Sanctuary Agency-Chapter 28: Old Roads

〘Date: 2/12 - Tuesday〙

〘Time: 5:00 PM〙

〘Location: Texas, Royal Creek - Spade Ave.〙

Momo parked her motorcycle outside of a gun shop within a famous district within Royal Creek, stepping off and adjusting her leather jacket. Jade parked next to Momo, her and Allie getting off her bike and looking around their new surroundings.

Spade Avenue was a rather lively location, not too busy but not empty either. The buildings had bright lights on each of them, their main billboard showing the image of a broken Spade with the letter R plastered on the middle of it. Spade Avenue was one of four districts around Royal Creek, known for their combat prowess in martial arts and weaponry.

"Welcome to my stomping grounds~ Spade Avenue, where I put The Big One to shame," Momo said, carrying her iron bat with her as she began making her way toward the gun shop.

"Big One? Who's that?" Allie asked with curiosity, hurrying behind Momo and walking beside her.

"You'll see~" Momo chuckled softly, entering the gun shop, the bells ringing their jingles as the doors were pushed forward. "Karin!~ Guess who's back!"

The woman behind the counter looked up from her phone, her sharp yellow eyes finding Momo's, her expression automatically souring. "Of course it's you...come to boast about how you buried Spade University into the ground..?"

"What? You were the one who burned it down?" Allie asked, her eyes sparkling with a mix of awe and slight disbelief.

Jade crossed her arms as she looked over at Momo, raising a judgemental eyebrow. "You burned an entire institution down?"

"They don't call me The Firecracker around these parts for no reason," Momo chuckled softly, walking toward the counter and leaned forward against it, her eyes scanning the hand guns displayed inside the bulletproof glass. "But nah, I'm not here to show hubris...I'm here on a different mission. I'm getting these two ready for revolution."

"Revolution? Another one? You aren't going to get through the Rich's influence. Matt's sister or not, you don't have the Star Power he has to go against these greedy bastards," Karin said, running her hand through her own hair, letting out a soft sigh. "You've tried before...you can't even beat Fredrick, how can you go against Tony himself?"

"That's because I have someone who actually has the Star Power to stand against these freaks and hypocrites. Besides, who needs Star Power and influence when you can beat the message into them? It worked for you, me and my Equalizer..~" Momo chuckled, looking up to meet Karin's gaze with a challenging stare.

Karin scoffed softly at Momo, placing one hand on the counter and the other on her hip, her impatience gradually rising. "Bitch, are you going to buy something or did you really just come here to fight?"

"Alright, alright," Momo chuckled softly, standing up straight and pointing at two basic handguns. "I'll take these two, and maybe a couple cases of rounds. We're gonna be at the range for a bit, I'm mentoring."

This chapter is updat𝓮d by freēnovelkiss.com.

"Great idea, letting someone that's just as unstable as her grandmother handle a gun. I'm such a good friend aren't I?" Karin said with pure sarcasm, grabbing the two handguns and set them on the counter. "That will be $780. Each."

"Man, you're no better than the Rich...I guess it is inflation season," Momo said half-jokingly, taking her wallet out of her back pocket and used her card to pay.

Allie looked around the gun shop, her eyes wandering around the arsenal of weaponry on the walls and in glass cases, her body shuddering with a mix of anticipation and a sense of lingering hesitation. "I can't believe we are here...doing this...I couldn't imagine myself doing this years ago.."

Jade's eyes scanned the weaponry on the walls, flashes of her past popping in her mind. "I could... imagine myself I mean. I wanted to leave the music scene behind me, to leave her in the past, but...part of me is glad she's screaming 'Show Time'.."

Allie turned to look at Jade, her lips curling into a soft smile. "Well...if you're feeling a bit confident then I am too. We come in this together, and we leave together."

"Exactly," Jade nodded, returning Allie's assuring smile.

