The earth shook with each step Tanlan took as he marched toward the siblings and Aizhen. Jun and Camille, Aizhen still in her grasp, took a large step back to keep their distance from the giant demon—backs against the table as his towering shadow engulfed them. Looming over the three was a giant of a demon, tall as a light pole one might mistake for a bulky olive green tree, wearing a faux fur vest, mahogany pants, and clawed boots. He cracked his knuckles as he was ready to bust some skulls and use them as cups to compensate for his fallen boba tea.
Tanlan led the Kongbu Yeshou Gang, Megapolis's most notorious and terrifying gang. He and his men were known to stage robberies by ambushing vendor trucks to steal 'one-of-a-kind' shoes, arcade machines, and once a grocery truck taking only the coolers filled with meat and fish. From petty theft to shaking down folks on the street and stealing cars before stripping them down for their parts.
Their boss, Tanlan, was the strongest, most ruthless and most ferocious to lead his fellow demons to cause chaos and destruction wherever they roamed. Nobody dared to challenge him for picking a fight with Tanlan is asking to be sent to the hospital twisted in a pretzel, bound in a bungee cord, and shaved from head to tail. One rumor had that he was challenged to an arm wrestling match by a panther demon who bragged to have the strongest guns-he ended up having his arm ripped off and struck mercilessly with it.
The biggest rumor that made this gang horrific was those who wronged them, let alone even standing up against such monsters, were never heard from again. Some say that the Kongbu Yeshou were a gang of cannibals that feasted on humans and demons alike- their bones were used for furniture and weapons; some turned into eerie instruments that played a haunting song that, when you listen closely, sounded like the screams of their past victims. Those were just rumors. Scary stories that demons tell their friends to rattle their bones. One thing was true, though: Crossing their paths is asking for a death wish, and unfortunately for Aizhen and her friends inadvertently have been granted an ill-fated wish when saving Aizhen from falling to the ground during her episode. He anchored down to get a good look at the troublemakers who'd make a fool out of him.
"Well, now, you think it'd be a riot to trip me with your tails back there?" he asked, his rancid breath escaping his crusty, jagged fangs as it washed over them.
Aizhen covered her mouth at the whiff of his breath. It smelt of rotten meat boiled in spoiled milk. Jun's shirt defended his mouth from the wretched odor, and Camille's tail was slightly wrapped around her mouth and pinching her nose.
"You have a lot of gowl to pull a stunt like that while I had my guard down enjoying a nice cup of boba tea-which has now found its way into my hair.", he said pointing to his drenched hair.
"And on your horn, apparently...", Aizhen spoke up, pointing to his right horn.
He gazed momentarily at the cup hanging from his corn, plucked it off, and crushed it between two fingertips. Jun let out a startled yelp-any moment they'd be the crushed cup between his beefy fingers.
"L-L-Listen, Tanlan, we-we meant no disrespect. I-It was an accident!" cried Jun, trembling in fear.
"Ex-exactly!" cried Camille, her voice muffled as she kept her nose pinched, but her tail unraveled to allow her to speak. "It's a funny story, really...You see, our friend got up a little too fast after having a kebab eating contest with Jin and Yin, and she got all wobbly an-"
"I didn't have a kebab eating contest with Jin and Yin. If I did, I'd win hands down-I could pack it in as they say," replied Aizhen.
"That's because you had 'food-nesia' after your 40th kebab when you were starting to black out."
"You think I would eat 40 kebabs to outmatch the brothers? Please, with my appetite I could make it to 50 hands down."
"I don't care how many kebabs you can wolf down! All I care about is getting payback for what you did back there!", barked Tanlan gripping his fists to his sides.
"Payback...Oh! You mean payment. So all you want is payment to replace the boba tea?" said Aizhen as she stepped forward to look him in the eyes. "If that's all that there is, then my friends here will be happy to give you the yuan to replace your tea that we've caused you to drop onto yourself during your scuffle."
Tanlan sized up Aizhen from her shimmering hair down to her shoes, yet her pointy ears struck him the most. He's never seen anyone like her before, let alone someone in their right mind, have the guts to casually approach him without quaking in their shoes or biting their claws down to the bone. She was different. Foolish, but different, to mention downright beautiful.
"Forgive me, I have no recollection of what transpired earlier, but as my friend explained, what happened was an accident for causing you to fall face first in the dirt and your drink drenching your mane. We'll replace the drink and let bygones be bygones."
