Alley Cat

“Get back here, you little shits!” The constable yelled, his voice ragged and out of breath from the long chase.

“Not on your life, fatty!” Seko called back, turning his head to show the officer the red of his tongue while he was at it.

Seko and Serio Strife (ages fourteen and eleven respectively) were the constant bane of local law enforcement. The orphaned brothers had thievery down to a science. Serio was the hard luck story and distraction. He was a bit of a run and showed the scars of living on the streets for too long. A chunk of his right ear had been torn off by a stray dog and there was a nice gash across his left eye from a knife fight he should have avoided. There was no question that left alone, he would have been found lying face down in a gutter, but Serio had the good fortune to have Seko at his side. Like his little brother, Seko was short with a dirty mop of unkempt brown hair. Seko, however, was a scrapper. Long before the two were on the streets, Seko was an expert at getting into and out of trouble. The particular bit of trouble he was in today involved a rather plump chicken stolen right out of the butcher’s window.

Seko cackled loudly as he carried the chicken under one arm like a football. His makeshift shoes, which were little more than soles tied to his feet with bandages, hit heavy on the cobblestone streets and splashed in puddles as the teenager ran with that night’s meal.

“Seko, wait for me!” Serio’s small voice pleaded.

The younger of the Strifes was lagging behind, as usual. Seko did his best to provide for his little brother. He stole chicken so that the kid would have protein and grow big and strong. He let Serio have the better pair of sneakers—an out of pair style that only had a hole in the big toe. Yet, Serio still had trouble keeping up.

“You can make it, kiddo! It’s just a few more blocks.”

Seko paused momentarily to let his kid brother close the distance between them. The cop, who would admit to being a little portly, was still a good distance away and was terribly winded. He would have been smarter to just give up the chase, but day after day of being made the fool by a couple of punk kids instilled uncommon determination in the man. He paused to catch his breath as Seko waited for his brother.

“Is that all you’ve got, you fat sack of crap? I can keep this up all day!” Seko taunted, just as soon as Serio caught up.

“Son of a bitch,” the red-in-the-face officer muttered as the two boys took off down the street again.

Seko and Serio raced past store after store as they fled. They bobbed and weaved amongst the hipsters leaving a local record store. They ducked underneath the laundry baskets of people entering the laundromat. They made extra care not to crash right into the fresh fruit outside the street side market. They only had one place in their sights—the Neko Palace. It was every bit the cliché Japanese restaurant, from the heavy cherry wood door and paneling on the outside, to the bamboo sign with thick black lettering, to the Japanese floor lamp outside the door. There were, of course, those that were racially insensitive and assumed because the place was called Cat Palace that maybe the teriyaki chicken was something a little more feline, but the name actually came from the thousands of good luck ceramic cats that sat on pretty much every surface inside the place. There was even a large one greeting customers outside with its big paw raised up in the air. For the brothers, this restaurant was one thing in particular—an exit strategy.

“’Scuse us!” Seko belted out as they pushed through the heavy doors.

While it may have raised a few eyes to those that were not regulars of the Neko Palace, the sight of the two boys running through the restaurant was rather common place for everybody else. The greeter just smiled at them as they ran past and at the sushi bar, the chef actually opened the door for them to make their way back through the kitchen.

“No hello, alley cat?”

“No time! Fatty is right on our heels!” Seko said with a grin.

“Okay, you bring that chicken back later and we’ll cook it really good for you!”

Past pots and pans and people chopping vegetables with really sharp knives, the two hightailed it through the kitchen until they escaped right out the back into the alley. It was only then that they slowed down, being so close to safety.

“When do we get to eat, Seko?” Serio asked, his stomach growling.

“Soon. I want to make sure we’re in the clear first.”

Serio whimpered pathetically. He was practically swimming in the over sized t-shirt he wore. Both his and Seko’s clothing had seen better days. Stains on top of stains discolored their clothing and it was difficult to tell what color the fabric had originally been, but Seko did not mind. If smelling bad did not sour the good will of some of the shop owners, he likely would never take the time to wash up or toss his clothes in the laundry.

“Um, Seko, there are people…”

Serio was scouting the street behind the alley. When Seko joined his brother, a crowd blocked his view. Something big was going on, something so big that a couple of latchkey kids carrying around a chicken went completely unnoticed. Seko took his brother’s hand and pushed his way through the throng of people to see what they were staring at. Men were shouting and the brothers could see money being collected all around them. When they broke through the crowd, they saw a well-dressed man talking to two other men that were facing one another as if they were about to duel.

Seko’s eyes widened as he looked at the two would-be combatants. The man on the left had his hair spiked up so high that it equaled the size of his head. The sunken look of his eyes and the fact that he was constantly licking his lips made him look just a bit crazy. Serio tugged on his brother’s shirt to try to get his attention, but Seko was mesmerized. It was Crazy-Eyes’s opponent that really caught Seko’s attention. His body was wrapped in a large brown cloak showing nothing but the rustic looking boots on his feet and the absolutely gigantic sword strapped to his back. The sword was heavily wrapped in bandages and was longer than the man’s torso. Seko eyed it with kitten-like wonder as to how anybody could wield something that size. Seko was not the only one that was entranced by it though. It was so rare to see a sword at all, let alone one that size, that it had the audience buzzing with excitement.

“You both know the rules. No weapons allowed. First one to knockout their opponent or make them submit is the winner.” The well-dressed man spoke.

As the swordsman unstrapped the sword from his back, the well-dressed man patted down Crazy-Eyes. Crazy-Eyes flexed his fingers as he stared at the swords man, watching him with fiery anticipation. He seemed to be the only person that was not bewitched by the swordsman’s implement. Satisfied with his inspection of Crazy-Eyes, the well-dressed man turned his attention to the swordsman.

“I’m going to need you to remove the cloak.”

