“Come on! Please tell me. What’s my next mission?” Alistor eagerly asked. “Will I learn a new move today? Or maybe something cool?”

He continues to ramble on while Sairori tries hard to ignore his every word. Enjoying a moment to himself by the table at an early morning breakfast. A coffee mug in his hands.

“Ahem…your next task is to secure some work. A local part time job one might say.”

He stopped his rambling for a brief moment as the master drinks.

“What? How will this help? Monsters are everywhere! And there’s no time for that. I need to get stronger so I can take on every monster they got. Some new skill, a move or maybe something cool that can wipe out an army.”

The master whacks him on the head.

“What was that for?”

“Don’t get too cocky. You barely even perfected the Star Breaker.”

“What! But I totally whooped that Mushogun guy last battle. Back at that parking lot remember? I blasted him away. Even exploding!”

He attempts to use his previous victory as an excuse.

“Nay! You are not ready yet and that one move is enough.” Sairori assured as he tosses a handbook over for him to catch.

Taking a closer look at the papers it was filled with job openings.

“Are you serious?” He rejected. “Can’t I be paid to fight monsters? Like what you are doing? Mathias local army or even a private defense establishment? A sword for hire at least?”

Alistor continues to show disfavor on the master’s decision.

“It’s not as easy as you think…”

“How so?”

“Trust me, you don’t want to bother. Long story short, you’ll learn nothing from the local army. I’ve been there and it will save you years.” He explained. “Anyways, since your school is forever closed, a part time job may be the next best thing for you. You’ll learn way more than you think now go.”

“But…”

“Go! I have other matters to tend to.”

Sairori quickly boots him out the doors. With the paper clutched in his hands, he heads out to seek some jobs.

“Look like I’ll have to give this a shot then. Hopefully…”

Meanwhile, back with Vilevelious and his forces. General Shellshock makes an announcement for the other minions to hear.

“Two days it has been. Mushogun was small time, so I present my very plan I’ve cooked up.”

“Oh goody! Do tell.” The emperor jumped.

The general pressed a button projecting a busy street downtown. Local business with people shopping here and there.

“My newest monster Decoma shall take the sky at night. First by stealing local valuables, my monster will then replace them with duplicates that will drain buyers nonstop.”

“And how will Decoma pull this? Sounds quite expensive.” He questioned.

“Not to worry! Decoma specialize in replicating any object. May it be plastic, stone, wood or even clay, it won’t cost a single penny. The Whoopers will be there to secure the stolen goods.”

“Pure forgery? I like the sound of it so far.”

“Yes, imagine the looks on the shoppers’ faces when they find their gifts were no more than replicas. A potential of negative energy for the labyrinth.” Shellshock assured. “Even better we get to keep the goods ourselves.”

“Very well, begin operation. Deploy Decoma immediately.”

Back below, Alistor arrives downtown. Focusing out from the papers he arrives at the front of a local jewelry store as his first stop. A “Now hiring!” sign posted by the window.

“Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.”

Alistor enters the shop, spotting an old woman tending the store.

A couple hours later….

“Youch! Stop it! Stop it! It was a mistake.” Alistor wailed taking cover.

He was getting whacked by the old woman with a broom.

“You sold that couple the wrong ring. I told you before, discount section on the third right shelf.”

The woman then takes a further look at her inventory. She stood frozen in fear for a brief moment before shrieking.

“AHHHH! You sorted these gems all wrong. You’ve been selling my most expensive gems for less. You’re fired! OUT! OUT!”

He gets kicked out of the store. A moment later, the papers lead him to an antique shop.

“Maybe this will work out.”

Alistor enters without hesitation, a middle aged man was there to greet him as he accepted the job offer. In a matter of minutes he found himself caught in a long lecture.

“I suppose I could use an assistant. As you see, all the items in here are extremely valuable. I got artifacts from civilizations dated far back during Alandhite reign. They are centuries old blah blah blah…”

Alistor quickly finds himself drowsy leaning back against an object as the man rambles on.

