Mr Mike appears in front of me and tries to punch me.
I tilt my head and dodge his punch.
He tries again, but this time I catch the punch, releasing a powerful wave and shattering the ground below us.
I grab his face in an instant, squeezing it and frowning.
"This is what you want right?! Pain! Now, feel the pain!" I raise him up in an instant and smash him to the ground, releasing a powerful wave and creating a big hole in the ground below him. My hand still on his face, I raise him up again and smash him to the ground, raising him up again and throwing him, sending him flying.
He lands with such force that creates a big explosion and a big dust dome around him. He stands up and cleans the blood running down the left corner of his mouth with his right palm.
"I must admit, you were fast, but... I expected more from you!" He says and cracks his fingers. "I don't get how you're getting so strong, so fast! It's a phenomenon I've never seen before!" He shouts, "Frogog!," and instantly a three feet frog like creature appears beside him.
I zoom to him and try to punch him, but he is instantly covered in fog. The fog spreads and instantly covers as far as I can see.
I begin sensing his presence. But strangely he is everywhere.
"Try to find me now!" He says at my left side, but I quickly turn right and punch him hard on the face, clearing the fog and sending him flying and landing, a dust dome covering him instantly.
I turn and look at the giant frog, it shivers and disappears.
"Let's stop this fighting! I don't want to fight you!" I shout, struggling to control myself, walking towards him in a calculative pace and stopping few steps away from him.
He comes out of the dust and cleans the blood that is streaming down the right corner of his mouth, with the back of his right hand.
"You are right, but.....!" He sighs. "You still have to go on! The sacrifice is worth it!" He says calmly.
"No it isn'.....!"
"Just shut up and fight!" He shouts as a tear runs down his face, his face looking surprisingly emotionless. "Don't take it as a family fight! Take it as an enemy life or death match!" He sighs. "You see, that's my duty as an adult and a parent! That's the duty of all adults and parents! To make sure the ones under them succeed, even though it means sacrificing a few or a lot!" He laughs. "There is a reason why there are seniors and juniors, teachers and students, adults and children. I mean, imagine a world without adults or parents. Imagine a world where everyone is the same age and there is no one to teach and lead the other. It will be a disaster. Even adults too need their elder ones." He sighs. "But adults and parents of now aren't trying for the younger ones anymore! And that is why, I, must be the adult I am meant to be! I, will do my part in building up your fate and helping you by being your first starting point, your first step! Cos that's my duty as an adult and as a parent. I just hope I do my job well, and add you to my list of achievements before I die. So SON! Try to make my efforts make great achievements in you and stop worrying about the fighting! We adults are only crushed, if the sacrifices go to waste." He sighs. "And as for you and Leonardo, I am sorry for it all! I regret doing it all, but.... I had no other choice! So forgive me and fight me till the last! Fight me in the form of accepting my apology!"
For some reasons, I feel so good and I am back to normal. It's like his advice is a powerful booster, boosting me from inside out and making me feel good, and a powerful relaxer, relaxing me and returning me back to normal. For some reasons I don't know, I begin crying and laughing at the same time. I feel so energised and happy and free.
"Yes DAD! I will!"
"Good!" He claps his hands together and the Mimekey appears again, but this time I aren't scared. I know I can defeat it. He fuses with it and a long golden staff appears in his right hand.
He laughs and says, "Let's have some father and son fun time!"
"Sure!"
We zoom forward and begin fighting, but this time it feels so good. It's like a child having fun in wrestling his dad.
I try punching him, but it is hopeless. While he uses his fist, legs and the staff to attack me with much more speed and strength than he used before.
Somehow my breathing isn't bad, it's average. But I'm surprisingly countering his attacks.
"You see?! Once you accept the challenge, you'll see the hidden fun side!" He shouts and laughs, still attacking me with speed, strength, force, and grace, and destroying our surrounding environment.
I increase my breathing force and decrease it's entering and exiting speed, giving me a boost. I begin countering his attacks with more speed and strength and attacking him back. I increase my punching, punching him hard and countering his attacks more.
"Yes! Now you're making my efforts worth it!" He laughs. "I must admit, you're something else!" He says and laughs more.
I increase my punch, punching him with more force. It would have been easier, if we aren't zooming around the battlefield and attacking each other.
