Art by: TheBrawlerina

~--~

"OOOOOOOOOOHHH~ For she's a Jolly Great Boss~"

"For she's a Jolly Great Boss~"

"For she's a Jolly Great Boss~"

"That nobody can defeat~"

The bandits and their macabre mate Poco were cruising through the dark desert without a care in the world. Another successful mission meant another party when they returned to base. Till then they enhanced their ride with tales of their previous success and over-inflating the stories of their past.

Nix told Shelly about the end of their battle. Recalling the details of his opponent's cowardly low blow, Poco recalling how it took the sheriff and his little sister working together to take him down.

"Those poor kids... wrong place wrong time, hope they're okay." Shelly scolded herself.

"I don't know boss," Nix spoke up. "With the way they were battling us, something tells me those kids could have handled a Super Shell from that far away."

"So that was the legendary Super Shell?!" Poco leaned over the center console, "Increíble. The stories don't do it justice. That sounded like a bomb just went off in your hands. How do you keep your grip on an attack that powerful?"

Shelly raised her chin at the compliments, "Hard work... and growing up around the wrong people..." she whispered the last part under her breath.

"Yeah, yeah. The boss is awesome and her power is limitless, but can we talk about you? What was that green stuff?" Sam chimed in.

"You mean my encore?"

"What you call it isn't important. How do you do it? You healed all our wounds instantly with a single chord. Sure, Shelly can carve a small tunnel into a mountain with her gun but you can instantly heal people." Sam pulled up his shirt, "I had so many holes in my stomach you could pull one open to get a peek at my small intestines. Now you can't even see a scar."

Shelly interjected, "The hell happened to you while they were fighting?"

"Umm... Let's focus on Poco's magic?" Nix threw him a bone joining in on the discussion. Questions of varying intensity from how he learned the power to where he was born started filling the jeep.

It was starting to get a little heated as Poco tried his best to answer the questions. His final decision was to just explain everything he could remember. "I don't know who I am... or was. My earliest memory of life was my rebirth. I distinctly remember being so cold. The world felt like it was closing in around me. I didn't feel claustrophobic, but something about this feeling terrified me. I remember cutting through the darkness, feeling this thick black dough between my fingers. It was instinctual to escape wherever I was. It felt like ages, clawing through the dark like that. Then I felt it. A cool breeze on my fingers. My hand burst through the inky blackness finally feeling freedom. I just kept climbing through the dark trying to get my entire body to the same level as my free hand. When my head finally burst through the first image I saw was the night sky. A single star shining like a tiny gift from God. I wanted to reach out for it. It looked so warm and I was so cold."

The Bandits were silent as a mouse as they intently listened to his story. The sound of chips crunching disturbing the silence. Nix saw Sam eating Chatoes Puffs, "Where did you-"

"Shh~ He's telling a story."

"I was able to pull myself out the ground. That's when I finally noticed. Where skin once was now replaced with bone and marrow. My bones a bright shade of yellow. I felt for my stomach, finding air inside my ribcage. The space between my femurs. The hole in my jawline. My hands started shaking, I couldn't understand what happened to me. That's when I turned around trying to understand where I was. I saw a gravestone the name eroded with time. Below the stone, I saw the freshly dug up grave I clawed my way out of. The realization chilled me to the bone, no pun intended. I was a bumbling mess falling over myself as I tried to get as far away from that hole as possible. I ran from the disturbed dirt making my way to a nearby puddle. I finally got a look at myself. My face was a skeleton's just like the rest of my body, black holes where my eyes should have been. Worst of all I was smiling."

"Wait don't you always smile?" Shelly peeped.

"Yeah, but have you ever seen me do anything but smile? When I looked into that puddle I wasn't happy. I was crying. But my mouth was contorted into a permanent smile. I haven't been able to do anything but smile ever since. Do you know how painful it is to want to cry but all you can do is smile? No one understands a tortured artist, right? But back to my story, I was so scared. I thought it was a horrible nightmare, one I would never wake from. I ended up with my back against a small hill. If I had lungs, I would have been hyperventilating instead I was just sobbing in my arms. Alone. No idea who or what I was. I had so many questions running through my mind. How did I die? Am I a skeleton or just deformed? Why was this happening to me? The biggest question in my head, how was I alive? I couldn't just come back to life on my own, there needed to be something to explain why I was a skeleton walking the land of the living."