"You got a lot of nerve to be in his proximity, Miss, let alone to try to weasel your way out of the predicament you and your friends gotten yourselves in."
"Whose 'weaseling out'? I am proposing a simple compromise between our two parties: We repay the tea, and you let us be on our way. As my friends said, it was an accident, and we're not looking for any trouble."
Tanlan cracked a smile as he began to chuckle, which led to a full-on guffaw as he shot back up with his head to the sky. Aizhen was confused, but Jun and Camille stood there, fearing the worst. He sloped down to look her in the eyes as she stepped back.
"You got moxie, lady, so I'll tell you what. I'll let this whole thing slide...If you go on a date with me", he said with a sickly grin.
Aizhen blankly stared at him for a moment. She turned to her friends, Camille and Jun, who shook their heads in disapproval. She returned her attention to Tanlan.
"I'm sorry, but...why would I...go on a date with you, let alone sit on a date?"
Tanlan was confused, tilting his head to the side like a puppy waiting for a treat. She was beautiful but a weirdo. Did she not know what a 'date' was?
"Date...Are you talking about...The fruit 'date'?", he asked her.
"Yes, why would anyone want to sit on a date? Dates are small, and it would be uncomfortable to sit on one, let alone in a date palm tree."
"Oi! When he said 'date', he meant going out with him!" yelled Yin, peeking from the table.
"He wants to go out with you in exchange for not pummeling us!" yelled Jin, peeking out from under the table.
Aizhen gave an understanding to the brothers. So a date was more than a fruit; it was a term relating to 'courting.' She had heard of 'courting' before but never experienced such a ritual amongst potential lovers, let alone couples.
"I see. So 'dating' is another term for 'courting,' she said, looking toward Tanlan and bowed to him. "I'm sorry, Mister Tanlan, was it? But I must decline your offer. I am not looking to 'court' for we are incompatible in structure and status...Not to mention that your breath smells like a stable that hasn't been cleaned in 300 years."
Jun whipped out a stone tablet, beginning to chisel his name while Camille gnawed on the end of her tail. Forget six feet under-Tanlan was going to send them directly to the Underworld by the time he was through with them.
Tanlan's eyebrows scrunched together, nostrils flaring and his jaw tensed trying to contain the bubbling volcano that was ready to burst within him. Did this lady not know who he was? Why was she the only one not trembling in his presence? Just who was she? No matter, she was going to learn soon enough along with her friends what happens when you mess with Tanlan the Treacherous!
"You really must be asking for a death wish to come straight out and insult me like that, Miss. Just who do you think you are!?" he commanded.
"My name is Aizhen, and you must be the HE my friends have been referring to."
"Oh? And did your friends happen to tell you exactly WHO I was and what I do to those who'd dare have the guts to disrespect me just as you did just now, AI-ZHEN?" he snarked, rearing his head down just two inches near her face.
"Just to avoid you at all cost, which I believe we have....as you say...' jinxed' ourselves.", replied Aizhen.
"Oh, you 'jinxed' yourselves good, alright, and when my men show up, let's see if you can keep that pretty face of yours before it cracks like porcelain!"
"Sorry, but I've had my fair share of cracks in my past and I don't ever want to go through that again."
"Ya should've thought of that before ya picked a fight with our boss!"
A new voice joined the fray as a familiar figure emerged from an alleyway, sneering at Aizhen. A wolf demon stepped forward, claws tucked away in his pockets, casually fiddling with a bony toothpick between his teeth. His eyes locked onto her with the intensity of a bear eyeing a salmon in the river's current. One after another, more demons appeared from the shadows of the alley, while innocent bystanders could only watch in terror at the impending slaughter. A few bystanders pulled out their phones and began recording the scene. Renzhe noticed them, flashed a peace sign, and wore a sickening grin as he walked past.
"Oh great. Just when I thought things couldn't get worse..." exclaimed Jun as he tightened his grip on his tail so that he'd start turning it into a pretzel any moment.
"That's her, Feng!", Renzhe pointed an accusing finger toward Aizhen. "That's the beast that nearly twisted my arm clean off!"
Feng walked over, maintaining a distance from his boss. He fixed his gaze on Aizhen, his teeth clenching into a snarl as he narrowed his eyes at the young woman.