Once Momo finished buying the pistols for Allie and Jade, she began leading then toward the gun range, where she would teach Allie and Jade how to fire a gun. Karin decided to follow the three, making sure Momo wasn't too reckless with her teachings.

"Alright, girls! If you're gonna join a revolution like Ryder's, you've gotta play your part in it as well when the road gets bumpy. You will have to get your hands dirty, whether it be on front lines or in the back," Momo began, setting her bat against the wall and raising her shirt to unholster her handgun.

"Before you shoot your weapon, make sure the safety is on because you want to inspect your weapon before opening fire. Now, follow along as I go. Once you get the hang of this, any gun you world becomes second nature," Momo instructed, glancing at Jade and Allie.

The two girls nodded, preparing themselves on how to properly wield a weapon. Karin watched in the back, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, listening to Momo's instructions to make sure she had all the information correct.

Once Allie and Jade got the basis of gun wielding down, Momo decided to push forward onto the next lesson. Jade and Allie watched Momo carefully, taking note of nearly everything she did.

"Alright, now that you understand the basics of gun safety, it's time for us to move on to the target practice. You see those holograms in the distance?" Momo asked, turning her gaze toward the two, making sure they were paying attention.

"Yeah, those blue digital foot soldiers. I'm guessing you want us to practice firing on those?" Jade asked while taking her gun off the safety.

"Yes. I want you two to practice on those targets until you land one headshot. That's always the goal for a swift elimination," Momo nodded, giving the two an encouraging smile.

Understanding their task, the two put on their soundproof headphones and took aim, firing multiple rounds at the holographic targets, their displays glitching with each bullet hurling through them. Momo took a step back from the practice zone, walking backwards to stand next to Karin.

"So, what made you spark up this revolution of yours..? Weren't you just running the streets, shoving your foot up the cops' asses like a week ago?" Karin asked, her gaze lingering on Jade and Allie, watching the two practice together.

"Well, I'm sure you've heard the news going on around Trinity Valley. I mean there are articles about this. Tony's power is finally being challenged, and the man challenging him is Ryder Dawn, my brother's closest friend," Momo explained, turning her head to look at Karin.

"Ryder..? Oh, that guy from BrawlMania who beat Tony and your brother in a fight? I read earlier today about how he managed to shift the Imperial Queen of Crystal City. Seems like the real deal for the son of an actress," Karin replied with a slightly aloof tone, not particularly impressed with my feats.

"Hey, give him credit where it's due. Matt isn't an easy guy to beat with his finesse and strength. However, if you knew Ryder like I do, you'd be surprised by who he actually is," Momo hummed, looking at Jade and Allie once more, inspecting their accuracy and aim.

"Hopefully he isn't another deranged lunatic like you or Amelia," Karin said with deadpan humor and a straight face.

Momo chuckled softly at Karin, rolling her eyes at her subtle shade toward her. "Don't forget that you're cut from the same cloth I am, sister. We didn't crown you The Big One for no reason."

"Yeah, you don't need to remind me..." Karin sighed, averting her gaze slightly as she began to reflect on her past.

Allie and Jade continued to fire rounds at the targets, each bullet hitting shoulders, torsos, or overall missing the target completely. After an hour of a series of rounds being fired, a buzzer rang within the range, signalling a headshot had been hit.

Allie slowly lowered her pistol, setting it back onto its safety before setting it down. She panted softly, balling her hand into fists and let out a primal victory howl, causing Jade to jump back in shock.

"Finally! I finally hit that stupid headshot!" Allie groaned, lowering her head and placing her hands into the table in front of her.

"Damn girl, you don't have to stress like that," Momo chuckled softly, pushing herself off the wall and made her way toward Allie and Jade. "See, you don't really have to brute force a headshot, especially if you're trying to end it in one shot."

Momo unholstered her gun, twirling it around her finger then took aim at the target ahead, firing a bullet at the target, hitting a headshot effortlessly. "It takes focus, precision, and a strict regiment. Right now, I just want you two to focus on accuracy."