Poco took a deep breath as he tried to push through his difficult tale, "Then I heard his voice. A man with a soft tone of voice whistling atop the hill I sat under. He looked down at me, 'You are a fine specimen.' When I looked up, he was standing directly in the moonlight. His body shadowed like a deity over me. As he made his way down the hill his features became clearer. His pale white skin, surprisingly tall frame, and a cheshire grin to match his sinister voice. Within his left hand was a large case, it's contents unknown. His right hand gripping a shovel, a lantern attached to the end illuminating his haunting features. My first instincts were to run, the man didn't strike me as welcoming, but my body was frozen in shock. I was immobile in his presence. The strange white man placed the case down before me beckoning for me to inspect its contents. He said, 'Consider this... a birthday present.' The case had a red and black rose pattern along the edges, its handle sporting a golden trim. When I opened the case, the first thing I saw was the red felt filling the space within. A white towel covering whatever the case was housing. The only thing to do in that situation was to take the towel off, right?"

He looked back to his audience for a response. They all just swiftly nodded awaiting the reveal.

"Yeah obviously, but I can't help but wonder. What would have happened if I worked up the courage to walk away. What would have happened if I didn't pick up this guitar." He strummed absently on his magical instrument, a melancholy tune escaping the body. "When I first picked up this guitar. I could see this beautiful pink and green cloud circling me. It was so warm and comforting against my frozen body. I felt like my mood was finally starting to reflect my face. Then I saw a dastardly red string piercing the sweet colorful cloud. That violent thread wrapped itself around all of my limbs. It wasn't constricting me, just encompassing. I could feel the warm feeling fade and become replaced with a painful flame. My entire body lighting up as if I was set on fire. Then there was a giant gust of air entering every opening in my skeleton. The green and pink cloud followed suit. All the senses I thought I'd lost came back like a flash flood. Then like a gust of wind it left me. The colorful cloud flying into the sky and disappearing with the atmosphere. That man smiled at me as he pointed towards the puddle. When I looked again, there were white dots inside these empty black holes. And I had these markings around my eyes." Poco rubbed the floral pattern around his face.

"Wait that's not makeup?" Sam questioned.

"Nope, it's a part of me. As long as I've had this guitar this makeup has been a part of me. While I was inspecting my new feature that malnutrition man came up from behind holding onto my shoulders. I remember him whispering into my ears, 'You have so much power within you. And if you come with me, I will help you change the world.' If only I knew what he meant by that."

Poco sat in silence just playing his guitar while the bandits rode in silence. The strange origin of Poco starting to settle into their minds. Shelly was the first to break out of the trance, "What was his name?"

"Hmm?"

"The guy. The ghostly guy with pale skin that gave ya the guitar. What was his name?"

Poco sat still for a minute wondering if they should know his name. He knew the consequences of knowing him better than anyone. If they were to search for him, they might find themselves worse than him. "He called himself many things. The bringer of bats, a creature of the night, the bringer of doom. But most of his minions just called him, Master-"

Just before Poco could reveal his name the jeep began to sputter to a stop. The bandits all groaned at the jeep's unfortunate timing. Nix jumped out first followed by Sam to check under the hood. They didn't see anything wrong with the engine. Sam walked to the back to see if anything was amiss. He saw a trail behind them. Like a never-ending wet line between their tire tracks.

Sam blew a fat raspberry as he delivered the news, "They shot out our gas tank." All the passengers voiced their disdain at the revelation. They would have to walk the rest of the way to base.

~--~

The desert city of Oasis. Given its name for a surplus of water, food, and entertainment in an environment where survival is supposed to be priority number one. Though there are no high rises such as the Niagra skyscrapers or technological wonders like Robotowns robotic patrons, its charm was the old school western saloons and the air-conditioned stadium where all kinds of sporting events were held.