"You got a lot of nerve destroying my bro's business and nearly tearing his arm off, Little Lady! How's about if we twisted one of your pals into a knot to return the favor!", he exclaimed eyeing the brothers who were trembling in terror under the table.
"I'm sorry...That weasel is your brother?", asked Aizhen pointing behind him at Renzhe.
Feng looked over his shoulder at Renzhe and then back at Aizhen. Confusion flooded his face as he rubbed his head from her question.
"You two don't look alike let alone in species wise."
"Of course we don't look alike! Renzhe's my pal. I call him my 'bro' because he's my pal. If we were brothers, he'd look more of a charmer like yours truly." He pointed a thumb at himself flashing Aizhen a sharp grin.
"So 'bro' is another term for 'pal', huh? That is quite interesting. Thank you for clearing that up."
"Oh uh...You're welcome?"
The awkward atmosphere shattered with the sound of wood splintering. Tanlan slammed his fist onto an empty table. Jun and Camile instinctively wrapped their arms around Aizhen in shock, witnessing Tanlan's incredible strength firsthand.
"Enough! This isn't a tea party. It's a 'tear party,' and it's time to school 'Little Miss Halfling' and her chums, who're about to learn a valuable lesson in the Class of Hard Knocks." Roared Tanlan reaching behind his back as he pulled a large metallic club pointing it directly at Aizhen and her friends.
"Forget crushed, we're gonna be pulverized into jam!", cried Jun.
"I'm too young to be jam! I wouldn't make a good jam for anyone's toast!", pleaded Camille.
Aizhen didn't have much time, she had to do something before this brute began his assault. They had to get away, but how? She shaked her brain for clues until one popped up that brought hope into her eyes. Wrapping her arms tightly around her friends, she forced them back toward the table Yin and Jin hid beneath. Hunching down, she kept her eyes glued on the advancing Tanlan while keeping her voice to a whisper.
"Yin, Jin. Do you have those 'Fog Bombs' that you talked about earlier?"
"Their called 'smoke bombs', and we always keep em' on hand. Why do you need em for?", asked Jin.
"Smoke bombs!?, Jun reacted. What kind of friends did Camille hang with who had weaponry on them?!
"Yeah. We use them for getaways and theatrics.", said Yin.
"Exaclty. We need cover. Listen to me when I give the signal-I need you both to throw as many smoke bombs ya got on hand at Tanlan and his men. Once the bombs go off, we high tail it out of here."
Camille's eyes lit with hope while Jun looked skeptical at her friend.
"That's your plan? I'm sorry, but how is that gonna help us? Won't he just wave the smoke away with his club?I", Jin was skeptical about the plan.
"If that happens-keep throwing the bombs. The smoke will cover us, just enough time to get to the other side."
"I see! With smoke everywhere, Tanlan and his men won't see their claws in front of their faces!" said Camille, keeping her brightened voice from being heard by the enemy.
"Jun, you said you came here from the other side, right? You lead the front since you're familiar with the path. I'll keep to the middle, Camille and Scorpion Queen to the mid back with the brothers while they throw every smoke bomb they have." Aizhen instructed like a drill sergeant giving his squad their first assignment.
"So if anyone were to try to come at us from the sides and back, you have me and Camille in the mid-way to watch you and the brothers' backs? I like it.", said Scorpion Queen.
"While I ensure nobody tries to come at Jun as he leads us out."
"Hold up! I don't know about this! I was lucky to get in without being mugged!" His nervousness cracked through his voice as he tightened his grip on his tail nearly to the point he had to clench his teeth to withstand the pain. "What if we get stopped or run into some goons just waiting near the front for us!?"
Aizhen took hold of his shoulders and looked him right in the eyes.
"It's a gamble, but we can't worry about what may or may not happen. Right now, you have to trust me, Jun."
"T-t-trust you!? I just MET you five minutes ago, and through those five minutes, we just pissed off the deadliest demon in Megapolis after saving you!" He started hyperventilating as Tanlan's quaking feet grew ever closer to their location.
Aizhen pulled in a breath and let out a long sigh. She kept her hands firmly on his shoulders, watching the poor man about to have a panic attack.
"Jun. Take a breath. The biggest breath you can take and let it out nice and slow, okay?"
"W-w-w-hat does that have to do with-"
"Jun, you have to trust me. Just as you need to trust me with this plan, it's going to be alright...We're going to survive this. You have my word...And when Huanglong, the Yellow Dragon, makes a vow, she sees it through til the end. Trust me...Please..."
