Pitch-black darkness was all he could see. The dust particles floating around him were more visible than the enemy he was fighting. He could hear his light footsteps landing on the different beams. His ears tried their best to pinpoint his opponent's shifting locations.

He heard another set of feet stick a rough landing to his right. He reflexively sent four blades into the darkness. He hissed when he heard them colliding with the roof's support beams.

Leon searched for a sign of the bird. He would often make out the shadow of Crow dashing to another beam, but whenever he turned to challenge him, the bird would disappear. Crow's movements were silent like a cat landing on the carpet. His body remained hidden like a mouse running through a field. To put it bluntly, he was almost invisible.

Meanwhile, Leon stood in the middle of a black room wearing a bright green-and-yellow hoodie. He looked like a highlighter in a sea of black sharpies. He stuck out like a sore thumb.

But there was one intriguing flaw in Crow's assault: His honed daggers made more noise in the silence than his movements. With the speed Crow threw them and the amazing craftsmanship of his blades, Leon was able to hear them cutting through the air.

His ear twitched when another volley played a shrill song with the wind. The boy leaped to an adjacent board to fire his counterattack. Again the younger acrobat bit his lip when he saw his attack helplessly fall to the diner below.

He followed the blades' descent and inspected the scene below. That bastard Bull was hiding behind a table while Bo rocked the area with a storm of arrows. His eyes crept to Rosa who was currently going toe-to-toe with Bibi. He winced when Bibi nailed a solid kidney show, but Rosa responded with her own heinous haymaker. From his position, it looked as though Bo and Rosa were winning. 'Which means it's my turn to win now.'

"Focus." a whisper came from the darkness.

Leon snapped into a powerful punch from Crow. The force of the blow sent him falling off his wooden beam. Leon contorted his body so he could latch onto another massive board. His desperate maneuver saved him from the deadly twenty-five-foot fall to the unforgiving wood below. His feet helplessly dangled as he took in the severity of his situation.

A dagger lodged itself into Leon's hand. The shallow wound proved to be more of a bite than a chomp into his skin. But he nonetheless relinquished his grip and persisted to hang on with one hand. He again tried to lift himself up but the sound of Crow's daggers cutting through the air made him twist and turn to avoid the fanning attack.

Crow landed beneath one of the illuminated support beams. He sported a devilish grin, "Not bad, but not good enough."

Leon saw Crow lunge towards him. Thinking on his feet (or in this case his hands) he flipped himself back onto the board while Crow was mid-flight. Crow was unable to react to Leon's stiff kick. The boy booted him back into the large log he leaped from.

Crow landed with a painful thud. Leon quickly readied himself with more of his signature sawblades. Leon would have continued his attack, but a low and unsettling noise chilled him to the bone. It was akin to the maniac laughter of a wildebeest. Crow shifted back into the shadows with a chilling smile stretched across his beak.

"Not bad, kid." Leon heard the voice originate from behind him. But how could that be? Crow was just ahead. How did he move so fast? "You're an impressive fighter," Leon turned around again. The voice had somehow leaped to a new location. Another unsettling laugh leaked out from the darkness, "Much like your sister."

"You leave her out of this!" Leon sent a few blades in the direction of Crow's voice. But his back was skewered by a set of three feathered-shaped blades.

His smaller frame allowed the blades to slip from his lean rhomboid and latissimus muscles. A thin trail of his blood trickled from the wounds (alongside a strange green liquid). The adrenaline coursing through his veins ignored the pain so he could send a volley of blades at his hidden attacker. Crow's sinister laughter made his ears ring.

"You are a great fighter, but there's one reason why you'll never beat me." Leon turned so that his body was watching the angle Crow spoke from and the opposite direction his attacks would come from. His head was on a swivel to try and catch any incoming attacks. His focus on pinpointing Crow's location made him lose focus on the sound of his attacks. If he would have been listening, maybe he could have heard the blades soaring towards him from ahead.

He clutched his pierced guts while trying to maintain his balance on the beam. His hands were ignited by his blood. The light-green toxin mixed with his fluids to make nasty shine in his hoodie.

Crow appeared before him. He was solemnly shaking his head, "You aren't a true assassin."

Leon sent another volley of blades from his prone position. Crow was barely able to deflect most of the attacks, a single blade slicing at his leather jacket's sleeve. "Yep, a great fighter. But not an assassin." Crow concluded.

Leon's breath was staggered, "Why? Why do I feel so weak?"

"Poison." Crow readied another dagger. "Your body is much weaker than Rosa's. You couldn't survive a fraction as long as she. You need stealth with that fragile form."

"You coward. Who uses poison?"

He held the final dagger against his throat, "A real killer." Crow paused for a second, "As a professional's courtesy... any last words?"

Leon muttered, "Take care of Nita, please."

Crow's heart stopped. He hadn't thought about her. What would Nita think if she found out he killed her brother? He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he made Nita cry.