Far away from these attractions are the housing districts. Small abodes made for three-person families along a strip of packed sand forming a makeshift road. Between each of these houses is a small alleyway of space that houses industrial garbage bins and a fence to protect the backs of each home.

"Tsk..." hidden within the shadows of one of these alleys stood a black figure wrapping his bloodied shoulder in his own torn leather jacket sleeve. "Damn kid got me good," he grunted as he took the leather cloth in his mouth tightening it around the wound.

His voice was high-pitched and shrill. Not quite like nails on a chalkboard but still painful with continued exposure. He hated this voice; he was supposed to be an intimidating assassin. A hitman for his boss to finish off targets that try to escape their grasp. How could he be intimidating when he sounded like he just inhaled helium?

He was thankful his ridiculous voice didn't impede his abilities. Though this target was not given to him by the boss, he would surely be rewarded upon his arrival back to base. That woman had betrayed them long ago. With her removal came retribution for her past crimes. He could imagine it now; his own room within the base, a murder of beautiful anthropomorphic bird women around him, all the gems he could ever want at his feet.

"My own seat at the table," he let his true voice slip out. "I'll finally be promoted from best hitman to right-hand man." He stepped out of the shadows into what little light was leaking into the alley. His large beak seeming to shine in the moonlight. Revealing his sinister scowl, "Then all that's left is to take him down." He worked his shoulder hissing in pain, "Didn't expect the little punk to have a gun though. Hid that pretty well." Crow smiled thinking about his battle with Sam, "He is gonna be a great assassin."

"*Ahem*"

Crow jumped at the sudden presence. From the entrance of the alley, he saw a tall man. His shoulders broad and arms wide. The lights from the street illuminating his bright blue mask and unsettling smile. Crow cleared his throat. Making sure to use his deeper, intimidating voice for this confrontation.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Oh, so you don't know?" the large masked man spoke with a Hispanic accent. His voice was deep like a mafioso but upbeat like an ecstatic child. "Well, that is perfect. That means you have a chance at redemption."

"Redemption?"

"That's right. You see, my name is El Primo~ and you ruined my big BWA debut. That is a once in a lifetime moment. You never get to make another debut. You turned what was supposed to be the birth of the greatest hero to ever step in a BWA ring into a horror show." Crow listened to the wrestler's explanation, sizing him up silently.

The guy was no normal person. His body looked like it was chiseled out of stone. He clearly had been training for years. The way his legs looked like they were cut from diamonds made him believe he was fast on his feet as well.

"Now I'm willing to let you off the hook since that little stunt wasn't directed at me. I understand business and such. All I want you to do... is apologize."

Crow couldn't help but laugh, "Apologize?!"

"That's right. A simple apology. Apologize for ruining my debut and you can leave here intact."

"Oh? And if I don't?"

"Hmm... I suppose I'll have to break you."

Crow had heard enough, he quickly dashed forward faster than the untrained eye could perceive, landing a crushing blow to the wrestler's head. He smirked satisfied with the feeling of the masked man's face against his fist. Then he felt the masked man's hand reach up to grab his arm. He held it close to his face as he turned to look Crow in the eyes. Still sporting that painfully bright smile.

"Seems you need more convincing." El Primo spun around with Crow still in hand. He used the rotational motion to launch Crow deeper into the alley. Just before he smashed into the back fence, Crow readjusted himself in mid-air landing feet first into the chain links.

He did a little front flip as he landed on the ground. His senses on red alert from the surprising strength. When he looked back up Primo was slowly walking towards him. Crow understood now that this was no ordinary wrestler. Something was different about him. What that difference was didn't matter.

What mattered was there's no reason to hold back.

Primo rose high above him showing his impressive size before dropping a monster double-arm sledgehammer from above. Crow easily dodged the blow nailing Primo with several rapid jabs to the kidney.

Primo didn't budge as he swung his arm at Crow. The bird just barely jumping out the way. Now their positions were reversed Primo was the one deep in the alley with Crow standing at the entrance. "You are not normal," Primo complimented.

"Wow what gave it away? The beak?"

"No... the fact you avoided my attacks. I did not know there were creatures fast enough to dodge me." Primo started to roll his shoulders and crack his neck. Crow felt the air around him change. The mood was shifting, Primo was getting serious. "Okay. I have made up my mind. You no longer have to apologize."

