“Scrap Ram! Is your plan ready?” Vile asked.

From a viewing screen, the general’s face materializes from a pile of garbage in a far corner. Lurking in the shadows, he spots a lone man approaching down an empty road.

“The target is ready as planned. This man is what we need.”

Scrap Ram eyes on a lone man carrying a guitar on his back. His hair covers nearly his eyes while the wind breezes by. He makes his way towards Emerald village.

“Who is this man supposed to be?”

“I’ve been keeping my eye on this one for quite some time. His music will provide the energy we need to nourish our labyrinth. My mark is already planted.”

A faint glint appears from the side of the man’s guitar.

“He will be the eyes and ears we need aha ha ha.”

A moment not too later, the man stumbles upon Bamboo’s restaurant.

The door slides open.

“Oh, we have a new customer.” Bamboo jumped.

The man drops on the floor the moment he stepped inside.

“Oh my god? Are you okay?”

He goes to check his pulse. The man was barely mumbled as he tries to make out what he was saying.

“So hu…ngry!”

“Someone help this man to a table. I’ll fix something nice up.”

Auroa and Maigashi goes to help the man to a table. A moment not too later, he was digging down on Bamboo’s cooking. Plate after plate while the others watch.

“Dude, you guys are a lifesaver.”

“So who are you again?” Alistor asked.

The man continues to chow down on the food.

“The names Axe. Axe Winston, I’m a musician.”

“So what brings you to this boring place? What’s your story?” Maigashi wondered.

He finished his plate, before answering.

“I use to be an Ace Guitarist. A rising star on tour way before these monster attacks started happening. But my skills began to falter somehow after my last few sessions. My band kicked me out, I lost my pad, dropped out from school, and my girlfriend even left. She took my car and I lost everything man.”

“Your girlfriend? Who was she?”

“I wish to not talk about it….”

He grabs the next plate on the table.

“No wait! You might not want to try that.”

He reaches for the special dessert. Bamboo’s plate of grass jelly. The others attempt to stop him, but it was too late. He quickly chomps it down in less than a few seconds. They stood speechless for a moment expecting the worse.

“Dude! This stuff is Bodacious.”

A small teardrop ran down Bamboo’s eye.

“Whoah! You seriously can handle that stuff?” Alistor was astounded with disbelief.

“Well, I’ll eat anything.” Axe replied. “Your cooking is excellent!”

The bill suddenly rang up.

“So how is he gonna pay?”

Bamboo quickly figures a solution.

“Not to worry! Any person who is a fan of my cooking is a friend of ours. Especially for my grass jelly.”

He hands a work uniform to Axe.

“What’s this?”

“You have nowhere to go, right?”

Axe nods his head.

“Since you’re a musician, my restaurant could use some lovely music. You can even help out in the kitchen and you’re welcome to stay as long you want.

He suddenly reaches out to hug Bamboo.

“No way! Are you serious? Dude! Of course I’ll stay.”

“Then it’s settled. You can start tomorrow morning.”

The very next morning, Axe plays, but the sound of his guitar sends a migraine through everyone else. Customers are seen covering their ears and leaving. Alistor falls over breaking some plates. Bamboo came out from the kitchen.

“What are you playing? You’re scaring all the customers away.” Bamboo wailed.

He stops playing for the moment.

“When you said your skills faltered, I didn’t realize you were this bad.” Auroa honestly admitted.

“Was this the only guitar you ever used?”

They took a moment to examine his guitar. Old and slightly rusted with a few loose ends.

“This guitar holds a special place in me. Long story short, this was passed down to me.”

“So you have family.”

“Not anymore, they passed away before their time even came. Since then I never stopped playing this guitar. I take it everywhere with me.”

“Well, for now, you can help clean up in the kitchen.” Bamboo suggested.

The party continued their shift as expected. Axe helps Bamboo in the back kitchen, cleaning the dishes. His guitar left untouched by the cashier counter.

A while later …

Bamboo presents them with their next job. An old theatre under renovation. Alistor and the party look over the paper.

