Earlier, before Lu and Szlick went far from the Infirmary, the two high officials - the old and the younger - went inside the Colonel's office, "Seems, you're still weak in handling children!" said the old man with a senile smile, "How were they?" he added. "Reminds me of my younger days! but stronger" Mustang replied, "The shirtless one threw a punch, through my force barrier, I would've been unconscious if not for the trick",
" Trick?" the younger official curious about it, "Ohh!! The trick or total control" said the old man and he told the younger, "If you ate a huuge punch in the face, will you get knocked out?".
" Yes I would sir!" The younger official replied.
"Everyone would, but why?" the old man raised a question.
"The brain hitting the skull wildly inside will concussed any man however strong they may be" quick and proper the younger responded.
"So Mustang didn't sleep? Why?" the old man asked the younger.
"It's hard for me to say Sir!"
"Take a risk".
" I have two scenarios Sir!"
"Ohooo! tell me"
"First, as the blow came in Sir Mustang puts up several layers of barriers in between, cushioning the punch force!"
"Second, total control!, Sir Mustang wrapped his brain just right filling the gaps between it and the skull, so no matter the force of an impact concussion is not an option, that is all Sir!".
"Youngsters now a days are so uptight, ease up, Khadami! and you're right on the second one, right Colonel?". Mustang responded with a nod.
" Old age should be a crime, people just assumed you're a perv just for staring at some young buns" said the old man with a sigh. "Sir! Maybe because the buns you drooled over like the ones from yesterday weren't made of dough" Khadami the young official respectfully responded, "Ho-hohoho buns are fun" the old man said.
In the huge main gate of Guards-Hold, "Something's fishy!" Lucy looking out from the gate, "Those beasts don't ever wander this close to the town".
"Liar's right, the rhins are friendly,there's someone behind this" said Lu.
"they're closing in, did they hire rippers?" Looking down at the caravan and the guards, Szlick assumed there were rippers among them. , "Don't just stand here, go save them" Lucy told the boys, "But I don't wanna harm the rhins, harming animals is bad" Lu replied, like he did a good, he stood divine and dignified, "You idiot, hurry" Lucy urged the two, "my promotion is on the line" she motivated-ly spoke. "We can scare them, Szlick give me a boost" Lu told Szlick, the latter replied, "How? you won't even budge from my punches".
"Pick me up and throw me, but use your momentum thing" Lu said.
"I can't, if I could I wudve won that time".
" Just do itt"
"It's your fucking powers bro, I can't do it, Just go charge like you usually do"
"I don't understand it but it'll work trust me"
"Would you two stop bitching?" Lucy annoyed.
"Stay out of this Liar" Lu told Lucy like a child discriminating who and who can't play.
"Do your dance and throw me high, I'll do a bad ass ground breaking landing" Lu excited, smiled for the thrill.
"And how's that useful?" Lucy Doubtful, thinking what for? to her it was a redundant motive.
"Sometimes you just gotta go with floww ---- ready?" Szlick busted out his moves, "Feet shuffling symphony number 25-Moonwalk" he shouted, his voice sang a melodic joyful tune,
Lu was ready as ever,
"Jump when I say woo Lu! "
"Fuuun Inccc" Lu excitedly shouted.
Lucy felt abysmal watching the two, their logic and motives were out of this world, UNCANNY AT MOST TO MAKE IT ANYMORE ORDINARY. She looked at Szlick who's move were quite pleasing "Wooo--" he shouted and in a blink, in Lucy's eyes Szlick turned to dust and as she looked at Lu, he was there - not anymore but Szlick instead replaced him with his legs in a kicking motion-directed upwards- which Lucy soon followed with her eyes and there higher than high up in the air was Lu, arms and legs spread out wide. "Huhh??", " How is that?" she pointed at the sky, "Solving that?" now towards the Thundra-Rhino ever so closing the distance, the goods carrying caravans tried to wheeled themselves out of the way but it seemed impossible as the width of the rampage/the charge covered wide, which Lucy and the boys noticed earlier, it was orchestrated perfectly.
"Whoaa--I'm higher than the mountains" Lu said reminiscing the time he spent in the tallest mountains in the Kingdom, the illsazal peaks. 'Szlick is really powerful' he thought and he looked down at his landing ground, he was excited for the fall, 'I'd look so cool' he thought.
The people - guards and merchants from the caravans and all in the area ran for the gates, completely disregarding their goods. The Thundra-Rhinos got closer and closer, Lucy thanked the tall outpost for this retreat as they could spot danger from far.
The Rhinos got close to a distance that people in the ground could see, Lucy then saw figures, humans and just when he tried telling Szlick the dancer yelled, "Wooo--- " and exactly as before like a deja-vu Lucy only saw dusts of smoke left behind by Szlick.
Szlick actually charged at the Thundra-Rhinos, he too saw the figures behind the cause, he got past the rhinos in a flash and stood in front of the figures with the same robes as the assassin from before - who were hiding amidst the tall trees, "What's the deal fellas? " he said, with a pose - extra in all movement prior to the pose.
