Chapter 26

A man from Fuji's group stepped forward; he was younger, five or so years older than Colson, wearing black shades and dark grey clothes. "We ain't gonna play your little game!"

Chizo had a greedy smile on his face, "So whatcha gonna do? Team up on me?" He let out a hardy laugh. With much effort, he reached down, redirected his energy to his finger, and used it to draw a line on the hardwood floor. "If any of you cross this line without shaking my hand first…you die. Consider that."

The young man gritted his teeth and looked back towards the group, "Seeing as this is a contest of brawn, I'm probably most fit to fight him." Fuji opened his mouth to protest, but the man cut him off, "I know you're more experienced with energy than me, but you aren't a battle-type. Plus, I don't think Pai has been paying attention," he had a slight grin on his face. He looked back towards Chizo; took several deep breaths, flexing his muscles. He punched the air several times, pumping himself up. With every punch, a tiny bit of energy appeared around him, his aura becoming less translucent with every movement. Soon he was surrounded by a dark pink light.

"I wouldn't worry about the big guy," Ivy said, thinking out loud. Zoe turned to her, surprised.

"What do you mean?"

"I dunno. But I don't feel the same way as I did with Kurt-Adam and the other three. He just seems…normal."

"Hmm, maybe. But could you also say the same for the guy in grey? He seems less than impressive."

"Yeah," Colson said, "are we just gonna let him lose to these drunken idiots, though?"

"I don't think it'd be a good idea to break the rules," Zoe muttered nervously, "I don't know what the others would do."

The man walked forward. As he did so, a large floral pattern splashed onto the floor under Chizo and him; it looked as if it were tattooed right into the wood—fresh and shiny. Putting his hand out to shake Chizo's hand. Before they made contact, the man quickly lunged forward, trying to tackle Chizo, wrapping his arms around his torso as far as he could. The design below them both glowed the same color as his energy—dark pink.

The man felt himself being lifted into the air; before he could react, he was slammed to the ground. A cry escaped him as his back splintered the wood floor. Chizo planted a foot on his chest, slowly putting more weight on it until a loud crack resonated through the bar. The man's aura quickly dissipated with a poof. The pattern below slowly blurred, bleeding as if it were fresh paint introduced to water.

"Let me go," the man screamed out, "I give up! Please get off!" The man let out another cry as Chizo continued to shift more of his weight onto the man's chest; a sound like a cacophony of breaking twigs came from his torso, causing Chizo's grin to grow even wider. Ready to finish the job, he lifted his foot, ready to stomp down. Most of Fuji's group looked away; Ivy looked on with an odd curiosity. It was all Zoe could do to look away and put her hands over her ears—blocking the sound of what was to come.

A blur came from the corner of Chizo's eye, slamming into his temple. The whole bar shook as he fell backward, landing on his butt. Colson touched down on the ground, ensuring he wasn't behind the line.

"Why did you keep crushing him? He already lost!" Colson glared as Chizo slowly got to his feet, wiping the bloody bruise on the side of his head. "He surrendered."

"You can tell me you forfeit all you want; that doesn't mean it's over. Not in the rules. Plus, he didn't respect the handshake, so he gets no mercy from me. Come to think of it, you didn't either; you also interrupted as well…So you lose!"

"Wait, what?" His jaw dropped, totally stunned. "That's not fair! Redo! Let me try again!"

Chizo shook his head, "No can do. Once I kill all your lil' friends, we'll fight again. It won't be long, don't worry."

Ivy walked next to Colson, "It's alright. I'm going next!"

Chizo chuckled, "Well, lucky me. I get a cute one next."

Colson looked to Ivy, "You sure about this? If you need help…."

"Don't worry," Ivy chirped.

"Alright, if you say so," Colson walked back to the group.

"Hold on," Fuji started. He stepped forward, reaching out for Ivy, ready to pull her back.

Colson grabbed his arm, "We're doing what we came here for. We're doing our job. She's got this."

"How shall we fight?" Ivy asked, her feet less than an inch from crossing the line.

"To the death, of course," Chizo smiled, seeing the look in her eyes.

"Ivy…" Zoe said, her voice filled with warning, thinking, 'If all of these will be to the death, then…When it's my turn, that means I'm gonna have to kill someone! These guys may be awful, but…I can't do that!'

Ivy reached out but stopped right before their hands connected, "How about, if I lose, you don't kill me, and if you lose, no one here kills you. How's that? That way, no one dies when one of us loses. It'll be beneficial to you. Additionally, if you lose, you'll have to promise to leave and not to hurt anyone ever again."

There was a low rumbling of laughter coming from those behind Chizo. One of the men sitting on the floor said, "Look at Chizo!"

"Man is completely at a loss for words," said a female.

