Hoa and Tiana continued their search of Thong's room, the stacks of money laying on his bed. Hoa bent over, picking up a plastic bag that had been shoved in the furthest corner of the room. Tiana leaned over, watching the older woman pull the bag out. They laid it in the middle of the room before opening it. Hoa let out a gasp as Tiana lifted several dirtied and bloodied shirts and masks from the bag.
Hoa: Oh dear… My sweet child is doing illegal activity!
Tiana: Is street fighting always this dangerous? I've watched a few documentaries regarding punks and the fights they get into, but this is something else!
Hoa: This reminds me of a story about how some blond man punched another into a stack of steel cars. I can't imagine my boy doing such a dangerous activity.
Hoa's eyes wavered after uttering those last few words. Tiana noticed the look in Hoa's eyes.
Tiana: Mrs. Tran, why do you look so guilty?
Hoa: I… I thought I could never see Thong do such dangerous activities, yet… He takes nearly any job to help fund me and his father. Over a month ago, he was working construction for a fairly new company. The site was hardly looked over properly, I knew it was… Yet Thong never complained once.
Tiana: He worked at a dangerous construction site? And never said a word?
Hoa: H-He was just happy enough to find work. Every penny went to me and his father.
Hoa collapsed to the ground, tears building in her eyes.
Hoa: And one day, he came home with money, not saying a single word of the job he gained it from. I never questioned it, since that was just the way he was… What kind of mother am I? I let my son take on every risk, not even being able to get a bachelor's…
Tiana crouched down next to Hoa, wrapping an arm around the weeping mother. Hoa turned to Tiana's shoulder, letting out a soft cry. Tiana could tell that even now, Hoa tried to hold back her tears. The guilt that had laid under the surface had slowly begun to bubble up. Tiana looked up at Thong's bed, noticing all the money that lay there.
Tiana's thoughts: Knowing that idiot, he was slowly giving the money to his family to not alert them in the slightest. He never hid his injuries well, but he knew how to keep the same attitude.
Tiana grabbed Hoa's shoulders and pulled the woman off of her. She looked into her eyes, a thought coming to her mind.
Tiana: I don't think Thong entered this dangerous street fighting by himself. There is someone I think probably led him to it. Someone I know too fondly.
Hoa: D-Do you mean?
Tiana: Yes, our friend Michael Taylor.
…
The thick walls of the stadium muffled the sounds of the audience. Tristan and Violet sat in a room, two phones laying on the table in front of them. The door creaked open as the siblings looked over, noticing the elder figure that entered the room. Warrick stroked his beard, looking at his two children that turned in unison to smile at him.
Warrick: Well, if it isn't my two lovely children. I bet you two were rather surprised to learn I was here.
Tristan: More than surprised, father.
Violet: I thought you had entrusted us with all business regarding the Eclipse for this tournament.
Warrick: Why, of course. I trusted you two dearly, but I had quite a number of deals I had to do myself. I have very close relations with the Head of the organization and the King of the Virtus Imperium. I need to have both of you meet them so that your connections will be as solid as mine! Though, it may take you twice the time it took me!
Warrick let out a hearty laugh, Tristan's eyebrow twitching from the sound of it. Violet kicked him under the table, making Tristan more alert.
Tristan: Haha! Why yes, father. I cannot ignore that we are rather premature in terms of the connections you have made. But I can assure you that we are no amateurs.
Warrick: Oho? Is that so?
Violet: It quite is! I'm certain you're aware of the Collective, right?
Warrick: Why yes I am! Ohhh, don't tell me…
Violet: We've become quite closely connected with them. We have a solid connection with their fighter Joseph as well as associates of the group such as Kuro and that masked fellow.
Warrick: Well color me surprised! You've connected already with some of the most highly recognized members of this organization!
Tristan: Absolutely. We needed to build our experience somewhere. And no better place than with one of the highly recognized groups and fighters!
Violet: And we've started some negotiations with other companies under the table as well!
Warrick: I am quite proud to not have slackers for children! I may be able to step down sooner than I expected!
Tristan: I truly recommend that you do, father. You've done more than enough.
Warrick turned to Tristan with a look of shock. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at his children.
Warrick: You sound rather insistent.
Tristan: Oh, I certainly am, father. You've supported the Kaisuto Group for over forty years. But you've grown old, your reign has gone on for far too long.
Violet: It's quite true. We can't be in your shadow forever. We've been making our own arrangements and see that the Kaisuto Group can make much more powerful plays if we don't continue the same safe moves you have made.
