The Fragile Embers: Necklace of the Mind-Flayer

Chapter 2: Walking Punching bag

The view would be very beautiful if everything didn't look like it was the home of the boogeyman. People greeted Ajani as he walked by, but only people older than him. The teens he went to school with barely looked in his direction which he was fine with. They don't really like him on account of him being the village's "weakling" so far since he got to this world no matter how hard he trained or studied he ever really improved. In most of the anime and manga Ajani (or rather Axel) had watched the weakling be shunned by his family or betrayed by his friends and exiled. However Briar never called him a weakling or got angry at his lack of progress. She continued to encourage him and congratulate him whenever he did make progress. Unlike his old father. 

He wonder's how they're doing over there? "Good morning Ajani!" an elderly woman called out. Her name is May berry. She was the mother of the baker Peggy Berry. She's a nice lady who makes ajani cupcakes whenever he helps her with things. Ajani smiles "morning miss Berry! How are you on this fine day?" she smiles "you're such a sweet boy i'm doing fine myself, listen i know today's your birthday and all but i could really use your help. I'll make you a cake as thanks!" Ajani didn't mind helping miss berry, and a cake was just icing on the..well cake. "Of course miss berry don't worry about it, what do you need?" she smiles and pinches his cheeks. "Such a sweet boy, Lewis has run off into the tool shed again. Would you be a dear and fetch him?" Ajani's heart stops,not lewis anyone but lewis. Ajani clears his throat "oh...has he run off again? I..i'll go get him" Ajani walks behind her house to the toolshed. Lewis was the name of Miss Berry's cat. A tabby cat, make no mistake, Ajani loves animals. And would constantly ask his old parents for a dog or cat and even turtles. However Lewis was one of the first otherworldly animals Ajani has met. 

And even though it looks like a regular cat. It doesn't act like one! Lewis was the first and only cat ever to sucker punch Ajani in the face. The only cat he's ever met that drop kicked him. And the only cat to ever manage to pull anime cat attacks on him. That cat was the definition of violence.and it scared Ajani to his very core. But he was even more afraid of letting down Miss berry. So Ajani slapped himself in the face (however rather gently) to Psych himself up. "Come on Ajani it's a cat, you're a human from a different world, you have to have two lifetime experiences. You can handle a measly cat" with shaky hands. Ajani opens the toolshed and looks inside. The toolshed had hoe's and racks for farmer Daniel to use. Wooden Practice swords for when it's time to train. "Alright Lewis, come on man..don't make this difficult" a meow is heard and he spots his Amber eyes peering under a tools desk. Ajani's hands shook. "Come on out man, ms. Berry is waiting for you." Lewis meowed in an angry manner. 

And hissed at Ajani. Knocking over a can nearly covering Ajani's shoe's in white paint. "Alright that's it! I had enough of your shit lewis! get from under there or I'll drag you out!" The tabby cat crawls from under the Tools desk. As if it was a lion and ajani had disturbed its sleep "bring it you little shit!" Lewis leapt at Ajani with ferocious speed going to claw at his face. However Jason remembered this move and grabbed at Lewis's stomach keeping his arms stretched out. And out of claws reach. "Ha beat that!" Lewis hissed at Ajani and proceeded to break free from his grasp and headbutts Ajani in the face. "Ahh! You little!-"Jason tries to grab him but he's too fast running along his arm and slides down Ajani's back clawing deep into it. "Ahhh! You mother fucker!" Ajani tries to rub the bleeding claw marks on his back but it was right down the middle. The only area he can't reach. Lewis Dashes over to one of the Practice swords and proceeds to pick it up. 

Ajani's eyes widen "no fucking way" the cat jumps at Ajani again preparing to strike him with a downward swipe. Briar taught Ajani how to counter a downward swipe.Before the wooden blade connected to Ajani's face he stepped out of the way and grabbed the sword's hilt using the momentum against lewis sending him flying out of the toolshed. "Ha suck it top cat!" Lewis lands on his feet(of course) before he could run back and attack Ajani again. Ms. Berry scoops him up in her arms "there you are Lewis! You naughty kitty causing trouble again" in miss berry's arm lewis changed completely from a Skinwalker assassin to an actual cat. "That cat's gonna be the death of me" Ajani climbs out of the tool shed.