Larry's fingers traced the intricate patterns of the emblem before him, his frustration mounting with each failed attempt to pry it open.
The emblem surface remained stubbornly sealed, refusing to yield its secrets through conventional means.
Years of experience in dealing with mystical objects had taught him to recognize the telltale signs of blood magic. With a resigned sigh, he produced a small pocketknife.
The sharp sting of metal against flesh was brief, and a single crimson droplet fell onto the emblem's surface. The reaction was immediate – the emblem grew warm, then hot, symbols along its edge beginning to glow with an inner light. The emblem dissolved into mist, leaving behind a neatly folded letter that drifted onto the desktop.
The paper felt unusually warm to the touch as Larry unfolded it, revealing elegant handwriting that seemed to shimmer slightly in the afternoon light:
"DEAR GABLE,
I hope you are well in health and all my dear brother, cause I recently heard that your gang has faced a downfall. Thus, I felt it's unsafe for you and your family to stay in that gang Team Rocket, so I'm inviting you to join us the gang Psycho Mania.
I'll be waiting!
Let me know your decision soon!
Yours truly,
Silas"
Larry's frown deepened as he read the message. Once again, he found himself caught in the crossfire of gang politics, present at exactly the wrong moment. Before he could contemplate his next move, the letter began to disintegrate, crumbling into ash that vanished in a wisp of smoke.
The encounter with the blood-sealed message sparked an idea. Pandion needed its own symbol, something to establish their identity in this dangerous world of rival gangs and ancient magics. Larry's mind wandered to the stories of old gangs, how their symbols carried power beyond mere recognition. Some said the right symbol, crafted with the right intent, could actually channel the collective strength of its members.
Larry left his room, seeking out Raxa to discuss the creation of a gang symbol for Pandion. They would need it in the future, and there was also the matter of Psycho Mania's imminent threat to address.
"We need a gang symbol," Larry explained, outlining the situation with Psycho Mania. "Something that shows strength but also speaks to who we are. Something that can't be ignored." He paused, considering his next words carefully. "Something that might give us an edge in what's coming."
Raxa understood the assignment immediately, his quick mind already working on possibilities.
After five or ten minutes of concentrated effort, Raxa produced a piece of paper with a striking design. The spiral pattern he'd created featured sharp, angular designs reminiscent of a coiled beast. The front portion had been carefully crafted to resemble the fierce head of a dragon, with jagged edges forming the dragon's snout and curling horns arching from either side. Its menacing appearance drew the eye, as if the dragon was in mid-roar, its blue and black scales shimmering with a mystical glow.
Looking at the intricate design, Larry felt it perfectly represented power, mystery, and untamed energy. It was perfect for a tale of legendary beasts and ancient forces, resonating deeply with their gang Pandion and its feats despite being newly created. He expressed his gratitude to Raxa for capturing exactly what they needed.
With the design in hand, Larry returned to his room to make it the official sign, but not before getting approval from the other core members, Arashi and Blond. Once everything for forming the gang was perfectly done, Larry felt they needed to do something beyond impressive to establish their overall image in society. Something that would ensure no one dared talk back to them.
Larry then drafted his response to Silas with careful consideration, each word chosen to provoke exactly the reaction he wanted. The message was simple but charged with challenge: "Come with everyone and we'll destroy you." He had Hime deliver it along with Pandion's new emblem, knowing the combination would be impossible for Silas to ignore. The emblem itself seemed to pulse with energy as Hime took it, as if eager for the confrontation to come.
The response arrived the next morning – a casino address and instructions for core members to attend. Larry's satisfied smile was met with concerned looks from his companions. The plan was in motion, but the stakes were higher than any of them had anticipated. The casino's reputation preceded it – a known neutral ground for gang meetings, but also a place where the rules of engagement could change in an instant.
