Chapter 39: Merryweather, The Mob Boss

Evan appeared in an alleyway with a puff of smoke, landing on the floor lightly with a small tap.

A young boy, 13 at most, with a blue and green mohawk on a full head of hair turned in Evans direction, startled.

Evan noticed, interested in how sensitive the boy seemed to be to other people's presence. He also, to his absolute and utter surprise, felt the presence of mana flowing through the young boy.

“Hey, you. Kid with the weird Mohawk. Do you know where I can find a bar called Merryweather?” Evan asked.

“Ehhh? Ahh, brah, it’s like, right there. Go down the alley and take a left, and then a right. Peaceee.” The guy said, holding a small stick in his fingers.

A puff of smoke escaped his mouth.

“You smell like weed. Jesus Christ, how strong was the shit you smoked.” Evan said, coughing.

“Uhhh. Sorry. I kinda don’t know.” Mohawk dude said, gripping his head in an attempt to stay upright.

Evan looked at him for a moment.

The young boy was still so sensitive to anothers' presence, even when highly inebriated. This made Evan shake his head, thinking of how much of a pity it was. Such a talent, completely gone to waste.

“You…. what’s your name?” Evan asked.

“Um… Ryan. I think.” Ryan said.

“Hm. It’s nice to meet you, Ryan... Shame that someone with such talent is an addict. Maybe we can talk again later and I can help you, but I have something I have to do now. Seeya, Ryan.” Evan said, sighing as he left.

“Eh? Did we talk about anything in the first place?” Ryan wondered.

Ryan was too high to think straight, and passed out on a pile of garbage bags next to a dumpster.

Evan arrived at a building with a giant, neon purple sign on it that read: Merryweather's Bar.

He knocked out the bouncers by the door and slammed open the double doors to get blasted with a strong smell of alcohol.

He recoiled at the strength of the smell but kept going further in.

“Hey, barkeep,” Evan said, addressing a young man who was tending the bar.

He was blond, with curly hair and blue eyes.

“Ye-oh. How the hell did you get in? Kids aren’t allowed in here. Scram. What the hell are those stupid bouncers even thinking...” The bartender said.

He shooed Evan with a hand gesture.

“I want to see Merryweather.” Evan said.

The bartender froze.

“Oh. I see. Follow me, then. Apologies.” He said, sweating suddenly

He guided Evan to a luxurious room in the back. It had purple fuzzy walls, and fancy high tech gadgets everywhere.

There was a ton of expensive and fancy drinks on a shelf behind a private bar.

The entire room was lit with neon purple lights. It looked like a night club, not a bar.

In it sat a man, probably in his mid-20’s, on a purple couch.

He was slim, and wore a gray suit, slicked-back hair, and smoked a cigar.

“Hey, Antoine, who the hell is this?” The man asked, puffing smoke.

“Ah. Boss Merry, this young man is here to see you. I assumed you knew since the bouncers let him through.” Antoine said, surprised.

“That so’. Tell me, kid-Wait. You’re the kid who was with the chick I asked a couple of my boys to nab, aren’t you? I’m guessing you’re here for her….no, they couldn’t have finished so quickly. Anyhow, I don’t know where the fuck she is. Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you. And even if I did tell you, I wouldn’t give her back.” Merryweather said, pointing the cigar at Evan.

He blew a ring of smoke in Evan's face.

Evan coughed, fanning the smoke away, and spoke after sitting on the couch opposite of Merryweather.

“Ah, no. I beat the shit out of them already, and my lime is fine. She’s completely unhurt, Unlike the people who tried to ‘nab’ her. I came to ask why you wanted her, and how you found her. We haven’t been here long enough for people to know of us.” Evan said, incredibly annoyed.

Merryweather stared at him.

“You ain’t shittin me, are ya. Well, fuck. That explains how you got in here. You beat up the bouncers, didn't you. I guess I should introduce myself. I never expected to run into someone with combat training. That was a mistake on my part. I'm not used to kidnapping. I guess I should have sent a couple of people with training, like these guys.” Merryweather said, snapping his fingers.

Two men wearing tank tops and camo jeans, both towering in height and bulging with muscle came into the room. They stood on either side of Merry, glowering at Evan with an intense hostility one could normally only get from years of intense fighting experience.

“Well, now. I bet you can’t do much against this. You scared yet, kid?....No, guess not. ‘Ya got balls, I'll admit that…. You looking for employment? I got a few jobs that could use someone like you. Call me Merry. It’s nice to meetcha, kid. What’s yer name?” Merryweather asked, holding out his hand with a surprisingly friendly and professional smile.

“What? Wait, did you just offer me a job?....Um. No. Also, you haven’t answered me.” Evan said, sighing when he realized Merry wouldn’t answer until he gave his name.

“...I’m Evan, by the way,” Evan replied, growing slightly more agitated.

Merry raised an eyebrow.

