– So yeah, you two will stop from the vigilante stuff.
Mom said while i got up from the bed
– I wouldn't call it being a vigilante, more like auto intitulated assassins.
I countered with.
Nate get's closer to me and wishper's.
– Didn't you once said that " We will be like heros"?
– Well, Don't say that, they could hear us, dumbass.
I wishpered back to him.
– How can an ass be dumb? Idiot.
I sigh as i push him away gently.
– Whatever...
Mom look's at us and says
– Well, however you call it, you two will never do it again. We will find out if you do, and if you two do end you going out there being "auto intitulated assassins" i will make sure you don't leave the house till you're 18.
I look back at nate and he look's back at me.
– She's bluffing? Right?
– Will we risk it?
Nate asks me.
– Nah, i want to live my teenage years happily.
Nate starts nodding and affirmating what i said.
– Ok, we will stop our work as auto intitulated assassins, but i do want to join the knight corps.
Mom stop's to think, but dad jump's into the conversation.
– That's why i was training you two in the first place.
Mom continues.
– But, we will only let you two join once you're 16.
Seems good enough, i think to myself.
– Deal!
I turn back to Nate, i forgot to ask him if he wanted to join the knight corps, i told him i was going to do it, he never said anything about joining aswell.
– Yo, i almost forgot, You wana join the knight corps? It's ok if you don't want to.
Nate looks down at me.
– I wanted to join after you first mentioned it, We're the dream team for life.
I smile while looking at him.
– Dap me up, my man.
Nate raises his hand, both our arms are getting closer and closer to eachother, the moment our hands touch, the clap sound you hear from the dap is so loud, air is blowing away from our hands.
– Ya'll so weird. Our little sister says from the back.
She isn't wrong, but who wasn't weird at 9 years old? I mean.. i was about 30 years old by then... Nevermind.
I turn to her and lift her up.
– Isn't it rude to say that to your brothers?
– And?
This kid really acts like a brat
I put her down and head out of the room.
– As i thought (sigh)
After i head out the room i start to think.
What did i not have in my previous life? Why wasn't i king? I was the strongest. The thing i lacked, was money.
I start looking for Nate, he's outside with our little sister, teaching her to insult me, again.
– Hey Nate, c'mon, we got business to talk.
Before Nate could answear, our little sister, Azalea, butted in.
–You finally got a job? You're finally doing something worth while.
I grab her and pinch her cheeks.
– What did i tell you about listening to Nate?
– Tha,t it's bad, and that it's not lady-like.
– That's correct, but i also told you something else.
– Nate is all muscle no brain, so i shouldn't repeat what he says?
– exactly!
Nate, after all the slander that he heard, he slaps me on the back of the head.
– Ouch!
– Didn't you say we have business? Lets go.
Said Nate in an angry-ish tone.
– Ok ok, bye Azalea.
As we are walking to my room, Nate asks:
– What business is it?
– I realized that the only reason we were caught wasn't because of the trackers, it was also because we used dad and mom's money to buy our stuff.
– Ohhh, yeah, we did use their money. You wana start our vigilante careers again?
– Nah, i already told you, i want to be king, but i don't have the money, i'll need a business.
Right as i said that, we got to my room.
– Ok, what we gon' sell? Or steal, good either way?
– I have an invention. How would it be like to have a small cannon with you?
– That's pretty cool, but it's too hard to make, and it wouldn't be as helpful, since there are people faster then cannon balls.
– yeah, but cannons are way bigger, and have a waaaay bigger round, this will be pretty small, but it would probably be good only as a one-shot weapon, since i don't have a way to reload fast enough.
– Would it make us money?
– yeah, most people aren't faster than sound, we could sell these to nations, and also normal people.
– Ok, how do you call it?
I stop and think for a second, should i make a new name for it? They were used in my last life, so i am not the inventor, i guess i'll go with musket.
– I call it the musket. Here are the blue prints.
Nate becomes amazed by the musket, i don't know if it's because he thinks it's complicated, or because he thinks it could be powerful.
–Hmmm, i can understand most of it, the firing mechanism is kinda complicated, but i can understand the basics behind it.
– That's good to know, now we just need to make the parts.
– I can do the wood carving, you gon' be able to make the firing mechanism?