The swordsman made no sign that he was upset by the well-dressed man’s request. He handed his weapon to the man and that was when it became apparent just how heavy it was. The gentleman struggled to keep a hold on it as he moved it to the side of the circle. The swordsman smirked as he pulled the hood back on his cloak. His hair was the kind of black that one could imagine swallowing the sun, though it was cut extremely short, only long enough to spike up into little barbs so that he looked a bit like a hedgehog. His skin was darkly tanned and there was a slash scar right across the brim of his nose.

“Hey, no fair! He can’t wear that!” Crazy-Eyes protested as the cloak was pulled away, revealing shiny silver armor that consisted of a breastplate and spaulders.

The swordsman gave an apathetic sigh and removed the armor as well before the well-dressed man could even ask. Without the armor, cloak and sword, the swordsman looked small. He was no longer larger than life and the crowd recognized it with a flurry of bets on Crazy-Eyes.

“Ha, you’re nothing without your gear! I’m going to tear you apart!” Crazy-Eyes taunted.

The swordsman brushed his thumb against his chin and then beckoned Crazy-Eyes to attack him with his hand. The well-dressed man took the cue and backed away from the fighters.

“FIGHT!”

Crazy-Eyes wasted no time launching himself into the air towards the swordsman. His fingers were curled like an eagle’s talons, ready to rend the flesh of his opponent. He slashed at the swordsman like a wild animal and tore a large piece of red fabric off his chest. The swordsman stepped back with each subsequent slash, narrowly avoiding each swing of the man’s claws. Crazy-Eyes snarled at his inability to draw blood. It was as if the swordsman was just toying with him. His attacks became even wilder as he drove the swordsman’s back against the brick wall.

“You’re mine now!”

Crazy-Eyes took aim right at the swordsman’s throat. The swordsman smirked as he caught his opponent. His fingers twisted around Crazy-Eyes’s wrists as he forced the man’s arms back down to his sides.

“Let go of—”

The swordsman’s forehead smashed right into the man’s nose. Blood spurted from his nostrils and the crowd erupted with cheers. Crazy-Eyes yelped like a wounded dog and covered his face instinctively. The swordsman showed no mercy though and gripped the man by the back of the head and then slammed it into the wall behind him. Crazy-Eyes’s knuckles cracked as they hit the brick and he stumbled backward, falling onto his backside right in front of the crowd. The madness in his eyes was more apparent than ever. They bulged from the sockets as blood continued to stain his upper lip.

“You sumbitch! I’ll kill you!”

The crowd gasped as Crazy-Eyes pulled a pistol from its hiding place in his propped up hairdo. He whipped it around, pointing it at the swordsman, cackling the entire time. The first shot erupted like thunder. Surely, the swordsman was a dead man. Several women in the crowd screamed, thinking just that, but the following clang signaled something else. That giant sword blocked the swordsman like a shield. It seemed near impossible that he had grabbed it in time, but there he stood, unscathed.

More shots rang out. Crazy-Eyes was firing wildly at the swordsman. Panic ensued. Nearly half the crowd was fleeing for their own lives. Even those that stayed knew they needed to back away and give a little more room. There was no telling where a stray bullet could land. The swordsman, however, rushed forward, closing the distance between himself and Crazy-Eyes in an instant. Each shot was met with the subsequent clang of the sword. Seko’s eyes widened even further. It was unfathomable to think anybody could be that fast, but in the next instant the battle had ended.

Crazy-Eyes clutched his hand. The gun was split neatly in two halves, as was his hand between the thumb and forefinger. The thumb hung pathetically by a few strands of skin and sinew, looking like it might fall right off at any moment.

“We’re done here.” The swordsman spoke calmly, already collecting his things.

“We have a winner!” The well-dressed man announced to a resounding cheer from the crowd.

“That was awesome!” Seko shouted out, turning to Serio, who did not look even close to as excited as Seko was.

“Can we go now, Seko? I’m tired and hungry.”

“Did you see that? It was all like bang and then swish and boom and then wow!” Seko swung his hand through the air, pretending that he had a sword, all while keeping the chicken under his arm.

“Seko! Please!”

The tired, fat officer looked out from the alley to see Seko swinging his arm about like a sword. One would think that the sight of a gun lying on the ground or a man with half of his hand missing would register ahead of two children who had stolen a chicken, but the officer saw nothing but the kids he had been chasing for much of the afternoon. He snuck up on the children as Seko was distracted, reached out and grabbed the teen by the wrist.

“I’ve got you now, you little punk!”

Seko looked up at the officer, grinned, and then kicked him right in the shin as hard as he could. The officer let go only to see Seko and Serio running away again.

“You wish, fatty! You’ll never catch me!”

***

Clickety-clack, clickety-clack—the train’s wheels hurried along the joints in the rail. It was the perfect sort of white noise to aid in an afternoon’s slumber. The grinding of the steel wheels against the track helped drown out any sort of noise that might have seeped in from the passenger cars, not that there was much chatter. The sweltering heat kept the passengers quiet. They crowded against open windows hoping for a breeze rather than talking about their plans for the evening. This all suited Seko just fine. Stowed away in the baggage car, he slept oblivious to the outside world, dreaming of the past and his brother.

It had been six years since the dynamic duo roamed the city streets, mastering the art of thievery. Six years had been kind to Seko, who was now a far cry from his scrawny teen years. All that running and carrying heavy chickens around had left him well-toned. He might not have been a hulking beast of a man, but he still had that toned look like that of a farmer or construction worker, the kind of muscles one got from a lifetime of physical labor. His hair had become a little bit shaggier over the years, drooping down into his eyes, though he still routinely kept it short. About the only thing that had not changed was his height. Though he had grown quite a bit, he was still a bit on the short side of the spectrum. He topped out at a few inches over five and a half feet, though his lack of height did not seem to be a detriment.