He could see the assurance radiating from her eyes like a warm sun peeking through the clouds onto the grass below. He took a deep breath and held it briefly before exhaling. He repeated the process three times. The menacing shadow started covering them as he did.
Aizhen raised her head as Tanlan and his men were closing in. This was it. She had to make this count. She looked over her shoulders toward the brothers.
"When I give the signal, throw the smoke bombs. The signal word is 'rotten dumpling'." She commanded before returning her attention to Tanlan as she rose with her friends.
"Rotten dumpling!? That's the signal!", snarked Jin. "You still ain't gonna let that go, will ya!?"
Aizhen shushed Jin as Tanlan's shadow loomed over them, Jin shrunk back and gave a nervous nod.
"Although, 'Rotten Dumpling' is a good signal...." he whispered, rummaging his pockets alongside Yin for smoke bombs.
"Let's see...Who should I begin my lesson with?", he pretended to think as he glanced at Camille and Jun. "Scales? Slick? I know~....I'll start with the Dragonling..." He sneered a grin that'd sour milk when he locked onto Aizhen.
"Actually, I classify myself as a 'demi-human', but you're right on the nose with the dragon part.", Aizhen said as she kept one eye on the brothers and the other focused on Tanlan.
"Yeah, well, you may be a pretty face, Aizhen, but when I'm through with it, not even your mother will recognize ya!" Tanlan let out a sinister chuckle.
"Sadly, I am without a mother nor a father, but I am with a higher power." She replied, glancing up at the sky and raising her arms above her head. "I pray to the Celestials who hear my plea to come in our time of need from the dawning onslaught brought about by this 'rotten dumpling'." She spoke the last words aloud so the brother could hear her.
From under the table behind them, two bombs flew through the air and landed on the ground. Boom! Smoke erupted, enveloping the area in a thick mist. Coughing fits turned to confusion and anger as Tanlan and his men struggled to navigate the fog. In the chaos, Aizhen, Camille, and Jun leaped over a table, followed closely by the brothers and the Scorpion Queen, who crawled out from underneath. They jumped from table to table until they reached solid ground and sprinted down the street.
"I can't believe that worked!", Jun said with speculation.
"We're not out of the woods yet. Any moment that smoke will clear, and they'll come bolting down the street at any moment. Jun, how far is your 'AUTO-MOBILE'?", she turned her gaze toward Jun.
"You mean the food truck? It's parked just across the street once we're at the exit. I didn't want to park it near the gate otherwise somebody might try to steal it."
"Highly unlikely since you always activate the security system before stepping out to grab a bite, bro.", Camille rolled her eyes at how overprepared her brother gets to lock down the food truck even when on break.
"Even if the security's on, the tires are a main target to ruffians!", he snapped at Camille.
"Oh? So you got the tires locked up with chains or something so no 'ruffian' steals em'?", she teased.
"In this neighborhood-Yes!"
"I hate to break up your sibling squabble, but we need to focus on getting your ride and high tail it outta here!", barked Jin.
"Before that behemoth catches up and turns us into pancakes!", cried Yin.
Yin was right. Tanlan and his men weren't far off. His rage fueled his legs as he began to pick up speed, breaking parts of the ground like he was walking on porcelain. A ferocious roar filled the air, making the hairs on their backs rise in horror. He was getting closer by the second, but hope gleamed in their eyes when they saw the exit gate just a few feet away. Yin and Jin ran as fast as they could, throwing smoke bombs to obscure their pursuers' vision while Camille and Scorpion Queen watched for any of Tanlan's men that might pop out of the shadows. Aizhen focused on the gate while one eye checked on her friends.
Almost there....Two more inches to go...We're almost home free...
The gang passed through the gate and onto the busy street, where pedestrians moved aside as they surged into the traffic. Jun cautiously navigated past the cars, apologizing to each driver who honked at them. After narrowly avoiding being hit by vehicles, they finally reached a teal van adorned with a smiling bun on both sides. Camille wasn't joking about the security on this mobile kitchen: the tires secured to the ground with metallic suction spikes, and shutters protected the service window, doors, and windows to prevent any break-ins.
