The man stands at 6 feet tall, light skin, dark blue eyes and black fuzzy hair. He is wearing a navy blue suit and black tie.
Kassius stands up and runs off out of the alley.
Man: "Hey! Where are you going?!"
Kassius runs on the street and bumps into a person. He hits the floor and looks up.
Man: "Did the fall knock your sense of hearing? Anyways, I'm gonna need my wallet back."
Kassius: "All right, all right. You got me. Here, take it."
Kassius hands him his wallet and tries to walk away but the man grabs his head.
Man: "Hold it."
Kassius (in head): "Dammit! Did he notice?"
Man: "Don't jump off buildings."
The man lets go of Kassius's head and Kassius walks the opposite way.
Kassius (in head): "He was carrying a lot of money. I can finally pay for it."
Kassius pockets the money and starts rushing off. The man looks at Kassius running off.
Man (in head): "I wonder what he's gonna use that money for. Maybe I should follow him."
Kassius arrives in the outskirts of the city. He runs into a pharmacy and rushes to the counter.
Pharmacist: "Yo kid! You're back. You got the rest of the money?"
Kassius: "Yes. You got the medicine?"
Pharmacist: "Of course."
He slams the bag of medicine on the front counter.
Pharmacist: "See? That'll be $1,000 as promised."
Kassius: "Alrigh, take it."
Kassius hands him the $1000 and takes the medicine bag.
Pharmacist: "Thanks for doing business with you."
Kassius: "Thank you."
Kassius runs out of the pharmacy and speeds through the streets as fast as he can. He reaches a store and buys a cake and candles. He leaves the store and starts running again.
Kassius (in head): "I hope it's not too la-"
Kassius is bumped onto the ground by a group of seven kids. His cake falls to the ground and splatters a bit. The medicine bag falls to the ground as well.
Kid 1: "Ol' Kassius Moore. What do you got for us today?"
Kassius: "Can't do this today. Can you guys mug me tomorrow? I'll open it in my schedule."
Kid 1: "Jokes now? Search him guys."
Two of them grab him and another two search him.
Kid 2: "Jackpot. That's eight grand."
Kassius: "Give it back."
Kid 1: "Or what? You're gonna cry?"
Kassius: "I'm not a baby, I don't cry."
Kid 1: "So you're gonna try fight us like last time?"
Kassius spits near Kid 1's shoe.
Kassius: "Maybe."
Kid 1 swings at Kassius and punches him to the ground, causing his nose to bleed.
Kid 1: "How's that feel?"
Kassius looks up at him.
Kassius: "Have you been working out? That wasn't as weak as it was last time hehe."
Kid 1 punches him again and they all start attacking him, constantly punching and kicking him for a while.
Kid 1: "Say that again!"
They stop hurting him.
Kid 1: "Let's leave. Take that bag too."
Kassius: "Give that bag ba-"
Kid 1 kicks him in the face and Kassius is on his back. They all start walking away.
Kassius stands up and wipes his nose. He picks up the cake and reaches into his pocket. He pulls out something.
Kassius (in head): "At least I have this packet remaining. I can't lose this one."
He continues walking. As the sun sets, Kassius reaches a bridge and climbs down under it to a floodplain where there is a person in a sleeping bag, a campfire and some water.
Kassius: "Mom, are you awake?"
Mom: "Who's there?"
Kassius: "Mom, it's me, Kassius."
Mom: "Oh Kassius my child, is that you?"
Kassius: "Yes Mom it's me. I got you the medicine I said I'd get."
Mom: "But how could you buy it? We have no money."
Kassius: "Don't worry about that Mom. I got lucky at my job today and found so much money. Here... Drink up."
Kassius assists his mom and feeds her medicine and water. He helps her lie back down. She holds his arm and looks him in his eye.
Mom: "Who are you?"
Kassius: "It's me, Kassius, your son."
Mom: "Ahh. My beautiful son. I haven't seen you in a while."