Seko had evolved from street urchin to vagabond. The stained and torn clothes he wore as a youth were replaced with washed-out jeans, black gloves and hiking boots with thick soles. A white tank top which once would have looked yellow or brown on him was now still in good condition, enough so that the blue angel wings design on his chest was still very distinctively blue. In Seko’s mind, none of these things could compare to the item he now carried with him wherever he went. Propped up against the wall of the train was his sword. He had spent days carving the thing into the perfect shape, and while he knew it was not made of real steel, he was proud of it none-the-less. He called it his Angel Edge, a weapon perfect for defending the weak.

The train’s whistle pierced the silence and Seko’s eyes creaked open. He yawned and stretched, cracking his back as he stood and wiping away some of the sweat from his brow. With his nap over, it was time to sneak into the diner car for a little brunch, but no sooner had he emerged from his hiding spot, than he was eye to eye with an angered conductor.

“Oh shit.” Seko mumbled.

“Hey you! What are you doing back here? Do you have a ticket?”

“Er… I prefer not to answer that question. You don’t happen to be a child molester or something like that, do you? Because that would really help me out a lot.” Seko clutched his sword.

The conductor snarled and radioed for back-up.

“I’ll take that as a no. Guess there’s only one thing I can do then.”

Seko affixed the sword to his back and took a running charge toward the conductor. He kept his palms flat as he leaped into the air and then planted them on the man’s shoulders, intending to acrobatically flip right over his shoulders and land safely on the other side. The problem was that the ceiling was a lot lower than he had planned on it being. Seko crashed to the ground with a thud and the next thing he knew he was being manhandled by the conductor and his back-up.

The train came grinding to a halt and the baggage car’s doors were flung wide open. With a heave and a ho, Seko’s body was once again airborne, only to be embraced by the ground a few moments later.

“What about my sword?!” Seko shouted back at the men as he winced at a skinned elbow.

The heavy piece of wood smacked Seko in the head as it was launched from the open train doors. He checked every inch of it methodically to make sure it had not cracked. It was his prized possession after all.

“Don’t let me ever catch you on my train again!” The conductor shouted.

The train door slammed shut, the whistle bellowed and Seko could do nothing but watch as his ride clickety-clacked away.

“There better be an inn around here.” Seko said to no one in particular.

As far as he could tell, there was nothing but miles of crops and tropical forest in any direction, but where there were crops there was bound to be someone to tend to them. He chose the least wooded area and set off in search of a friendly face.

Not long into his walk, Seko came across just what he was searching for—a tiny little village nestled between a couple of hills. Straw-thatched roofs were the first thing he saw, followed by the villagers, dressed in colorful sweeping garments. They tended to markets and rode bikes through the village roads. An old red truck was the only automobile in sight. It may not have been paradise, but there was no doubt that it was a place to get supplies, get a good night’s sleep and maybe make some money in the morning. Seko walked right into the midst of them before he stopped in his tracks and climbed up on top of a crate of vegetables.

“Hello there, nameless peasants!” Seko announced his presence. “I am Seko, the great adventurer and swordsman! I am need of an item shop and an inn, and then I would like to talk to your town elder so that I can get started on my next quest. So, if any of you could point me in the right direction that would be a big help!”

Only a few of the villagers stopped to listen to Seko’s speech, and even those went back to tending to their own business as soon as he had finished. He did not receive so much as a single response and could have sworn he heard one of them mutter the word ‘clown’ before moving on.

“Oh, come on! Surely your village is being terrorized by some hideous monster or oppressed by a corrupt government. Perhaps there are bandits that are planning to attack at the next harvest? I know how this works! I’m a seasoned adventurer, for real!”

“It’s no use, my friend.” A voice spoke up. “You are barking up the wrong tree. Nobody here speaks English, I’m afraid.”

Seko hopped down from his crate and turned to look at the source of the voice. A young man, probably no older than Seko, stood there with black hair neatly coiffed, wearing a red and black striped shirt that looked like it belonged in a nightmare and a tan jacket over the top of it. His skin, much like the rest of the villagers, was a light mahogany.

“You speak English!”

“Do I? Oh yes, I suppose I do.” He smiled wryly. “My name’s Dev, son of the ‘town elder’ as you put it.”

“Well?” Seko waited expectantly.

“Well, what?” Dev stared at him. “Oh, right, the adventuring thing. You certainly are a strange one. It’s not every day we have a crazy person walk into town. However, you do seem to be rather perceptive. We do happen to have a problem that a swordsman could solve, but are you even really a swordsman? I’m pretty sure that sword of yours is made out of wood.”

“The Angel Edge is one of the most reliable swords you will ever see. It can crush a man’s skull as easily as any other weapon, or at least I assume it can. It smashes watermelons really well. Think of it as a really large cricket bat.”

“Okay, I suppose we can hire you, though you will have to sign a waiver stating that we are not liable for your stupidity. I’m pretty sure there’s a saying about not hiring adventurers with wooden swords.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Can you tell me what this problem is now?” Seko asked, unamused.

“Poachers, and I don’t mean poaching eggs. I could go for a poached egg right about now.” Dev looked off into the distance. “Oh, right, poachers. There’s a group of hunters that are killing off tigers in the area. We need you to stop them.”

“That doesn’t sound like a big problem. Don’t tigers kill your livestock and stuff?”

“Yeah, but you know how it goes. Tigers are sacred animals, yada yada yada. Besides, have you seen tiger cubs before? They’re freaking adorable. Why would anybody want to kill something that’s adorable?”

“Good point! When do I start?”

“Well, as soon as possible would be nice. How about we hook you up with a good meal, you get yourself some rest so you’re good and energized, and then you get started?”

“My first real adventure, I can’t wait!” Seko blurted out, though in a hushed voice.

“What was that?”

“I said, um… I could really use some meat, so I won’t be late? Oh, and there better not be any vegetables!”

“At least we know you eat like a man. Let’s get going.”