With a frustrated breath, he sheathed his dagger away. Crow silently strolled down the beam. Leon looked up in confusion, "What? What are you doing?"

Crow looked over his shoulder, "I'm letting you live." The bird was currently fiddling with his torn sleeve.

"Why?"

Crow looked below him, he could see most of the carnage that had taken place. He could see Rosa lying lifeless on the floor, Bull was in a heap behind the bar, Bibi and Bo were currently at each other's throats, and he swore he saw Brock sitting in the corner. "Pity."

Leon's breath caught; he couldn't believe what he heard. He was being pitied. Crow continued his statement, "Let's make a deal, you can visit her once a month and she'll be able to come to your village any day she pleases. That way you two won't be apart forever. How's that sound?"

Leon's blood was boiling, "No." Crow intently listened while keeping his eyes on the action beneath them. "No deal. She's my sister..." Leon shouted at the top of his lungs, "And you won't take her away from me!"

Crow blew a frustrated breath, 'Forgive me Panda Bear.' He turned around, "Then you'll live on in her memories." But the boy had disappeared. There was a bit of blood where he was previously lying, but that was all he left. Crow intently scanned the darkness for the boy's almost luminescent hoodie. He couldn't have gone far.

Crow grew a little flustered as his search proved useless. He couldn't hear him hopping around the rafters and he couldn't spot him either.

"You said that I lacked the abilities of an assassin." Crow wildly hurled some daggers into the air. He felt an eerie sense of deja vu as Leon was now the one laughing in the darkness. "That I needed stealth to defeat you. Well tell me, Crow," Crow felt a warm breath on his neck. "Am I an assassin now?"

He swiftly slashed at the air, but his blade only succeeded in cutting the boy's mirage in twain. His childish laughter disappeared along with his real body in a small cloud of smoke.

Crow panicked while processing the magic he just witnessed. What was this trick and how could it be possible? During his rushed deciphering of Leon's technique, a key memory popped into his head.

He remembered sitting in the storage room on Nita's blown-up mattress. The girl was snuggling within his arms as he processed his newfound love for her. He remembered saying, 'I'll always be there. Even if you can't see me.'

Her response at the time had been overlooked, 'You can turn invisible? Just like my brother?'

Crow was snapped back to reality by a razor blade slashing into his arm again. This couldn't be possible. 'He can turn invisible?!' Crow mentally snapped. So many questions rushed through his mind: How did he learn to do this? Did Bull know he could do this? How did Bull find out? How was it even possible? Could anyone learn this technique?

His mental monologue was quickly interrupted by Leon's childish taunts. The boy didn't need the cover of darkness to launch his attacks; He could become the shadows themselves. Crow couldn't handle this new emotion of desperation and lashed out with rage. A steel tsunami surged around him as he threw his daggers at hurricane speeds in a circle around him. But Leon continued to snicker from some unseeable position.

"Enough!" Crow fanned his daggers in a circle around him as he leaped into the sky. He tried to find evidence of Leon's location from above, but alas, there was still nothing. As he landed on a distant beam, he fanned more blades around him. He closely observed his surroundings.

A drop of blood, a shred of green cloth, even a little bit of his poison dripping off a beam would count as a sign. But there was nothing. Nothing except a stinging pain in his left leg. He shockingly found a razor blade embedded about four inches deep into his calf.

He considered removing it but another blade sunk deep into his back. He felt himself slipping forward to escape the pain. Just before his deadly fall, a soft hand supported his chest. Leon's face shimmered into existence with a victorious smirk. "Who's the killer now?"

He gently pushed Crow back-first off the beam. The world slowed down as he made his descent. Leon followed his freefall and threw a dastardly display of dangerous blades into his appendages. Crow hissed as each blade somehow reached his hollow bones. However he soon forgot the feeling as he slammed back-first onto the wooden floor. The blade Leon had slipped between his shoulder blades had now been submerged into his chest.

The deafening thud of his body hitting the ground halted Bibi and Bo's scuffle. Bibi compared him to a living pincushion as he desperately heaved for air. She could see his eyes slowly fading to white, "Crow?"

The bird was able to turn his head towards her. He reached out a hand and mouthed a silent phrase. "Protect..." Before he could finish, Leon crashed into his lungs feet-first. She could hear his bones shatter as a volcano of blood spewed from his mouth. His pupils disappeared and his body froze.

Bibi rushed to Crow's side. "Bird-Brain?! Get up!"

Leon looked at her from under his hoodie. He threw a quartet of razors at her feet to halt her approach. One of his eyes peered through the black void beneath his hood. The green gemstone he housed within his pupil was filled with malice. Leon ripped his now-bloody feet out of Crow's chest, "I don't think he's getting up."

Bibi stepped away slowly. She wanted to puke at the sight of his broken body. She pleaded for him to respond to her voice but there was no use. Bibi noticed the numbers were again against her. She searched for Bull but remembered that he had fallen behind the bar a while ago. Why hadn't he shown up yet? Bibi suddenly made a scary realization.