Kassius: "It's alright. Just get some rest."
Mom: "Kassius, I don't think I can make it anymore."
Kassius: "The campfire? Don't worry, I can start doing that fo-"
Mom: "Kassius, please. I understand your pain. Just always remember, I do love you."
Kassius: "I know...
His mom puts her hand across his face.
Mom: "I just want you to live your best life. I never meant to put my struggles on you. Everything in this world has a price but one thing. But I feel like they've priced that one thing for you too. Just promise me Kassius. Promise me you will never... you... will ne...."
Kassius: "Mom... Mom? Mom! No, please. Not now. Wake up please! Please!"
Kassius cries at the top of his lungs in the cold night but not a single soul hears him. He cries for many minutes. After a while, not knowing what to do, Kassius sits the cake near the thin river and starts lighting a candle.
Kassius: "At least I have this cake."
As Kassius tries to light the candle, heavy rain starts to fall.
Kassius: "I'm already eleven. Time for the birthday song. Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! H-"
Mom: "Happy birthday dear my little Kassius, hap...py birth...day t..."
Kassius: "Mom!"
Kassius turns back only to see his mother still lifeless on the ground. He turns back to his cake and stares at it. Tears start pouring on the cake but he still manages to maintain a smile on his face.
Kassius: "Happy... birthday."
The sun starts to rise as the next day arrives. The light shines passed the bridge and hits Kassius. He slowly starts opening his eyes and sees a shadowy figure looming over him.
Man: "Yo!"
Kassius: "Ahh!"
Kassius jumps back and stands up, staring at the figure.
Kassius: "It's... you from yesterday? If you-"
Man: "Save it. You just made me miss my chance at greatness. I'm not trying to here excuses right now."
Kassius: "Well, that has nothing to do with me, I don't care."
Man: "I figured. So I'm giving you a choice. I have a challenge for you. I'm going to attack you. If you manage to avoid me hitting you for one minute, I'll forgive you for what you've done."
Kassius: "Attack me?"
Man: "Yes, attack you."
Kassius: "And if I refuse?"
Man: "I'll kill you right now."
Kassius swallows nervously and starts to sweat a bit but then gets on his feet.
Kassius: "Well, I don't need to refuse, and I don't need your forgiveness. I need something more though."
Man: "Alright. How does one thousand sound?"
Kassius: "Sounds good."
The man removes his tie and covers his eyes.
Kassius: "Um... What are you doing?"
Man: "Handicapping myself, obviously. This way, you actually have a chance of not dying today. Now I'll spin... whoa!"
As he stops spinning he almost loses balance. He holds his watch.
Man: "Alright. You have a timer of one minute. Ready... Go!"
The man stands still and Kassius looks directly at him.
Kassius (in head): "What do I do? Do I just run around? Couldn't I just escape anyw-"
The man lunges at Kassius but he dodges to the side at the last moment.
Kassius (in head): "How did he...? I didn't even mo-"
Man: "You're a heavy breather. You should probably be quieter."
Kassius (in head): "Maybe if I try running away, he won't catch me."
Kassius sees a rock near his side.
Kassius: "Maybe..."
As Kassius bends slowly to reach for the rock,
Man: "You're quieter now. I hope you didn't hold your breath til you collapsed haha! That would be unfortunate."
Kassius picks up a rock and throws it to the side. The rock lands on the ground, causing the man to turn instantly.
Man: "There."
The man immediately lunges in its direction and taps the air. Kassius starts running the opposite way. The man runs towards Kassius.
Kassius (in head): "He's fast!"
Kassius, shocked, trips to the ground. The man reaches him and just as he's about to tap him,
'Beep beep, beep beep, beep beep, beep beep'
Man: "Oh? I guess you win. Not bad."
Kassius: "I... won?"
Man: "You sound surprised. Did you maybe think-"
Kassius: "Why? Why did you go easy on me?"
Man: "Hmm."