***

“What do you want a sword for, alley cat?” The Japanese chef asked in his thick accent.

“Sworsh are aweshom!” Seko responded, his mouth full of rice and some ginger chicken with thai chilis. He immediately had to take a big drink of water. Serio sat to his left also wolfing down the day’s meal. Both kids were red in the face as the meal was a bit spicier than they could handle, though the chef had promised them it would put hair on their chests.

“Yes, but they are also very dangerous and very expensive. An alley cat like you could never afford one.”

“Why do you always have to call me alley cat? I find it demeaning.”

“You live in the alley, you get called alley cat. Cats are very special animals. You should be happy to be called alley cat.”

“Yeah, well, I still want a sword.”

“If you want a sword that badly, you should start with one made of wood. In my country very strong warriors train with wooden swords before they can earn a real one.” The chef explained. “This way the little cat won’t end up with any more scars from his careless brother.”

The jingling of a bell interrupted the conversation before Seko could object any further.

“I’ll be right back. You stay hidden in case it’s your fat officer friend.” The chef instructed the pair, who were dining at the chef’s table in the kitchen. He exited through a curtain back into the restaurant.

Seko stuffed a spring roll into his mouth and stood up from the table once the chef left. He could just see around the curtain if he leaned to the right just a little bit. At first, all Seko could see of the customer was that he was dressed in an all black suit with a black tie and a white dress shirt, but as he adjusted his position and stood up on his tippy-toes he saw that he recognized the man. Though he was wearing sunglasses and was fidgeting about nervously, it was clear that the customer was the well-dressed man that served as referee for the swordsman’s fight a few days earlier.

“What are you doing, Seko?” Serio asked with a yawn, looking a bit sleepy after his meal.

“Shush! I’m formulating a plan.” Seko replied, and that was just what he was doing too.

If they followed the well-dressed man, then they could ask about the swordsman and if anybody could help Seko get a sword, it would be him. Seko smirked, thinking about how he would show up the chef by showing up with a shiny sword one day. What use was a wooden sword?

“Oh no, I want to take a nap. Can we do your plan later?” Serio whined.

“No, we won’t have the chance later. Timing is very important.” Seko informed his brother. “Now come on, let’s go out the back.”

Serio grumbled as Seko nearly dragged him out of the restaurant. He did not have nearly the taste for adventure that his brother did, but did not want to disappoint Seko by telling him so. Instead, he sucked it up and followed him blindly. When they turned the corner and could see around to the front of the restaurant, he saw the well-dressed man leaving, clutching a bag tightly in his fist as he constantly looked over his shoulder.

“I think he knows we’re watching him, Seko.”

“He does not. We’re the best chicken thieves this town has ever seen. Nobody sees us coming.” Seko proudly stated. “Besides, he was doing that in the Neko Palace too. I just want to follow him for a little while so I can ask him about the swordsman.”

Serio nodded. Seko had been obsessed with swords and the swordsman ever since they saw him fighting in the alleys behind the Neko Palace. The chef there had no idea who the man was either, so it was no wonder that Seko wanted to follow this man. The dirty pair dashed from building to building, always keeping out of the man’s sight. Never once did either of the brothers question whom the man was looking for, or why he looked so nervous. Seko was singularly focused on finding the swordsman and Serio was just along for the ride. Such trivial details did not matter. They trailed the man all the way until he approached a red steel door in the side of a large brick building. This was when Seko decided it was the perfect time to corner the man and ask him some questions.

“Hey! I wanted to ask you—”

“Who are you!?” The man spun around and pulled a pistol out of the brown paper bag he had been clutching so tightly, pointing it right at the brothers.

“Whoa! Sorry, I just wanted to ask you about that fight the other day. No need to get testy!” Seko responded, holding his hands up as Serio snuck behind his brother to hide.

“You’re with them, aren’t you? I knew I shouldn’t have let that crazy fuck into one of my fights! I can’t believe they’re sending kids after me!”

“We’re not with anybody. I just thought that the swordsman was really cool and—”

“What? You’re not with the Wolves then?” The well-dressed man lowered his weapon, though only slightly. “You really shouldn’t sneak up on people like that.”

“About the swordsman—it would be really cool if I could meet him. So, if you could just like tell me where I can find him, that would be awesome.”

“I don’t have time, kid. They could be here any—”

The well-dressed man’s eyes bulged and everything seemed to be moving in slow motion for the next few moments. A black car screeched to a halt in front of them and the window slowly rolled down. All Seko could see was a pale arm with a very distinctive wolf tattoo on the inner forearm. It was of a wolf howling at the moon all in black outline with three red slashes across the wolf’s shoulder. At the end of the arm, in the man’s hand though was a gun. This was only the second time Seko had ever had a gun pointed at him, and both times were now in the last few minutes.

“Out of the way!” The well-dressed man shouted, turning his gun toward the car as he crashed into Seko.

Shots rang out as Seko felt his head hit the concrete. His vision blurred and he struggled to keep his eyes open. It had all happened so fast, yet every little detail of it replayed in his mind as he drifted towards unconsciousness. The last thought he had was that of his brother.

Hours had passed before Seko was able to open his eyes again. He awoke with his ears ringing and the metallic stench of blood clogging his nose. There was also still the unmistakable smell of gun powder in the air. His hands stung as he crawled around, slowly gaining awareness of his surroundings.

Seko stumbled into a body, or at least what he assumed was a body. It was heavy and still had some warmth in it, though not like a body should have. It was immediately clear that it was not his brother, which was something to be thankful for, but he still feared the worse for Serio. Seko struggled to his feet and searched through the now dark streets for any sign of Serio. All he found was one of his high tops and drops of blood leading off into the dark.

“Serio!?” Seko shouted, though it hurt his throat to do so.

No answer. Seko followed the path of blood until it stopped. There was nothing there—no sign that his brother had ever been there other than a shoe. Every fiber of his body wanted to scream his brother’s name again, but tears were the only thing that came. Seko collapsed against the side of the building and wept.