"Glad we can agree on something. If that's the case I'm gonna go-"

"Wait! That does not mean you get to leave. You still owe me for ruining my debut." Crow sighed waiting for Primo to continue. "The best way for you to repay me is by having a match with me."

"A match?"

"Exactly. A friendly match between you and me. It's not often that I get to have some fun. You see in all my matches I'm told to hold back. 'Don't injure him, Primo, we need him next week. No Primo you can't turn his leg into an S.' I never get to have any fun. But you... you're like me."

"How so?"

"We aren't normal."

"Aha. And what if I say no again?"

"You can't..." Crow was taken aback at the statement. "It's already begun..." Crow felt it again. This shift in momentum. "Have you ever heard of a deathmatch?" Crow's eyes lit up at the mention of the stipulation. "No DQ. No Holds Barred. Anything goes."

"Whoever gets knocked out loses, right?"

"Well in a normal match that is the rule but..." Primo gestured to the alley, "this is anything but normal." Primo started to stretch his legs.

"Are you sure about this, I am a master assassin."

"That's why I said deathmatch."

Crow found Primo entertaining, "So... do you want a quick death or can I have some fun?"

Now Primo was the one that couldn't help but laugh, "I want you to give it all you've got."

Crow shrugged, "Okay." He launched himself towards Primo with a flurry of punches and kicks. Primo stood tall blocking every blow that came his way. A small crack in his arms allowing him to see where Crow was through the constant flurry.

Crow shifted his attack to Primo's left flank hoping to land more blows to his kidneys. Primo quickly threw a wild arm to keep Crow away from his core. As Crow began his retreat Primo pushed the aggression letting loose his own flurry of punches.

To him, Primo was moving in slow motion. Each punch that went past Crow's face was like a light breeze cooling him off. He saw his opening in a wild left hook ducking beneath to his left flank. Rather than going for his kidneys, Crow continued to shift until he was directly behind Primo, chopping his right leg.

All that did was anger him.

Primo turned around and made a wild kick in the air where Crow was, missing narrowly. Crow didn't lose his offensive he dove back in with another barrage of blows to Primo's frame. His wild kick leaving him wide open to a short barrage of strikes. Primo didn't even flinch. His massive chest and stomach muscles absorbing all of Crow's blows while he smiled down at the bird.

Realizing that any more attacks on his front would be a waste of energy Crow shifted his attack to his side. Primo was prepared this time. He threw his leg out to the right forcing Crow to jump to avoid a fall. Primo took full advantage with a spinning backhand using his left fist. The blow colliding with Crow just as he threw up his arms to absorb the brunt of the attack.

Primo hit him with enough force to send him flying back towards the street. Crow breathing a little harder as he skidded across the ground like a skater braking on ice. Primo let out joyous laughter at the successful hit, "All those attacks of yours I absorb, and you are winded after one blow. You know that you may give up in a deathmatch at any time. Though the punishment in some countries is to be whipped by your opponent until they are content."

Primo was already celebrating as if he had won. Crow couldn't stand it. He took a page out of Primo's book stretching with the distance he had. He could feel some of his ligaments loosening with the exercise. He took a deep breath, "I'm just getting started."

He dashed forward at a blinding speed. Primo was barely able to get his hands up allowing a few punches to find their mark within his chest. The punches Crow was throwing felt even more powerful almost puncturing Primo's skin. He looked for an opening in between Crow's blows but his speed was inconceivable.

Crow made another move for Primo's flank. With the tactic scouted Primo threw out a leg for him to jump over. However, this time Crow did not jump, he dashed slightly backward stepping past the leg. He then jumped forward once again letting loose another volley of blows into Primo's side before he had time to block.

When Primo finally turned to guard the attacks, Crow had already moved his aggression, switching to another side. Primo was stuck in a defensive stance guarding Crow's hurricane of haymakers. There were no openings for him to attack without Crow moving to an unprotected part of his body.