"You make it sound easy to just kill a person..." Jade sighed, turning her gaze back to the glitching target. "Even back when I was a reckless girl, I never once thought of taking a life."

"The streets play by different rules. It's eat or be eaten around Royal Creek. Taken your boyfriend has come to take over, he must be about that life," Karin said, pushing herself off the wall as well and approached the three.

"He is! I mean, his entire family is associated with a famous organization named New Karma!" Allie beamed, her eyes sparkling at the single mention of New Karma.

Momo and Karin glanced at each other, surprised to hear the name New Karma being thrown around so loosely. Allie rose an eyebrow, tilting her head with slight confusion.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Allie asked, her tone carrying an innocent melody.

Momo smiled at Allie, chuckling softly and holstered her gun and grabbed her bat. "No, it's just...around these parts, the mention of New Karma will get you targeted. It's a known fact that New Karma has personal beef with the Lost Syndicates that have been around Trinity Valley."

"I mean...He isn't a New Karma member, he never joined the initiation, but his siblings are and they are the furthest thing from weak!" Allie chirped, giving both Momo and Karin a confident gaze.

Karin let out a uncertain hum, running her fingers through her hair with a sigh. "I don't know...Ryder sounds like a dangerous dude. We all saw Tony's video, his family hides his information."

"For good reason! If anyone finds out who he or his family truly is, he will be the number one target for every member of the Lost Syndicates and Tony's family," Allie warned, keen on wanting Momo and Karin to keep the new information hidden.

Momo let out a soft laugh, holding her hands up in surrender. "Hey, I'm loyal alright. Ryder has earned my brother's full respect and he has mine. I'm not chirping like a bird...unlike someone here."

Karin grunted softly as she felt Momo's slightly judgemental gaze upon her, turning her head with her eyes closed. "Look, those days are behind me. I don't even associate with the Riches anymore. My mouth is shut for good."

Jade and Allie could feel the lingering tension between Momo and Karin, the air slightly thickening around them. There was a burning path that had never been fully put out, unfinished business that could never be finished between the two.

As the four continued to go over gun safety and how to aim properly, they heard a loud thud coming from outside, each of them turning their heads toward the source. Momo walked toward the door of range, peeking through the windows and noticed Wendy outside fighting a local gang outside the shop.

"What the hell is going on out there?" Karin questioned, walking toward Momo and placing her hand on her shoulder, peeking out the window as well. "Wh-What..?! An Agent?! What is she doing here and..."

"C'mon! We need to help her, she's protecting your shop!" Momo urged, rushing out of the range and vaulting over the desk and sprinted outside.

Karin grunted as Momo pushed her out the way, looking back at Allie and Jade. "You two stay here where it's safe! And...don't come out until we say so!"

"O-Okay," Jade nodded, watching as Karin rushed outside the range as well.

"Be careful!" Allie called out, grabbing Jade's hand gently and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Karin hurried over to her locker, quickly turning the numbers on the lock for the correct code. Once she unlocked her locker, she swung the door open, her gaze landing upon a large black iron pole that was once the barrel of her anti-tank rifle.

She reached for it, hesitating slightly and grunted softly, flashes of her past with Momo resurfacing in her mind. She shoot her head, grabbing her retractable staff and slammed her locker closed. She rushed around the front counter, bursting through the door and leaped into action.

"You Hearts should've never came back here!" Karin bellowed, swinging her staff and cracking one gang member against her face.

Wendy dodged the next swing of a gang member's crowbar, disarming them swiftly then landing a quick chop to his throat, causing him to choke and fall to the ground. "Seems like Royal Creek is still infested with corruption...all of Amelia's history erased.."

Momo blocked a punch from a member of the Hearts, striking his stomach with her back then pivoted around, slamming her bat against the side of another member's head. "Heh...seems like those guys are still salty about the Spades historical run around here! The Swords still run this city!"

