Merry Block

"Me and the other boys were ambushed at the Merry Block." The boy grabbed on to Monke's shirt with all his might and cried out with sparkling eyes.

Monke shook off his weakened hands and told him to lie down. He asked the boy for more details but he coughed out blood and told Monke that it was better he saw for himself.

"I also have something to give you." The boy still got up to his knees and removed a white sheet of paper from his pockets. "They said that it's a receipt for you."

Monke grabbed the paper and unfolded it. He squinted his eyes for a second before looking back at his mates. Po was sitting on a chair facing the door with his elbows resting on his thighs. While Joao was leaning against the table right next to him, now sucking on a lollipop.

They glanced at each other for a few seconds before looking back at Monke who still wore a blank expression. Monke blinked rapidly. Joao shrugged and Po just giggled dropping his head. Monke signaled for Joao and he reluctantly walked over, Monke gave him the paper and he looked back at Po. The same thing happened and Po took Joao's bag and walked towards them.

"Go to the student council and tell them Monke sent you," Joao said to the guy as he took his bag from Po and left the class with the other two already ahead of him.

The injured boy punched the ground and cried out, but it was nearly silent and sounded like a kettle. Joao snuck his head back into the classroom, "you might want to stop by the nurse first."

Down the hallway, Monke and Po took off their school ties and strapped on the black ones on top of their white school shirts. They also put on black blazers while Joao explained the receipt to them.

"Merry Block, one of the best buildings in the area. So of course someone is going to try and profit from it." Joao said.

"I own that building," Monke interrupted.

Joao cleared his throat to shut Monke up.

"Anywho, the boys were doing their monthly obligation and collecting rent from the tenants."

"Why aren't there any banks?" Po asked.

"Yeah, don't they have bank accounts?" Monke asked.

Joao cleared his throat even louder this time.

"It is Monkey's fault. The tenants in the lower part of the building pay less rent than the ones in the upper part because you said everyone deserves a spot in the best building."

"I did don't I."

"Fucking idiot." Po giggled.

"Long story short we've been robbed and the guys are threatening to terrorize the well off tenants if we don't cover their tab of P10 000," Joao said.

The boys finally left the building and walked around the parking lot. After settling on a car, Joao broke its window and opened it up from the inside.

The alarm went berserk and some students leaned out the window only to be met with Monke's glare. Nobody came out to say anything to them and Joao drove off.

The three of them finally parked outside of the oasis. Working hours so there were a few cars parked outside. What was visible though was fear, the residents of the lower apartments of Monke's building were sitting outside trembling. It was either someone was bleeding or they were taking care of someone bleeding.

"Big brother King, big brother..." A little girl spotted Monke and screamed but an old lady stopped her before she finished.

"I am so sorry, I apologize for my granddaughter I promise to teach her well," she said as she bowed frantically at the approaching boys.

Monke just glared at them for a second and just passed by without saying anything. Po stopped by them and gave the little girl a sweet while patting her. "I had a doll that looked just like you when I was younger."

"Big brother plays with dolls?" The little girl exclaimed. The grandmother tried to cover her mouth but Po had already snatched her away.

"IT WAS AN ACTION FIGURE!" He screamed as he brought her to his face and started blowing on her tummy.

"You said doll, you said doll I heard you." The little girl tried her best to respond while fighting back the gigantic urge to burst out laughing. She finally gave in and started kicking around midair.

The grandmother and everyone else around watched the two of them in anticipation and guard. She had her arms out and ready, while her mouth was a bit open in terror.

Po put the girl down gently on her granny's arms and gave her a head pat again "What's your name?"

"Bonolo."

"Wow, aren't you a cute little one? So why aren't you in school?"

The girl looked at her grandmother and she shifted her gaze away from the little girl. Bonolo lowered her head and said in a quiet little voice, "I would rather stay home with my granny."

Po placed his finger on her chin and lifted her face up. "Flowers should never have to look down. So how about a little smile on that face?" Po said with an unusually bright smile on his face.

Bonolo obviously didn't smile back and she again lowered her head. "Thank you for the lollipop." She said after a little bow.

A guy came out flying from the building's entrance and Po stood up, "I guess that's my cue to leave."

When Po walked into the building there were bodies everywhere and Joao along with Monke stood in the middle.

"Took you long enough," Joao said.

"I was fast considering that you're still here."

"Let's go," Monke said as he walked to the elevator.

"Oh no, I wouldn't take an elevator if I were you," Joao said.

"Why?"

"There might be a trap. If we risk setting it off we will not only be risking our lives but the building's condition as well."

"That's stupid."

"Then why are you walking to the stairs?"

"Don't question me."

"Hypocrite," Po said.

"That's not what that word means," Joao said.

"Perhaps." Monke giggled.

"You guys are buffoons."

"It takes one to know one," Po said.

The boys continued up the stairs with the same energy. Monke and Po would drop some random English words and Joao would get mad at them. While descending they decided to check on every floor for the gang.

Fortunately, they didn't need to go that far up high in before they found their enemies. Monke walked in before the other two and just as quickly ducked. The door was smacked away by a baseball bat.

Monke looked up and saw a grin on his attacker's face. It quickly disappeared along with the attacker as he crashed a few feet away from him.

"You don't enter another man's house without knocking. Didn't your parents teach you that?" Monke growled.

"I heard a lot about the great Monkey King. Although I would like to take this time to get acquainted, I have even more pressing matters to attend to. Seeing that you didn't take the lift I would assume that you don't have the money I asked for." A guy who was just as tall as if not a few inches higher than Monke said. He boasted of blonde tinted hair and a white suit, he didn't have a single smile on him and his eyes were hidden behind black shades.

The man had on him an iron rod and was leaning back against the wall were his underling had crashed a few seconds ago.

"Do I know you?" Asked Monke as he scratched his head.

Joao pushed him aside and let Po through. He also took the time to examine everyone who was there. As for the men on the enemy side they were all dumbfounded by Monke's comment and tried their level best not to look at their leader.

The man in the white suit had a vein pop on his head. "You continue to piss me off, but luckily today I'm not here on some trivial matter. I am here because I am owed and I am not leaving without our money." He said as calmly as he could.

"What makes you think that we'll let you get what you want? That vase and table one of your men just broke are worth more than a P100 000." Joao said.

"It was?" Monke and Po asked.

Joao had a huge vein pop on his head too and just like the white suit he took it like a man.

"Anyway, you guys came into our territory assaulted one of our own, trespassed, vandalized our properties, and dragged us out of school during lessons. All of that added up together would amount to about half a million in payment, but since we are very kind people we would only charge you half if you leave without a fuss." Joao said as he slowly walked towards the white-suited guy, now that he was closer, Joao realized that he had to look up for eye contact.