– Maybe, lets go.
I dash out the room and head to the forge. As i open the door, a wave of heat hit's my body, i hear the sound of boiling water, i look over to the sound, there is see my little brother in protective gear, quenching a blade, the cloud of steam coming from the quench bucket is covering his face.
– Hey, Shi, what are you doing here?
– You need to put an accent on "i„ when saying my name, and, i am making a sword, i'm trying to make a jain.
– A what?
– The jian is a traditional chinese sword.
– Ok, i'll wait here till you're done.
– Ok, i guess.
I've waited an hour for Shi to finish tempering the jain, after he was done, the blade looked beautiful, it was the best blade i have ever seen.
Shi take's his balde and open's the door.
– I'll go ask Nate to carve a hilt for me.
– I think he will be busy, since we also have a project.
Shi stop's in his tracks.
– What kind of project?
He asked like a enthusiastmated kid, which he was.
– We're making a hand held cannon, I call it the musket, it has a bullet that's the diameter of 8th of an inch.
– won't it be slower?
– Nah, it would move at around the speed of sound. You wana help?
– Hmmm, show me the blue prints.
I take the blue prints out of my waist band, hading them to Shi.
– It has a lot of small pieces, you will need to also cut the metal after forging, you think you can do it?
Shi asked me. I wasn't able to make the mechanism, at the time.
– Nah, but you can.
– What am i getting out of it?
– 20% of the profits.
Shi stop's to look at me.
– You will sell this?
– Yeah, after making two or three, we will get an appointment to meet with the general, he'll probably like them.
– Only three?
– Yeah, if the general like's them, he will sign us a contract.
– Ok then, i'll get to making the parts, what will you do?
– I'll go buy the gunpowder. See ya, little brother.
After i grabed my wallet i left for the city centre, where most illegal activity happend, it was a secret, of course. Most civilians didn't know about the black market happening right under their noses, even the ones who knew about it, didn't try to report any of it, messing with them would mean death, for most people.
I know about the black market because i was sold once.
Never thought i'll go back there willingly, but here i am.
Most people think that the drug and weapon deals happend in back alleys and secluded places, but it's not true, the place i was going to, isn't a dark alley, it's a flower shop.
There i was, in front of the base of the biggest mafia boss in city, Hank's flower shop.
As i enter through the door, the sound of a bell is heard, inside the shop it's all colorful and happy, the old man behind the counter is selling a bouquet of roses to a young woman, you could never guess he was the leader of the most feared mafia around.
– Hello young lad! What would you like to buy from my humble shop?
– I'd like a bouquet of alstroemerias
His face changed really quickly, he went from the jolly old man to the old veteran that would talk about how hard the war was.
– Sorry, we don't carry that kind of flowers here.
– Cut the crap, i want to buy something from you.
– Hmph, even kids think they are gangsters, just leave, i won't sell you any drugs.
– I'm not here for drugs. I want to buy something useful from you.
– Ok, let's go, i'll show you around, if you show me some dumb shit, i'll throw you out in no time.
He leads the way to the back of the store, it looked normal, untill he lifted up one of the floor boards, there were stairs going down to a tunnel. The tunnel was about 400-500 metres long, we walked for about 5 minutes till we got to the end of it, there, another staircase waited for us, it was made out of a redish wood, the carving was brute, it look's like it was made fast to be functional. A iron door was placed at the top of the stairs.
"Hank" turns to me and says.
– Just so you know, if you try to buy drugs or ingredients for drugs, i will beat you up and leave you naked in an alley way.
– What's it with you and drugs? I am already crazy enough as i am, why would i need drugs?
– Well, you did come with me to an unknown place, you're probably crazy, or just dumb, maybe both.
He open's the door using the key that was around his neck. The place wasn't a cave or what i thought i'll see, it was just a warehouse, quite boring.
– Now, where do you store the methamphetamine?
Hank cracks his knuckles and starts to gesture for his goons.
– Hey, i was joking, can't a man have a laugh? I want to buy gunpowder.
– How much you need?
– 3 kilograms, how much is it?
– Well, one kilogram is 3 gold coins, so 3 would be 9 gold coins, you got the money for that?
I take out my money bag from inside my my jacket's pocket and hand him 9 gold coins.