"I can't defeat you! You're just too strong!"
"Come on SON! Don't say that. COS you CAN! Do you think I was always strong! It took time, sacrifices and hardwork!"
We clash fist together, creating a powerful explosion that shatters the ground and sends me flying.
I manage and land with my feet, sliding and finally stopping.
He stretches his right hand towards me, and instantly hundreds of weapons begin appearing and rushing towards me with instant appearance speed.
'How can the weapons be so fast?!'
I run forward, dodging all the weapons as it lands. It is fun, but scary, as lots of weapon seek me to rip me apart. I continue running, dodging all the weapons and increasing my pace. The weapons increases in speed and amounts and starts becoming a blur of motion, as I get closer, making me to increase my own speed more, in order not to end up like a shredded paper.
I finally reach few steps in front of him, about to punch him, when all the weapons stops instantly and vanish.
'Something is off!'
Something strong but invisible hits my stomach and sends me flying. I land hard to the ground and laugh. Some how, all the extreme pains I felt before are gone and it feels like the pain and the shouting and everything else never happened.
My chest begins to hurt badly. Blood begins dropping down my mouth.
'Looks like you are reaching your limit.' The usual voice in my head says.
'What?! So soon?! Where have you been anyway?!'
'That's none of your business!' He sighs. 'Well, it's your first time and surprisingly, you reached this far. I guess it happened so quick and therefore, your body can't hold on any longer.'
'But the fight isn't over!'
'Hmmmph. That's quite bad. Cos the breathing is also starting to affect you. And if you don't stop.... it will have bad effects." He sighs. "Thank goodness, that you are quite soft, and didn't use 'THE PAIN' for too long. You would have been almost dead by now or even dead.'
I shudder. 'What's 'the pain'....' A sudden rush of pounding pain in my heart and head, cuts my speech short. I snap out of the talking and open my eyes, gasping for breathe. I feel like my heart and head exploded. The pounding continues as I lie on the floor, helpless and feeling something running out of my nose and mouth.
"Whhhaaatttttt iiisssss goooiiiinnngggg ooonnnn?!" I hear Mr Mike shout, but his voice is like a long distant echo.
"Iiiii gguuueeessss hheeee hhaassss rreeaaacccchhh hhhiiisss lliiimmmiiittt." The hooded person says and I feel his suppressing presence before me.
I hear a loud clicking sound and instantly everything stops. I sit up and look at the hooded figure. He isn't wearing his hoodie.
I touch my face and no trace of blood.
"How did you....."
"That's none of your business!" He says, cutting me off. "You have quite tried. I am more than impressed by your performance!" He says with a hint of excitement in his voice.
Mr Mike appears by my side. He kneels down, looking deep into my eyes, and asks, "Are you okay?"
"I am sir."
"That's good to hear." He hugs me tight and says, "I thought I almost lost one of my child."
"Yeah. Yeah. Enough of the family drama!" The hooded person says. "Are you ready to start your journey to power?!" He asks with a grin.
"Yes."
"Are you sure?" Mr Mike asks me, concern in his tone.
I turn and look at him. "I am."
He nods at my reply and smiles a warm smile.
"Great!" The hooded person says and I look at him. "Do you want to stay with your family or do you want to leave them and live alone?"
I look at Mr Mike and then Leonardo. I do love both of them dearly, but I must leave them. In order for me to meet new strong opponents and keep them away from my family (not that they would struggle much against them anyway), I will leave them and live alone.
I look at him with a serious expression and say, "I will leave...."
"Good...."
"But on one condition."
"Huh?" He sighs. "And what's that?"
"You won't ever use my family for your works again!" I say, surprising myself with my bravery.
He begins thinking, then stops and says, "Ok. That good and fair enough."
"You promise?!"
"Yes."
I turn and look at Mr Mike. He is wearing a surprisingly calm expression.
"Are you sure about this?" He asks.
"Yes sir."
"Good luck then! We will surely meet again and have a better match!" He laughs and hugs me tight, and for some reason, I want to cry, but I won't.
"Thank you, sir. And yes. The fight will continue." I laugh and hug him back.
After some minutes of silence. The hooded person says, "I think that's enough hugging!"