She was alone. All her teammates had been eliminated. She again found herself gazing at Crow, pleading that he would magically rise again and stab Leon in the back. But the boy made his approach unhindered. Bo matched his pace and began a slow pincer movement.

Bibi winced from the seared flesh along her arm. Her legs felt like jelly and her grip on her bat was getting weaker. Meanwhile, Leon and Bo looked ready to rumble. These inhuman beings continued to push their advantage over her.

Her head sank as she tried to think. She weighed the consequences of her actions. Why was this happening to them? Then she remembered what she was fighting for. The little girl that shone a light on her mostly dull world. A little girl that made working at the diner worth it. That made being a criminal seem reasonable if she could provide for her.

She looked at the two males as they steadily inched closer. Bo wore a respectful frown while Leon boasted a smarmy grin. Bo spoke first, "Ms. Bibi with your bat of metal. You have fought well, but this fight is over. Give up now or suffer a crushing defeat."

Bibi's grip on her bat loosened. They could see her muscles relaxing from the added weight of her situation. Her eyes had dipped so low that her short hair covered them in shadows. Leon gladly continued, "Crow threw me the professional courtesy of giving me a way out. As you can see..." he motioned to Crow's lifeless body. "I didn't take it. But that doesn't mean you can't live. Just give up now, and give me my sister."

Bibi's muscles flexed again. An angry scowl formed along her face, "How dare you..."

Leon was perplexed, "How dare we?"

Tears rolled down her distraught face. "How dare you take her away from me?!"

"Take her from you? You stole her from us!" Leon corrected.

"I know... I know... but I can't lose her." She felt so confused.

Leon didn't show the same tact that Bo presented, "Stop pretending like you care about her. You were going to pawn her off to us for a quick profit. You didn't even want to take her initially; you were after me and messed up."

"And it was the best mistake our men ever made." Bibi relaxed, letting her bat rest at her side. She looked at Bo, her eyes soft and pleading. "Before she came, all I did was argue and fight with everyone around me. I didn't have anything to be proud of, I was alone. Other women would snicker behind my back saying, 'Look at forever alone, taking her rage out on every guy she meets.' 'She'll never have a family like that.' I would see mothers walking into the diner, enjoying a meal with their daughters, and giggling about some ridiculous show they watched the other day. And secretly, I wanted that too. Now I have this little bundle of joy to talk to. This adorable child that I can take care of as my own. She's the daughter I could never have. My light in a sea of darkness." She looked to Leon, "Please don't take my sunshine from me."

"Before she was your sunshine, she was my sister."

Bo spoke up, "Before she was your daughter, she was my youngling." Bo pulled back an arrow, "You are not her family, you're a parasite feeding on her for joy. You are not the victim... you are the virus."

Bibi's eyes were crazed spirals. Her brain was trying to understand what they were saying. "No... I love her."

Leon drew his blades, "You don't love her, you love how she makes you feel. And once she stops being what you think she is, you'll dispose of her like trash."

Bibi covered her ears to block them out, "No! She's my precious little baby. I would never-"

"Enough!" Bo silenced Bibi's pleading. "You have spoken your fill. Either give us our girl or lose your life."

Bibi curled inward, a harsh heave leaving her chest. So many thoughts were flooding her mind. What if they were right? What if this love was fabricated? Was she just a bother to Nita? Did her panda bear actually hate her?

Bo made a frustrated lapse in judgment. "Look at you, you have broken apart like a dandelion in the wind. Your weak mind shows your true emotions."

That was all she needed to hear. She sucked in her sobs, "Fine..." She stood tall, wiping the tears from her cherry-red cheeks. She slammed her bat against the ground to rally herself, "Then bring it on! You want my true emotions? I'll show you how I feel." Bibi spat out a wad of saliva, "But if you want to take my baby girl, you'll have to pry her from my cold dead hands."

She rushed toward Bo, her bat low to the ground for a decapitating swing to the skull. The chieftain had his eyes confidently shut. He was unfazed by her approaching assault. Bibi's breath caught when she felt several blades sink into her back. Leon softly whispered, "So be it," as he pushed her forward.

Three explosions crashed against her chest and face. Her flesh seared as flames licked across her body. She lost her grip on her bat at the same time her legs gave out beneath her. She smacked the floor with a heavy thud. Her eyes went as white as Crow's as she joined her comrade in the other world.

Bo and Leon respectfully watched her die. They accepted them as warriors and knew all too well that a fighter could get up at any moment. Leon checked her pulse and gave the signal that she had officially passed on.

Bo prayed to his gods for their souls to be delivered safe travel. He had hoped to reduce the number of casualties, but Bibi's spirit would not have faltered even if they tore off her limbs. Leon secretly wanted to have a one-on-one with her again but he knew this was necessary.