"The hell are you?"
"How'd you got here?" the shady looking individuals spoke.
"What's with the ruckus?" Szlick answered with a question.
"None of your Business" a lanky one replied, tall and hunched his arms like vines his two blades in each hands gave out an appearance that he's barely holding in to it.
"You guys bandits? are any of you famous?" Szlick asked the bunches with a smile.
"You're dead!" the hunched one, pointed his blade at Szlick, the people surrounded Szlick, all ready to strike at a given moment.
"Waittt!!" Szlick Shouted out loud, "People this days ... you can't even have a civil conversation "
"bababa anyway thought, I'll fuck with you - who here has the most bounty?... I'm simply here to scrounge you off of it" with confidence he spoke, and he tapped his foot, signifying he's ready for his dance of death.
"I'll take care of this guy, you go for the caravans,time's limited" the hunched one gave out an order.
"So you think you can beat me" Szlick looked around, "Im not your only problem,,, there's something impossible falling, right about no--".
A slight noise from the air, like meteor crashing down, with frictional fire all around - it took the gaze of all who could see in the town, with a loud thud and a sound of a wide crack in the ground - shattered it did, with chunks blown apart in a wide radius, Lu crashed just before the rampaging beats - wide and deep into the soil, the loud boom - the smoke bomb of a dust - the crackled shattered grounds spook the beasts, Lu landed in the middle of the rampage causing the Thundra-Rhinos to spook and changed their direction knocking each other aside and causing a chain reaction of misdirection, the path of the rampage change and the caravans were saved, the town however was not in a deep threat as the walls were sturdy in a literal sense.
The lose beasts further spooked from before, push through - back to the forests, trampling some of people who caused their rampage, "Shit the fcuk was that?" they said surprised.
"Who are you?" the hunched one asked Szlick.
"I'm a Jahgger" he answered.
"Did you do that?"
"Nah!! well kinda you'll find out soon enough".
" MEN!! GO STRAIGHT TO THE CARAVAN AND RETREAT" the hunched man shout out an order.
"I'm afraid, it's a mission failed" Szlick still tapping his foot.
"I'm gonna kill you boy!" the hunched man charged, the way he ran was a tell tale sign of un-ordinary, his arms wailed like vines his hunched back etched outwards his partially masked face highlighted his crazed eyes.
However Szlick wasn't not ready, he stomped his foot ceasing the tapped, and seemingly disappeared, the hunched man looked around in disbelief but then he looked up but Szlick's foot was now the whole sky he was allowed to see, "Give me the loot!" said Szlick stomping the hunched man's back, literally giving him a needed adjustment-a massage with deadly ending,cracked his spine out loud, the hunched man drew his last breath from a single move.
At the same time, leaving a massive deep crater in the ground, Lu felt good in his landing but as he looked around he saw no audience, 'It was too deeep' he thought and quite distraught he walked out of the crater and stood between the hunched man's men and the caravans, little to no time the men arrived their eyes focused on the caravans and charged straight forward but in between the charge, one of them dishes out an attack on Lu, a straight slash with some sort of bone like blades from his fore-arms, "Augghhh!" the man shouted in pain, his bone blade broken and on the ground he wailed, Lu squat-ed down at the man and said, "Did you harm the rhins?" face to face - extremely close.
"Vice captain" another man shouted, "Lun, Sehoo get the caravans, the rest back me up"
Just then the guards finally came out protecting the caravans, "Shit, should we retreat?", " I don't know".
"We're out numbered, there's only 10 of us now" the men conflicted in their mission which went wrong, to tease their matters worst Szlick returned with their Captain, the hunched man dead lifeless body.
"Shit! Everyone retreat" their fallen Vice captain issued out an order, "IT'S EVERYONE FOR HIMSELF, RETREAT" he continued to shout, "Baek cover, Baek?" one of the man shouted, but there was no answer, Baek was trampled and so they further faltered, in their Panic Szlick made a move, in a row - so quick for the normal eyes to see he completely took care of four men knocking them out simultaneously - a kick and a punch as seen by one, whom Szlick immediately goes after but quite capable - the other, he blocked, he throws his robe and got readied for battle, 'escape is not an option' he told himself.
"Woo-- someone needs a stronger bite" Szlick complimented the man who blocked his kick, "That wasn't my best but kudos chump!" Szlick said. In the other scene Lu still Interrogated the Vice captain, "What did you do the Rhins?"
The Vice captain didn't answer, which angered Lu, "We're not done here" Lu said and stomped the vice captain's knees - horribly squashes it. He looked at the remaining five, and readied himself for combat, "Im gonna fuck you all up" he said and the others too put up their defences, a stare-down - a stand off, silence the air for a moment but then Lu realized the vice captain could control his bones, judged simply by the bone blade from earlier, he awkwardly headed back and headbutted the fallen - knee squashed man unconscious, he turnt back at the other five and said "Now then, I'm gonna fuck you all up".
