Violin day blues: Axe unfortunate reunion

Chapter 8

Violin day blues:

Axe unfortunate reunion

"Ow! Darn it!" Alistor yells as he gets sent flying back.

In the middle of a tense training session in the kitchen, Maigashi and Auroa watched Alistor takes a beating from Bamboo.

"Dude! You must not hesitate. When blocking, you have to anticipate your opponent's move. Now try again." Axe suggested.

He helps Alistor back up from the floor. Readying his sword, his eyes focus tensely on his opponent. Bamboo readies his frying pan once more.

"Now…feel the wrath and power."

Bamboo moves in for the strike. But, without much time to react, Bamboo easily overshadows him. With a stern look from his teacher's face, Alistor hesitates once more.

"OF MY COOKING!"

He gets hit on the face with the frying pan. Knocked back flat on the kitchen floor, Maigashi continues to laugh from the other end. Alistor took a moment to rub the pain on his head.

"Ow...how is this supposed to be fair practice? A frying pan is not a common weapon; others try blocking. Can't we try something a little easier? Ow…my head."

"You can't expect every monster to use the same everyday weapons." Bamboo sighs. "There will be times when you'll have to adapt to certain situations."

He turns to the others for advice.

"You guys have any suggestions? Tips at least." Alistor asked.

"Um… not really, but I can just watch this all day." Maigashi laughed.

"So much for you..." He sarcastically glared. "Auroa, what about you? Come on! You have to at least have something. This training seems so pointless."

Auroa only gave a shrug back.

"Sorry, not much I can do." He slightly chuckled. "But learning the basics of good blocking can help you. Mindless rushing without knowing your opponent can cost you. So yes, sometimes it helps reduce damage, but this training will help build your stamina and durability."

"Easy for you to say. I'm not the one holding the frying pan."

A sudden spark snaps deep within the glint of Bamboo's eyes.

"Is that a challenge I hear?"

"What?"

"How would you like to try attacking back while I block?" Bamboo asked. "You can use your sword."

Alistor got back up.

"Are you sure?"

Bamboo had a stern look on his face.

"If you say so. Here goes."

Bamboo suddenly puts away his frying pan. Then, pulling another utensil throwing him completely off for a brief moment.

"A ladle? You can't be serious? How can you possibly defend with that? It's not a weapon suited for battle." Alistor argued.

"Don't question my methods. Just come at me."

As Alistor charged in with his blade, a sudden bell rings at the door. Bamboo turned away, avoiding his attack as he falls flat to the ground.

"Oh! Looks like we have customers."

Interrupted in the middle of practice, everyone halts for a brief moment.

"Don't worry, I'll get this." Axe insisted.

He leaves the kitchen to assist the customers. Then, as the bell continues ringing, he quickly goes to get the menu.

"Yeah, I'll be there. One moment!"

The moment he set eyes on the customer, a sudden chill ran down his spine.

"Axe? Is that really you? Oh my god!"

A crowd of girls suddenly laughs, mocking him.

"Cheryl? What are you doing here?"

Back from the kitchen, Alistor and Bamboo immediately halt training. The sound of an argument quickly escalating from the other end.

"Is that an argument I hear out there?" Maigashi asked.

"Must be Axe. Let's check it out." Auroa said.

The party leaves the kitchen only to witness Axe arguing with a girl at the table. Her friends continue to pester back at him.

"Axe! You sore loser, of all the places, why are you even here?"

"As a matter of fact! I work here. You got a problem?"

"No! Just wondering who in their right mind would even hire you. Hahaha."

They continue laughing as pointless arguing continues. Finally, bamboo steps into the scene, hoping to break the fight.

"Enough!"

"Gah! Ew!"

The group quickly kicks Bamboo in the face, knocking him back.

"Oh, give me a break." Maigashi slapped.

Maigashi fires a shot in the air. Everything in the room quiets down.

A moment later…

Cheryl and her friends were in the middle of eating their food while Axe kept a distance.

"What was with all that tension and heat? Do you know this girl?" Alistor asked.

Leaning one hand onto a wall, Axe lowers his head for a brief moment.

"Yeah… she's my girlfriend. EX-GIRLFRIEND!"

The rest suddenly stumbled for a brief moment.

"What? Really? Her…." He whispered back.

"Yep…"

The girls were done with their meals. The bell rings as Bamboo approached their table.

"So you liked the food?" Bamboo kindly asked.

"So yeah….the food was pretty lousy. Mediocre at its best if you ask me. You got anything better? Cause I demand something better if you don't say."

