Chapter 68 - Better Than All Of Us

Earlier that day as the sun was setting, Ronnie Everst was holding onto Tim-Tom as he and the other members of The Three Ts rode their motorcycles to Burrito Bistro.

"So, how strong is your dad?" Ronnie yells over the wind.

"Oh you mean Jerry Pitt?" Tim-Tom questions, "To be honest he's a tricky opponent. Mainly because of his fighting style."

"What do you mean?" Ronnie asks.

"He's a grappler. If he manages to grab onto you, then you're as good as dead," Tim-Tom explains before adding, "If you plan on being the one to fight him, you better know what you're doing!"

"Oh relax," Ronnie chuckles, "I bet I can take him on."

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That's what Ronnie thought, but as he stands in the CEO of Club Azure's office -- looking at Jerry approaching him after he broke his desk in half -- He begins to question if fighting this guy by himself really was a good idea. I mean he's had years of fighting experience and-

"Hey," Jerry remarks as he goes for a right hook on Ronnie, "You think you can just sit there daydreaming?"

Jerry delivers several jabs across Ronnie's upper body as he continues, "This is a fight. If you don't fight back then you'll fall."

Though as Jerry goes for another jab, Ronnie rushes towards Jerry and delivers him a headbutt. Jerry stumbles back and tries to regain his composure.

"I don't like to be the one to start a fight," Ronnie explains, "Because I prefer being the one to end it!"

Despite gaining confidence in his abilities, Ronnie is still wary of facing Jerry Pitt head-on. Mainly because despite Tim-Tom claiming his fighting style was similar to a grappler, he's only been striking him so far. But still, there is one thing Ronnie is able to do to even the odds.

And that's by using the tapes he found, the ones his father and a friend of his – James Lewis – recorded about how to fight, and putting those lessons to use.

The first lesson he decides to use; rile up the opponent.

"You talk a big game about this other much better MSA," Ronnie retorts, "Yet if they were so great, then how come they aren't around anymore? Guess they were just weak."

"Don't make such snide remarks about the past, especially if you don't know it," Jerry remarks.

"Yeah sorry, maybe you could try explaining it to me," Ronnie jokes, "Though I don't think I'd be able to focus due to how bright that bald head of yours is."

Jerry's fists begin to shake.

"I mean, seriously, your bald head is so shiny, I bet when you drive you don't even need the headlights," Ronnie jokes.

Jerry grits his teeth.

Ronnie teases, "But hey, not gonna lie to have that physique at your age is impressive. What are you, 65? 72? Because no way were you a teen in the 90s. You look like you've been dealing drugs since the Renaissance-"

"You've run your mouth for long enough boy!" Jerry roars as finally rage consumes him.

Jerry sends a right hook toward Ronnie's face, but Ronnie manages to not only dodge the attack but counter it by slamming his elbow into Jerry's chin. The only reason he was able to do so was because he made him angry.

The angrier an opponent gets, the more irrational they get and the less they focus on protecting themself. And it's this lesson Ronnie is putting to use as he delivers a punch into Jerry's stomach.

"You're supposed to be the head of Club Azure? What a joke," Ronnie remarks as he dodges Jerry's thoughtless jabs, "If I knew you'd be so weak…"

Jerry charges at him ready to swarm him with powerful punches, however Ronnie steps out of the way. Jerry tries to turn around but it's too late.

"I would have gone here by myself!" Ronnie exclaims as he slams his elbow into Jerry's back. Ronnie takes a few steps back and so does Jerry.

As Jerry Pitt catches his breath he looks to see Ronnie has no signs of exhaustion on him. Jerry gets confused and tries to deliver a jab at Ronnie, but Ronnie swiftly counters with a calf kick. Jerry then tries to send some straight punches at Ronnie and while the first two don't hit, the third lands directly in Ronnie's face.

Ronnie stumbles backward, finally feeling pain for the first time in this fight. If he was the same as how he was when he fought Gabriel Griffon, he probably would be almost out of energy. However, it's thanks to not only the second lesson but Christopher Wrinkle's rigorous workout routine that he forced upon Ronnie that he's still standing.

And what was the second lesson that the tapes explained? To focus on endurance training.

Most fights don't last long, people get tired out very quickly so if you have the better stamina, the better position you'll be in as the fight goes on.

"Come on," Ronnie taunts while egging Jerry on, "Don't tell me you're tired just yet, I bet the retirement center's got people more active than you."

Jerry taking the bait goes for an overhead hook, Ronnie can't dodge it so he decides to use the final lesson he learned from the three tapes he got his hands on.

And that's to roll with the punches.

Ronnie tilts his head in the direction of the punch, and as it lands he is tossed backward. Though while that punch would have usually been enough to take him out before, because he tilted his head the impact of the punch was minimized greatly.

As Jerry tries to regain his composure from the attack, Ronnie uses his opportunity to rush towards the CEO.

"Hey thanks for the punch," Ronnie remarks as he performs an overhead hook, "Let's see if you like it!"

The punch lands directly in the center of Jerry's face, sending the man to the ground. As he lays there, Ronnie walks over to him.

"It's over," Ronnie sighs in relief, "Club Azure is finished."

As Jerry hears those words, he can't help but recall his past. Everything he did, all of the things he committed as a way to make this city better, it was all being brought to an end by someone who refused to care. Someone who didn't know what he did.

