CH7: THE GORILLAS.

1...2...3...

"HAPPY NEW YEAR"

Fireworks peppered the skies with beautiful colors and patterns as citizens of Desper and Redzone cheered. The display of sparks was so magnificent that some thought they were the works of ancient artists.

This, however, was because they were being launched from Neveah. Being a heavenly city meant they had astounding firework displays so there was no need for either Desper or RedZone to make themselves look bad and waste money on fireworks.

As people sang, danced, ate, and few kissed, two hover vans flew from Neveah and landed in the forest, far from Desper. Out came the black-robed man from earlier, who had the scientist killed. With him came CRAIN agents dressed in jet-black suits and shades and each one was equipped with a gun of their own.

" According to this tracker, we've got about six hours until we're able to find those pendants." He said with an eye patch on. His agents each took a small, screen-like object and spread out in the city, looking for the three pendants.

However, before they left, they noticed that while two were in one place, the third seemed to keep changing its location, moving up and down. "Sir, are you seeing this as well?" One of the agents asked.

The CRAIN leader sighed angrily as he crashed the screen in his hands. He then muttered dramatically, "Someone's already gotten a hold of the pendant. Which means?"

"They're turning into a mutant as we speak!"

"Wrong," He replied. "They've already turned into one, meaning there's no way we can extract the gene out of them…yet." He then went back into the hover van and pulled out three small, crystal-powered pistols. "Take these. They've got powerful tranquilizers so use them wisely. We can't let whoever got it to escape, understood?"

"Sir!" The CRAIN agents split up in pairs and dispersed into Desper and RedZone while their leader remained in the forest. "Whoever has the pendant must have known about it coming. That crazy scientist leaked out information. Damn it. If this information leaks out even more....No, they'll find them."

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12:00 AM

[January 1st.]

*Ding*

[22 days to the next full moon.]

[Main Quest Available: Control your beastly urges and survive the full moon. Remember, you're being hunted so find ways to grow stronger. 15 days to go.]

[Quests can be used to gain EXP and other rewards. EXP can be earned to level up. Levelling up comes with its perks and even bigger rewards. Additional quests can occur at any time. Depending on your situation, random quests will be given in order to access more rewards. Rewards include EXP, skill unlocks, and stat boosts.]

"What the hell is this thing talking about me being hunted?" He asked.

[Foreign, powerful forces seek to take your power. Manage to escape or kill them for additional awards.]

Dezhong was far beyond confused as he read the system notifications repeatedly. His mind was racing with many thoughts as he wondered why he got the system and why others were looking for him.

[Side Quest available.]

[There are two more pendants yet to be discovered. Find them before the hunters do.]

"Hunters? Are they the ones looking for the pendants? And if so, will they be looking for me too?" He questioned while gazing at his pendant.

"Hey, barf bag. Are you coming or not?" Luke yelled at Dezhong while he and Blake held a wire mesh fence open for him. The three teenagers were in Western Desper and at this time, it was a little quieter compared to the city center.

Each one of them was dressed in all-black clothes with hoodies so that no one would easily recognize them. The reason for this was that they were going to try and join the largest gang in Desper, The Gorillas.

" Alright guys, stick to the plan, Dezhong.Each year, there's a fighting tournament that determines who gets to be a Gorilla so your duty will be to get in. Good thing you have a little fighting experience so this should be easy for you, understood."

"Understood.'

The three boys made their way through dark alleys until they made it to The Gorilla's base. It was a large, brick warehouse redesigned to look more like a gang house. It had a large, iron Gorilla face at the front designed with green, neon lights under it, and a whole lot of people partying their guts out. The three boys casually walked in as if they belonged there and split up.

Here's the deal. Blake, Luke, and Dezhong were going to get into the Mutant Fighting Arena from the inside out, and the only way they could do that was by working for the gang that ran the whole industry. This brilliant strategy was schemed up by Blake, the ring leader of the entire shindig. Right now, they had each shown up for the initiation that only happened at the beginning and end of the year.

The Gorillas were well known across the land for recruiting teenagers and youths into their group since the largest population of Desper was made up of them. This not only made them grow faster, it also made them have eyes everywhere.

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" YEAH!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!" One of the gang members screamed as he crashed two beer cans on his forehead. Like others, he had two robotic arms powered by green, edgy crystals, the weakest of them all. The rest of the gang members cheered loudly as they too smashed beer cans on their foreheads.

Not wanting to feel left out, or suspicious, Dezhong got an empty beer can and tried smashing it on his forehead.

"Aah, mother fuc...." While cursing at his failed attempt, Dezhong heard the softest and most beautiful laugh belonging to the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

The girl, who was about the same age as Dezhong, had pink hair shaved on one side, dark eye shadow under her eyes, beautiful pink eyes, a not-so-curvy but sturdy body, and crystal ear piercings on her left ear. Dezhong felt his heart beat faster as the girl dropped what she was doing and slowly walked up to him.

Feeling nervous, he turned around and walked deeper into the crowd, since he didn't really know how to talk to girls. " Hey. What are you doing here?" Luke questioned. "Get back to your position or else we'll get caught.

Just then, the whole crowd went still for a moment before each one of them started beating their chests like Gorillas. Each one of them rhythmically chanted the words Kong as they beat their chests and stomped their feet.

"Ah, crap. What's happening?' Dezhong asked and Luke and Blake regrouped with him. "The leader's coming," Blake replied as he joined the others in their chant-like behaviour.