Kassius: "I didn't trick you with that stone. Don't pretend. Don't treat me like a baby! I didn't win. So kill me. Kill me!"
The man looks at Kassius with a serious face.
Man: "But if I kill you, I'd upset her over there."
He thumb points towards Kassius' mother. Kassius goes dead silent but the man starts walking away.
Man: "I won't kill you. But now that I've seen you here, I can't just leave you."
Kassius: "Wait! I can't... I can't just leave."
Man: "Hmm. I see. Then let's deal with this first."
Kassius and the man arrive at a small hill in the furthest point of the outskirts surrounded by trees that has a view of some of the main city. Kassius digs a hole and the man helps him place his mother's body in it. They cover the ground and place a sign that says "Here rests Viella Moore". Kassius sits in front of her grave.
Man: "If I may ask, why this point?"
Kassius: "I always heard her say she loved high hills. So now she can see all the beautiful sunsets she wants."
Kassius and the man start walking away from the hill back to the outskirts.
Man: "For a little kid, I didn't expect you to be so mature. Most would bawl their eyes out in these moments."
Kassius: "Well, crying isn't going to do me much good is it? So why should I? Only babies cry."
Man: "Crying sometimes isn't always a bad thing, you know. It's normal for people to cry in these situations. But I get it, you're trying to act grown up right now."
Kassius: "No I'm not!"
Man: "Hahaha! OK Kassius, do you want to tour the East side of the city?"
Kassius: "Mom said it was too dangerous for me to go there for too long."
Man: "Don't worry about it. I want to show you something. Plus you're with me after all so...?"
Kassius: "Fine."
Man: "Alright, let's go."
After journeying, Kassius and the man arrive at the East side of the city.
Kassius: "So, what are we here for?"
Man: "I want to show you something. I'll show you the best place to release them. You see that huge tree over there?"
Kassius: "Whoa! It's so huge."
Man: "They call it the Diamond tree. Only two men have been able to leave a small hole of some sort through it; A man by the name Remus, and the legend Jento Subayai. This tree is super sturdy. When Jento first did it, a tradition for hitting the tree began, but nobody else could manage to even do nearly as much as him, and with that, everyone slowly began to stop. But recently, Remus revived the tradition. Out of the blue, one day he came and punched the tree, left his initials, and disappeared. Now, everybody keeps trying to mirror him, but nobody has. So what do you say? Wanna take a swing at it?"
Kassius: "Um... I don't know."
Man: "Don't be shy. Nobody's gonna judge you."
Kassius: "Alright..."
Kassius winds up and punches the tree, but it does nothing to it.
Kassius "Ow ow ow ow! Dammit that hurt!"
Man: "Sturdy as a rock. Some say there is a cheat to this, but obviously rumors will be rumors. I've been trying since I was little but I couldn't do it."
The man removes his tie.
Man: "Do you mind standing to the side a little bit?"
Kassius moves to the side.
Kassius (in head): "That tree is so tough. How did anybody leave a hole in them? There's no way he'll match that, it's impossible."
The man gets into a stance and starts heavily exhaling and inhaling. After a bit, he looks up at the tree and starts walking forward slowly. He vanishes and in an instant, appears in front of the tree, punching it as hard as he can.
Kassius: "What?!!"
Man: "I... finally did i..."
The man falls to the ground exhausted. Kassius runs towards him and looks up at the tree.
Kassius (in head): "He did it?!"
Kassius stares mesmerised, as the man left a dent in the tree.
Man: "I'm... pretty strong aren't I? Hahaha. I mean, it isn't a hole like the other two, but this is more that enough for me. Hey, should I sign it or leave it anonymous? I mean, it's just a dent so would anybody even care hahaha!"
Kassius (in head): "He did it..."
Kassius: "Just who are you?"
Man: "Hmm? Who am I? It'd be nice if I knew who I was introducing myself to hehe."
Kassius: "I'm Kassius Moore."
Man: "Nice to meet you Kassius. I'm Mekai Ventra."