Warrick: Are you two insisting that I've been holding back my group?
Tristan: Simply look at the numbers, father. Many of the fighters you've once held ties two have long retired. The King of that island nation has lost, and the Head is in poor condition.
Violet: We're simply choosing to avoid staying with the same old decisions and hoping that they will last us an eternity.
Warrick: Never have I heard more disrespectful words! And for them to be coming from my own children!
Tristan: We're doing this because we care for you and the Kaisuto Group, father. We will take over and bring a new era to the Kaisuto Group. Simply sign us the rights.
Violet pulled a piece of paper and a pen from under the desk. She laid them flat in front of her father. Warrick glanced between the contract and his children. He could not see a single sign in their expression that this was a joke. Tristan and Violet wore the most maliciously serious expression he had seen.
Warrick: So it would appear that my own children would like me gone from my own company. One that I had guided and helped grow for nearly half a century.
Tristan: Oh father, don't take this as us being ungrateful. We truly appreciate every single thing you have done for us. You raised us to be just what this company needs for its future.
Violet: We could have never done it without you. But even the group itself has outgrown its use for you. So please, sign the contract and allow the new age for the Kaisuto Group to begin.
Warrick slammed his hands on the desk and stood up. His eyes wore an intensity of a life that experienced over forty years of hardship. A shiver went down Violet's back, but Tristan refused to worry.
Warrick: I am sorry to disappoint you two, but I will not be stepping down any time soon. I am well aware of my worth and when the right time to step down will come. For my own children to decide to rush such a decision is unbelievable. Even the Azufield have had a much more gracious passing of the torch than you two seem to desire. I will pretend as though this conversation had never occurred and that you two never approached me today. Think carefully of your next action as I may very well choose a different heir to the future of the Kaisuto Group.
Warrick stepped away from the table and left the room. The door shut with a hard slam, Violet watching it with a look of disbelief.
Violet: He rejected it… just as you said.
Tristan: Father has seen several of his closest companions try to overtake the company from him, and each attempt has failed. I doubt asking him to sign his position over was going to work.
Violet: So mind telling me what our next plan is going to be, genius?
Tristan: Of course. Please open the phone and look at the name of the first contact.
Violet grabbed the phone in front of her, unlocked it, and swiped to the contact list. Her eyes shot open as she read the name that sat there.
Violet: Y-You don't mean…
Tristan: I most certainly do. Oh, and don't assume that I'd have you do it alone. I also came prepared for our little Thong problem.
Tristan opened the phone in front of him, casually swiping. He turned his phone over, showing the name to his sister.
Violet: You plan on sending that person to deal with Thong!
Tristan: Oh, no. Thong is surrounded by a good number of people as well as allies of the Virtus Imperium. However, the ones not surrounded by other fighters or high-ranking members of a powerful nation are those he holds most dear to him. The one he attacked us over.
Violet: You mean.
Tristan: Yes. I plan to hold Thong's family captive and use them as leverage. I will force him to step down and forfeit. Once he runs over to save his family, he and his family will fall.
Violet: Can't he just tell his friends about it?
Tristan: Did you not see how impulsive he is? While his friends will wonder why he quit, he would have barely given them a clue to figure out why. If the information I received is correct, we're several hours away from his hometown. He'd never be able to return in time to save his spot.
Violet: That… is so devilishly evil! But… are you sure about assassinating our own father?
Tristan stood up and stepped over to the counter that sat behind him. He placed both hands next to the sink and looked down. A crooked smile formed on his face as the thought appeared in his mind.
Tristan: Ohohohoho. I am more than sure. I prepared myself for the day I would need to kill that old bastard!
Violet: But… Don't you love him?
Tristan turned to Violet with a crazed look in his eye.
Tristan: He's my own father! I care for him almost as much as I care for you, dear sister! But a time comes when you need to put an old dog down. Father has overstayed his welcome. The future of the Kaisuto Group requires us and the Serpent's assistance! We are the future!
Violet: Tristan… You're scaring me.
Tristan: Don't be afraid. I'm only doing what I know we must. I will ensure that our plans will not fail. We will begin our movements and take over the Eclipse and expand the influence of our group. We must take destiny into our own hands.
Violet looked closely at Tristan's face, the crazed look in his eyes. His smile seemed closer to a devil than a human. His face had told the story to Violet as she let out a nervous laugh.
Tristan: Let us bring forth the age of the Kaisuto siblings!