Bo inspected the Retropolis duo's dead bodies. They had a hand outstretched to each other. Even in death they reached to each other for life. The other hand was directed at a random spot in the room. Almost pointing to a secret they both had hidden inside the diner.

Perhaps they looked at each other as the parents of Nita. For Bo, it was a shame that people with such kind hearts would have to be eliminated to correct the course of this world. Bo followed the direction of their parallel palms. He saw a little toe sticking out from behind a destroyed booth.

Leon nodded his understanding as he started moving away from him. Bo looked around at the mayhem they had caused. The wood had been splintered on the ground around them. There was dented metal and tattered clothes thrown randomly around them. He could even feel a faint rumble growing beneath his feet. As if they had somehow burst an integral pipe below.

The shaking continued to grow stronger. Bo wondered if there was an earthquake approaching from below. He called for Leon's opinion, but the boy flinched when he turned around. Bo followed his gaze and got his face swallowed up by a massive hand. The force that snatched him by the skull continued pushing forward to pick up Leon with his other hand.

They both swung wildly trying to fight his grasp but ultimately smacked a brick wall of humanity. This living freight train proceeded to drive them through the brick and mortar of the diner's exterior wall. They were both launched into the middle of the street with scuffs and bruises anew. Their heads were throbbing from the destructive force of his charge.

The village chief slowly stood face-to-face with the hulking frame of Bull. The colossal titan had bits of gravel rolling off his shoulder, and his knuckles had been beaten raw. But Bull's smile refused to falter, "Call me the Bulldozer cause I just leveled your ass!"

Bo reached for his sheath but couldn't find his usual artillery. The massive bow had been dropped inside the diner when Bull first snatched their skulls. While Bo tried to think of a plan, Bull fired off a round in his direction. The blood that shot from the newly-opened wounds splattered onto Leon. Thanks to the sting of the burning blood, Leon woke up.

Leon tried to extend a shaky hand to his elder but Bull stepped on the boy's fingers. "You're not gonna be throwing anything else for the rest of your life." Leon writhed in pain under his weight. It was as if a boulder had fallen from twenty stories and directly onto his wrist. "Hurts huh? Well don't worry," he shifted his weight onto Leon's crushed hands. "You won't feel anything much longer."

Before he could cause serious damage, Bo leaped in to land a solid shot to Bull's chin. But with his battle-torn body, all the punch could do was scratch Bull's nose. The Retropolis boss gripped Bo's arm. "And what are you gonna do?" He dangled Bo by his arm and blasted him with a gut-busting punch. The archer's tongue rolled from his mouth. Leon swore he saw Bull's fist attempt to burst through Bo's back.

After Bo finished crumbling to the floor, Bull took pleasure in dropping a thunderous foot across his spine. Hearing the two males writhe beneath him was better than any Broadway play. It was so amusing that he couldn't help but bellow with laughter. The sheer girth of his glorious guffaws shook the glass of the buildings around them. Lights flashed on along the block as an array of heads peeked out of their apartment windows. There were several large gasps as they observed the bloodied bodies of Bull and his two victims.

Bull, being a showman at heart, addressed the public. "Let this be a lesson to all of you." He presented Leon to the people by lifting his skull. His blood-stained hoodie stood out like a star in the sky, "I am still the same monster that took over this town years ago. Just because I show mercy does not mean you may test my patience. I will obliterate all who oppose me!"

Hushed whispers grew into scattered shouts. He could hear his loyalists shouting his name and praising him for his victory. There were groups in the crowd that voiced their disdain, (mostly for how he was treating the child in his clutches) but he couldn't be bothered by the peanut factory.

Leon mustered up some courage and spoke, "This isn't over..."

Bull snickered at his statement, "REALLY!? You still think you can win? I completely destroyed you and your leader."

"We still... have Rosa."

"HA! The plant woman? I killed her ages ago."

Bo and Leon flinched at the declaration. "You... killed her?" Leon's voice was quivering.

"What's wrong kid? Is it that hard to believe? Can't fathom the idea of me blowing off her head in one shot? The pain she felt as the blood spewed from her skull." Bull was reverting back into that demon from before. With a sinister snicker he continued, "Or maybe you want to know how it felt when her plant wrapped around her cold dead corpse?" He increased the strength of his grip, "I could show you."

Bo slowly spoke up, "Her plant... wrapped around her head?"

"The poor thing was trying to comfort its dead owner. I almost felt bad... almost." His disgusting grin faltered as he said that. Bull remembered the actual events and internally cursed himself for doing such a thing. He still felt bad for what he was doing, but they were going to take her from him. And he refused to lose her.

A low chuckle filled the night sky. Bull was perplexed; He hadn't started laughing yet. He looked at his feet, Bo was smiling up at him, "What's so funny?" He heard Leon start laughing as well. He unintentionally loosened his grip at their strange behavior. "I said," he punched Leon in the kidney, a guttural screech leaving the assassin's body. "What's so funny?"