***

“It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this.”

Dev’s last words to Seko still echoed in his head. He was lucky that Seko was a warrior for justice, because Seko really wanted to clobber him right now. What kind of jerk was he? Seko had the Angel Edge at his side. He did not need no stinking machete. He had already decided that he was going to demand double his payment when he returned to really stick it to Dev. Seko’s annoyance with the strangely dressed villager grew and grew as he trudged through the undergrowth.

“Stick to the path,” he said. Well, there was no freaking path. There were just near impenetrable walls of vegetation everywhere. Seko could not count the number of times he had already been smacked in the face by a hanging branch or nearly tripped over a root in the so-called path. At least the machete was good for one thing, though he suspected that his Angel Edge would have made short work of the plant life.

The jungle was a miserable place. Swarms of mosquitoes seemed to be getting their three square meals from him, sweat absolutely poured from his body, and every step he took was filled with worry after Dev had told him to beware of snakes. You do not tell someone that they might stumble into a king cobra right when they are about to go into the jungle. Then again, he was hunting heavily armed poaches, who were in turn hunting tigers. If he was brave enough to go up against those odds, then he could handle one or two extremely venomous snakes.

It was dark in the forest. Seko knew that dusk was approaching when he left the village, but it did not prepare him for how little light really made it through the trees. Once the sun had completely set, there would be a very high chance of him getting lost in the dark. He hoped to reach the water hole before it got to that point. That was where Dev instructed him would be the best place to start his search. The jungle was a little more open there and tigers were often found near water. Where there were tigers, there would be poachers.

Seko’s approach was far less stealthy than he would have liked though. Almost as soon as he had broken through the wall of greenery, the warning sirens started to go off. Monkeys started to whoop and holler, warning the forest that a predator was in their midst. The only good grace was that they did the same thing when a tiger was in the area. The poachers would not know the difference until it was too late. Seko examined the trees at the edge of the clearing. The one he selected seemed sturdy enough and there were a few low-hanging branches that he could use to climb up—better to be off the forest floor, lest he be caught in a situation he could not control.

Hours passed as Seko waited in the tree top, or at least it felt like hours. For all he knew, it could have been twenty minutes later when he heard the sounds of drums and gunfire. The poachers were not subtle. They were making as much noise as possible in driving their prey into the open to get the kill shot. Seko was getting antsy as he watched the trees all around him, waiting for them to burst into the trap he had set. Before any of that though, he heard the monkeys again. They were making more noise than ever, piercing his eardrums with their loud calls. They were so loud that he nearly missed hearing the low bellowing roar of the tiger. It was first into the opening, running directly toward the watering hole, that was just deep enough that the great beast would have to swim.

Seko’s eyes may have adjusted to the dark, but he still could only see the outline of the big cat as it fled from its pursuers. As it hit the water’s edge, it paced back and forth nervously, turning its head so that Seko could see the glow of its eyes. It knew that crossing the water would slow it down and leave it a sitting duck. Now was the time to decide whether it should stand its ground and fight or take the risk and continue to flee. Little did it know that it had an ally waiting in the trees.

Light flooded into the clearing as the poachers closed in. They threw torches between them and the tiger, the fire illuminating the cat’s orange and black stripes. It was yet another barrier between the tiger and the hunters. The cat had little choice now. The only chance for survival was escape. It splashed into the pond and started to paddle its way to the other side. The poachers laughed as they entered the clearing, seeing the tiger at their mercy. There were three of them that Seko could see, though there may have been more waiting in the woods. Armed with military issue assault rifles, they raised their guns and pointed them at the cornered beast, who was desperately trying to swim its way to safety. It was then that Seko chose to strike.

Before even one of them could pull the trigger, Seko dove from his perch in the tree, sending his Angel Edge crashing down onto the poachers guns. The weight and momentum of the wooden blade snapped the guns from the poachers’ grips, leaving them woefully confused.

“What the hell?!” One of them shouted.

Seko spun around to face the three men, sword at the ready. His movements mirrored the swordsman he had seen as a teen in every way. He smirked as the torches illuminated his form. He could barely make out the features of the hunters, but they surely could see him.

“These woods are now under the protection of the great adventurer, Seko Strife! I suggest you turn around before I decide to teach you all a lesson,” Seko pronounced confidently.

“Kid, you’re messing with the wrong people. You caught us by surprise the first time, but believe me when I tell you that we’re out of your league.”

“Hmph! Are you blind? I’m the one with the weapon here. Your rifles are history and soon you will be too. This is your last warning.”

“You know what? Fuck you. I am not losing an entire night of hunting because of some kid.” The same poacher responded again. “There is more than one way to skin a cat, or in this case put a bullet in one.”

The man drew his sidearm and pointed it at Seko, but Seko did not back down. He remembered what flinching in the face of a gun had led to in the past. He also remembered the way the swordsman of his youth had dealt with the crazy-eyed man with the gun. He hurled himself toward the poachers, ready to attack and when the gun fired, lifted his sword to shield his body. The Angel Edge creaked and cracked as the bullet struck it and Seko stood motionless for a moment.

“I can’t believe that actually worked!” Seko exclaimed, the adrenaline still rushing through his body. “Oh, you are really going to pay—”

Seko tried to take a step forward and felt the blood rush from his face. He felt cold and clammy and there was a throbbing pain in his stomach that was getting worse by the second. The hunters were grinning at him up until the minute he dropped his sword and it snapped in half. His hands clutched his stomach which was gushing with red sanguine gore. Seko’s knees buckled and he collapsed face first into the dirt, writhing in agony. The poachers laughed and tossed the broken pieces of his Angel Edge into the pond.

“What a joke. Come on boys. We can still bag ourselves some game tonight.”

