"Listen up you poor sons of bitches!" The mafia thug lowered his pistol, "Some of our guys were killed out in the forest overnight! And one of our men caught you bastards working with the people that did it!"

Colt grit his teeth as he stood in front of everyone, "What of it?"

"The boss wants his monthly supply of blue apples...today!"

Lamia stepped forward, clasping her hands together, "That's impossible! We just gave him last month's supply. The Holy Tree will-"

The goon grinned as he licked his weapon, "Sorry lady, the boss doesn't care. He wants the apples. You better have that brat of yours do something."

"Even with Hemiko's gift, the tree just won't be able to-"

The man cocked his pistol, "Sounds like a you problem."

"Please, we don't have any means of making more apples. I'll do anything."

"Listen lady, the boss wants his apples today, and I'm responsible for getting them!" He held the barrel of his gun to his head, "That means that I'm fucked if you don't up the apples! Now come on with it!"

Colt held his arm out in front of Lamia, keeping her from speaking any further, "Dude, go tell your boss that he's not getting-"

A chilling warmth crept its way down Colt's face as his head snapped back. The blinding flash of light obscured his vision, but the heat shooting into his skull meant one thing.

Did I just get shot?

Don't stop thinking...

I just need to channel all of my core energy towards my head...

-

From the second the gun fired, Jax armed himself in a coat of his protective scales. Unfortunately, Colt wasn't blessed with the gifts of an impenetrable defense. "Damn-"

In the midst of the horrified cries of the villagers, Hisa leapt forward and smashed her fist into the armed gunmen's face, planting him in the floor.

"Lady Lamia's been shot!"

As the villager's panic reached the others, the scene darkened with an endless stream of stress. Ignoring the chaos at hand, the villagers began to crowd around Lamia, seeking to lift her from the ground.

"Don't move her!" shouted Jax, prompting them to steer clear.

As a startled silence fell over everyone, frantic pants reached out from Lamia's home. Hemiko drug herself through the dirt, squeezing through the crowds as she stained her hands with the blood that resided around Lamia.

"M-Mommy!"

Before she could reach her, Jax held her by the arm. "Hemiko, was it? You can't-"

"My mommy!" Hemiko struggled agaisnt his grasp, desperately reaching out for her mother, "She's hurt! He hurt her!"

I-I know...

Jax shook his head and turned to the villagers, "Stop panicking! Don't you guys have some magical fruit? Hurry and bring it!"

Lamia's large guards promptly sped off in search of the sacred fruit, leaving everyone to their devices.

Hisa crouched down next to Hemiko and rubbed her back. "Jax, the wound isn't that bad. The bullet went straight through her."

"You're correct, but she's no fighter." said Jax, "We should treat any injury as potentially fatal. Especially for a normal human."

Hemiko's sobs grew more forceful as she continued to watch her mother. Villagers held their hands together in prayer, clutching out for some form of hope in the dire situation.

While everyone devoted their attention towards Lamia, Jax looked over to Colt.

That was a headshot...

The idiot's probably dead...

-

Colt shot up from the ground, rubbing his forehead. "Why do I feel like you're writing me off already?"

"Wh-What the-" Jax sighed, "Forget it. Lamia was shot after that dude shot you in the head."

Colt's smile evaportated as he glanced over to Lamia, "Sh-Shit!"

Lamia's guards returned with a small wooden bowl of juice. "Here," they spoke in unison, "This is the last of our apple juice..."

The crowd moved aside to allow for them to pour the juice into Lamia's mouth. As if a miracle had occurred, life began to return to Lamia's eyes, with her wound slowly closing up.

"Mommy!" Hemiko hugged onto Lamia, with her tears of sadness converting into tears of joy.

Lamia rose from the ground, consoling Hemiko as a warm smile formed on her face. "I-Is everyone alright?"

"M'Lady, with all due respect, you must care for yourself first." Her large guards helped her and Hemiko back to their feet.

"Lamia," Colt wiped the dried up blood from his head, "I think it'd be best if you rested for now. We can handle things from here."

"Are you sure? Is there nothing I can do for you?"

"Remember, I came here to help you guys, so being safe is the best thing you could do for me."

She nodded her head, leaving with her guards guiding her back to her home. Most of the villagers dispersed as well, with Hisa and Hemiko disappearing within the crowd as well.

"I apologize for earlier." said Jax as he went to retrieve the unconscious mobster's gun, "I let myself get caught up in my emotions, and said some messed up shit."

"Shut up you idiot."

"That's my line!"

"Nah..." Colt searched the man's pockets, "I don't really need to forgive you. Bros always argue over stupid shit, and then they forget it even happened."

Jax raised an eyebrow before shaking his head in denial. "Man...you're a weird one. Is there anything worthwhile in his pockets?"

"Nope."

Jax sighed, "I guess we're doing this the hard way. Dakota taught me how to hold a proper interrogation when I was younger, so I'm gonna grill this guy a bit."

"Cool! I'll be bad cop, and you'll be good cop!"