Bo spoke up, "It's not his fault. It's just... you see we have many rules in our village. Not quite like the laws of your society." He coughed lightly as he rolled onto his back, "But words to the wise for everyone to remember."

Still within Bull's grasp, Leon continued the thought for Bo. "One of those rules is the rules of combat. They're advice for people who have to fight inside or outside the village."

Bo continued, "Rules such as, 'Range is deceptive'. And, 'Just because they are unseen, does not mean they aren't there'."

Leon laughed out his next line, "But the number one rule of them all is..."

Bull felt a hand tap his shoulder. He turned his cheek into a jaw-shattering left hook. His body went limp against the sidewalk. He could feel a hairline crack running along the edge of his chin. He struggled to turn his head towards his attacker. His heart stopped when he saw a large woman with ebony skin and purple clothes staring down at him.

She popped her knuckles and spat a wad of blood-filled mucus on the ground beside him. Her British voice calmly stated, "Don't box with Rosa."

Bull was terrified, "How? How did you-" He tried to shift away. "I watched you die!"

The pink plant that had swallowed her head retracted. The vines that were wrapped around her wounds steadily shrunk as well. Rosa boasted a sweet smile as she patted the little plant, "Dionaea. It's short for Dionaea Muscipula, aka The Venus Fly Trap." The sentient plant rubbed its head against her gloved palm.

She suddenly doubled over to clutch the wounds along her stomach. Bo limped towards her, "Are you okay?"

She motioned for him to stop with her bloody palm. "I'll be fine," a stream of blood leaked from her scalp. "I just need to finish this."

Bull rushed for his holstered gun, but Rosa crushed his arm under her foot. She thought about the torment he had inflicted on Leon and decided to pay it back with interest. She pulled him up from his prone position, then proceeded to pound his face into the pavement.

Each punch was inflicted with enough force to shatter his skull. Her destructive blows created ounces of blood beneath his head. The crowd cringed as her brutal beating showed no signs of slowing down. Bo ignored the carnage and retrieved his bow from inside. He allowed himself a solemn sigh when he returned to witness Bull's punishment.

Leon had managed to regain a vertical base and instantly rushed to Rosa's side. The two had moved Bull to the middle of the street for all of Retropolis to see. Leon was currently using his blades to slash Bull's arms, legs, torso, and face to slithers. The people cringed as Bull's torture was broadcasted in HD color. A few of Bull's loyalists tried to stop them by throwing items into the street. Some went so far as to rush down and join the fight.

Seeing the small militia of citizens rushing the scene caused something to snap inside Bo. He aimed his explosive arrows at a bulk in the approaching mob. Their bodies burst into flames as they screamed for mercy. The sudden wave of protest had been silenced in an instant. Now it was Bo's turn to address the public. "This has nothing to do with you people. This vile monster has tormented us for days." Rosa presented Bull's bloody face. His eyes were barely able to stay open. "This demon must pay for his sins. And if you wish to save him... then you may join him in hell."

The crowd backed away from the violent foreigner. Bo motioned for his allies to continue. While they proceeded to batter Bull like a training dummy, the giant man quietly took the licks in stride. He didn't scream as the razor blades the boy used sliced him up like a tender cut of steak. He didn't cringe from the blood flowing into his eyes. It's not that he didn't want to scream out in pain; He just couldn't muster the strength. His body felt incredibly weak from the rapid blood loss and blunt force trauma.

When their constant nightmarish beatdown finally halted, Rosa kicked his legs out from under him. The boss was now on his knees so Rosa could hold his skull by his hair. She angled his chin upward, exposing his neck to the world.

Leon slowly rested his blade against Bull's jugular. "And this makes... 100.". Bo rested a hand on Leon's shoulder just before he could deliver the killing blow. He took the point, "Bull, you are the leader of this city. The people, though out of fear, clearly respect you. As a leader myself, I shall give you one final chance. Give us the girl."

Bull's eyes were glazed over. He could barely manage to focus on Bo. With what little time he had left he planned to use it wisely. His body moved as if his blood had been replaced with molasses. Like his veins were vines slowly growing on a tree. With his last ounce of strength, and in a final show of defiance, he flipped off Bo.

The chieftain felt disgusted. He nodded to Leon, then turned away from the slaughter. This had to be done.

But rather than a swift slice, Bo heard a blunt blow thud from behind him. Nita was slowly setting Bull's body on the floor after punching Rosa out of her way.

Leon was dumbfounded. "Nita!" Leon threw his blade to the side, "Get away from him."

Nita stood between Leon and Bull, "He's done. You win. Now leave him alone."

Leon approached her. Flabbergasted by her ridiculous demand, "Are you serious?! Do you have any idea what they did to you?"

"They stole me when they were looking for you. And then they tried to sell me to you. But they decided not to." Nita shouted back at him.

The invaders paused. Leon questioned, "So you do understand? Then why are you helping him?!"