Seko was left alone, left to a slow death and sapped of his energy. Instinct drew him to his sword, as if half of a broken wooden sword could save him. The cool water was little comfort though as consciousness started to leave him. His last gasp of air was spent clutching the hilt of the Angel Edge. As everything went black, he once again thought of his brother and how he would be seeing him soon.

***

It pierced the darkness—light so blindingly bright that Seko’s vision turned red through his closed eyelids. He groaned, thinking he must be dead by now. There was no other explanation, but then why was he still in so much pain? He shielded his eyes with his hand, surprised to find he had any strength in it whatsoever and tried to look at the source of the light. If he was not dead yet, then maybe someone had come to rescue him. As his eyes opened, the light grew dimmer, until it was just a mere glow. It was then that he was able to focus on its emanation point, and it was then that he wished he had never opened his eyes in the first place.

Two yellow eyes stared right into his own, framed by orange and black stripes. He could taste the creature’s hot breath on his tongue. It was death. A heavy paw held his chest down and he knew what was going to come next. He was going to be eaten alive by a tiger—a tiger burning bright in the forests of the night. He winced as he waited to be torn limb from limb, but the cat’s bite never came. He hated the anticipation. Why was he not dinner by now, and wait, since when did tigers glow? Tigers did not glow, he was sure of it.

“What’s going on?” He whimpered.

“Be quiet, human. Your injuries are grave. I am doing my best to save you.” A woman’s voice explained, though it seemed to be coming from the tiger.

“Oh, well, in that case… waitaminute! Tigers don’t talk!” Seko announced, trying to sit up only to be forcibly shoved back down.

“Are all of your kind this stupid? I said to stay down and shut up.” The tiger sighed. “Now look what you went and did. I just closed that wound.”

Seko heard a gurgling noise and felt his stomach splitting in pain once again. He knew he would have blacked out for a second time if it were not for the healing warmth that seemed to radiate from the tigress that now had him pinned down.

“I don’t know. I just don’t know.” The tiger seemed to be mulling something in her mind. “Well, I guess this is a special circumstance. You did save me from those hunters, but you better be grateful! I do not want some ingrate avatar running about.”

Seko was beginning to wonder if he was hallucinating. It would certainly explain a tiger that not only glowed, but talked, and mostly talked to herself like some kind of crazy person. This was just death taunting him before removing his soul from its Earthly coil.

“You are not hallucinating!” The tiger demanded.

Seko felt himself being pulled up to his feet, as if someone was tugging him by his shirt. In fact, he was sure that there was a hand wringing his shirt as he was being lifted. He opened his eyes again and stared into the face of the tiger once more. Only this time he looked down, down into the generous bosom of a young woman. He stared at those breasts for a scandalously long time, noting that tiger stripes extended from the woman’s upper chest down into her cleavage.

“Eyes up here, little boy.” The woman’s voice demanded.

She tilted his head back up to look her in the eyes again, and while she still had some cat-like features, her face now looked decidedly more human.

“What are you?” Seko asked, feeling a little drugged by her appearance.

“I’m a goddess. I think that would be obvious by now. My name is Budhi Pallien, but I doubt you will remember that, so you may call me Leah.” The girl smiled at him.

“Oh, well, thank you for saving me, Leah.”

“I have not saved you yet. If I let you go, you will still die painfully, but I cannot allow someone who would defend me as you did to pass on, so instead, I’m going to give you a gift.” She batted her eyes.

“A gift? What kind of—?”

Leah’s warm lips pressed tightly against Seko’s. His entire body felt warm and stronger than ever. Pain melted away as if it had never been there in the first place. It was also perhaps the greatest kiss the man had ever felt to this point in his life. He felt his blood boiling with arousal as the tiger woman kissed him and just as he tried to go for more, it was over. She pulled back and left Seko standing there, blushing deeply on wobbly knees.

“No, no, all it takes is a kiss. You are now my avatar and can call on me if you are ever in need of guidance. You will be stronger and faster than ever before, and that sword of yours will be much more than just a child’s toy.”

“What are you talking about?” Seko asked, then gasped as he turned to see his sword sticking out of the ground, whole again, though now so much more.

It was now cold, unrelenting steel, steel so silver that one would think it to be a precious metal. It practically glowed in the night. The intricate work Seko had put into crafting and carving the Angel Edge now made the blade look masterful. An angel wing, much like the one on his chest spread out from the side of the guard. It was the sword Seko always dreamed about. He trembled as he reached out for it.

“Go ahead. The moment you take the sword, you will accept my gift…”

Seko wasted no time drawing the sword from the ground and holding it up in the air, wielding it with ease, though perhaps if he had waited just a moment longer he would not have been so eager to accept Leah’s gift.

“…though there is one caveat. You see, my avatar sort of has to be a woman.”

Seko’s ears were numb to her warning. He was enthralled with his new strength and his sword. He was ready to go another round with those poachers. This time he would tear them apart. His hands began to tingle with excitement, though excitement never felt so tingly before. A pang in his gut told him that this was not excitement at all. He fumbled the sword and stared at his palms as they began to change. His fingers were becoming more slender and he could see that his skin now looked much softer through the fingerless gloves he wore. When the tingling moved up into his arms, he watched as they also became smaller and less defined and the hair on them much finer and more sparse. He turned to Leah in shock.

“What’s going on!?” He shouted as his biceps lost their muscle tone and he felt his shoulders start to narrow.

“Weren’t you listening? I said that being my avatar means you have to be a woman.” Leah sighed, her tail flicking back and forth behind her. “Too late now.”

“I don’t want to be a—” Seko clutched his throat as his voice cracked, taking on a much more pleasing alto or soprano.

The tingling feeling was spreading exponentially all across his body. He could feel his adam’s apple receding as his fingers touched his now svelte neck. Like a blind man, he groped at his face just in time to feel the changes in his facial features. His nose was smaller, daintier, like a cute little button above the now puffy and full lips that he possessed. Any remnant of stubble that he had been able to grow was gone, leaving behind dimpled cheeks that would send mens’ hearts a flutter.