Jun pulled out his phone, opened an app called "SafeDown," typed in the password, and pressed 'unlock.' The shutters rolled up, and the chains unhinged and retracted into the van. The driver's seat opened as Jun leaped inside and shut the door. After he settled into his seat, he fumbled to get the keys into the ignition. With one turn and a crank, the vehicle sprang to life with a loud vroom!
"Okay, everyone get in! We only got a small window space until traffic lightens up!" he ushered toward Aizhen and her friends as the truck's back door flung open.
Yin and Jin didn't hesitate to rush over and jump right inside, while Scorpion Queen took her time and crawled up, and the boys hoisted her in. Camille began to head toward the truck but noticed Aizhen wasn't budging from her spot. She watched the gate across the street, fearing that Tanlan and his men would burst out and come trampling across the cars to reach the van any moment.
"Aizhen. Come on. We have to get going!" Camille said, running toward her friend, hooking her arm around hers. "He's gonna be on us any second!"
"...Jun!", Aizhen asked, finally speaking after a moment, ignoring Camille's plea as she turned toward her brother. "Is there anything down this street?"
Jun gawked at her. Why would she ask such a strange question just as they are close to being pummeled by the deadliest demon in Megapolis.
"Just...the Scrapyard."
"And what is a Scrapyard?"
"Mostly just a junkyard with tons of old cars and junk!" shouted Jin from the back of the van.
"We sometimes go there to salvage old parts and recycle 'em' for 'evil purposes'." replied Yin.
"But why do you need to know about th-"
"Head to Pigsys and get help. I'm going to lead them away." Aizhen responded before Jun finished his sentence.
"What!? Ai-Ai!? No, no! You'll get killed!" cried Camille as she tightened her grip on Aizhen's arm.
"It's the only way, Camille. If Tanlan is going to get their hands on somebody, it might as well be me."
"No, don't go throwing your life away because of us! We'll go to Pigsy's together, we'll get Mei and MK, and Tanlan will be-"
"By the time we get there, Tanlan will have gone on a rampage trying to catch us, and innocent people will get hurt!" Aizhen turned to Camille, her face tense and fangs baring as she pulled herself free from Camille and stumbled a few feet back. "Everyone will get hurt because of me!"
Camille was petrified at the tensity and crackling in Aizhen's voice. She inhaled and exhaled quickly, tears streaming down her face as her eyes locked onto hers.
"I shouldn't even be here! I shouldn't even be in this mortal plane! I should be with my friends in the Great Beyond! But here I am! In this- this small, silky flesh of a body!" Aizhen cried, gripping the sides of her jacket. "But somehow, here I am!"
"Ai-Ai...You're not...Making any sense..."
"...I was never supposed to exist, Camille. I was supposed to be with my fellow beasts in the Great Beyond once the sky was repaired and the cycle began anew...That's how it was supposed to go; I didn't expect to wake up as a demi-human, nearly poisoned by a putrid dumpling, running all over an advanced city, almost getting my stone robbed and nearly pummeled by a goliathan!...But, if I'm being honest right now...I've never felt so much alive in centuries...Eating delicious food, getting seaweed wraps and massages, playing 'game machines', and enjoying a cup of Cheese Tea...I never thought of experiencing anything like this. Being amongst mortals, mingling with em', and making friends with them..."
"Ai-Ai"...
"I've never had this much fun in...eons...I don't know if I'm dreaming all this...but if it is a dream, I'm happy that I could experience all this before my time is cut short..."
Aizhen wiped her eyes and turned her back on Camille, looking over her shoulder as she gave her a sad smile.
"Camille. I want to thank you and your friends for the hospitality you've shown me. Thank you for showing me around Megapolis and making this the best, if not my last, day ever. I'm sorry if I inadvertently brought trouble to you all. Please, let my sacrifice be payment for all you've done for me today."
"Ai-Ai...Please, don't do this...There has to be another way..." Camille cried as she began to run forward, but to her surprise, Aizhen quickly turned around and scooped her into a hug.
"This is the only way I know, Camille.", Aizhen said, releasing her friend from her grasp just as her ears began to twitch.
Across the street, Tanlan and his men piled out of the gate, darting their eyes to locate Aizhen and her friends. Aizhen turned back to Camille and her friends, quickly waved, and bolted down the street, flailing her arms to get Tanlan's attention.
"Looking for me, you Guttersnipes!? I'm right here for the pickings! Catch me if you can!" she yelled, running down the street and toward the scrapyard.