“With me we’ll explore and uncover lots of secrets. Discover the unknowns and learn about ancient pasts. These items are fragile, so you have to be very…” The middle aged man suddenly turns his attention to Alistor. “CAREFUL!!!”

He wakes from the tone of the man’s voice as a large vase behind toppled over. It shatters to pieces, leaving the owner completely heartbroken.

“I’m so sorry….”

“Never mind leave me be.” The man cried.

Alistor quietly takes his leave, heading to the next job. He finds himself in front of a pizzeria that was now hiring.

“Third times a charm.”

A few moments later, he found himself biking fast in a pizza boy get up. Completely stressed as he was barely able to make ends meet on time for each delivery. Boxes piled behind his back. He lost control of the bike as it came skidding to the side.

“Oh no!”

In a matter of seconds, he came crashing through a barnyard filled with hay. Pizza scattered all across as he returns back with the bike nearly destroyed. He is confronted by an oversized large figure before him.

“WHAAAT! Twenty orders behind! Why you do this?” The fat man yelled.

Alistor was being scolded by the manager of the pizza place.

“Look, TonI’m sorry. Just give me another shot. I’ll get it right this time.” Alistor promised.

The manager lets off a deep breath.

“Look….”He sighed. “You already had four tries and you delivered them all to the wrong places. Sorry kid, I’m going to have to let you go.”

Alistor walks out of the pizzeria with a long face. Disappointed with no will to look further. He goes and take a seat by the bench nearby. A while later he got up bumping into a large figure before him. It overshadows him, catching him by surprise.

“Oh Bamboo? It’s you!” He nervously stuttered. “How have things been going?”

A moment of tension and silence between the two. Alistor then takes a few steps back intimidated by his glare.

“Look…I’m sorry for everything.” He bowed. “I know you lost your job. I promise I’ll make this up to you. With these monsters around and stuff the situation is complicated. So no hard feelings?”

Bamboo begins lecturing back.

“Two days ago, monsters came a second time. Two days ago, you dined on my ramen. Two days ago, my kitchen was a battleground. Two days ago you set my propane on fire. Two days ago you blew up the whole school a second time. And TWO DAYS AGO, I got fired from my job.”

“I’m sorry! So sorry I didn’t mean it to turn out this way.” He continued to fuss.

Alistor was down on his knee begging for forgiveness as he expects the worse yet to come.

“AND! I actually wanted to thank you for that.”

Bamboo caught him off by surprise.

“Say what? How so?” Alistor wondered as Bamboo begins explaining himself.

“Two days ago, I nearly lost sight of why I cook. Working at a dead end job in a cafeteria was not a good way to go. Seeing you dine with that monster gave me new hope inside. My passion for cooking and the joy of watching others scuffling food. Ever since I got fired, a new flame sparked inside. To follow my dream and finally open a restaurant.”

Alistor turned around to notice some lights turn on. Witnessing the grand opening of a new restaurant in town.

“Well congratulations I guess... Oh wait! Are you actually hiring?” He asked.

“Why of course. Come on in!”

He enters inside with Bamboo to check the new restaurant. Chairs, tables, and fish tanks around. With a complete kitchen and some newly enforced floor tiles giving off a shine. Everything was set and ready for business. The two took a brief moment to converse quite a bit sinking everything in.

A few minutes later…

“So you’re not really mad about the school? How were you able to afford all this?”

“The students there were never really bright.” Bamboo personally admits. “How I afforded this? Let’s just say I’ve saved enough. Plus with some connections on the side. Nothing shady…Ahem!”

Bamboo hands over a uniform. And so he begins training for the job. Commencing through quick lessons from taking customer orders to cleaning dishes and tables for the remainder of the day.

“Now try this!” Bamboo ordered.

“What is that stuff?”

“Grass Jelly! My specialty on the house. Give it a try.”