Bamboo suddenly crouched in the corner. Depressed and completely misunderstood as Cheryl and the others pester him. Axe steps in to confront her.

"Cheryl! I had enough. If you don't like it, then take your business elsewhere." He yelled back.

"Oh, Axe! Trying too hard to be mad? Face it! You're not cut out for the music business. No matter how hard you play, you'll never win me back." She snapped.

As Axe was about to lose it, Maigashi immediately intervenes.

"We quite didn't get your full name. So who are you supposed to be again?"

She cleared her throat for the moment.

"The names Cheryl. Cheryl Faraday, but my friends call me Cher. I'm a renowned Violinist, and classical music is my forte."

She begins showing off to the crowd with her playing. So calmed and all focused on the violin.

"A classical music snob if you ask me," Axe murmured.

Her playing continues as the crowd watches. Auroa suddenly recalls something.

"Of course!"

"What is it?" Maigashi asked.

"There's a classical music performance expected this week in town. I read it in the papers a while back." Auroa noted.

She finishes up her session as the music stops. They begin to take their leave, but Auroa halts them from the door.

"You don't intend on leaving without paying, do you?" He threatened.

She did not hesitate as she tossed a twenty on the table.

"Keep the change."

Cheryl and the others immediately leave the restaurant. Things toned down as the room fell into an eerie silence.

"Huh? Axe, where are you going?" Maigashi asked.

"I need a moment alone."

He quickly left while the others stayed behind. Walking down some road, rain begins to pour into the scene. He starts looking back as memories of him and Cheryl escalates through his mind.

"Just why…did it had to end this way." He asked himself.

All their happy moments and times together flashed before ending in a breakup. Ending with her last words before turning away.

"You're just not sophisticated enough."

In cold blood, she leaves, taking off with his car. Axe is seen hopeless on the ground as he called out her name one last time. His flashback ends from there as rainwater continues to pour through the bangs of hair covering his face.

Meanwhile, back with Aggerona…

Vilevelious contacts his general from the other screen while water leaks through the entire fortress. He holds an umbrella over his viewing screen.

"Scrap-Ram! Do you have your latest plan ready?"

The general presents a small pamphlet.

"There is a classical music act at the new theatre downtown tomorrow. So this girl will be my next target."

"A violin player?"

"Yes! A recent prodigy many is bragging about. Everyone has been dying to see her performance, and tickets are selling out. Her violin will be the perfect piece for making my next monster."

"Very well, you may commence." He approved in a displeasing fashion.

"Why the long face?"

Rainwater continues to leak behind the scenery. A hole bursts through the wall causing more water to pour in.

"In the meantime, you can call for some maintenance. Get a plumber!" The emperor commanded.

Back with Axe, rain continues to pour over him as he sits quietly on the hill. Looking back while he stares below at the new theatre Cheryl and her friends are staying in. A moment not too later, Maigashi appears from behind.

"Hey…."

He hands a spare umbrella over to Axe.

"Huh? Oh, hey."

Grabbing the umbrella, he got back up and begins strolling with Maigashi. They start chatting it up while Alistor continues his training with Bamboo.

"Yow!"

Bamboo deflects his attack from the tip of the ladle. Alistor is seen knocked back in the air. He lands on his bottom as his blade lands on the floor nearly an inch from cutting him.

"Remember! Anything can be used as a weapon. Defense is the good way to go." Bamboo lectured.

"Whoever knew a ladle can be used in such a deadly manner." Alistor lies on the floor in astonishment. "This whole time, you've been holding so much back."

Bamboo helps him up. He begins lecturing a few more tips and advice before calling it a day. Showing him some more straightforward basics for timing and positioning his body from an attack.

A couple hours later…

"And one last tip. This is the most important advice I can give to any student man to man."

"What is it? I'm ready." Alistor said.

The moment grew tense as he eagerly waited.

"If you ever come across a woman. In battle…Simply just surrender."

Alistor immediately stumbled for a brief second. Unable to decipher what he just heard.

"What? How is that any help? Surrender? But why?"

He begins questioning his teacher for the sake of his logic and sanity.

"It's more of a moral code thing." Bamboo mumbled. "If you ever settle down or meet a woman in life. Simply listen, say yes and do whatever she says. They can be far more deadly than your average monster if provoked enough."

"Really? I never knew."

He slaps Alistor on the back shoulder.

"It's the manly way to go out."