– C'mon, i don't have that much time, i have work to do.
I say while pointing and my non-existent watch.
Hank sent his goon in the back to bring the gunpowder, Hank looked st me and took out a notebook.
– What's your name, kid?
I give him a confused look.
– Shouldn't i get to keep my name a secret, since we're doing an illegal trade?
– Nope, i get the names of all kids that are buying stuff like drugs, i also get the name of everyone buying enchanted weapons and explosives.
– Ohh, well excuse me mr. Officer, would you also like my ID?
– Look, kid, we do that because of terrorists, we also live in this city, if the city goes down, so do we.
– Ok ok, my name is William Smith.
After i told him that, he starts writing down in his notebook, by the time he's done, the goon already brought the gunpowder, i grab it and head back to the tunnel, Hank is following behind me. After i leave the store, i get to walking back home.
– That took a long time, i think to myself.
As i walk home, a guy's voice is calling me over, i look to the person that called me, it was a tall, skiny guy, he looked like a junkie.
– Hey kid, i seen you visited old Hank, you know the deal, hand over the drugs.
This idiot think's i bought drugs, is he just siting around here waiting for people to buy from Hank?
– What you mean? I only went inside for flowers?
– Cut the crap! If you really had flower, you would hold them in your hands, not in your backpack. Now, hand it over.
The junkie lunged at me, he was pretty damn fast, but he still can't beat me. I dodge him and grab his collar, rising him up and slaming him into the ground, the rock that the sidewalk was made out of was shatered, i let my guard down thinking it's over, but the junkie grab's my head with his feet and throw's me into a wall, before i hit the wall i flip in the air and turn my back to the wall, using my feet to jump off the wall back to him, in a second, i am next to him, i throw a cross to his jaw, using all the speed i got from jumping off the wall, i knock him out.
– Hey, kid! What are you doing?
I turn back to see two guards, they most probably heard the commotion of our fight.
– Is that Danny? Damn it! He's back to this.
– What? Could you please explain, if you don't find it anoying that is.
The guard sigh's and start's explaining who Danny is.
– He was a former knight, but after a mission of going undercover to catch a drug lord, he got addicted to drugs, since then, he kept trying to get more, most of the time he either robbed people, and also worked for gangs, he didn't last long in the gangs, tho.
– Where do you know that from?
– We were the ones that kept busting all the gangs, after we got caught Danny, he explained what happend, nothing we could do for him,we keep patroling around here, giving him food and water, and also stoping him from robbing people.
– Ya'll ain't that good at the last part.
– We're sorry, we thought that the sound came from the other side of the neighbourhood, since Danny has calmed down, but it look's like he got his hand on drugs, sorry, anyway, What's your name? We will need your name to get him in prison, it's the best place for him as of now.
– Oh, my name is Raymond Cassiel.
Before i could tell them thanks, and run away, Danny got up and yelled:
– He got drugs! He while pointing at me.
The two guard look at my backpack with a confused look.
– You think this kid has drugs on him?
– Well, he doesn't seem like the type to.
The guard number one look's back at Danny.
–Look, man, this kid doesn't seem like the type to have drugs on him, maybe you missunderstood.
– No! I've seen him enter Hank's flower shop, what do you think he has in his backpack?
I interrupt them.
– All i got in my backpack are flowers, they are for my mother.
– Why would you keep flowers in your closed backpack? Danny asked.
The guards look at me.
– Look, kid, he ain't wrong, just show us your backpack.
– I can't fight guards! Fuck! I think to myself.
I throw them the bag and start running, i turn left in an alley, and start climbing the walls, the hard rock has enough grip that i won't fall down, but the space between the rocks is smaller then my fingertips, making it kina slow to climb. Before i could get to the top, i was only about seventy five the way up, but the guards reached the alley and one o them throws their spear at my hand, i dodge it and grab it with my other hand, i gain some momentum to be able to jump on the spear, using it as steping stone to jump over the wall. I start running home, i use my ability to make myself faster using it to run for 5 killometres, it will only take about 5 minutes. After running for a bit, i stop my ability and continue running normally, after reaching my house i see dad waiting in front of the door.
– Hi dad! I yell as i run to the door, but before i could get one metre closer to the door, dad, punches me in the face so hard i hit the iron fence, denting it.