"Yo, McDonald's favorite customer is about to square-up with a lil' girl." One cackled. "I admire her optimism, though."

Chizo's black beady eyes narrowed, "shut up, girl!" He reached out, grabbing Ivy's hand. "We'll start the fight now."

Ivy launched herself to the side, dodging a swipe of his meaty arm, landing on all fours. As he waddled forward, Ivy jumped out of the way of Chizo's foot as it splintered the floor where she had been milliseconds prior.

Ivy sprinted forward, throwing haymakers toward his face. Few connected, as he blocked most with his hands. Ivy backed up, almost tripping over a bottle of alcohol; Chizo, using the brief lapse of attention, grabbed Ivy's wrist, holding her high into the air, squeezing it with all his might.

"Bro's actually trying to eat her!" One of them called out.

Her face turned into a grimace as what felt like a vice grip tightened around her arm. She hauled back and kicked Chizo as hard as she could. Her foot connected to his wide grin. Pulling her foot back—her boot was covered in blood—she rammed it into his face once more, using the heel of her boot.

The slight aura surrounding him flickered off as he stumbled back, letting go of her wrist. His hands clutched his mouth as he lurched backward, eventually tripping over a glass bottle. The grunts near the bar scattered as Chizo careened into it, cracking it in half as he fell. Dust and splinters billowed through the room. When everything settled, everyone except Poatan had moved to the back of the room, trying to avoid the fat-body who had destroyed the table.

Poatan looked down at Chizo with a blank stare of disappointment, then went back to sipping his drink.

One of the grunts yelled, "Hey, Chizo, how many seatbelt extenders do you have chained together in your car nowadays?"

Chizo removed his pudgy hand from his mouth, spitting blood and teeth onto the floor. Turning his head to the side, seeing himself in the reflection of a beer bottle, he stared at his red toothless grin. He let out a small cry as his tongue ran over the mushy holes where his teeth used to be.

Chizo spluttered and coughed, feeling cold liquid being poured on his head.

"Poatan, the hell are you doing?" He spluttered, his eyes closed, trying to block the alcohol poured on him.

"Not me," Poatan said, his voice coming from several feet away at the end of the bisected bar.

Chizo blinked away the alcohol, wiping his eyes as best he could. On his stomach stood Ivy with his lit cigar in her hand, the end inches away from his face. His eyes went wide; he tried to swat at it, but Ivy drove the heel of her boot into the back of his hand, pinning it to the ground.

"W-wait, hold on! Time out, okay?" Chizo cried.

Ivy blinked, her face wracked with confusion, "Um, why?"

"Just don't kill me, girl! Please, I promise I'll leave and never bother anyone again, alright!" Tears streamed down his cheeks, forming a small puddle around his head.

Ivy looked at Chizo's group of grunts; Poatan's face was stone cold as he stared with ennui. Some seemed indifferent while watching Chizo squirm, and others had their faces buried in their hands, trying not to laugh.

One of them called out, "Hey, don't let that girl get you down, Chizo. Keep your chins up!"

Ivy hopped off his stomach. He looked at her, confusion and relief on his face.

Zoe looked on, thinking, "A fight that shook the world…literally."

"Y-you're actually letting me go?" He rolled over onto his knees in a praying position, grabbing her hand and shaking it profusely, "thank you! You're far too kind; I promise to never try anything for as long as I live!" He got to his feet and started to waddle out of the building, but Ivy called after him.

"Hey, mister Chizo, sir. Can I ask you something?"

His face turned pale as he turned around, noticing the cigar that was still in her hand. "Uh," he gulped, "what do ya need…m'lady?" He asked, forcing a toothless smile.

"How'd you learn to get energy?"

The bar erupted into laughter.

Chizo's small beady eyes squinted at her with suspicion. He didn't detect any malice or humiliation in the question, only innocence. He thought for a moment, then a large grin crossed his face, "lean in close, and I'll tell you!"

"Okay!" Ivy said as she skipped towards him and put her ear towards Chizo.

"Ivy, don't do it!" Colson yelled.

Ivy turned to him and grinned, "I got this!" She turned back to Chizo, who leaned down and cupped a hand over his mouth. The group could see him speak, but couldn't read his lips or hear what he said. Then he made a giggling sound and quickly waddled out of the front door.

Ivy's eyebrows were knit together with a look of confused concern. She walked over to Colson and Zoe.

"What'd he tell you?" Colson asked.

"Nothing, he just burped."

Colson noticed Zoe, who smiled with relief, thinking, 'I'm surprised that worked…well, maybe not. He doesn't seem like he's been in a chemistry class before or been to any class in general. If she were to light that on fire, it would hurt, yea, but it wouldn't be too dangerous as alcohol doesn't burn, only burns up. I wonder if Ivy knew that, though.'