Nita looked over her shoulder. Bull was weakly attempting to recover from the beating. "He's not the bully you think he is."

Bo stepped up, "There is no one as villainous as this man."

"He took care of me while I was here."

Leon pushed ahead of Bo, "You're wearing handcuffs!"

"They look cool."

"Nita, get away from him. Now!" He ordered his little sister.

Nita whimpered, "Promise you won't hurt him."

"What?"

"Promise you won't hurt him!" she repeated.

Leon was going to yell at her, but Rosa placed a hand on his shoulder. The boy quieted down so Bo could handle her, "We shall not harm him anymore, my child." Nita slowly put her arms down. Reluctantly joining Bo's side, "Good, now let us take our leave."

The group made their silent stroll down the sidewalk. The crowd's outrage was sparked anew. They resumed throwing trash into the street, though they kept a safe distance from Bo. As the chieftain walked in the front, he noticed a distinct lack of red fur following behind them. He turned around to see Nita still looking at Bull's body, "Nita?"

She was unresponsive.

"Nita. We're leaving."

"...no."

Leon was enraged, "What?!"

"I said no!" she had her fists balled up at her side. "I'm not leaving him."

Leon grabbed her arm, "You are not doing this now."

She ripped her hand from his grip, turning around with tearful eyes. "I'm not going with you."

Leon was floored. Her outburst sparked a new wave of questions. What is wrong with her? Why is she acting like this? What did they do to her? "Nita what are you doing?" he hissed.

"I'm protecting my friend."

Bo whispered into Leon's ear, "Calm down, son. I've heard of this, it is called, 'Stockholm Syndrome'. Allow me to handle this." He cleared his throat, "Nita, my child, I see something is wrong with you. It would seem as though these people have done something to you. Warped your mind. Allow-"

"They didn't do anything to me!" The group fell silent for a second. Her blatant disagreement with her family's orders was perplexing.

It didn't take Leon long to speak up, "Why are you protecting these monsters?"

"You're the monsters!" All the observers were on the edge of their seats. Their intrigue peaked at the girl's protest. "All you've done is fight since you got here." She looked to Leon, "When Papa Crow approached you, you threw blades at him and the other people inside."

Rosa and Bo looked at each other. The word 'Papa' threw up some alarms.

Nita continued, "When Mama Bibi told Leon to put me down, he punched her in the back of the head. In the rafters, Leon crushed Papa Crow even after he won. You teamed up and hurt my Mama. And now all three of you are beating on Uncle Bull. You're the monsters!"

Rosa took her time approaching her, "Nita, those people aren't your parents." She tried to place a hand on her head, but the girl smacked it away.

"And neither are you. I don't have any parents. The only family I have is Leon." As she looked at her brother, a disgusted frown formed across her shadowed face. Her mind remembered the horrors Leon committed in all of his battles, "And I don't even know him anymore."

Leon's heart shattered. He didn't think about what Nita would think from watching his fights. He was filled with so much rage he didn't care how atrocious the acts he committed were. He just wanted her back, "Nita you have to understand-"

"No! You killed Papa Crow!" She looked to Bo, "You both killed Mama Bibi! And all of you are trying to kill Uncle Bull!"

"...P-anda?"

They all turned to the broken body of Bull. He managed a painful call as he gurgled on the blood in his throat. Nita instantly ran to his side, laying his head on her tiny lap. "Uncle?"

"H-ey kid. How's it going?"

A tear rolled down her eye, "I'm okay, Uncle."

"That's good. Your brother's here to see you." He groggily turned to the three Tribal Terrors, "There they are." Nita tried to stop him from speaking but he kept fighting, "How's Bibi and Crow."

She couldn't stop her tears, "They're gone. Just like my real Mama and Papa." She unwillingly allowed her salty tears to seep into his open wounds.

Again Bull pushed through the pain so he could caress her tiny head, "Kid... in their eyes. They were your real Mama and Papa." Nita tried her best to hold back the tears, but Bull wasn't done talking. For the first time in years Bull smiled. Not his usual smirk or the faux grin he would use to please crowds or secure a deal. He was truly happy as he said, "These past seven days we've had with you, has been the best week of our lives."

Nita buried her face in Bull's neck. Her screeching cry alerted the entire block. They shifted into overtime with their heckling of the foreign trio. Their deafening boos were loud enough to be heard the next city over. But their efforts had an unintentional, and possibly catastrophic, secondary effect.

The sound of a swarm of people sympathizing with Bull fueled Leon's rage. His anger grew as he watched his sister mourn the end of that bastard Bull. "How dare you?" He muttered over the roaring discourse of the crowd, "How dare you..." he dashed past Bo.

"Leon don't!" the chief shouted.

