Chinatown- Tara’s Kung Fu- Studio

“Mah keys!” grumbled Tara, unlocking and entering her Kung Fu studio. And when she stepped inside, there in the middle of the studio, was the villain Reyna Rai, weilding Strongbow.

“Aaaah! What the fuck, dude! you tryna scare the shit out of me?” Tara screamed at Reyna.

“Maybe, whatever works,” replied the black haired villain.

“Reyna, you bitch! You know I got a forty five, right? Wait here Ima get it and shoot you!”

“Where’s my kid, Tara?”

“Oh, Rica-chan? Kitty and the boys took her to the Sister’s Mission on Bowery.”

“Sister's Mission? That’s an orphanage.”

“Yeah, sort of, Rica wanted to give toys and stuff to the kids. Kitty and them too!” answered Tara, being vague about the little girl Rica went to see.

“I see, how charitable of you all.” Reyna slinked closer to Tara, “Seems I was in the neighborhood after getting a call from Blessed G, to tell me he’d repaired Strongbow," Reyna stared Venom at Tara, "Funny, I wasn't aware Strongbow was damaged...so now I want to know” she faced Tara, “What the fuck happened to my kid, Tara?”

Reyna was furious, and Tara felt it.

Meanwhile

“Bling-san, I’ll race you up the steps!” yelled Rica, at the base of the studio staircase.

“You crazy, I ain’t runnin up there, I’m old!” he growled.

“Ha! Yeah you are!” and Rica ran up the stairs and into the studio and saw...Tara? With her arms above her head, pinned against the wall, by..hunh?

“Mom? Why are you here? And why are you pinning Tara to the wall?” asked Rica, confused.

Tara yelled,“Cuz she's out of her goddamn mind, I told her I got a gun!” arms pinned above her head, in bondage.

Reyna released Tara and put on a 'sweet mom' voice, “Baby, we were just playing. I’m only here because Strongbow-”

“Strongbow!” yelled Rica, running to grab her beloved rifle, and hug Reyna. That argument settled, Reyna gave Tara and her crew a dirty look and said to Rica, “Baby, put Strongbow in his bag and take him to the car, we have to go!”

“Aww!” cried Rica.

“Aww, nothing, we gotta go~”

“Nya!”

Rica hugged everyone and told them, “I’ll see you guys Saturday!” she'd signed up for Tara’s knife fighting class, cool, then she darted out.

After Rica left, Reyna turned to Tara, with a cruel smile, and whispered something in her ear. Tara heard Reyna, and went pale, like she’d seen a ghost.

Reyna then stepped in front of Kitty and the boys and told them, “Thank you for watching Rica's back while I was away.”

“Not a problem, the kid’s alright,” said Kitty.

“I know that, Katya!” Reyna stared daggers at Kitty, “After all, she is my student!” then Reyna flipped her hair and left the studio, slamming the door behind her.

Kitty and the boys broke into laughter, “Yoooo, what is up with that bitch? Boss, what happened?” asked Bling laughing.

Tara smirked and spoke in a low fun voice, “Hey man, she asked me what happened, and I told her the truth, most of it anyway, heh!”

“Nya? You told her what Rica did to that dude?” asked Kitty.

“Hell Yeah! I told her how she messed him up and how he stayed alive for twelve hours in agonizing pain until the fire department found him...dead...fuckin monster.”

Ian added, “Yo boss, I’m telling you, when me and B ran in there, that dude didn’t have a face, and Rica…”

Tara picked up, “I know, E, I know..Hey, you know what Reyna said when I told her what Rica did?” All eyes turned to Tara waiting for an answer.

“Reyna said,” doing her best Reyna impression, “ahem...'Fortunate for that monster that Rica's always been a merciful child!...” and Tara flipped her hair like Reyna would. Kitty and the boys broke out laughing at Tara's Reyna impression, pretty good.

“Merciful? Haa, Jesus Crack, the mom is fucked up and so is her kid, oh boy!” laughed Bling and then Ian added “But not for nothin, I’m glad Rica’s on our side, she's good and she keeps that crazy Reyna in check!” Everyone nodded in agreement.

But Kitty had to ask Tara, “Hey, what did Reyna whisper in your ear before she left?”

Tara hesitated, “Oh...uh...she um…..she told me what she would’ve done to me if anything woulda happened to Rica..” Tara stopped laughing, and stared at the exit.

The atmosphere changed as Kitty and the boys watched Tara’s face grow somber. Tara didn’t say specifically what Reyna told her, and no one asked.

Then Tara cracked a smile and belted out, “Come on you bums! Ya'll look like somebody died, let’s play some cards already!” And just like that her crew snapped back to what they call normal.

And for the rest of the day, they'd forget about crazy ass Reyna Rai and her super cute, villain in training, daughter, Rica Reyes.

And Tara wasn't worried, she knew there'd be plenty of time to deal with those goddamn Rifle Girls in another adventure, on another day....and sooner than all you cool cats think ;)

- Thanks for reading everyone ^_^

Bad Tara, Kitty, Bling, and Ian. illustrated by Cinnamonsao.