If this kept up Primo might lose the battle of attrition. Crow however was starting to feel the fatigue. Keeping up attacks like this was not easy. It took all the energy he had just to keep his attacks at full power, let alone at this ludicrous speed. He needed one blow to rock Primo so he could finish this. He looked for openings on Primo's body, every part he saw exposed was overflowing with thick muscles that absorbed all his attacks.

Then he saw it. The one body part that can't grow thick physical muscles. His head. That was his last chance. Without a second thought, Crow jumped up to Primo's head, shifting himself in the air to deliver a spinning kick to his jaw.

Primo saw the leap and knew what was coming. Crow was going for a hail mary attack, he wouldn't be able to dodge. Primo stood up straight and wrenched his right arm back for one final punch.

Time seemed to slow down. Crow's aerial spin was completing with his leg like a blur following behind him. Primo's punch was turning the air around it into a miniature tornado. Sand particles from Crow's jump colliding with their limbs and bouncing away from the carnage. This was the final shot for both of them. As time continued to slowly tick by so did their movements begin to finalize.

As Primo's hand finally began to move forward it was already too late. Crow's leg smacked against Primo, sounding off like an open palm smack to the cheek. But he had not accounted for one thing.

A counterattack.

When Primo recognized Crow's final attack coming, he rose from his defensive stance opting for a more powerful posture. This posture moved his head upwards, meaning that Crow's last-ditch kick did not collide with his head but rather Primo's muscular neck.

Primo absorbed the attack with ease pushing through the pain and delivering his final blow. A monstrous punch that sounded off like thunder into Crow's chest. Crow flew through the air sliding onto the dusty ground like a heap of trash.

Primo watched with a bright smile as Crow heaved for air at the alley entrance. He let loose a proud laugh as he moved towards him, "That was a valiant effort. I have never had someone so much lighter than me push me like that. It was glorious fun. But now..." Primo reached his fist up into the air. "...it's time to-"

He was happy. He had won. When he won matches it would always send a warm fuzzy feeling throughout his body. But right now, he felt strangely hot. He saw something fall past his eye. When he looked down, there was a small spot of liquid drying within the dirt. He looked to his raised fist; from his hand, he saw a trail of blood running down his arm. "...finish it?"

Like him seeing the first was a trigger, hundreds of tiny holes busted open across his body. Blood exploding from all directions like a bomb activating within him. Alongside the streams of blood came a thick green ooze. Primo fell to his knees, the strength in his body feeling like it was being sucked out. He couldn't understand how this happened.

Then there was laughter. He watched as Crow slowly rose. Stumbling backward into the nearby wall. Using it as a brace so he could continue his laughter. Once he felt stronger, he stood tall in the middle of the alley entrance enjoying the view of Primo leaking from every part of his body.

"I never... even saw... *huff* saw you... pull out... the weapons."

Crow was still in hysterics, he showed his fist, "I told you..." he opened his hand showing his palms. Between each of his feathered fingers was a dagger, their tips lined with the crimson blood stolen from Primo's body. "I'm a master assassin."

Primo was starting to feel woozy. He couldn't tell if it was from the blood loss or the green ooze leaking from his wounds. "I never thought... that it would happen here..."

Crow was loving the scene before him, "What? Your grizzly demise? You challenged an assassin to a deathmatch, what did you expect?"

"No..." Primo's face was facing the ground. Hidden in shadows, but his voice told Crow everything he needed to know. "A reason... for me... to go... all out."

Crow broke down from laughing so hard. Dropping to all four limbs while banging the ground in laughter. "All out? So what, you still have more in the tank?" he choked out between laughs. As he started to calm down, he thought it would be fun to humor a dead man. "Okay then. You did promise me a deathmatch." He started to stand, dusting himself off looking at his feet. "Okay Primo, let's do this." He closed his eyes as he faced Primo's direction, "A fight to the-"

When Crow opened his eyes, his vision was blocked by a strange wall, oozing a course liquid. He followed the drops upwards until he saw it. Like a monster in a horror show, Primo was standing above him. Blood dripping from his frame onto Crow's face. His smile, once bright and annoying had shifted to a jagged grin with sharp teeth. His white eyes now a soulless black hole with two red spots for pupils.