Fumes burst out of Tanlan's ears, snorting like a bull. He bellowed angrily and bolted down the block, not letting her out of sight, while his men followed behind him.
Camille felt helpless. There she was, legs frozen in fear, watching her new best friend sacrifice herself to be mauled or worse, eaten by Tanlan and his crew. This is the only way I know; it echoed through her brain. One of the last words she spoke before dashing off to her death.
"Welp, there she goes to certain doom.", said Jin.
"Wonder if she'll survive before we get back?", pondered Yin.
"I don't know. We know she's pretty strong, but can she handle a pack of demons by herself-let alone Tanlan?"
Camille gripped her fists, turned on her heel, and made a mad leap into the truck as the brothers jumped out of her way and tumbled across the floor, nearly hitting the wall. She leaped back onto her feet, opened a nearby drawer, and began pulling out ladels, meat tenderizer, and tongs. Jun opened the door to find his sister stuffing tools into her bag.
"Camille, what are you doing with those!?"
"I'm going after Aizhen!"
"With kitchen tools? What are you gonna do? Serve up a bowl of Ginger soup!?"
"Nope, I'm gonna use em' to fight. Now, where is that wok?" she checked the cabinet beside the stove, pulling out a large oval pan and raising it above her head victoriously. "Yes! Perfect!"
"Camille, no! I'm not gonna explain to Mom and Dad that my sister was turned into Chameleon Fried Rice trying to save some delusional girl who thinks she's a Celestial or something!" Jun threw his hands up, watching as his sister turned the wok into a backpack to carry.
"Celestial or not, does it matter to me who she is?!", barked Camille looking over her shoulder. "I don't care if she was a snow leopard. The only thing I care about right now is saving my bestie before she throws her life away!"
"For the record, she did get on Tanlan's bad side and is going to endure his wrath soon.", commented Jin.
Scorpion Queen smacked Jin with her ponytail, glancing over sincerely at her best friend.
"Camille, I know you're worried about Aizhen just as much as I am, but we can't rush in without a plan. If we go to Pigsy's-"
"By the time we get back, it might be too late. We have to go now if we're going to have any chance of saving Ai-Ai.", Camille tightened her grip on the ladel. "Ai-Ai thinks that she wasn't supposed to exist. That her one purpose in life was protecting some stone, passing it off to whoever needed it, and just submitting to her Fate? Well, Fate had other plans. Maybe Fate wanted her to have a second chance to live a life that wasn't panned out for her. She fell into our laps, and while others were hesitant to welcome her, I welcomed her with open arms. We showed her around all day, and she began to open up, seeing just how amazing life can be. She smiled after Queenie and her had a dance battle. It was the first time she truly felt what it meant to be alive. But now, she's going to throw this newfound freedom away for us. How many can say they'd stuck their neck out to lend us a hand?"
Camille's compelling speech began to soak in like a sponge as her friends reflected on the day's events, from their first encounter to when they enjoyed a cup of cheese tea together. Showing Aizhen around Megapolis was intriguing as if a duckling were discovering water for the first time. The funniest part during their outing was Aizhen commanding a vending machine to dispense a bag of chips, but it didn't listen to her command until Camille popped in a few coins and pressed a couple of buttons before the chips dropped to the bottom. When they were at the arcade, Aizhen's keen eyes and strategical movement of the claw landed them a hill of plushies from the giant claw machine. Despite being her first time playing "the claw," she maneuvered that crane like a pro. Jin and Yin recalled that when they hopped a monorail, Aizhen's face was glued to the window, marveling at the world zooming by. She almost tried to go on top of the monorail for a better view. They had a kick when she was about to punch the window out if Camille didn't intervene.
Scorpion Queen reminisced about the time spent at the spa, particularly the experience of soaking in the hot springs. Aizhen sank into the soothing, steaming water, feeling every muscle in her body relax and soften like noodles in a boiling pot. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, allowing the warm spring to envelop her completely until she was fully submerged. After two minutes without her resurfacing, Camille and Queenie pulled her out of the water. Though her skin was as pink as a shrimp, she still considered the hot spring her favorite activity at the spa, even after the near-drowning experience. The memories they had with Aizhen, even if it was just for a day, would be enough to cover one page in a scrapbook, but why not two? Three? Maybe five! No, a volume full of their new chum going on crazy misadventures like the one they found themselves smack dab in the middle of. Were they going to let it end if she was about to meet her end? Her friends looked at one another and gave a soft nod of understanding before giving their answer.
