Chapter 24

Shortly after the incident in City A, the Brawler brothers made a mad dash back to the Dragon's keep. Knuckle pretty much kicked in the door as he always done, but froze at the sight. The house was just getting ready for bed. Garou froze as he stared at the two. "What the hell is your problem!?" he demanded.

"Baby bro…" Knuckle whispered, he couldn't stop himself as he grabbed Garou and pulled him into his arms. "Swear at me, say something only you would say…"

"Get the hell off me!"

Knuckle smiled. "Yeah, it's him…" he said in a loving tone.

Garou managed to pry himself out of his arms. "What the hell is with you? You were here a few hours ago!" he demanded.

"Street, Knuckle?"

The brothers froze as they heard the sweet voice of their sister coming from her bedroom. She emerged wearing a nightgown however appeared very confused. "Is everything okay?"

"Are the kids?" Street asked, but then paused. "Are the kids all here?"

Garou was appearing a little worried now. "You were here FOUR DAMN HOURS AGO!" he protested. "The kids are here but Pac whose off to find himself, remember? I thought you were cyborgs…"

"Hey, care to keep it down, my kids are trying to sleep!" Snek said in a sharp whisper.

But then, he was caught up in Knuckle's arms. "Snek… it's really you… thank GOD it's you!" Knuckle whispered.

"Uh… huh… You feeling okay?" Snek asked as he began to look worried as Knuckle pulled away.

There were actual tears coming out of his eyes, "Never better man, never better… don't ever change." Knuckle said as he cleared away his tears and patted Snek's shoulder. With a deep breath he let out a sigh. "Okay… I'm good…" he announced.

"Uh… you sure about that?" Garou asked.

Knuckle turned and found Street was bracing onto Melee with all his might, nearly refusing to let her go. "Street, Knuckle, what is with you?" she demanded. "Don't get me wrong, I love you guys, but you are acting as if you hadn't seen us in years or something happened!"

Street pulled away, Knuckle let out a sigh as he cleared the tears once more. "Well… we will tell you another time… for now… sleep tight… good to know everyone is okay…" Street released his sister, the brothers took their leave yet let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God…" Knuckle sighed.

"Yeah…" said Street.

#

Weeks came and went. Knuckle kept to himself, and yet, the events that transpired began to take hold of his mind. He actually did it.

"Street…" he said.

The two were in the apartment, Street was making lunch as Knuckle was contemplating his actions. "Yeah?"

"Did… I do the right thing back then?" he asked. His voice trembled a little as the thought and images haunted him still. How he held Amai's head in between his hands, and without hesitation, he crushed it in his grasp. At the time, he didn't regret it actions, but now, since things are back to normal, it haunted him. But then, he remembered how he acted when he saw Snek again. The moment his eyes came upon the former A Class her, he embraced him so tightly it startled the room.

Street set down lunch for the two of them as he nudged his head. Knuckle slowly rose up and approached the table. Yet as he sat down, he heard Street say. "Had you not gotten to him first, I would have done the same."

He froze to his words. Street began to eat as he looked Knuckle dead in the eyes, he was serious too. "But, was it right of me?" he asked.

"You heard Amai, we only kill monsters. What kind of person kills others for the sake of looking good? He took out Metal Bat, and God knows how many others. He scarified people for his own vanity to become strong enough to go against Garou. That Amai was a piece of shit."

Knuckle smirked and nodded in agreement. He began to eat his lunch without worry once more. He turned the TV on and found they were airing commercials for Amai's latest movie. Drax was his costar! "No shit, look at this!"

Street looked and smirked. "I figured as much. I think the Neo Heroes are keeping Drax on the shelf for now until Metal Bat returns. They fear Bang may taint the young hero's state of mind of what it means to be a Neo Hero!"

The two snickered at the thought of it all.

They finished lunch and decided to check in at the association. Everyone was abuzz upon arrival. There were some monster attacks, but were quickly struck down. However in the front of the entrance, heroes gathered as Amai had Drax under his arm proudly proclaiming their movie will be the best there is! It opened merely two weeks ago and it broke the box office records for highest grossing action movie. "WE ARE DOING A SEQUAL!" Amai announced proudly.

The heroes groaned, as they were quickly to depart. Amai on the other hand was so proud of Drax. "You excited? Did you have fun making this with me?"

Drax smirked. "I'll admit, it was fun," he said. "Yet they want to do a sequel already!?"

"Highest grossing action movie…" Amai said slowly. "You damn right they are going to want a sequel!"

Drax rolled his eyes but nodded in agreement to it all. He decided to go check on his father as Amai turned to the Brawlers. "Oh look, our favorite cyborgs have arrived!"

"Yeah, yeah whatever." Knuckle muttered.

Amai however appeared rather playful today. "Hard to believe it's been a few years since I have sought to end Garou's life, remarkable isn't it?"

"Why are you reminiscing about that now?" asked Street.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, truth be told, a part of me still wants that to happen…"

SLAM

Knuckle's arm came just before Amai's face, yet he merely leaned in and whispered. "Be careful with your thoughts Sweet, I've killed you once before… don't make me do it again"

Slowly, he brought his arm off the wall, yet his hand print was embedded into the metal.

Amai Mask never felt fear such as that before, the tone Knuckle spoke to him just now, hit him in his core…

#

"It's perfected."

106 had gone over every test, every possible flaw and situation in his mind, yet the vial in his hands has reached utter perfection in his mind. "I will finally gain what I want… after all those trials and errors!" he announced with great satisfaction. "New test subject with the perfect genetic material!"

"Master?" came the voice of one of his underlings. "We have confirmed, no change has taken place." He said.

"Very good." He announced.

"Oh… massster!"

106 sighed aloud as he heard her voice, the clone he has been saving began to approach him wearing only a bathrobe. "Tell me it's time… Am I not at the peek of perfections?" she questioned and dropped the robe. She stood there naked before him, proudly flaunting her features. She has reached maturity and would soon be able to complete the task he has for her.

"Indeed, cover yourself up this instant! You know what will happen if you accidently make skin contact with another!" he protested.

She smirked and was quick to dress herself up again. "But is it time?" she asked. "PPPLLLEEEAASSEEE tell me it's time!" she begged in a groaning tone.

He sighed aloud. "Indeed it is, quit pestering me! My God child, good things come to those who wait"

She gave but a smile and walked back to her chamber. "I must admit this one does have a strong flaw, perhaps that is my own doing, I did make this one particularly sexually active…"

"At least she won't refuse him, unlike the real one." His underling muttered.

"Indeed. Prepare the chamber, have everything ready and the moment we know for certain, ensure all hands are on deck and at the ready for the call. I refuse to wait any longer!"

His underling nodded and quickly rushed off.

106's smile only grew. "It won't be long now will it…"