Alistor takes a spoonful in his mouth. A few seconds later he is seen gasping for air in total disgust. Choking as he is unable to bear the taste.

“This stuff is awful….Such foul taste. How can this be a delightful dessert?”

“Everyone’s a critic…”Bamboo sighed.

Alistor then returns home after the long day. Completely exhausted as the master greets him back at the house. A mysterious letter is seen in his hands.

“So how was your day? Find any good work?”

“I don’t want to talk about it ugh….”

He caught glimpse of the letter he was looking over.

“So what’s that letter for?”

The master puts it away.

“It’s none of your concern. Ahem…”

Later that night downtown…

Shellshock arrives down with a team of Whoopers by the pizza place. Near to the closing time as they approached a truck. He grabs a hold of a big man from behind.

“Halt! I’m here to appropriate all the Pizza you got. Now surrender!”

The fat manager is seen scared half to death by the general as he made an attempt to get away in the delivery truck.

“Lock on!”

The general fires a missile at the vehicle causing him to break a fire hydrant and crash into a metal pole. Boxes of Pizza scattered across the streets as the Whoopers began collecting it. Shellshock helps himself to a slice as they took seats by the windows.

“Now to sit back and watch. Decoma you’re up.”

The monster arrives swooping through the air. Pouncing down at the top of the very first store it sets sight on. Decoma materialized through the Jewelry store in liquid form. Moist and clay build up across the room as the power gets disabled. The monster sets sight on the inventory of gems displayed across.

“Finders Keepers!”

Decoma’s arm stretched out encasing every gem in the display. Covered in a thick matter of goo as the stones are replaced with a duplicate. Commander Shellshock arrives backdoor’s with the Whoopers.

“Good! Excellent performance! Next we’ll hit that gift shop nearby, and follow by that expensive antique store.”

“My pleasure commander.”

The following day…

A line full of customers waits as Bamboo’s doors opened. Tables packed in a matter of seconds as loads of work piled for Alistor. Bamboo is seen busy preparing various dishes in the kitchen while he carried them out. Meals from hot bowls of noodles with seafood served across the tables.

“This is a lot of work. You need to hire a couple more workers.” Alistor suggested.

“I’ll put that into consideration.” Bamboo noted. “Now hurry with this one.”

Bamboo hands over an oversized seafood platter for him to carry out. Barely able to handle its mass as he stumbled on out. He then overhears some customers bragging by the table.

“Have you heard, the pizza place got hit last night?” Some woman brought up.

“Yeah, I also heard my friend’s boyfriend made a regrettable purchase today. His hard earned money wasted on a fake engagement ring.”

Alistor then overhears a riot happening outside. A mob of shoppers across the street of another store with receipts. A store manager seen refusing as a no return policy gets posted.

“Looks like everyone’s demanding a refund.”

“A lot of counterfeit stuff has been circulating the market today and the merchant owners have no explanation for this.”

“How so?” Alistor asked. “Can’t they tell if it’s fake through common sense?”

The customers inside continued to explain.

“Not from what I’ve heard. When her boyfriend first saw that ring. It looked so real and was authentic when he held it in his hands. It wasn’t until after purchase, minutes later the ring magically turned to mud.”

Speculation and theories begin making its way across the next couple days. They could only watch as the other business’s fall victim.

“This is simply a matter of forgery.” Bamboo stated.

“Forgery?”

“Yep!” Bamboo nodded. “Someone overnight simply replaced everything with an exact duplicate with such precision and accuracy.”

Later that night, Bamboo was busy counting cash as the store got to closing hour. Alistor still remained after hour.

“You’re done for the day.” Bamboo reminded.

“I know…but somehow it doesn’t feel right. I’m gonna go take a look around.”

“Suit yourself.”

He heads into the back of the kitchen to grab a quick drink. He suddenly hears a sound coming from the back corridor.

“It’s coming from the storage room.”

He goes to check the back, opening the doors quietly as he spots a robed figure taking leave through a back window.

“No way am I letting you get away.”