“This is because I stared at your tits for too long, isn’t it?” Seko whined in his now feminine tone.

“Do not be absurd. This is a gift. You will grow to appreciate it over time.” Leah responded. “Besides, there is no strength and no sword without the girly bits.”

“But I don’t want the girly bits!”

Seko’s complaints fell on deaf ears. His center of gravity had lowered considerably while he complained. While he had never been tall before, he was now only a few inches north of five feet tall. His new height might have fit his increasingly delicate features, but he felt like a child again. The changes neither felt pleasing nor painful, just a bit off. As his waist tapered in and his hips and butt swelled to make sure that his jeans did not slip right off he grasped at his manhood, hoping that if he held on tight it would not abandon him. However, the changes to is body would not abate. When it was time, he would lose that part of him as well, but the goddess’s spell seemed to want to save the most disturbing changes for last. Seko’s legs became shapelier first and his boots were soon several sizes too large for him. He was sure he had lost all the hair on his legs as well, because the way his jeans brushed against the cleanly shaven stems sent a chill up his spine.

“If it makes you feel any better, you are going to be very beautiful. I mean, I can’t have an avatar that’s ugly, now, can I?” Leah tried to comfort Seko, though the comment came right as the bulge beneath the man’s hand faded away and left his hand grasping at nothing.

Though the changes were not finished, that was the moment that Seko knew that she was female. She sunk to her knees, not noticing the fact that her clothes were tightening on her to fit her new curves—new curves that were becoming even more pleasing to the eye by the moment. Her chest was heavy as the angel-winged top of hers pushed out and up, exposing the girl’s alluring now alluring abdomen and the cute little navel in the center. She would now have to deal with people staring at her chest, which felt as if it would never stop growing. While they were not of an obscene size, the girl’s newly-sprung breasts were about as full as she had ever seen. She was in the realm where bra sizes repeated letters.

“It’s over now, right? I mean, I’m a girl. You have killed Seko, the great.”

“Not quite,” Leah said with a nervous laugh, “though you don’t have to be so dramatic about it.”

Leah’s voice seemed to echo in Seko’s ears. That was not the only thing she could hear though. She could hear the entire jungle. There was a deer munching on grass off in the distance, monkeys were swinging through the trees, insects buzzed all around her and the poachers laughed over a meal before a crackling fire. Her ears were different now, that much she could be sure of, though she did not see the truth of the change until she looked at her reflection in the watering hole. Her human ears were no more, replaced by orange-furred ears with little black tufts on top of them that matched Leah’s on the top of her head. Seeing her reflection was quite the impact. Leah was right about her being beautiful, though it was a wonder that she could maintain her balance with such large breasts.

Something flicked about behind her and she soon saw why she did not just topple over. She now had a long striped tail with orange, black and white fur. She tried to reach for it and it darted away from her like it had a mind of its own. The urge to chase after it filled her mind, and she would have done just that if Leah had not placed her hand on her shoulder at that exact moment.

“Your feline instincts will be difficult to overcome, but being part cat has its advantages. Your enemies will never see you coming, while you will be able to both see and hear them long before they know you are there.” Leah gave Seko’s shoulder a squeeze. “I know you will make me proud as my avatar.”

“Still don’t want to be a girl,” Seko muttered.

“I know, and I’m sorry that I killed off Seko, the great. Perhaps a new name will make you feel better about your predicament.”

“Sekkai.” The girl responded quickly. “That sounds like a girl’s name.”

“Er… actually, your old name sounded like a girl’s name. You see, in Japanese culture, many girls’ names end with -ko, so one could say that your new name is actually more—”

“Yeah, don’t care. Sekkai sounds good to me.”

“Well then, Sekkai, how would you like to get a little revenge?”

Sekkai grinned wildly. The time to angst over her new gender would come. Now was the time to make those poachers pay.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

***

Cigar smoke rose up into the tree tops in huge puffs. The three poachers that Sekkai had faced just hours earlier were now joined by two of their friends. Five men, all armed to the teeth, laughed uproariously at the tale of the kid wielding a wooden sword. They drank beers and tore off huge chunks of meat from the boar they had killed. It may not have been a tiger, but they could make their money the next day. Tonight was a night to eat, drink and be merry.

“I mean, really, a wooden sword! He might as well have assaulted us with a Nerf gun!” The biggest of the five men laughed.

“He won’t be assaulting anybody after the boss here put a bullet right in his gut!” The man next to him chortled.

“And you know what the best part is?” The one so affectionately called Boss, asked with a grin. “His rotting corpse will make perfect bait for us to bag that tiger later. That kid was nothing but pathetic!”

Riotous laughter sprung up again, masking the snarl that came from the trees above. Sekkai had had enough.

“Pathetic!?” She screamed from her hiding spot.

“What the hell!?” One of the men who had not been on the earlier expedition yelled.

“You dare call me pathetic!?” Sekkai screeched as the men stood from their seats and pointed their weapons at the tree tops. “Well, then, say hello to my little friend!”

The Angel Edge gleamed in the darkness as the poachers fired wildly at the light reflecting off its surface. It cleaved the air, and repelled the bullets like they were nothing as it dropped from the sky like a missile. Embers erupted into the air as it crashed down into the center of the hunters’ crackling fire, sending a shockwave out in all directions, knocking the men back and dousing the campfire.

“Turn on a light! Quick!” One of the poachers shouted.

He fumbled for his flashlight and then pointed it right where the Angel Edge had crash landed. Standing in front of it with her hand on its hilt was Sekkai, her eyes reflecting the light just like a tiger’s. The poachers fired quickly, choosing not to mince words with the girl that had interrupted their dinner. Bullets ricocheted in every direction as they pinged off the sword’s surface. Somehow not a single one of them had hit its mark, and the girl was gone.