I and Mr Mike laugh and release each other.
"Good bye." Mr Mike says as a tear stream down his face.
"Goodbye." I say to Mr Mike, few tears streaming down my own face. I turn to Leonardo, who is still unconscious and laugh a little, before saying, "Goodbye. Brother."
Mr Mike walks to Leonardo and carries him. He says, "Wolion." And instantly one appears beside him. He places Leonardo on top and sits on the creature. He turns and looks at me and says, "Remember we adults and parents, only feel hurt or broken, when our efforts are wasted. Don't waist mine, ok?"
I nod and he nods back.
He looks front and says, "Let's go boy." And instantly the Wolion is dashing through the nightmarish landscape.
After some minutes of staring, they look like ants running far far ahead.
I turn and face the hooded person. Clapping my hands together and smiling my best smile, I ask, "So? Where we going?"
"You're disturbingly friendly and weird, for someone who wants to rise and defeat me!" He says, a hint of irritation in his voice.
I laugh awkwardly. "By the way what's your name?"
"That's none of your business!" He says, turns around and begins walking.
"Guess I'll call you Purple or Hoodie."
"Purple?! Hoodie?!" He laughs a dark laugh. "You sure are dumb!" He turns and looks at me.
I ignore his last statement and ask, "So where am I going from here?"
He clicks his finger and instantly, the whole nightmarish battle field blooms with life, with all sorts of plants and becomes fresh again, like nothing ever happened.
I stare at it in awe. "Your time magic is insane!" Looking around in awe, I say, "How'd you.... just instantly change this massive dead land back to normal!"
He frowns. "You sure love questioning!" He smiles warmly. "Don't worry. You'll find out soon. That is, when we fight." He says and turns, walking away. For some reason, his words are disturbing.
"So, Purple... or Hoodie." I smirk.
He turns and glares at me. "I see you hate your perfect fairy tale existence, and would wish to live the disturbing tale of a prince, who was turned into a frog, but was changed back by a princess kiss." He laughs a dark laugh.
"My life isn't a fairytale. And no way, am I living as a frog." I shudder. "What's a fairytale?"
"That's none of your business!" He turns front again.
"It's always none of my business." I mumble.
"Of course!" He says in a matter of fact tone. "Goodbye for now." He laughs. "And try not to die."
"Wait what....."
He clicks his finger and in an instant my environment changes and he is no longer with me.
"The monster!" I shout as I look at the big trees and plants around me.
"I expected he'd give me a comfortable home! But he instead, thought a jungle was a better option!"
I kneel, feeling like crying, although the pounding pain has stop, the other pains are still around, and now is a perfect time to rest and eat. I sigh and stand up.
"I guess, I'll have to survive."
I start walking around and luckily, I find a nice big cave.
I am about to enter, when a loud roar comes out from the cave, giving me the look of a dog that is standing in front of an extremely strong wind.
'What in the.....!'
Something begins emerging from the cave. It's big, no huge.
My eyes widen at the site of a Peacobear.
'What in the world is this! This is a creature that is extinct! Is this some sort of dream after all!'
Something flashes through my mind and I begin gritting my teeth.
'No! This isn't a dream! That freakish Purple might have use time magic in bringing it here! God! Damn him! He wants me to end up as a Peacobear snack!'
I move back, until I'm a lot of steps away. It is futile for me to run, these creatures are extremely fast, and given I'm not in a good shape, fighting it would be insanely risky.
The creature emerges from the cave. It is seven feet tall, covered in shiny rainbow fur that looks very tough, behind it; is an extremely big and beautiful peacock tail that is spread wide, and God, it's feets and paws are extremely big.
"The better to catch a being and make a pancake or pizza out of them." I mumble to myself and laugh, cringing at the same time.
It looks like something in a psychologically disturbing children's nightmare.
Not having any other choice, I begin running. It roars a loud roar and begins running after me. I can only hear it's loud thumping rhythm sounds and roaring.
'What have I done to deserve this!'
I keep on running, till I reach the edge of a cliff and stop abruptly.
"The hell?!" I turn around and sigh, as the Peacobear comes closer by each second. Worst part?! There is only one path, the one in which the hungry one is coming from.
"I guess I'll have to fight it!" I shout and start running towards it.