“Isn’t it illegal to name someone after the savior? What’s yer real name?” Merry asked.

“....I’ll reintroduce myself. I’m your god, apparently. It’s nice to meet you. And hearing a mob boss ask about something being legal kinda weirds me out.” Evan said.

Merry blinked at him.

“So. You’re delusional. Either way, I’ll take you too. Tough guys are useful. Boys, knock him out and tie him up. I'd rather not be violent, so try not to hurt him too much. I hope you don't blame me too much for this, kid. Just business.” Merry said, frowning.

“I’ll kill you if you try to get any closer,” Evan said, crossing his arms and tapping his foot with impatience.

Merry ignored him, indicating for the men to continue their advance.

The two men advanced towards Evan with a small chuckle.

“Fine. Don’t say I didn’t warn you two when you’re in hell.” Evan said, snapping his fingers with a smile.

Their heads popped like balloons, spraying and splattering blood and gray matter everywhere.

It was more of a crimson and pink color than a shade of gray, though.

It looked like Merryweather had been splattered with red paint.

His cigar went out, drenched in blood.

Evan calmed down, his bloodlust now partially sated. He stopped tapping his foot with impatience.

“What...the.... hell….” Merry said.

He held his hand to his cheek, sliding his fingers over the warm liquid, and pulled it away, gaping at the blood that coated it.

His mouth opened in shock, the cigar falling out onto the ground, and the last embers of his confidence fading with the dimming embers of the now blood-soaked cigar.

“Will you fucking answer me yet?” Evan asked, still slightly annoyed, despite having calmed down a little.

Merry's eyes turned back to Evan when he spoke, now full of horror.

“Uh…. sure. I want her because she’s pretty. I know you two are here because I drove past you before.” Merry said, shaking uncontrollably.

Evan pondered the situation for a moment.

“I see. Hmph. Gimme everything you own if you wanna live. And NEVER try to touch my Lime again.” Evan said, an idea forming in his head.

He grinned, and Merry could almost see the avatar of the greedy, hate-filled devil himself appear behind his flame-filled eyes and in the red aura that now seemed to surround the room in a crimson fog.

“What?” Merry trembled, confused and overwhelmed.

“It’s okay with you, right? You’re useful to me, aren’t you? After all, if you aren’t, take a good look at the blood you’re drenched in and become useful anyway. Or else. Is that clear?” Evan asked.

“Well...yeah, but…” Merry said.

“Well, what? Pour me a sprite, too. With grenadine.” Evan said.

Merry complied, handing Evan a Shirley temple as quickly as he could, his hands still shaking and spilling the drink twice before he finally succeeded.

“Um. Sir, I can’t exactly give you everything I own if I don’t have everything I need to do that.” Merry said, with a shivering smile.

“Then I’ll just have free reign over everything you have whenever I’m here. I need someone to run the place, and things seem pretty peaceful here, compared to how it usually is. Actually, why is that?” Evan said, sipping on his drink.

“Well, yeah. I don’t really tolerate any foul play ‘round here.” Merry said, frowning.

“Then continue with that. But stop kidnapping people randomly. That's foul play.” Evan said.

“First time, last time. I guess I deserve it for even trying. I just...Nevermind....” Merry said, sorrowful.

He put his hands in the air and bowed his head as a show of him accepting his utter defeat.

Evan realized something and laughed out loud, almost choking on his drink.

“Oh my god! I get it! You fell in love with Lime, and you had no idea how to talk with her, and chose to kidnap her like an idiot! I’ll let you know now, though. lime is my wife, so you don’t have a chance. A socially awkward mob boss, this is priceless!!” Evan laughed.

“Wife? You can’t be old enough to get married. That....” Merry said, devastated.

Evan stopped laughing.

“Merry. Look at the two people on the floor next to you. Then remember how I introduced myself.” Evan said, conjuring light magic into a ball and blowing it up into sparkles across the room, surrounding the bodies of the massive guards.

They caught fire and sparked, then became darker than the darkest night. The bodies finally imploded into what looked like distorted air, disappearing completely in an instant.

Merry paled.

“So, do you get it now?” Evan asked.

Merry nodded rapidly in absolute realization. His shaking, quivering, and shivering outline was visible from across the room, clearly.

“You’re going to give yourself whiplash by doing that. I’m gonna go for now, but don’t forget. I own you now, okay? If you refuse to listen, I’ll kill you.” Evan said.

Merry nodded, slower than before, but still quickly.

“Good. I’ll have a few orders for you soon enough. Gimme a week or so.” Evan grinned.

Evan snapped his fingers, disappearing in a puff of smoke to the absolute awe of Merryweather and Antoine.

Evan met back up with lime and Kane, teleporting in front of them.

Kane looked annoyed, while lime stood there smiling.

Kane crossed his arms.

"Explain yourself, what the hell did you do this time?" Kane asked, frowning.