The guards present felt unneeded the merchants looked pleased, Lucy saw a slaughter which she cannot fathom but so did the rest indeed.
The fight between Fun inc and the five wasn't even worth a mention - was it a show of power difference or a simple torture in motion - well that's a matter of perspective, the five, though all rippers, stood no chance to Lu and Szlick, one caught them with surprise the other with speed and mountain breaking powerful hits. In order, the five men were not simple fodder they all had special ripper powers, one has a black armour like power completely covering his body, he was the one blocking Szlick's kick but was taken down quick by Lu-who punched through his power - horribly though his chest, killing him in the process.
Another shout out supersonic sounds, likely the cause of the Thundra-Rhino's rampage but instantly knocked out by Szlick with a high kick to the chin, Lu wanted to kill that guy specifically but he stopped and ripped out the head of another who slithered in the ground like a snake covered with black mist, the ripped out head like a tail his spine followed, Lucy was horrified with the man she laid her eyes on, 'But it's because they're evil' she told herself.
The other two one who transform into a ape like humanoid big - half the size of Genges but he too was fodder to Szlick-who grabbed and threw the Gorilla in the air and then a knee slam from mid air, surprisingly the man was only knocked out.The last man held a blade - a Katana, he dances and slices at Lu who felt nothing, but Lu have a hard time hitting the guy, Szlick saw this and proved his theory that Lu was inexperienced in martial combat, "Need a hand?" Szlick asked Lu, "Fuck off" Lu was irritated, the man was experienced enough to know that Lu wasn't effected, 'My cuts always kills, that's my power but how is this boy still alive' he thought, 'never mind, he is but a child with a sharp blade'.
Lu agitated simply shouted, "Fucking rat" at the guy and he turned his back on him, Lu looked a bit humbled, Szlick took this chance, and plunged feet first at the nimble swordsman finally knocking him out.
The whole fight took a mere six seconds surprising the audience, Lucy, merchants and soldiers and citizens, on top of the wall in the narrow pathway Colonel Mustang and the old man assessed the situation, their eyes keened on the duo.
"Well?" the old man asked.
"He's a dangerous beast, I'm not surprised if he was the struggler" he added.
The colonel was silent, his eyes directly befell-ed Lu.
In the battleground.
"Look at you Struggling?" Szlick laughed and teased Lu.
"I want to fight like that too!" Lu unfazed by the tease. His response quietly surprised Szlick.
"Young men could you tell me your names, I'm Wacho of the Merchant guild!" A fat-chubby man in his forties, smiled and happily congratulated their merchandise saviours,
"I'm Lu"
"And I'm Szlick"
"We're the Fun Inc" They both said.
"Hehehe How wonderful, with many praise, I thank you both, however I carried not much with me but I'd like you two to come to the merchants guild, We will reward you with whatever you can fathom" Wacho said, his thanks carried a heavy weight with a sigh of relief
"Maybe some other day, We're a little busy" Lu replied Wacho.
"Mister Wacho! Mister Wacho! it's nice to meet you again" Lucy came up running at them.
"Hehee if it isn't Lucy, how are you child, busy in work I see".
"Yes as you can see these two are under my care currently" Lucy replied with a smile.
"Under your care?" Szlick sarcastic, "Pfft! Liar" Lu complied, Lucy still shook of the needless bloodshed by Lu but decided to believe the bandits deserved it, although she however slightly felt a feeling of dread for Lu, 'like a beast, a child, he needs guidance' her mind decided on the quote.
The aftermath was lively, guards holds the men who're alive in custody and they cleaned up the rest, the sky finally darkened and announced the end of the day.
People retreated inside and the caravans and their guards in fear for further ambush stayed for the night in the Town.
Lu and Szlick fared their goodbyes to Lucy and Wacho, not long after Pay returned from his errands to a gay(beautiful) little dinner, Quails and made just the way he wills it.
"So how does this work?" Lu asked Szlick.
"This is a badge of recognition, it means we can go to the Merchants guild inner quarters whenever we want" Szlick explained what the Golden badge Lu got from Wacho is and was for.
"Can't anyone simply walk in?"
"They're strong guards there, highly paid".
" Good for them, but man being a guard sounds so booring" said Lu,
"Yeaa but hey! try and see what I smell!" Szlick excitedly uttered,
"The smell of hot liquidy, booze and wamen" Lu in the Szlick's zone. They looked at each other, with looks of a child getting a heavily anticipated gift, "Woooooo" they both cheered running towards O'Hare's keep.
In the far West from the town Bartholomew and his troops camped for the night.
Dey-Kong and his troops partied down for the night, all the while closing in on Pilatun they took an off road track almost near Guards-hold.
In the forest of Halhazar - west - near the border of the Kingdom, Wadu sets up camp besides him a sleeping Al. The first still very much in the mood for thrashing Szlick his main target.
Unbeknownst to all, a gear is set in motion slowly but surely for a higher, more eventful purpose that which would shake up the Kingdom's future.