike, he didn't parry for the stun, and he didn't block. All he did was plead. "A deal! I have a deal! Let's just talk!" Each word pierced the snake's ears, fuelling his annoyance.
"The Ssssserpents sssshall make no deal with thossssse weaker." Rojo spat, poison laced in every word.
Zein knew this. He had always known this. No matter how much he jumped around, dodging, deflecting, and dancing, he knew it wouldn't work. But, he had hoped. Hoped that a couple strings of code would have a soul.
"Alright. Let's get started then. Dash."
Zein began his offence. He closed the distance between the two of them and slashed at the serpent's thick skin. Rojo spat venom at the cat hoping to blind him. Zein let it pass right by and slapped the snake in the face with the flat of his blade. The serpent took the strike head on and wrapped his tail around Zein's leg. He tugged with force, making the cat fall, and dragging him toward the tavern's wall.
Within seconds, Zein switched to his spear and stabbed the ground, pushing him to his feet. He hopped on one foot while the other belonged to Rojo. He grabbed the end of his spear and slammed it into the back of the serpent's head.
Rojo jerked to the wall. He drew his gun and shot at the cat. One, two, three, four, five. All missed. Luck was not on his side.
"Dash."
Zein switched back to his sword and slashed at the serpent's chest, wounding him. Hisses echoed throughout the tavern, the stares intensified. Johnny could feel it, and he didn't like it. He clutched his holster, eyeing the red glares.
"Ssssstop." Rojo hissed. "Sssstay back."
The serpents hissed one last time before retreating into their caves.
"Does that mean we can talk?" Zein tempered his adrenaline.
"Yesssss. Let'ssss talk." Rojo signalled the three of them to follow. Hesitance leaked from Johnny's every step as he walked over to Zein.
Together, they crawled into one of the entrances. Zein held his breath. The entrance they came through felt like a garden compared to this. Dark, narrow, confined. Johnny didn't hold up any better. He wheezed and choked up.
"You okay, Johnny?"
"Y-yeah. I just don't like this."
"You're a cowboy, right?"
"I'm a cowboy."
"That's right, you're a cowboy."
"I'm a cowboy."
Johnny repeated the phrase to himself under his breath until they reached a well-lit room with books and papers strewn around.
"Woah! It looks different!" Johnny said, unable to contain himself.
"Yesss. I like the lightsssss." Rojo answered with a smile. "Ssssit where you like."
Zein and Johnny crunched by each other, blocking the entrance to Rojo's study.
"Ssssso, cowboyssss, tell me about thisssss deal?" Rojo coiled himself, sitting in the middle of some books.
"We heard your food supply was running out, so we want to cut you a deal." Zein offered.
"Ssssso what. Issss the plan to take down the Dutchessss." Rojo leaned forward, interest growing on his face.
"I'm lisssssstening." Rojo grinned.