As Momo began to walk toward Wendy to figure out what happened, a woman rushed forward, striking Momo with a swiping chop upon her torse, staggering her for a moment. The woman pressed a button on her utility belt, causing a capsule to shoot into the air.

The woman caught the capsule, breaking it open and releasing lightning energy around her hand. She thrusted her hand forward, aiming to strike Momo's chest, but Wendy generated a burst of wind blowing the woman away.

The woman grunted as she slid along the ground on her side, slowly getting back up to her feet, her hood falling off her head and revealing short, neck length dark colored hair. She looked up at Momo and Karin, her eyes shimmering with unsettled beef.

Momo grunted as she recovered from the blow she received, looking at her attacker, her eyes widening with a bit of shock. "Leona..."

Karin grunted softly as she stared at Leona, seeing the hatred in Leona's eyes as she shifted her gaze toward her. She stood her ground, regaining her composure and turning her gaze sharp. "So, you joined the Hearts huh? You're still a part of his regime?"

Leona grit her teeth at Karin's words, balling her hands into fists. "It's because of you that I joined the Hearts! You broke us, and now...I'm here to finish what you started...no I'm here to finish what you broke!"

Leona turned her gaze toward Momo, pointing at her with disdain. "And you...you continue to walk beside the one who betrayed us! The one who struck you in the back with her iron pole!"

Momo lowered her gaze for a moment, thinking back on the day The Swords became broken blades. She glanced back at Karin over her shoulder, the memory of her betrayal still fresh in her mind.

"I still walk beside Karin... because I changed her. I brought her back...even if it cost us the entire university. I changed her! You are the one who left us! And now you're with our biggest Opp?! Leading them into the Spades District?!" Momo argued back, turning her attention back to Leona, her voice thickening with emotion and pain.

"You didn't change anything. You still failed! And I don't even blame you for it, I never did! But...I blame you for not taking her head off when you had the chance! Your grandmother fought tooth and nail for this place, and the wealthy took it all away just like that because of her!" Leona yelled, pointing at Karin with an accusatory finger.

Karin didn't try to snap back, knowing everything Leona said was true. She knew she was the cause of Royal Creek's downfall. She knew all she had to do was let Momo finish off Fredrick, but desperation...showed Karin who she really was under extreme pressure.

"Now...I'm here...to end The Swords for good!" Leona declared, charging toward Karin and used another capsule to release fire energy.

Leona went for a devastating, burning strike against Karin, but a hand grabbed her wrist, stopping her from attacking. Leona's eyes widened, noticing her attack had been stopped. She slowly looked up, noticing me holding her wrist with a tight grip.

Momo gasped softly as she noticed I stopped Leona from striking Karin, a sense of gratefulness washing over her. "Ryder! What are you doing here?"

I pushed Leona away from Karin, fixing my long coat and looked over at Momo with a smile. "Allie called me. She told me you and Wendy were in some trouble, and Granny Hunt met me take her car getting here."

Wendy chuckled softly at me, crossing her arms with a warm smile. "I was never in any danger..~ But, help from my beloved Hero is always appreciated."

Karin stared at me for a moment, staring at my figure and scanning me from head to toe. She glanced down at my figure, noticing the Mask of The Ace resting at my hip. 'The Ace..? He's also associated with the Agency?!'

Leona stared at me, noticing how younger I was compared to her and the other women on the scene. She scanned my figure, noticing my mask as well, but couldn't see the star design on the side. "Hmph...and who is this kid? You're letting high schoolers fight in your place now?"

I chuckled softly at her subtle disrespect toward me, adjusting my gauntlet along my wrist. "High schooler? Now, now, pretty girl...let's not get disrespectful. Mind you, this is my first impression of you.."

"A smooth talker...Gaia knows how many of those walk this earth now because of this Art of Love bullcrap. Everyone wants to be a Casanova, a Lover, a Shiro Moji! Cut the shit...step aside and let me finish our business!" Leona barked, her impatience growing sharply within.