"How dare you take my sister from me!" Leon saw red. The only thing he could process was revenge. He surged forward with such speed that he nearly teleported in front of Bull. He found himself face-to-face with the source of his ire, a blade at the ready to slice open his throat and finish this once and for all. However, his rush was quickly silenced by a small fist colliding with his cheek. The punch was delivered with such speed that he was lifted off his feet and launched five feet away.

Rosa and Bo watched on in horror as Nita laid Bull's head down. She again placed herself between Bull and his assailants. But this time her snow-white eyes were livid with a scornful hunger. Bull gained a little of his energy back when he heard her growl. A sound he was all too familiar with. He lifted himself to better see Nita. "Kid?"

She didn't give him a response.

"Nita!" the girl peeked over her shoulder. Bull could only see her sharp white eyes. "Don't do it. They're your family."

She looked back at them, "...no." When she turned back to Bull she had a bright smile on her face, "You're my family."

She faced her new opponents and the two adults prepared themselves for a decisive final showdown. Their bodies were battered and sore. Their bones fractured and their organs damaged. However, Nita was fresh as a daisy and ready to fight until the end. All because of a foolish mistake.

Nita dropped down on all fours, much like she did two nights ago. This time she willed her body to visibly sharpen her teeth. Bo and Rosa were cautious to approach as the white in her eyes shattered like glass.

Everyone that was watching shuddered at the sight, a visible black-and-white aura spilled off her body. Rosa and Bo had seen this strange light before. The way it would spew from her pores when she grew enraged. However last time she'd done this, the aura was a dark red. They had no idea what black and white would entail.

Her body writhed for a second like something was squirming through her blood vessels. The monochrome lightshow solidified around her arms. It formed an outer shell of energy that looked like an extension to her muscles. The mass of her body was visibly increasing as the strange flames grew thicker.

The aura wrapped around her in a mostly-white ball. A tiny stub of a tail popped onto her rear and viciously wagged back and forth. Two giant paws burst from her arms and used her shoulders as a brace to push upward. This strange creature that seemed to be fighting its way out of the girl completed its entrance by ripping its head out of Nita's skull. Everyone gasped at the beast that had been fabricated from her being.

Staring at Rosa and Bo was the top half of a giant panda bear. It had a docile face but its paws were the size of Nita's head. It used those massive paws to push the rest of its humongous body from Nita's back. The giant bear was taller than Bull and twice as wide. It showed a non-combative stance as it silently idled at Nita's side.

The girl shook off the cobwebs after expunging the beast from within. Her forehand reached outward towards her opponents while her backhand sat near her head. The way she held them made her look like an animal bearing its claws. The bear beside her latched onto her now-hostile nature. The explosive roar it released shook the air around them.

Rosa leaned into Bo, "I thought Bruce was a red bear?"

"It would seem as though he takes the form that best suits her. Right now, she has decided to accept this new world. Which would mean she needs a new bear."

Rosa didn't fully understand this new appearance, but either way, she knew what she had to do. "Cover me. I'll handle Bruce." Rosa began her careful approach with Bo following close behind.

Nita nodded to her new ally, prompting the creature to slowly move ahead. As Rosa drew closer she noticed that Bruce had also grown bigger than her. 'If he's bigger... blooming heck he's gonna be tougher too.' Her inner dialogue was abruptly cut off when Bruce came within range.

Bruce was not like the humans around him; he didn't waste time with words. He quickly threw a punch at Rosa's face. The pop of her gloved hand catching the blow sounded off like a catcher snagging a ninety-miles-per-hour fastball. She returned the favor with two short jabs to the bear's chest. But the giant wall of mystical fur absorbed the blows with ease.

What followed wasn't much different; Rosa would throw out a typhoon of ultimately-fruitless attacks, and Bruce would continuously attempt to land a blow only for Rosa to block or dodge. That is until Nita got involved. Her hands smashed into the concrete below and sent shockwaves towards them. Rosa tried to move the fight out of the girl's range, but Nita proved faster than Rosa assumed. It wasn't long before her attacks started knocking Rosa off her feet and allowed Bruce to consistently land clean hits.

Bo called to Nita, "My child please!" Nita turned to him with an angry scowl, "I do not wish to hurt you."

Nita abstained from answering. She'd rather spend the time she could waste talking by clearing the distance between her and her elder.

Bo again made his plea, "There is still time! Just back down and we can go home peacefully." Nita showed no sign of slowing. Bo bit his bottom lip. He quickly dropped his aim a bit. 'I know you're tough, my child. Which is why I know you won't die from this.' He reset his aim, 'I just wish I didn't have to hurt you.' With a heavy heart, Bo released his arrows into Nita's chest. The girl was swiftly swallowed up in the explosions.

From the sidelines the Retropolis residents screamed with outrage. What started as chucking trash to show their disagreement turned into people hucking furniture into the streets. Bo found himself looking up at the deadly tidal wave of people. Their emotions showered him with a stunning realization. Nita had not just found friendship in Bull and his men; She had grown closer to this entire town, and they to her. He was not retrieving the girl from her captors. He snatched her from a family.