"Wow, Camille, and here I thought we were good at convincing folks.", Yin said, impressed at Camille's speech.
"So does that mean you'll help me save Ai-Ai?" asked Camille, hoping the brothers would lend a hand.
"Only on the condition that you let us do the next episode on your channel.", demanded Jin.
"It's not gonna be about making your own DIY Stink Bombs is it?" Camille cringed her nose in disgust recalling the time she watched the brothers create a stink bomb that went awry when trying to prank a shop owner-the blast of the putrid stench was so bad that it took two days to get the smell off. It was so bad that her parents had her camp outside on the rooftop until it faded away.
"...Maybe." Jin glanced away, letting out an innocent whistle.
"I assure you, Camille, it won't be about stink bombs. It's going to be a behind-the-scenes kinda episode on our newest music video we wanna drop.", explained Yin.
"Oh! That idea I love! You guys so killed it at the Dragon and Tiger festival as DJs! It sucked when it got cut short when those guards spoiled the show, just as Mister Tang was up on stage. I wanted to hear him drop some mad beats."
Jun slid between the four, clearing his throat to gain their attention.
"I hate to interrupt your little brainstorming ses', but if we don't get moving, Aizhen's the one about to get dropped some mad beats!" he shouted so loud that it rang their eardrums.
"Okay, okay! We'll help save Dragon Lady!"
"Hey, if we save her-that means we get a wish granted!", said Yin.
"You're right! There's no way she'd refuse to grant us a wish if we save her for real!" Jin grinned over at his brilliant brother.
"If she thinks you deserve it, but I'm sure she might if you actually TRY to save her." Jun rolled his eyes at the greedy brothers.
Scorpion Queen walked over, took up a frying pan, and smacked it against her palm.
"Well, you have no trouble convincing me, Cammie. You know I always have your back. I love Aizhen; it's nice to have a kindred spirit to relate to, and if that boarish demon dares to lay a claw on her...I'll be happy to snip that claw right off his arm!"
"That's the spirit, Queenie! Love that enthusiasm!" Camille gave her best friend a thumbs up as she turned to Jun, waiting for his answer.
He blinked in confusion for a moment and let out a long groan. "Camille, if anything happens to the truck or us in general, you are gonna be washing dishes for two months!"
"Make it three, and ya got a deal, bro!" she grinned ear to ear, giving her brother a smack on the back. Gripping her fist, she held it out to her companions. "Alright, Chaos Brigade! One of our own is in danger of being mauled by Tanlan! Let's get this truck moving and save her! For we, the Chaos Brigade, always got each other's backs!"
The brothers, Queenie and a hesitant Jun fist bumped against Camille's fist, making their mission official. Camille always had a way of stirring up excitement in her friends; She now served up the courage to quail the fear dwelling within them. If she was being honest, she was quivering like jello deep inside. What was she thinking!? Them against Tanlan and his men?! They were just a bunch of misfits! Would they stand even a minute against them!? No, she had to stop looking at the negative side of what might happen. She had to think on the bright side. She needed to come up with a plan. Jun was right earlier, and they couldn't rush in with a bunch of kitchen gear and expect to put a dent in Tanlan's armor. They needed a plan. She reached into her bag, pulled out a pen and notebook, spun halfway on her heels, and pointed to Jun.
"Jun. Take us to the scrapyard," she demanded, turning her attention to the brothers. "Yin, Jin. We got some brainstorming to do, and Queenie..." she turned to Scorpion Queen with a devilish smile, "I'm gonna need ya to get Tudi and your Scorpion Babes over to lend us a helping hand."
"You know my little darlings are always itching for a pinching.", she giggled as a couple of the scorpions peeked out of her forest-green ponytail.
"How long have they been nesting in your hair?" Jun asked in horror when he noticed one crawling on the counter, letting out a startled shriek.
"Awww~Pinchy! You grew so much!", Camille swooned over at the scorpion and scooped him up with a free hand. "Pinchy-you and your siblings are gonna have so much fun tonight!~"
"Okay, I don't know if I should be terrified or curious as to what kind of cockamamie plan you got cooking, Sis."
"Don't worry, bro. When we get there, it'll all become clear...But right now, things are about to get...Chaotic., she sneered a grin that made her look like a devilish villainess rather than a sweet, innocent teen girl.