I looked back at Karin, knowing Leona wanted to destroy her. I turned my gaze over to Momo, who was shaking her head in protest. I glanced back at Leona, taking a step forward. "If you want her, get past me first."

Leona glared at me, signaling for a few of her standing allies to take me down. A few gang members began charging toward me with their blunt weapons, but I stood my ground, taking a deep breath and exhaling softly.

"After a day of some normalcy, I guess it was bound to happen," I said in a charming tone, shrugging my shoulders then ducked under the swing of someone's bat.

'Yo, P, keep me updated! It's a four on one,' I said mentally, dodging the gang members' lethal swings with quick steps.

〔Phroa: You know I got you, Master!~ Duck, Duck, Uppercut!〕

I nodded, shifting my feet and ducked under one gang member's swing, popping back up with a few energizing hops, blue lightning starting to crackle around my body. I swiftly ducked under another strike, wiping my nose with a chuckle.

"Send this one back to your Queen!" I taunted, rising back up with an electrifying uppercut, sending a gang member flying toward Leona.

Leona dodged the gang member with her arms crossed, her eyes burning with dissatisfaction as she watched me make easy work of the Hearts. Momo and Karin couldn't help but to watch me in awe, a bit of life beginning to come back into Karin's eyes.

"He's popping off! He's gonna do it!" Allie fangirled behind the door, watching as I fought against the gang.

Jade felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through her body as I brawled, watching me continue to pump myself up with pop offs and celebrations. "Which one is be gonna do? Do you know?"

"Nu-uh! I hope he uses the Spear! That one is a killer!" Allie gleamed with excitement, hardly containing her energy.

I looked around my surroundings, watching as one of the Hearts charged at me, but I intercepted with a decisive Superkick to his face, causing him to fall to his knees. I began stepping backwards, holding my arms out to clear the way.

Letting out a Tribal Howl, I charged forward as he began to recover to his feet, generating blue lightning around my hand and striking his jaw with a Destiny Flash disguised as a Superman Punch. The man fell to the ground, knocked out cold and dropping his crowbar beside him.

〔Phroa: BOOM! Clean KO!〕

"C'mon! Give me that!" I popped once again, pivoting toward Momo and dapped her up with excitement and energy. "Woo!! The Dawns are back up!"

"Yes sir! Show those frauds what's up, babe! Let's go!" Momo cheered as well, popping off with me and laughing.

Karin couldn't help but to crack a smile off my performance, a side of her mind hoping that maybe...maybe Royal Creek could be saved after all. At that moment, she let out a soft giggle at our celebration, the light beginning to resurface in her eyes.

Leona's mood soured as she had to listen to my triumphant cheers, along with the onlookers cheering as well from the defeat of the Hearts. Her gaze began searing bullets toward me, seeing me as another image of Momo.

I turned to face Leona, my eyes shining with determination and confidence. "You don't have any more pawns to hide behind...no more bluffs to call. I may not know what your beef is with the beautiful caramel queen behind me, but I can tell you're blinded by hatred like someone I know."

Karin grunted softly as I complimented her, her cheeks becoming a soft rosy hue. 'Caramel queen..?'

"You don't know what you're talking about, and frankly I don't have to explain shit to you! Now step aside or I'll make you move!" Leona stepped forward, readying herself for combat against me.

"Alright, then let's dance.." I said, adjusting my gauntlet and chuckled softly.

Leona grit her teeth, dashing toward me and leaping forward with a kick, but I dodged her attack and countered with a straight punch. Leona slipped around my strike, countering with a cross then a devastating knee strike to my sternum.

I grunted softly as I stumbled backwards, holding my chest in slight pain. I looked up, noticing Leona's fist flying toward my face. With only a split second to react, I awakened a bit of my Jigoku Energy, heightening my endurance to take her heavy blow to my cheek.