"Bo!" Rosa's voice was desperate and repressed. Bo saw Rosa prone on the ground with Bruce wailing on her. Her plant, Dionaea, was trying their best to defend against the sledgehammer blows Bruce was dishing out.

Bo readied more arrows until he noticed something strange. With every attack Bruce landed a green wisp flew from his body. The strange airy orbs swiftly floated to the cloud of explosions Bo had created. "No..."

Bursting from the darkness was Nita's tiny fist. She had a dangerous determination in her bloodshot eyes. With the force of a muscle car, Nita smashed Bo's face inward with a flying superman punch. He dropped his bow and sprawled across the ground. He could feel something crack inside his head and painfully yelled into the night. But Nita showed no mercy. She fought like a girl possessed and began clobbering Bo like an enraged gorilla.

Bruce and Nita continued their ground-and-pound offensive as the crowd cheered around them. But Nita didn't need their encouragement to keep going. If there came a moment where she felt her arms falter she would remember Crow and Bibi's lifeless bodies. And if that wasn't enough, she would imagine Bull following them to the great beyond. These bursts of energy kept her smashing her old father figure until she heard sirens in the distance.

Red and blue lights were flashing as the Retropolis police drew closer to Bull's Diner. Nita made an executive decision and whistled for Bruce to halt his attacks. Bo was too tired to move and allowed Nita to casually drag Leon's still-unconscious body towards him. Though beaten, Bo still wanted an explanation. "Go." She ordered. She pointed towards the flashing lights, "Those men take away people like us." Bruce placed Rosa beside them, "Take Leon and go home. Never come back."

Rosa spoke up, "But what about you?"

Nita took a second to listen to the public. They were currently chanting for the panda bear to keep going. Their smiling faces lit up the dim, blood-covered street. Nita took a deep breath, "This is my new home."

Bo saw a genuine smile across her lips. She didn't force this upon herself. This wasn't something installed into her forcefully. She made her choice clear.

So what could he say to stop her? Was there anything he could do? This girl that he swore to raise after her parents' demise, was abandoning her village. And he saw no way of fixing that.

The sirens were growing louder with each passing second. He had to make a decision. So he did something he swore to never do again.

He picked up Leon and walked away.

Rosa was openly distraught, but with the amount of injuries she had suffered there was no way she could challenge Nita's choice. She begrudgingly followed Bo down the road. Dionaea waved a tiny green leaf at Nita as a final goodbye. Nita gladly returned the kindness as they disappeared into the horizon.

The people of Retropolis again screeched with joy at the ending of their vicious fight, though Nita and Bruce had no time to celebrate. They returned to Bull so Bruce could use his impressive size and strength to help him up. His blood-soaked body stained the pristine white fur of the giant bear. Now that they were beside each other, they could see that Bruce did in fact stand as tall as Bull. Bull groggily turned to Nita, "Who called the cops?"

"That would be me, sir." They both turned to see one of the waitresses exiting the hole Bull left in the wall. "When we heard the fight most of us left, but I stayed and called the police. I know you said to never call the cops, but it looked like you were going to get hurt." She put up a pleading tone, "Please don't fire me."

Bull let out a raspy laugh, "Fire you? Kid, you're getting a raise."

A few officers tentatively approached them. One carefully escorted Bull to a squad car as they radioed for an EMT. Most of the officers were too nervous to approach Bruce, but seeing Nita interact with him was enough for them to understand the situation.

When the ambulances arrived, Nita sat in the same car as Bull, watching as a nurse tended to his injuries. Bruce sat outside the car awaiting orders from his master. Nita felt her heart sink when she saw two more cars pull up and wheel Crow and Bibi's ruined bodies away. Bull gathered the strength to rest a hand on her head, "I'm sure they'll be alright. I wouldn't hire 'em if I didn't think they could take a beating."

Nita smiled the best she could. He was lying and she knew it. But the tactful approach to the dodgy topic was much appreciated. However, no amount of kind words would stop her from remembering the horrifying beatings she witnessed.

Bull tried his best to help her, "Hey, you're a good kid." He didn't know if that helped. Comforting people wasn't something he had a lot of practice in. Especially not someone he cared about. "And I'm sure that Crow and Bibi are thinking of you right now."

Nita gave him a warm smile. She rubbed her cheek into his palm. Her animalistic tendencies now gave her a wonderful way to show her affection. "I'm your kid now."

Bull choked up at her words. He could feel a tear about to creep into his eye. But he needed to stay strong. He didn't want her to cry twice tonight. "And I'll be the best Papa possible."

"Promise?"

He showed her his freshly-bandaged chest. A patch of gauze was strapped above his heart, "Cross my heart."

The paramedic smiled as he watched the two comfort each other. They looked like a real family to her, the circumstances of how they came together mattered no more. She decided to give the recovering pair some space. She carefully maneuvered past the giant bear and lightly shut the door behind her.