Crow instinctually backflipped away. Trying to put distance between himself and the monster man. He looked to where Primo was, but he didn't see him within the alley. When he landed a few feet backward his body collided with another wall. This one solid steel, warm, yet soft like flesh.

He slowly turned around to see Primo behind him again. Still smiling. Only one word came to mind as he looked into the black and red holes that were once his eyes.

Death.

Crow froze with fear. He watched in slow motion as Primo cocked back a mighty fist. The punch came so fast he couldn't dodge it. His instincts protecting him as he threw up his left arm to block the blow, the same arm that Sam had shot.

At first, he didn't feel the pain. The only thing he felt was the pressure from Primo's punch. Then suddenly he could hear the distinct sound of popcorn popping, followed by a white-hot pain coursing through his left arm. He watched in fear as his left forearm seemed to crumble under Primo's power. The wound on his shoulder exploding open.

Crow stumbled backward clutching at his shattered arm. Screeching out at the top of his lungs at the pain. The warm blood seeping between his feathers. Primo heard the screams and like an adrenaline junkie, he wanted more.

He pushed forward releasing a torrent of jabs and hooks. With each punch, Crow could feel his bones cracking. Snapping under the pressure that was behind each blow. Each punch sounding off in the alley like a shotgun in a field.

He slowed down his onslaught observing Crow's state. He was barely standing, every bone in his body had a new crack running along its length. Feeling satisfied with his results he finished his onslaught with an overhead punch straight to the beak. Bouncing Crow off the ground and cracking his face.

Crow was out cold in free fall. Primo crouched low with his fist close to his core. A deadly aura radiating from him. He whispered a phrase barely audible to anyone near him, "Primo Punch."

Just as Crow fell to the same level as his chest, Primo obliterated him with a powered-up punch to the gut. The power of the blow waking him back up. Crow watched as the world spiraled away from him. It felt like reality was crumbling around him. The feeling of the fence colliding with his back bringing him back to earth.

He fell to the ground, laying against the fence as his mind started to understand the pain he was in. He had been shattered, Primo destroyed him completely. He looked down the alley, watching the monster slowly approach him. That sinister white smile plastered on his blood-covered face. The light from the moon illuminated the crimson colors covering his body.

"Wh..." Crow tried to get up, his jacket stuck on a hook in the fence. The pain coursing through his body causing him to neglect his deeper voice. His true voice squeaking out in fear, "What... are you?"

He stood still for a second. The blood dripping from his frame and pooling on the ground. Crow couldn't tell if the endorphin overload being produced by his brain was morphing his vision but he swore that Primo's smile got brighter.

"I... Am..." he leaped into the air. From above Crow could see him aiming his elbow directly for his head, shouting a battle cry, "ELLLL PRIMOOOO!"

Crow saw the giant man falling from the sky towards him. The adrenaline in his body overflowing. Running on autopilot, Crow ripped the leather jacket off the hook. He leaped into the air passing by Primo on his way up.

As they passed each other they both looked into the other's eye. Crow's faced showed fear, desperation, and a need to survive. Primo's face showed entertainment. He could have killed Crow at any moment but decided to play with him instead.

As Crow flew to the top of the building, he heard a massive explosion go off underneath him. When he looked back Primo was standing tall in the middle of a miniature crater. Crow shuddered at the thought of what would have happened had his body came in contact with a force of that magnitude.

Primo stared at Crow. Still smiling with the blood starting to stain his skin. He didn't blink, those blackholes looking into Crow's soul. Primo just smiled and waved goodbye to Crow. He decided not to argue and took his leave. Shambling away as he leaped from rooftop to rooftop making his narrow escape. Praying that the adrenaline would stay long enough for him to find a road.

Once Crow was out of sight Primo took a deep breath, closing his eyes and his mouth. When they opened, his face was back to normal. A bright white smile accompanied his bright white eyes. He made his way out the alley, still oozing blood and green goop. He laughed at the use of poison by the bird. It had been quite some time since someone attempted to poison him. He cracked his neck, yawning as he made his way down the road. He did have one thought on his mind.

"Are they still going to pay me for the show?"