The bell chimes at the door. Auroa got up from reading his paper on the counter to check. Then, he made his way into the back kitchen.

"It seems Maigashi and Axe finally returned."

A moment later, they are both seen drying off. Bamboo prepares some full-course meals as they begin closing for the day.

"So you're finally back from your slump?" Alistor asked.

Axe was too busy to answer back as he was in the middle of chowing down.

"Let's just say we were able to sort things out," Maigashi stated.

Meanwhile, they were in the middle of Bamboo's special grass jelly treat.

"So, how did you ever wind up with that kind of woman?" He wondered.

As Axe was ready to share his sob story with the rest at the table, Maigashi stops him from there.

"It's rather a long story best saved for another time." He suggested. "Why don't you play your guitar instead?"

"Alright, dude! If you insist."

"I actually had to endure two hours of this," Maigashi whispered to Auroa.

As Axe was ready to play, Bamboo stumbles in on them with a sudden announcement. Clutched with some paper in his hands.

"Bamboo, what are those?"

"Since you've been making good progress so far. I thought I treat everyone to a little performance tomorrow night at the new theatre."

They begin to take a closer look at the tickets.

"Wait a minute? These are backstage passes." Maigashi slapped himself. "How in the world did you obtain these?"

"Tickets sold out since last week," Auroa recalled. "How were you able to afford this? Backstage passes cost a premium."

All eyes were on Bamboo for a brief moment.

"Ahem, let's just say I got connections." Bamboo stated.

"Wait…why are we even going to a classical concert anyway?" Alistor asked. "You know Axe and Cheryl despise...."

Before finishing his sentence, Axe stepped in.

"Don't worry. It's all cool now." He nodded to reassure him.

"Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to watch. Nothing has been happening in town for a while." He shrugged.

The next night later. A complete line outside as a vast crowd begins to fill in the newly built theatre. Alistor and the party are seen fooling around backstage while Axe was nowhere to be seen with them. By the dressing room, Cheryl gets a knock at the door.

"Be ready in ten." She hollered.

As she finished up with the final touch of makeup, a pair of eyes stare right above from a vent. Adding the final powder and blushes, she reached to grab her violin case. Quickly exiting the door, she makes her way through a long hall to meet with the rest of her band. She suddenly hears a loud cranking sound from behind. She quickly turned around.

"Who's there?"

She continued walking her way through the halls. The sound continues to get closer as she increased speed. A garbage bag suddenly drops in front, bringing her to a stop. The bag bursts open, revealing metal scraps inside.

"EW, someone forgot to take out the trash. I have no time for this."

Before she had the chance to go around, a face immediately formed from the small pile. Frozen in fear as a colossal figure rose before her.

"Not so fast little girl."

"What are you?"

She suddenly fell back as the Scrap Ram intimidates her.

"Your violin is what I need. Now hand it over."

She didn't hesitate to scream out loud as she began to make a run for it.

"No! Not my violin! HELP! ANYONE!"

"AH! Why do they always want to do this the hard way?"

Her scream echoes through the halls as Scrap Ram gave chase through the narrow corridor. Cheryl quickly made her way backstage to her bandmates slamming the doors shut.

"Cheryl dear, why are you screaming, girl?"

Scrap Ram burst open the doors without hesitation. The band begins mindlessly panicking while the general corners her to a wall.

"I won't ask again. Surrender that violin." Scrap Ram demanded.

She continues to cradle the case tight in her arms.

"No! I won't! You creep. Leave me alone!"

As she cowers helplessly by the wall, a voice from a man interrupts Scrap Ram in his tracks.

"That is far enough, dude!"

"Axe?"

Axe charged into the scene, swinging his jacket around like an idiot confusing the general. Scrap Ram slowly steps back.

"Axe, what are you doing?" She asked.

"What do you think? I'm buying you some time to get away. Now go!"

"Oh, Axe…."

Cheryl quickly made her way to the other door with her bandmates. They continued to watch from a distance before Scrap Ram promptly caught on with Axe.

"Wait a darn minute! Why am I on the defensive? You have no fighting capabilities. Now be gone!"

Axe gets knocked back halfway across the room as Cheryl rushed to his side.

"Now back to business."

She held onto his unconscious body as Scrap Ram continues to approach. Helpless as her bandmates could only watch.

"No! NO! It can't end like this."

"No point in weeping. That violin is mine for the taking."

As the general reaches for the instrument, the doors burst open in the nick of time. Auroa came barging in with a few blasts of wind from his whip piercing through Scrap Ram's body.