“Hey, that’s the old school theatre. What’s left of it, I suppose?”

“Don’t tell me this is another cleanup job?” Maigashi showed distaste.

“Since Axe can’t play this guitar, maybe finding a new one might work. You four will salvage what you can at this place.”

“You think finding a new one will work?” Axe asked.

Bamboo grabs the old guitar right from his hands.

“I’ll hold on to this for the time being. Any instrument you can salvage will reel us in some nice cash. So move out.”

And so the four of them moved on out. They head to the old school theatre. Entering through the back door of what remains of the building. Through a dark hallway, Auroa reached out to find the lights. They entered the room and from the flick of a switch the lights came on.

“Whoa, this place is totally trashed. Dudes, are you sure we can find something new? This looks like the aftermath of a wild concert.”

“We can assure you it’s not. Now let’s just get this over with.”

Behind the curtains, Scrap Ram lurks in the shadows. Vilevelious contacts from the other screen.

“What is happening general? Why can’t I see anything on screen? Where in blazes is that guitar you planted?” Vile demanded.

“Look like we’ll have to try something else for now. A different monster will do for now.”

Alistor and the party continue to salvage anything they could find from the back of the theatre. Scouring through the piles of broken instruments.

“A few broken harps, a piano, some violins. No guitars yet.” Maigashi nods.

“Just my luck…when I thought things were turning up. I’ll never find anything new to play at this rate.”

Axe tossed a broken flute to the side. It rolls across the floor and into the corners. Scrap Ram grabs the object without notice. A monster begins forming in the back.

“Base Face! You will deal with them. Now go and gather some energy!”

Soon after, Axe finally stumbled upon an intact guitar. He begins to pull it out from the pile of junk.

“I finally found one. Dudes! Come help me out.”

Auroa and Maigashi goes to help.

“Man, this one is stuck in tight. Hey Alistor get over here.”

With Alistor they successfully pull it out. Axe held it right up on the air proudly. Unable to take his eyes off it.

“Man, this one’s a beauty.”

The guitar suddenly shatters in his hands.

“What? Not cool dude. Who did that?”

They turn around to find a monster before their eyes. Axe immediately jumps back from the sight of it.

“Ah! What is that thing?”

The monster gets close to him.

“Treat me like garbage will ya. The names Base Face, and my sound is gonna decimate your holes.”

The monster begins to pick Axe up from the shoulders. Scared out of his mind, he barely was able to fight back.

“What are you doing? Can’t you fight back?” Auroa wondered.

“I’m a musician, not a fighter. This was not what I signed up for. Dudes! Help me out.”

Auroa blasts a gust of air at the monster. Maigashi pulls Axe out of the way as Base Face tries to fire a screeching sound at them. Auroa’s wind pushed the attack back at the monster as it loses ground. He suddenly sensed something in the air.

“I feel another force at hand. Fall back!”

A pile of junk drops in at the center as the four gained some distance. Scrap Ram materialized in front of them.

“Base Face! A change of plans. Stop wasting time and get some energy.”

The monster begins to leave the scene as the four tries to chase after it. A wall of junk blocks their path.

“Just who are you? Are you the third demon general?” Alistor asked.

“You catch on very quick. Shellshock took you all so lightly, that was his biggest mistake.”

“What kind of monster are you supposed to be?”

“I am composed of your everyday objects. From the trash, waste, and junk you humans take for granted. I am part of Aggerona’s demolition division. The names Scrap Ram, and I make monsters from your old trash.”

They stare down face to face with the new foe at hand. Maigashi attempts to fire some shots at the wall, but it had little effect. The holes on the wall quickly repaired itself.

“We can’t let that monster escape outside. What do we do?” Alistor asked.

“Just leave this one to me.” Auroa insisted.

“Are you sure you’ll be fine?”

Auroa blasts a big hole in the wall. His wind leaves an opening held from his power. Axe and Maigashi runs off.

“Just go and take care of that monster. My wind will hold this one off. You could use the training anyway.”