"I don't get it, I'm just trying to make things better," Jerry Pitt sighs.

"This is your way of making things better?" Ronnie remarks, "Getting people hooked on drugs? Forcing small business owners to take awful deals? Harming people? Harming my people?"

"You don't understand, I'm protecting them! If Club Azure wasn't here then someone else will be, someone much worse," Jerry remarks.

However, Ronnie refutes, "That doesn't make what you're doing okay. It isn't right."

Ronnie begins to walk away, however, right as he puts his hand on the door, he hears Jerry remark, "That's exactly what they said."

"Huh?" Ronnie asks as he turns around.

Jerry continues while he gets back up, "That's exactly what he said."

"What are you talking about?" Ronnie asks.

As he looks at Jerry, he can see him regain a second wind, and as Jerry begins to talk, Ronnie realizes that throughout their entire fight; no matter what Ronnie hit him with or said, Jerry Pitt truly never fought the way he was good at. He was never giving it his all.

"Don't play games with me, I know what you are," Jerry remarks, "You're just a member of the MSA. The Moon Shadow Affiliate."

By now, Ronnie can tell Jerry is different. He feels different. Now instead of entertaining the whims of a child, Jerry is determined to win this fight. No matter what he must do.

"What are you talking about?! Don't you like the MSA?" Ronnie questions.

"I was, back when it was The Moon Shadow Alliance. Back when James Lewis was in control. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT!" Jerry roars.

Witnessing Jerry's anger soar to higher heights, Ronnie's legs start to tremble as he can't let out a single word.

"Back then, it was simple, we were just going around having fun," Jerry remarks, "But then Ivan got hurt. He couldn't walk. Our enemies got to him. I tried to tell James about getting back at them, but he refused! He was always too kind."

"Then when everything came to an end, your father & I started this club. I tried to take control of this city, to make it clean from all of the scum. And he said exactly what you did," Jerry grumbles, "But we all know that was just a bald-faced lie! He didn't care for this city! If he did, then he would have made sure your uncle didn't do what he did!!"

Ronnie tries to make sense of everything but he doesn't have the time to as Jerry begins to attack him. Instead of striking, however, Jerry goes for his specialty; grappling. His movements are quicker, more precise yet more confusing to Ronnie. He tries to move but Jerry manages to grab him and toss him into the broken desk.

Before Ronnie has the chance to recover, Jerry tackles him and slams him to the ground. Now that Ronnie is on the ground, Jerry begins to throw his fists down at him repeatedly.

"All that talk about how we could make this city better than what it once was, that nobody we cared for had to suffer anymore, that's all it ever was," Jerry fumes as he slams his fist downward aiming towards Ronnie, "JUST TALK!"

Ronnie uses the small distance between him & Jerry to kick him with all his might. Now that they have a distance between them, Ronnie takes a few steps back before dodging one of Jerry's overhead hooks. The hook lands in the wall instead causing several of the taxidermied animal heads to fall to the ground.

Jerry takes his fist out of the huge dent he made in the wall. Ronnie goes to kick Jerry's feet from under him but he doesn't budge. Instead, Jerry grabs Ronnie by the throat and slams him into the ground next to some of the fallen taxidermied animal heads.

Jerry catches his breath as he looks to see Ronnie on the ground all bruised. For a second his rage starts to vanish as he goes to make sure Ronnie is okay, however, Ronnie uses that final opportunity and with the final ounce of his strength to deliver one final move. A kick directly towards the liver.

The kick lands and Jerry crumbles to the ground gasping for air, Ronnie stands up.

"Ugh," Jerry groans in pain as he comes to his senses.

Seeing the destroyed room and the bruised child of his late friend in front of him, Jerry can't help but reflect on the past.

As he does so, Ronnie walks over to him, "Jerry, this needs to end."

Enraged, Jerry puts one of the taxidermied deer heads into Ronnie's hand. He then pulls the hand closer to his chest as the deer antler is just inches away from it.

"So what are you going to do? Kill me?!" Jerry demands, "Go ahead?! Just do it!"

"No! Despite all of what you did, nobody deserves that!" Ronnie cries.

Infuriated by Ronnie's lack of resolve, Jerry pushes him to the ground and gets up. As he goes to slam his fist into Ronnie's head, Ronnie holds up his arms in defense.

That's when it happens.

Ronnie has his eyes closed but opens them when he realizes he hasn't been hit.

That's when he sees it.

The horn of the taxidermied deer that he's holding has pierced through Jerry's torso, and he's bleeding profusely.

He locks eyes with Jerry as the two don't know what to say to one another.

"Those bastards should've just killed me back then," Jerry croaks, "If I was dead then I wouldn't have to know just how much none of it mattered. They didn't even tell me."

Ronnie watches as Jerry continues, "They didn't even tell me that your father passed away! My friend! And now, the MSA would rather turn this city into smithereens rather than stand for what they used to represent."

After a moment of silence, Ronnie murmurs, "I'm going to stop it, I'm going to stop all of this."

Seeing Ronnie's resolve, Jerry can't help but shed a few tears as he chuckles.

"Good," Jerry croaks, "Then you really are better than all of us."

And with that, Jerry falls to the ground unconscious due to the loss of blood.

See You Next Chapter!~