"Is that all...you've got?!" I roared, pushing her hand back with my face, whipping my head around and cracking her face with a headbutt.

Leona groaned loudly, holding her face as it stung with sharp pain. She stomped her foot on the ground with frustration, cursing under her breath. She turned her gaze back toward me, roaring and striking me with a headbutt of her own, only to recoil back in more pain.

I chuckled softly, knocking on my own forehead. "You should never try to headbutt a Polynesian..~ We are the definition of thick skulls.."

Leona let out a roar, throwing another punch at me, but I caught her fist, forcing her arm down then awakened my Charm Mode, an ethereal orange light faintly surrounding my body. I stared into her rage filled eyes, seeing the hurt, the betrayal, the pain in her eyes.

"Kneel..." I commanded, my voice filled with charming authority, my order sparking a reaction in her brain.

Leona grunted softly as the waves from her brain forced her to submit to my command, dropping down onto one knee. She lowered her arm as I released her hand, lowering her head with a mix of anger and submission.

"Now, I don't know what happened between you three...but clearly there is unsettled history, but while I'm here there will be no stones left unturned. I'm flipping this city upside down, and you seem to have some good left in you..." I began, analyzing Leona with my Heart Scanner.

"My goal here...isn't to burn Royal Creek into the ground. It's to burn the Rich Family's influence to the ground and to erase Fredrick from history just as Tony tried to do with my cousin. But unlike him, I will not fail to erase EVERYTHING about Fredrick! His girlfriend, his child, everything!" I continued, my voice becoming increasingly revolutionary.

Leona grunted softly at my plan, her hands slowly curling into fists, the voices of Momo's past ideals echoing in her head. "Momo said the same thing...when Fredrick was rising...when Tony was following in his footsteps...what you are planning is a dream—"

"And I will make it reality! Tony wants to erase me because he fears me, he brought out a side I never wanted to be known and now he's hiding. Well, done are the days of hide and seek. I'm seeking Tony and if beating Matt, if shifting Anastasia didn't work...then blood shall be spilled for me to have who I want," I interrupted, my tone dripping lower as I embraced my Joker persona.

"I will do what you all failed to do...pick up your broken pieces and kill Fredrick," I declared, staring down at Leona. "And if you are wanting to stop me...then I can start this revolution with you and the rest of The Hearts."

"Whoa, wait now, Ryder! We don't want to knock off Leona! She's still a sister to me," Momo interjected, hurrying toward me and placing her hand on my arm. "Sure we have our differences now, but I can...I can save her like I did with Karin."

Leona scoffed at Momo's idealistic views, rising back to her feet and shoved Momo back with tears welling in her eyes. "You don't get it! There's nothing left to change! You took it all down to save the one person who destroyed it all! The Swords are no more...and I've made my mind to end it all for good!"

Momo grunted softly as she watched Leona walk away from her, her heart dropping down to her stomach. "Leona! Leona! Don't leave us again!"

I watched as Leona walked away from us with the recovering members of the Hearts, the gang making their retreat from the district. Momo grit her teeth, lowering her head and running off to her motorcycle, getting on it and starting it up.

I quickly hurried after her, but couldn't reach her fast enough before she sped off. "Momo— Diana, wait up!"

Karin could feel the old wounds scraping off once again, watching as I hopped in my car and raced after Momo. Watching everything fall apart in front of her was too familiar, the light in her eyes fading away once again.

Wendy looked at Karin, walking toward her and gently patting her on the back, leading her back to the shop to let Karin sit down and to check on Allie and Jade.

〔Charisma/Talent/Flirtation/Empathy EXP +2500〕

〔Flirtation Level UP!!! 1 ↠ 3〕

〔New Award Unlocked: Flirtation EXP Gain +20%, Floral Whispers Unlocked〕

〔Empathy Level UP!!! 2 ↠ 3〕

〔New Award Unlocked: Sixth Sense Unlocked〕