"No, this isn't some game. It makes more sense for you to be good cop, since I'm the one who's going to be torturing him." muttered Jax.

"Good point-" Colt paused, "So, that means that you're helping us now, right?"

He lowered his head, "Yeah. I wanted the fruit too, but I'd have to be a dickhead to just leave the villagers with these mob idiots. And to shoot someone's mother in front of their eyes is just...grimey."

Colt let out a sigh, "That's the best it's going to get isn't it?"

"Yup. So stop asking. I'm not giving up on the blue apples, I need one."

Colt sat down on a nearby wooden stump, "Isn't it weird?"

"What?" asked Jax.

"Hokkaido must be strong as hell. These people have plants that can shoot seeds like bullets, but they're submitting to him."

"Even I surmised that much." said Jax, "If that chain user was his underling, he would have to be on a crazy level of power."

"True, but I already killed the chain guy. I freaking blew his arm off." Colt chuckled, "And the last time I checked, not everyone can heal themselves."

"That's good news. Hisa also managed to kill another guard. He used wood manipulation."

"I'm not surprised. She's a monster."

They both sat in silence, waiting for the man to awake.

"Uh...Jax? Why do you want the blue apples so bad?" Colt crossed his arms, "From our argument earlier, it was obvious that you really wanted one."

Jax gazed into the forest, drawing in a deep breath, "It's kind of personal."

"Really? You don't have to tell me then."

The man sat up and wiped the excessive amount of blood from his nose. "What the hell? My gun!"

Jax sharpened his dragon claws and hacked a chunk out of the man's shoulder, "Alright, this is gonna get nasty. You can leave if you want, Colt."

"Y-Yeah. I'll take that offer."

-

Hisa sat down on the wooden floor beside Hemiko, "So...where are we exactly?"

"This is my tree house." said Hemiko, "It's my happy place."

"Really? That's cool!" She looked around the scarce interior of the treehouse as a deep warmth swelled within her. "Did you build this yourself?"

"Mhmm. It was easy though. The plants and tree branches listened to my voice, and it turned out like this."

"Your voice?"

"Oh right! I forgot to tell you about my gift. I can speak to plants, and strengthen them. They also listen to my thoughts."

"That's a cool core power!"

"Core power?"

"Yeah, your core power. Most people have them, but yours lets you speak talk to nature," Hisa rubbed her head, "It's awesome!"

Hemiko wiped a few tears from her eyes, "Thank you!"

"Are you about to cry?"

"N-Not really, you're just really amazing Hisa." Hemiko took both of her hands into her smaller hands, "Are we friends? Can we be friends?"

"Of course we're friends." said Hisa.

"Ok...that makes you my first friend that's around my age..."

"What about all the other kids?" Hisa moved closer to Hemiko, draping her arm over her shoulder, "Do none of them like you?"

"It isn't that, they just don't understand me. Since I'm the daughter of the village leader, everyone treats me like a princess."

"Isn't that fun?"

"No. No one wants to spend any time with me, since they're too scared. You're the first person who actually talked to me, and not in a backhanded manner."

"Oh...In that case. You're welcome?" Hisa giggled as Hemiko giggled along with her.

Hemiko tilted her head, "So do people use their core powers to fight?"

"Most people do, but I don't like to use mines. It makes the fights too boring."

Hemiko's eyes lit up as she nuzzled into Hisa, "Are you going to help Colt fight the mafia?"

"Hell yeah!"

"So..." Her smile faded, "Are you guys are going to kill them?"

"Why?"

"Well...it's just that, women aren't supposed to fight."

Hisa scoffed, "Who told you that lie?"

"Everyone in the village. The women are supposed to stay in the village and tend to the houses, while the men step into the forest and fend off intruders."

"Bullshit! I live off of fighting."

"How?"

"I just...fight. Do you want to fight?"

Hemiko balled her fists up and closed her eyes, "A little...No, a lot!"

"Then, ignore everyone else. What makes you want to fight?"

Hemiko paused for a moment as tears began to stream down her face, "I...um...It's Hokkaido. When he first showed up, he killed my father, and that made everyone submit to him."

"Oh..."

"After that, I've had this...burning feeling inside my heart. Every time I thought about Hokkaido, I felt enraged. But I told my mommy about it, and she told me to stop feeling that way. That it was too dangerous."

"Nah. Your mom's wrong. You were right to want him dead, he killed your father. Just worry about doing what you want."

Hemiko's eyes lit up as Hisa spoke to her, "But I can't. I'll get in trouble."

"You might, but if it were me, I'd rather get punished for being myself than suffer with a mask on. Follow your instincts. All humans originated from simple minded animals, so we have primal instincts. Live as free as you can be."

Hemiko shuddered as she struggled to speak, "B-But I'm scared. What if I mess something up?"

Hisa pulled her into a hug and closed her eyes, "You have me though."

Hemiko's nerves settled as she buried her face into Hisa's chest, "Th-Thank you, Hisa."