That evening, hours before the meeting, Larry quietly arranged for his most trusted associates to flood the casino floor with Lortep – the enhanced successor to petrol, its molecular structure modified to burn hotter and longer than its predecessor. The deadly substance was virtually invisible once spread, creating the perfect trap. One spark would be all it took to turn the entire place into an inferno.
The casino loomed before them later that night, its neon signs casting multicolored shadows across their faces. Through the windows, they could see that Silas had brought his entire organization. Members of Psycho Mania filled the main floor, their distinctive tattoos visible even from outside. Each of them bore the mark of their allegiance – intricate designs that seemed to writhe and move of their own accord, a display of their leader's power.
"What's going on?" Raxa asked as they approached the entrance, his hand unconsciously touching the emblem he wore. "What did you write?"
When Larry shared the contents of his message and his trap, Raxa's eyes widened before breaking into a grin. "Holy shit! You've become nuts, but I like it. That takes courage." There was a hint of pride in his voice, an acknowledgment of the boldness of their move.
Arashi and Blond were less enthusiastic. The size of the crowd visible through the casino's windows made it clear that Silas had brought his entire organization. Psycho Mania's reputation for violence and unpredictability was well-earned, and their numbers were overwhelming. The air around them crackled with tension and barely contained power.
"You have a plan, Larry my friend, don't you?" Arashi's voice carried a note of desperate hope. His fingers drummed nervously against his leg, a habit he'd developed during their previous encounters with danger.
"Of course," Larry assured them, trying to project more confidence than he felt. "But it all depends on luck." The words felt hollow even as he spoke them, but they were all he had to offer at the moment.
Blond's face went pale. "We're doomed."
"Why say that?" Larry asked, though something in Blond's tone made his stomach tighten. "Luck could be on our side for real this time." He touched their gang's emblem for reassurance, feeling its steady warmth against his skin.
"Silas has ancient magic luck on his side," Blond explained, his voice dropping to a whisper. "It's literally his power. Every gamble he takes, every risk – the odds bend in his favor. It's how Psycho Mania has survived so many impossible situations. They say he once walked through a hail of bullets without a scratch, simply because the probability of each one missing him became certainty."
This revelation made Larry want to punch something solid, preferably a wall, but Raxa's steady voice cut through his moment of despair. "So what? We'll pull through it just like we've done all this time. Luck isn't everything. We've got something they don't – unity. Real unity, not just fear holding us together."
The words helped center Larry's thoughts. They had survived impossible odds before, found ways to overcome powers that should have destroyed them. This would be no different. Besides, he had noticed something during their approach that gave him hope – something about the way the casino's lights reflected off the floor.
As they approached Silas and his assembled forces, Larry's suspicions were confirmed. The strange sheen on the floor wasn't just the usual polish. The scent hit him next – Lortep, the enhanced successor to petrol, its molecular structure modified to burn hotter and longer than its predecessor. The entire floor was covered in it, creating a deadly trap that could turn the casino into an inferno with a single spark.
The members of Psycho Mania showed no fear despite the obvious danger. Their expressions ranged from amused to excited, some even looking disappointed that their opponents had noticed the trap. It was a stark reminder of why they were called Psycho Mania – these were people who would gladly burn alongside their enemies if it meant victory. Their tattoos seemed to pulse in anticipation of violence, responding to their owners' bloodlust.
Larry felt the weight of his team's eyes on him, waiting for guidance, for some sign that he hadn't led them into a death trap. The afternoon shadows from his office seemed a lifetime ago, but the necessity of making decisions remained. The next few moments would determine not just their survival, but the future of Pandion itself.
The dragon emblem seemed to pulse against his chest where he'd pinned it, a reminder of everything they stood for. Perhaps luck wasn't what they needed after all. Sometimes, the willingness to risk everything, to stand united in the face of overwhelming odds, created its own kind of power – one that even ancient magic couldn't easily overcome.
Larry straightened his shoulders, feeling the strength of his companions beside him. Whatever came next, they would face it together.