“Son of a bitch! Watch where your aiming. That one grazed my arm!” Another of the poachers complained.

“First the kid, now some girl, what the hell is wrong with this place?” The one identified as the boss wondered aloud.

“Some girl? You wish I was just some girl,” Sekkai replied from the darkness. “ I’ve leveled up, you bastard!”

Sekkai’s boot nearly crushed the man’s skull. She hit him with such force that his body spiraled in the air before crashing into a tree. One would think an elephant was marching through the jungle with the amount of noise the impact made. The man slumped limply against the tree and Sekkai stared down her defeated foe. As his gun rolled out of his hands, she saw the wolf with the three red slashes on his inner forearm and rage took over.

“You killed my brother!” She screamed at the man, who was already unconscious.

She had completely forgotten about the other four men that had been at the camp for a split second, until the sound of a bullet whizzing past her ear snapped her out of her blindness.

“Oh, you picked the wrong fucking day!”

Sekkai pivoted back towards the poachers and dashed at them with the speed of a lightning strike. Her sword was plucked from the ground with little effort and before the men could blink their weapons had been reduced to scrap.

Sekkai’s fist broke one man’s nose. The pommel of her sword left another’s jaw hanging loose. She snapped a third’s ankle with her bare hands. The last of the four men ran for his life, hoping to escape the whirling dervish of a woman, but she chased him down, leaped into the air and planted the soles of her boots firmly in the middle of his back, sending him skidding across the forest floor.

As each of the men met their fates, she could see a matching tattoo on each of their forearms. There was little chance that the head poacher or any of his men were responsible for her brother’s death. She was pretty much on the other side of the globe from where she grew up, and if the shock of seeing the tattoo had not enraged her so much, she would have realized that sooner.

“I’ll be back for you later,” she announced to the leader’s black and blue face as she spat in it. “As for the rest of you, we have a date we need to attend to.”

***

It was daylight before she escaped the jungle with four men being dragged behind her like they weighed nothing. Conveniently, they had all the materials she needed to tie them up and wrap them in a neat little package for the villagers. The men groaned as they nursed their wounds, only about half of which had been caused directly by the catgirl. They had more than their share of scrapes from being pulled along the forest floor all night long. Sekkai had little sympathy for their whining. She had her eyes on the center of town, where she had met Dev the day before. For all the trouble she had been put through, she was more than entitled to a hefty reward.

Her trek through town was much different than the day before, however. Though she might not have been fully aware of it, the villagers spoke in whispers as she walked past and then dropped to their knees and bowed, staying like that for long after she had passed them by.

“Budhi Pallien,” the villagers murmured.

“What’s going on here?” She asked as more and more of the villagers bowed down to her.

“Isn’t it obvious? They think you are a goddess,” Dev’s voice explained.

Sekkai looked up at the man who had been about her height the day before. Her tail twitched back and forth as he gave her a charming smile.

“And what about you? You should be at my feet worshipping me too after what I’ve been through.”

“I do not believe a goddess would show up wearing blue jeans.” He looked her up and down, taking in her new appearance. “I am not sure what happened to you out in the jungle, but you dress much like my friend, Seko. It does not take a genius to put two and two together.”

“Well then, what about my payment? Here are the poachers, just like you asked.”

“Hmm, there seems to be one missing.” Dev counted the heads sticking out of the net Sekkai had them contained in. “I will, of course, have to dock you some pay for not bringing all of—”

An aged hand clasped over Dev’s mouth.

“Please forgive my son, Goddess,” the old man spoke. “He has spent too much time in the West and forgets his manners.”

The old man looked a lot like Dev, only with an unkempt, thick mustache of white hair underneath his nose. He stared at the younger villager with contempt as he pushed him to the ground, so that he would bow before Sekkai like the rest of the village had.

“Do not speak another word, Dev. The goddess has done us a great favor. You will show her respect,” he scolded.

“Yes, father.”

Sekkai could not help but grin and made sure that Dev saw it before he was shoved to the ground.

“I am so ashamed, my Goddess. There is no way that we can repay you for this kindness.” The elder lamented. “If it will be enough, we will throw a great festival in your honor, tonight.”

Sekkai glowered. There was a drawback to this whole worship thing. If people thought you were a goddess, they saw no reason for you to need any monetary reward.

“Well, Dev was going to…”

“My humblest apologies. I did not even think of that!” The elder exclaimed. “He is very young and virile. You would bring honor to my house if you would be his wife.”

“Er… actually, the festival sounds just great, but I have other business to attend to at the moment.” Sekkai said with a nervous laugh. “How about you get started on the decorating and food making and stuff and I’ll be back later to collect my reward.”

“Whatever you wish, Goddess.”

Sekkai slowly backed away through the throngs of worshiping villagers and then dashed back into the forest, where she could deal with the last of the poachers.

***

Water splashed into the poacher’s face and he opened his eyes with a start. The light of day made his attacker’s figure far more noticeable. She was so small, other than in the obvious places, but what kind of freak had tiger ears and a tail? He sputtered as he tried to find his words. Sekkai put a finger to his lips and shook her head as she placed her boot in quite the precarious place. One step and he would sound like an eight year old all over again. He tried to struggle, but soon realized that there was nowhere to go. Whether it be by vines or ropes, he was tied tightly against the tree she had him wedged against. There was nothing to do but listen to what she had to say.

“I know what you’re thinking, tall, dark and stupid,” Sekkai said with a grin. “You’re thinking I could stare at those tits all day long.”

Sekkai lifted one of her breasts and then let it drop, jiggling beneath her shirt, almost taunting the man who was at her mercy.

“Unfortunately, I have other plans for you.” She pushed his head to the side so he could see her Angel Edge shining radiantly, the blade looking extra sharp. “There is, however, and easy way out of this for you. I believe the expression is… take me to your leader!”

~ by Cady Graves on August 29, 2010.