– You're buying drugs now, are ya? Dad yelled as he was running towards me.
– Wait i ca-. I get hit with an uppercut in the gut before i could finish my sentence.
– C'mon, you're a man now, fight back.
My dad said.
– I guess i'll have to try, i didn't go all out on the old man for some time. I think to myself before lunging at him with my fist in front, readying for superman-like punch, my fist is so close to his face i can touch his beard, but before my punch land's, his knee is in my face, my tooth flies out my mouth with a higher speed than my body being flung into the wall of the house.
– Enough! Engine!
I've worked on this technique for years, a real fight ender, i'll put all i have in one coordinated attack, moving at sub-sonic speeds.
– Maximum output!
I run at dad, he look's like he's moving in slow motion, after i'm 2 metres away from him i jump and curl into fetal position, poisitioning my body so that my feet are pointed at his face, the moment i feel contact with his nose i kick out both my legs, but something is off, he started smiling, dad's head was pushed back by my attack, but he moved my feet out the way with his hand, he was moving faster than my eyes could see, before i even touch the ground, i was knocked out by a kick.
– Ugh, what happend?
– you fucked up. Now tell me, why were you buying drugs?
I look around the room, i was in the living room, on the couch, my whole body ached, i took a look at dad's face, all he had was a cut on the bridge of his nose.
Behind my dad, stay the guards, with anxious looks on their faces.
– I wasn't buying drugs, it's only gunpowder.
My dad's face goes from angry to surprised.
– What the fuck? Why do you need gunpowder? And why didn't you tell me it was gunpowder?
– I tried, but someone punched me into the metal fence, then got hit with an uppercut to the gut!
– Oooookkkk, i get it, maybe i should've let you speak. Why did you run, anyway? Not like having the gunpowder would result in more than a fine.
–WHAT?! Isn't it the same thing as having drugs? Or worse? Since drugs will only hurt me, not a whole building.
– I mean... For most people, i have a good lawyer, and he could bring you case to about 5 silver coins.
One of the guards speaks up.
–Even if you don't have a good lawyer, the amount of gunpowder you have would be nothing more than a misdemeanor, so a 1 gold coins fine. Either way, you're going to get a fine, you can either fight it in court or pay it at the city hall.
After that he hands me a paper, and him and his colleague walk out of the house.
Dad scoot's over to me.
– How much is it?
– 3 gold... I'll pay it, not like i don't have the money.
– I could pay it for you, since i'm your father and you're like 10 years old.
– I'm 9. And i have enough money to pay for this, i'll go pay it later.
– Whatever you say, i'm off, i have some work to do.
Dad get's up from the couch and leaves the room, i get up, and head to find Nate, he should be inside the workshop. Before i go to the workshop, i visit the smithy, no one it there, but there are still some molds that looks like they were used to make the firing mechanism. I get out of the smithy and limp to the workshop. Inside the workshop i find Nate and Shi, both working on the muskets, next to them is Rose.
– Hey.
They turn around to look at me.
– Damn, who beat you so bad?
– Dad.
– Why?
– He thought that my gunpowder was cocaine or some shit, i did get a hit on him, tho.
Rose barges in the conversation.
– He done beat you up, let me heal ya.
I sit down on a chair so that Rose can use her heal on me.
– Damn, he broke your nose.
– I know that already, you done? I feel kinda better now.
– Ok, go work, i guess.
– So,how many muskets did you make?
– only two are ready, there are three that we didn't assemble yet, go get those ready.
After we assembled the other muskets, we started pouring gunpowder down the barrels of the guns, each gun needing about 10.04 grams, or 155 grains of gunpowder.
– Hey, ya'll have the bullets in here?
– Yeah.
Shi puts his hand in his pocket and hands me a steel ball, i push it down the barrel with a stick Nate carved, pressing the ball down on the gunpowder.
– Ya'll done?
– Yeah.
Both Shi and Nate answear.
– Let's go to the back yard, i fixed some targets there.
After that, we all left for the back yard, where i set 5 targets 50 meters away from us.
– Ready?
Shi asks me as i put the stock of the gun to my shoulder a d raise it to eye level.
– I was born ready.
I tell Shi before pressing the trigger.