"Gah! You again?"

The general falls back onto the defensive as the others caught up to Auroa. Finally, the rest of the party confronts the general in the very room.

"This is as far you go. Ready for round two?" Auroa pointed.

"Damn you...blew parts of my vitals again," Scrap-Ram grumbled. "If I can't have that violin, then I'll just have to use something else."

The general quickly locates the closest object in the room. Scrap Ram makes his way toward a man trying to move his harp. The man quickly jumped out of the way as the general got a hold of the instrument. A monster instantly forms before their very eyes.

"AH-HA! Harpona at your service. How may I be of assistance?"

"Destroy them! And steal all the negative energy you can find in this theatre. Clean them dry." The general ordered before leaving.

The others try to go after Scrap Ram, but the monster steps in.

"Hey, what's the hurry? The night has just begun. My good time debut is about to air, so none of you are leaving."

"We have no time for this." Auroa cracked his whip out for an attack.

Harpona's strings suddenly bind across his weapon, catching him by surprise.

"What?"

The monster begins swinging Auroa high up in the air while the others ducked for cover.

"Around and around and away you go. Where shall you drop? No one will know?"

Auroa is sent flying out of the stage, knocking down the curtains. The monster makes its way to the stage filled with a half-scared audience in the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen. The delicate tranquil sounds of a timeless masterpiece are about to begin.

The sound of a lousy harp begins screeching through the room, hurting everyone's ears. Then, thousands of strings begin slithering across the entire theatre encasing everyone as chaos commenced. A crowd is in terror as energy is drained from their body.

"Yes! More for the labyrinth. HA HA HA!"

"We can't let this go on. I'm stopping this." Maigashi rushed in.

A few electrical bolts hit the monster from behind. Maigashi rushed in with a charged bolt of energy ready to impale the demon.

"You want a piece of me too, eh? Well, come and get it."

Harpona countered back, firing its wrapping strings, but he quickly moved to the side, slashing through the line. However, Harpona didn't hesitate to fall back.

"Now I got ya!"

As he got close and ready for his attack, strings immediately burst out from the ground, altogether canceling his attack.

"MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Once again, it seems you got the short end of the stick. Or is it the string? No matter!"

Harpona quickly encased him with strings as he begins to levitate him up.

"Oh no…not again." Maigashi groaned.

Harpona begins slamming him to the ceiling, then to the ground and back up. Swinging him back and forth followed by the walls. Alistor quickly ducks to avoid getting hit.

"And away you go!"

Maigashi gets sent flying straight into Bamboo as Alistor stood frozen in fear. Hesitating on what to do as the monster approached.

"The last one standing? Tell you what? I'll make this quick by giving you a half discount." Harpona mocked.

"I don't think so."

As Alistor got ready to fend for himself, Axe's words came to his mind.

"Dude! You must not hesitate. When blocking, you have to anticipate your opponent's move. Now try again."

Harpona begins to charge in ready with the strings as he focused deep into thought. Bamboo's training flash through his mind.

"No hesitation…Anticipate your opponent's move. I already saw what you can do."

Harpona got close, ready to incase Alistor but was suddenly blinded by an unknown object. Confused, the monster begins bumping into things.

"What is this sorcery? I'm blind! Blind! I say!"

Axe finally regained consciousness as he finds his jacket covering the entire monster's face.

"Dude…my jacket?"

"A nifty trick Bamboo luckily taught."

The monster blindly attempts to ram into Alistor, but he finally counters back. But then, he blocks the impact at the right moment, bringing Harpona down with the edge of his blade.

"Star Breaker!"

Harpona finally removes the jacket trapped within its strings, only to be finished with Alistor's finishing attack. Sparks begin flying out as Harpona ran back to the stage, collapsing.

"But the night is still young…."

Harpona explodes on stage, leaving nothing but debris as everyone within the theatre evacuated.

Ten minutes later, Axe is talking with Cheryl. The rest is seen patched up from the battle.

"Look, what you did was brave but stupid. What were you even thinking?" She coldly turned away. "The show is canceled, so we'll have to reschedule. But thanks anyway. We'll call it even for now. See you again, Axe."

With a smile, she went her separate way.

"Heh, sure thing." Axe nodded.

He made his way back to Bamboo and the rest.

"So…how did it go?" Maigashi asked.

"Not so bad." He gave a thumb up. "Dude! Bamboo, can you whip up more of that bodacious jelly?"

"Sure thing." Bamboo jumped.

And so the party heads back in the still of the night.